Browsing by Author "Kumaraswamy, M."

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Building integrated project and asset management teams for sustainable built infrastructure development
(2014) Wong, K.K.W.; Kumaraswamy, M.; Mahesh, G.; Ling, F.Y.Y.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relevance of the relationally integrated value networks (RIVANS) concept for integrating project management (PM) and asset management (AM) for total asset management (TAM). The specific objectives are to test the RIVANS for TAM concept postulated by Kumaraswamy (2011) and Kumaraswamy et al. (2012); discover ways to enable PM and AM teams to work in an integrated manner; and recommend strategies and operational measures to promote greater team integration in the industry. Design/methodology/approach This study is based in Hong Kong with parallel studies in the UK, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Through a comprehensive questionnaire, a case study on an organization engaged in both design and construction and operations and maintenance (O&M) works, interviews and hosting a workshop (all conducted with experienced industry practitioners and experts), a set of recommendations are derived to guide the industry toward greater team integration. Findings Early involvement of O&M staff is important for better anticipating obstacles and learning from past experiences, but PM and AM teams generally work independently with limited interaction. Priorities of the stakeholders are often different. Knowledge management is increasingly important, but knowledge sharing is not always a priority. The three focus areas in the set of recommendations developed from Hong Kong are: organizational/management structure, procurement strategies and operational mechanisms; fostering culture of team building and providing additional means of communication; and informal communication tools. Originality/value There has been little research into the communication, interaction and integration between PM and AM priorities and teams. However, increasing industry emphasis on sustainable buildings, end-user satisfaction and designing for maintainability dictates that PM and AM teams must work closer together, hence the imperative for mapping useful directions to be pursued. 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Building integrated project and asset management teams for sustainable built infrastructure development
(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. Howard House Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, 2014) Wong, K.K.W.; Kumaraswamy, M.; Mahesh, G.; Ling, F.Y.Y.
Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relevance of the relationally integrated value networks (RIVANS) concept for integrating project management (PM) and asset management (AM) for total asset management (TAM). The specific objectives are to test the RIVANS for TAM concept postulated by Kumaraswamy (2011) and Kumaraswamy et al. (2012); discover ways to enable PM and AM teams to work in an integrated manner; and recommend strategies and operational measures to promote greater team integration in the industry. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based in Hong Kong with parallel studies in the UK, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Through a comprehensive questionnaire, a case study on an organization engaged in both design and construction and operations and maintenance (O&M) works, interviews and hosting a workshop (all conducted with experienced industry practitioners and experts), a set of recommendations are derived to guide the industry toward greater team integration. Findings – Early involvement of O&M staff is important for better anticipating obstacles and learning from past experiences, but PM and AM teams generally work independently with limited interaction. Priorities of the stakeholders are often different. Knowledge management is increasingly important, but knowledge sharing is not always a priority. The three focus areas in the set of recommendations developed from Hong Kong are: organizational/management structure, procurement strategies and operational mechanisms; fostering culture of team building and providing additional means of communication; and informal communication tools. Originality/value – There has been little research into the communication, interaction and integration between PM and AM priorities and teams. However, increasing industry emphasis on sustainable buildings, end-user satisfaction and designing for maintainability dictates that PM and AM teams must work closer together, hence the imperative for mapping useful directions to be pursued. © 2014, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Developing a clients charter and construction project KPIs to direct and drive industry improvements
(2017) Kumaraswamy, M.; Mahesh, G.; Mahalingam, A.; Loganathan, S.; Kalidindi, S.N.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a case, with live examples from a construction industry development initiative in India, for developing a proactive construction clients charter; and a core set of key performance indicators (KPIs), as basic tools for facilitating the expectations of this special issue in securing clients organisational objectives and project aspirations throughout construction project lifecycles apart from empowering construction industry improvements in general. Design/methodology/approach: Having identified 19 critical issues in the Indian construction industry at two construction clients-academia roundtables, two of the action teams formed to address specific issue sets, separately developed a relevant construction clients charter and useful KPIs, respectively, through a combination of literature reviews and brainstorming conference calls, along with iterative drafts of, and feedback on interim outputs. Validation of working papers presented