Walker, A and Hughes, W P (1984) Private industrial project management: A systems-based case study. Construction Management and Economics, 2(2), pp. 93-110. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
The technique of linear responsibility analysis is used for a retrospective case study of a private industrial development consisting of an extension to existing buildings to provide a warehouse, services block and packing line. The organizational structure adopted on the project is analysed using concepts from systems theory which are included in Walker’s theoretical model of the structure of building project organizations (Walker, 1981). This model proposes that the process of building provision can be viewed as systems and subsystems which are differentiated from each other at decision points. Further to this, the subsystems can be viewed as the interaction of managing system and operating system. Using Walker’s model, a systematic analysis of the relationships between the contributors gives a quantitative assessment of the efficacy of the organizational structure used. The causes of the client's dissatisfaction with the outcome of the project were lack of integration and complexity of the managing system. However, there was a high level of satisfaction with the completed project and this is reflected by the way in which the organization structure corresponded to the model's propositions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building; case study; Linear responsibility analysis; private industry; project management; systems theory |
| Index terms: | industrial development, satisfaction, case study, interaction, project management, project organization, linear responsibility analysis, organizational structure, systems theory, complexity, integration |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, project delivery, construction type, data collection methods, organizational analysis, sociology, systems engineering, behavioral psychology, theoretical framing, organizational theory, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Construction Technology |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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