Atkinson, A (1998) Human error in the management of building projects. Construction Management and Economics, 16(3), pp. 339-349. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
This paper seeks to improve the understanding of human error as it is applied to the generation of defects in construction projects. It reviews the literature concerning human error, commencing at the psychological basis of errors. From this, the review is expanded to include literature from forensic engineering, industrial safety, reliability engineering, sociology and quality management. Based on the literature, a model of the factors influencing the incidence of errors in project based industries is constructed. This model proposes that errors leading to defects and more dramatic failures can be generated from all levels of project organi-zations. They stem from primary factors (related to the performance of the individual), management factors (related to a range of managerial tasks) and global factors (related to wider external influences). These factors can be displayed as a hierarchy with primary factors at the base and global factors at the top. The paper reports on the results of an initial test of this model by reference to a survey of a sample of construction industry practitioners. The findings of the survey support the model, with some modifications. Additionally, some differences in view were noted: in particular, respondents from a construction background emphasized managerial factors more strongly than those from a design background.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | defects; human error; project management |
| Index terms: | sociology, project management, construction industry, quality management, survey, practitioner, reliability engineering, construction project, industrial safety |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, quality assurance, environmental health, production management, social theory, project management theory and practice, professional practice, data collection methods, practitioner |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here