CONSTRUCTION

Construction



Construction

Introduction

The construction industry represents a significant aspect of the U.K. economy, and the number of construction projects since the mid-1990s has increased by 12% (U.K. Bureau of Labour Statistics). Annually, the construction industry represents approximately 12% of the gross domestic product and approximately 8 million jobs. The number and complexity of construction projects is increasing demand for management-level personnel in the construction industry (Rojas et al. 2003: 78-82).

The construction industry consists of architects, engineers, construction-related trade consultants, project owners, and general contractors. Construction professionals are often asked by the organizations to take on leadership roles in the industry without formal training. In the construction industry, the project manager is responsible for the successful completion of projects on time and within a specified budget. Project managers need strong leadership skills to complete projects on schedule while maintaining a high-quality product within the specified budget. The construction industry relies on teams of various professionals to execute construction projects (Sanvido 1988: 294-311).

In this essay, we will be critically reflecting on the construction best practice compared against a real or simulated project witnessed or discussed within the semester.

Discussion

For any construction industry around the world, it is necessary that the project is productive. However, if productivity lacks within a project, then it becomes difficult for project managers to manage it effectively.

Productivity is dependent on many factors, some of which are unpredictable, such as weather, equipment breakdowns, laws, and regulations; other factors are controllable, such as material delivery, labour incentives, and safety planning. Improving productivity is possible by focusing on the controllable elements of work.

Productivity (or lack of it) has become a major challenge facing the construction industry. A project witnessed during the semester reported that productivity was negatively influenced by increasing design complexity, more rigorous federal and state regulations, and socioeconomic changes affecting the workforce. Approximately 45% of a worker's time is non-productive, which makes the construction industry among the worst of the industries in terms of non-productive time. A higher percentage of the non-productive time occurring in construction may be attributed to the effect of various climates on construction work and the uniqueness of the physical location (Cain 2003: 2-5).

The project manager of the witnessed project states that the various problems that are common in construction projects include disputed change orders, accidents, thefts of material/tools, redo work, lack of material or instructions, waiting time, lost or misplaced tools, lack of planning, and attitudes of workforce at project. Thomas et al. (2000) studied the impact of the construction process re-engineering on performance improvement. They showed that of seventeen initiatives, fourteen methods were suitable to raise productivity, while only four were frequently used. While it is unrealistic to believe that all the construction non-productive time may be eliminated, it is an attractive notion that a mere increase in productivity of 5-10% may have a significant effect on the profitability and competitiveness of a construction firm. If productivity is improved, the project duration is likely to be reduced; therefore, even a slight increase ...