Glass, J and Simmonds, M (2007) "Considerate construction": Case studies of current practice. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 14(2), pp. 131-149. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on the extent to which major contractors are delivering what can be termed "considerate construction", using case studies of housing and education projects in the UK, identify areas for improvement, particularly in the area of community engagement practices used by contractors. Design/methodology/approach - A list of key themes relating to community engagement is developed and used as a framework for case studies of projects being built by a major, multi-disciplinary contractor that routinely registers projects with the Considerate Constructors Scheme. Findings - This research found evidence of a range of effective practices, but there is still scope for improvement. Seemingly better examples were found in projects in which the contractor took a partnered approach with both client and community, retained community relation expertise on staff, and took appropriate, timely action. Research limitations/implications - The case studies are based in the Southeast of England and focus on housing and educational projects, so the lessons learned may not apply in all instances. Practices may also vary from one contractor to another. Practical implications - The findings have implications for community engagement procedures used in construction projects. There are specific recommendations relating to the professional training of construction project managers, who need to be better equipped to deal with the local general public. Originality/value - The research complements the existing academic and industry literature on considerate construction and makes both strategic and practical recommendations to enhance on-site community engagement practices. Thus it is of interest to both researchers and practitioners.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | business ethics; community relations; construction industry; corporate social responsibility; project management; United Kingdom |
| Index terms: | manager, United Kingdom, business ethics, methodology, construction project, practitioner, evidence, lessons learned, housing, community relations, England, case study, community engagement, educational project, construction industry, corporate social responsibility, project management |
| Subjects: | community engagement, industry analysis, research methods, production management, Geography, health safety and environment, professional development, project management theory and practice, professional practice, curriculum development, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, construction type, community and social dimensions, practitioner |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Construction Technology, Health and Safety, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Information Management, Education, Ethics |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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