Li, H; Love, P E D and Drew, D S (2000) Effects of overtime work and additional resources on project cost and quality. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 7(3), pp. 211-220. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Delays are an endemic feature of the construction industry. Typically, when a delay occurs in a project, the project manager often expedites progress through activity-crashing with respect to available float and time-cost relationships. An accelerated schedule is thus obtained either by prescribing overtime working hours or by procuring additional resources or a combination of both. However, excessively prolonged overtime work can generate quality problems, such as rework, and additional resources. With this in mind, there is a need for a model to assist project managers with understanding the complex nature of attaining a trade-off between overtime working and the procurement of additional resources. Thus, using system dynamics modelling, the effects of prolonged overtime work on project cost and quality are examined. To overcome project delays, several options representing various combinations of prescribing over-time work and injecting additional resources are analysed. Utility theory is then applied to determine the most appropriate solution for mitigating project delays. The modelling approach offered in this paper should be particularly useful for large projects and for projects on confined sites where potential cost savings and improved quality standards are likely to be the most significant.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cost; quality; rework; systems dynamics; time; utility theory |
| Index terms: | cost saving, construction industry, modelling, option, project manager, quality standard, systems dynamics, project delay, system dynamics, working hours, utility theory, rework, crashing, project cost |
| Subjects: | analytical methods, operations management, computing systems, profession, industry analysis, decision-making and optimization, economic theory, quality assurance, project controls, decision analysis, employment law, economics |
| Topics: | Time Control, Quality Management, Digital Applications, Legal Issues, Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Project Management, Cost Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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