40 research outputs found
Knowledge Management Model for Managing Knowledge among Related Organizations
No full textTransferring information developed by other peoples is an ordinary event that happens during daily conversations, for example when employees sea each other in the organization, or when they are having lunch together, or attending a meeting, they use to talk about their experience, and discuss about their current projects, and talk about their successes over some specific problems. Despite the potential value of leveraging organizational memory and expertise by using OMS and ER, still small organizations haven-t been able to capitalize on its promised value. Each organization has its internal knowledge management system, in some of organizations the system face the lack of expert people to save their experience in the repository and in another hand on some other organizations there are lots of expert people but the organization doesn-t have the maximum use of their knowledge
Evaluating the procurement documents of Dutch water boards portfolio: A step towards more reliable public clients
No full textAlthough a considerable amount of literature has addressed the public procurement in the construction industry, still little is known about procurement in small and repetitive activities. In practice, however, public clients are often involved in repetitive tasks such as maintenance activities. Dutch water boards, regional governmental bodies responsible for providing water management services, are the focus of this study. For this research, three main procurement documents of the water boards were performed using content analysis. The aim is to evaluate these documents and to identify the typology of the repetitive activities and the procurement volume of these tasks from a portfolio perspective of the public client. Most of the contractors/suppliers involved in these activities are local Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The findings of the study indicate that insights into the typologies of these repetitive works and their expected volume over time delivers crucial value for the public procurer. Given the amount of repetitive works procured by public clients, creating such an insight to both clients as well as contractors can ultimately increase efficiency and improve investment opportunities.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Design & Construction Managemen
In Pursuit of Success: Evaluating the Management of Engineering Projects, Cross-Sectoral Analysis of Project Management Efforts
No full textSuccessful delivery of projects is the ultimate goal of many organisations. What is observed in practice, however, is that projects do not usually follow what is recommended in literature. Moreover, the dynamic nature of projects calls for continuous adjustments regarding the required project management practices contributing to performance. Therefore, this research aims at evaluating the current practice of managing engineering projects and investigating potential learning points across two main industry sectors: construction (including infrastructure) and process industry. The main output of this research is a model called “Nexcess model” that could help in improving project performance by providing practical recommendations. The model offers a space for interaction in which practitioners can understand the extent to which they can contribute positively to the performance by promoting an integrated approach.Integral Design & Managemen
Insights into the design of the two-phase deliver model in the design phase of infrastructure projects
No full textCurrently, the infrastructure industry is in transformation and moving towards new project delivery approaches. Aiming to improve the predictability of projects and due to a growing desire for collaboration between clients and contractors, the two-phase model has made its entrance in the industry and has been gaining popularity.During the first phase of the two-phase model, client and contractor work together on the design. The first phase results in a detailed design including the price for execution. After a successful first phase, client and contractor come to an agreement for the execution phase. The price determination of the execution costs is delayed until after the first phase. The contractor therefore has a better grasp of the project risks and is in a better position to offer a more reliable price. The two-phase model is relatively new on the market and therefore has not yet been standardized. The elements of a two-phase model have not been identified scientifically. This research contributes to making reasoned choices on how the elements of a two-phase model can be operationalized in infrastructure projects in a way that the two-phase model contributes to achieving the project's objectives.The main research question of this study is: What is the optimal operationalization of elements in designing the first phase of the two-phase model in infrastructure projects?Civil Engineering | Construction Management and Engineerin
A strategy towards integrating sustainability into the procurement practices in projects: Developing a sustainability framework for EPC companies
No full textSustainability is seen as one of the most important challenges faced by the world today (Silvius, 2017). Within EPC companies, there are quite some ambitions at the strategic level to integrate sustainability into project procurement, but implementation at the project level is still quite limited. Additionally, existing literature focusing on sustainable procurement or sustainability within supply chains (i.e., suppliers/(sub-)contractors), in the domain of EPC companies in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry is also quite limited. This research study thus aims to develop a strategy on how EPC companies in the Energy & Chemicals (E&C)/Process industry can integrate sustainability into their project procurement practices, thereby adding to academic literature and practice. To achieve this objective, this research study was conducted in three main phases. In phase one, a thorough literature and document review was conducted, resulting in a conceptual sustainability framework that could be integrated into an EPC company’s project procurement practices such as prequalification and supplier/(sub-)contractor selection. The sustainability framework consisted of a set of sustainability criteria and performance indicators which can be used to assess the sustainability level of an EPC company’s suppliers/(sub-)contractors. In the second phase, semi structured interviews were conducted to understand views from practice regarding the topic of sustainable procurement. Main insights gathered included understanding the enablers and barriers encountered by EPC companies during implementation of sustainability into procurement, the prioritization of the identified performance indicators, incentives to stimulate sustainable procurement and suggestions for improvement. The third and final phase synthesized all the findings gathered so far, to propose a strategy or solution for EPC companies to integrate sustainability into their project procurement practices. This research study concluded by providing a holistic set of recommendations to all actors involved in executing a project, such as clients, EPC companies and supply chain actors on how sustainability can be effectively and efficiently integrated into project procurement practices.Civil Engineering | Construction Management and Engineerin