at a Consolidation Roundtable of construction clients and their consultants, elicited further suggestions for fine tuning of final outputs. Findings: The charter was formulated in structured steps, including identifying priorities under four categories: overall, expectations from supply chains, by supply chains and by end users. The six sub-heads of the charter are on procurement, design, innovation and technology, project execution, human resource development and worker welfare, and quality, safety and sustainability. The suggested KPIs for building clients in India enable organisations to choose: from three different groups (i.e. design phase, construction phase, or business outcomes), and at three different levels (i.e. project/organisation level, benchmarking club level, or industry level). Originality/value: There is no known overarching Construction Clients Charter at present. Some project KPI sets are available elsewhere. However, those developed in India, while focusing on project performance, also connect to organisational performance and business outcomes. Furthermore, KPIs are provided to separately probe client, consultant and contractor performance. Significantly, the charter and KPIs are outcomes from an industry-led self-improvement initiative launched with building construction clients at the forefront, rather than a top-down imposition from government. Furthermore, while prioritising client aspirations, they also address common supply chain and end-user concerns, which may also be interpreted as a longer-term win-win-win client s aspiration. 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Developing a clients’ charter and construction project KPIs to direct and drive industry improvements
(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. Howard House Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, 2017) Kumaraswamy, M.; Mahesh, G.; Mahalingam, A.; Loganathan, S.; Kalidindi, S.N.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a case, with live examples from a construction industry development initiative in India, for developing a proactive construction clients charter; and a core set of key performance indicators (KPIs), as basic tools for facilitating the expectations of this special issue in “securing clients’ organisational objectives and project aspirations throughout construction project lifecycles” apart from empowering construction industry improvements in general. Design/methodology/approach: Having identified 19 critical issues in the Indian construction industry at two construction clients-academia roundtables, two of the “action teams” formed to address specific issue sets, separately developed a relevant construction clients charter and useful KPIs, respectively, through a combination of literature reviews and brainstorming conference calls, along with iterative drafts of, and feedback on interim outputs. Validation of “working papers” presented at a “Consolidation Roundtable” of construction clients and their consultants, elicited further suggestions for fine tuning of final outputs. Findings: The charter was formulated in structured steps, including identifying “priorities” under four categories: overall, expectations from supply chains, by supply chains and by end users. The six sub-heads of the charter are on procurement, design, innovation and technology, project execution, human resource development and worker welfare, and quality, safety and sustainability. The “suggested KPIs” for building clients in India enable organisations to choose: from three different groups (i.e. design phase, construction phase, or business outcomes), and at three different levels (i.e. project/organisation level, benchmarking club level, or industry level). Originality/value: There is no known overarching Construction Clients’ Charter at present. Some project KPI sets are available elsewhere. However, those developed in India, while focusing on project performance, also connect to organisational performance and business outcomes. Furthermore, KPIs are provided to separately probe client, consultant and contractor performance. Significantly, the charter and KPIs are outcomes from an industry-led self-improvement initiative launched with building construction clients at the forefront, rather than a top-down imposition from government. Furthermore, while prioritising client aspirations, they also address common supply chain and end-user concerns, which may also be interpreted as a longer-term win-win-win client’s aspiration. © 2017, © Emerald Publishing Limited.
Dynamics of construction industry development
(Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., 2022) Kumaraswamy, M.; Mahesh, G.
Construction industry performance levels have not risen in line with expectations of many recent reform initiatives worldwide. Institutional inertia and difficulties in shifting adversarial industry culture to collaborative teamworking have been identified as principal root causes of such shortfalls. This chapter probes such 'decelerators' of expected industry improvements in the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong and lessons learned from Australia, the Netherlands, India and Sri Lanka too. This chapter also unearths another fundamental root cause, from a construction economics perspective focusing on national development, which itself needs a reliable and efficient construction industry. For example, lack of work continuity disrupts the development of high-performing construction organisations, personnel and technologies. Therefore, policy-makers are invited to view the construction industry-national economy nexus through a dual macro-micro construction economics 'bifocal lens'. This could, for example, justify providing more alternative work opportunities in public infrastructure augmentation and rehabilitation during troughs in demand for construction. © George Ofori 2022.