Evaluating the collaboration potential in project teams using a team assessment: An explorative study into the implementation of team assessments in Dutch infrastructure projects
No full textIn traditional models of project delivery, stakeholders have clear assignments of risks, responsibilities, and liabilities. However, in today's large and complex infrastructure projects, these allocations are often uncertain and difficult to determine at the project's outset. Consequently, many of these large projects experience inefficiencies, such as exceeding time or budget. Thus, it is necessary to shift away from a 'predict and control' project delivery approach and adopt a 'prepare and commit' approach instead. Alternative project delivery methods subsequently require other contractor selection tools. This study examines the selection tool of team assessments to evaluate the collaborative potential of project teams during the tendering phase. A team assessment is a tool in which predefined collaboration competencies are assessed by independent assessors using one or more fictitious cases. Prior to constructing the cases the client and assessors identify critical moments that may arise during project execution and integrate these unforeseen moments in the cases. The client should possess a comprehensive understanding of the preconditions and limitations associated with team assessments and identify the project's characteristics and goals. Only then, a proper decision can be made on if a team assessment should be used and how the assessment should be designed and implemented. The crux is that all these considerations should be underpinned and aligned by appropriate substantiation and expert guidance. This thesis provides a framework including preconditions, restrictions, and process steps for the implementation of team assessments. Recommendations for clients, contractors, and assessors involve adequately preparing the assessment, using tailer-made competencies, developing a scoring system in which proper differentiation can be achieved, allocating a sufficient amount of time using a start-up phase to establish collaboration and streamline processes effectively, using lessons learned from the assessment in the design phase, creating consistency by having an assessor as a team coach in the design phase who reinforces the initiated collaboration, properly dealing with team member changes, maintaining a concerted emphasis on collaboration by transparently addressing it, fostering an environment of psychological safety in which mutual expectations and requirements are shared.Civil Engineering | Construction Management and Engineerin
Factors Affecting the Integration of Sustainability in the Early Project Phases in an Integrated Project Management Model
No full textThis study investigates the factors affecting the integration of sustainability into the project management of infrastructure projects, specifically highway projects during early phases. The research was drawn upon previous studies in order to develop a sustainability framework for measuring the project success in three aspects of sustainability: People, Planet, and Prosperity (triple bottom line). Next, Critical Success Factor (CSF) framework in the construction sector was extracted through a comprehensive literature review. A qualitative cross-case analysis was conducted on three sustainability-oriented highways projects in the Netherlands. Data were collected through document review and twelve in-depth interviews with different roles of Integrated Project Management (IPM) model. The findings suggest that each IPM role is inclined towards specific sustainability dimension which affects the application of sustainability CSFs. The results reveal that among the sixteen identified CSFs promoting the integration of sustainability, following factors were acknowledged by all the IPM roles: awareness of project external factors, clearly defined scope, clearly defined goals/ambitions. Further, the paper conceptualizes a model for integrating key roles involved in the project management of infrastructure projects. The model is based on the triple bottom line of sustainability bringing all the roles involved in the project management of infrastructure projects together.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Integral Design & ManagementPublic Commissionin
Product-service system business models in the building sector: barriers and solutions for companies
No full textThe construction sector's reliance on raw materials and the generation of waste necessitate a shift from the unsustainable linear economy to a circular economy (CE). Adopting Product-Service System (PSS) business models is crucial for achieving this transition. However, contractor companies in the building sector face barriers to implementing PSS, and there is limited knowledge about PSS in this context. This study aims to understand the state-of-the-art in PSS, assess barriers, and propose potential solutions specifically for contractor companies in the building sector.A qualitative research method was employed, including a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The literature review encompassed 774 studies, with 45 meeting the inclusion criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals in the building construction sector to supplement the literature findings. This study highlighted that PSS in the building sector has the potential to enhance sustainability and circular economy efforts by promoting economic growth, reducing resource consumption, and minimizing waste.The practical implementation of PSS in the building sector is hindered by challenges such as technological and supply chain changes, lack of financial support, organizational restructuring, establishing new customer relationships, developing new contracts, and adopting new economic models. Insufficient policies and regulations further impede PSS adoption. Nonetheless, this study highlights that sustainability, circularity, and CO2 reduction can drive the adoption and implementation of PSS.The research identified 41 barriers to PSS adoption through the literature review and 20 barriers through interviews grouped into ten categories. These barriers encompass customers, supply chain financial, organizational, resource, knowledge, regulation or policy, environmental, social, and technology-related challenges. To overcome these barriers, nine potential solutions were proposed, including effective leadership, separated business units, training existing personnel, hiring additional personnel, cultivating long-term relationships, horizontal and vertical integration, leveraging knowledge and experience from other sectors, and learning by doing.This study contributes to understanding PSS in the building sector and provides recommendations for practice and further research. By implementing these solutions, contractor companies in the building sector can overcome barriers to PSS adoption and increase their chances of successful implementation. The study offers guidance for efficient resource allocation and prioritization of solutions based on their effectiveness in addressing specific barrier categories. Future studies can explore customers' perspectives, conduct in-depth research on specific barrier categories, and focus on specific building systems or products to investigate potential barriers and solutions.Civil Engineering | Construction Management and Engineerin
Project Management for Sustainability: Use of Critical Success Factors in an Integrated Project Management Model to Improve the Chances of Project Success of a Sustainability Oriented Highway Project during the Exploration and Planning Phase
No full textSustainability within Project Management practice is a new and challenging territory. The current project management practice within the construction industry, particularly highway construction has not yet fully embraced sustainability. Recent literature shows a relation between project success and sustainability. Project success comprises of project success criteria and project success factors. A sustainability success sub-criteria framework of a highway is developed to identify critical success factors for a sustainability oriented highway project during the exploration and planning phase. Three highway projects and four respondents from each case are selected for cross-case methodology. Based on cross-case analysis, critical success factors are identified and applied in an Integrated Project Management model to improve chances of project success during the exploration and planning of a sustainability oriented highway project
Developing a sustainability assessment tool for assessing Dutch highway designs
No full textIn the past decades, sustainability has become increasingly important for the construction industry, in particular highway infrastructure, as it can generate both positive and negative impacts on the social and physical environment. As a result of the impact on the environment and the growing awareness of environmental protection, the effects on society and economic development, there is a pressing need and sense of urgency for the sector to become more sustainable. For a highway to be truly sustainable it needs to take the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability (People, Planet, Prosperity) into account. Over the past decades, some sustainability assessment (SA) approaches have been developed in an attempt to integrate sustainability in the assessment of infrastructure projects. Despite these attempts, these SA approaches do not address all the dimensions of sustainability thoroughly and are biased to either an environmental or an economic assessment, while the social dimension is taken less into consideration. However, how designers and decision-makers can integrate these dimensions into the assessments of highway design options is less known. This lack of integration of the three dimensions of sustainability makes it impossible to evaluate and assess the sustainability consequences of highway design choices and options and thus represents a significant limitation.To address the observed problem, the main objective of this research is to not only provide designers and decision-makers with a SA tool that integrates all three dimensions of sustainability, but also with an understanding of how this can be used.The triple bottom line (TBL) theory coined by John Elkington, a well-known concept in sustainable development (SD) was selected as a sound theory regarding the three interdependent dimensions of sustainability. A total of 64 SA criteria from the construction and infrastructure sector were identified through surveying recent literature, which formed the preliminary list of SA criteria. This was followed by a filtering process on the SA criteria and subsequently a questionnaire survey to establish which are relevant to the Dutch highway context. This resulted in the conceptual SA framework which consists of 36 SA criteria categorised in their corresponding dimensions of sustainability and related 9 themes. Next, the assessment procedure was provided for the conceptual SA framework, to form the proposed SA tool. In this tool, the best-worst method (BWM) is used to determine the weighting factors of the themes depending on the project. The tool was tested by applying it to a reference case (a highway project in the Netherlands). Based on the results from the reference case, the applicability of the tool was evaluated by an expert involved in the project. In the developed SA tool, the three dimensions of sustainability are integrated into one comprehensive framework specific for the Dutch highway context.The conceptual SA framework provides a systematic overview of all possible aspects of sustainability that can be taken into account during the planning- and design phase of a highway project. In addition, it can help designers and decision-makers understand how the dimensions of sustainability can be used to decrease the negative impacts of highway projects and embrace the principles of sustainability with respect to environmental protection, economic profitability and human well-being, to make their highway designs more sustainable and to contribute towards SD.The proposed SA tool can assess, compare, evaluate and rank design options based on the SA criteria. The SA criteria assess to what extent a design choice and option contributes to the creation of sustainable added value. In this tool, design options can be explicitly weighed upon all dimensions of sustainability, related themes and corresponding SA criteria which can support the decision-making.Civil Engineering | Construction Management and Engineerin
