A conceptual decision-making framework for the delivery of innovative change in organisations

Research found that today’s organisations are increasingly aware of the potential barriers and perceived challenges associated with the successful delivery of change — including cultural and sub-cultural indifferences; financial constraints; restricted timelines; insufficient senior management support; fragmented key stakeholder commitment; and inadequate training. The delivery and application of Innovative Change (see glossary) within a construction industry organisation tends to require a certain level of ‘readiness’. This readiness is the combination of an organisation’s ability to part from undertakings that may be old, traditional, or inefficient; and then being able to readily adopt a procedure or initiative which is new, improved, or more efficient. Despite the construction industry’s awareness of the various threats and opportunities associated with the delivery of change, research found little attention is currently given to develop a ‘decision-making framework’ that comprises measurable elements (dynamics) that may assist in more accurately determining an organisation’s level of readiness or ability to deliver innovative change. To resolve this, an initial Background Literature Review in 2004 identified six such dynamics, those of Change, Innovation, Implementation, Culture, Leadership, and Training and Education, which were then hypothesised to be key components of a ‘Conceptual Decision-making Framework’ (CDF) for delivering innovative change within an organisation. To support this hypothesis, a second (more extensive) Literature Review was undertaken from late 2007 to mid 2009. A Delphi study was embarked on in June 2008, inviting fifteen building and construction industry members to form a panel and take part in a Delphi study. The selection criterion required panel members to have senior positions (manager and above) within a recognised field or occupation, and to have experience, understanding and / or knowledge in the process of delivering change within organisations. The final panel comprised nine representatives from private and public industry organisations and tertiary / research and development (R&D) universities. The Delphi study developed, distributed and collated two rounds of survey questionnaires over a four-month period, comprising open-ended and closed questions (referred to as factors). The first round of Delphi survey questionnaires were distributed to the panel in August 2008, asking them to rate the relevancy of the six hypothesised dynamics. In early September 2008, round-one responses were returned, analysed and documented. From this, an additional three dynamics were identified and confirmed by the panel as being highly relevant during the decision-making process when delivering innovative change within an organisation. The additional dynamics (‘Knowledge-sharing and Management’; ‘Business Process Requirements’; and ‘Life-cycle Costs’) were then added to the first six dynamics and used to populate the second (final) Delphi survey questionnaire. This was distributed to the same nine panel members in October 2008, this time asking them to rate the relevancy of all nine dynamics. In November 2008, round-two responses were returned, analysed, summarised and documented. Final results confirmed stability in responses and met Delphi study guidelines. The final contribution is twofold. Firstly, findings confirm all nine dynamics as key components of the proposed CDF for delivering innovative change within an organisation. Secondly, the future development and testing of an ‘Innovative Change Delivery Process’ (ICDP) is proposed, one that is underpinned by an ‘Innovative Change Decision-making Framework’ (ICDF), an ‘Innovative Change Delivery Analysis’ (ICDA) program, and an ‘Innovative Change Delivery Guide’ (ICDG).

Sustainability criteria for Industrialised Building System (IBS) in Malaysia

As the sustainability awareness rises globally, the construction industry is under increasing pressure to improve efficiency and project delivery. The implementation of Industrialised Building Systems (IBS), for which utility components are built offsite, has the potential of promoting sustainability deliverables. This can be achieved by better control of production environment, minimising construction waste, using efficient building material energy, and stabilising work conditions. As a unique building technology, IBS has not been effectively implemented in Malaysia. Possible reasons may include limited understanding among stakeholders on the IBS potential and its relevance to sustainability. This warrants studies on the sustainability issues of IBS design, construction, operation and maintenance, A framework is being developed through research to assess performance criteria related to sustainability, which should be considered during IBS design and application in the most consistent and systematic way. This paper discusses how these sustainability performance criteria are examined in a continuing research project and the processes conducive to implementing sustainable IBS in Malaysia. Existing tools, indicators and guidelines are reviewed, analysed and grouped according to characteristics and application. The research also hopes to produce guidelines for stakeholders to incorporate sustainability issues and concepts into IBS applications.

Sustainability factors in Industrialised Building System

In Malaysia, Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) are being promoted as a potential to enhance sustainability by the building industry and government. Known elsewhere as prefabricated construction, IBS employs a combination of ready-made components in the construction of buildings that promote quality of production, enhance simplification of construction processes and minimise on-site work. The components are manufactured in a factory either on or off site. They are then positioned and assembled into building structures. The unique characteristic of IBS has the potential to respond well to the sustainability challenge facing the construction industry. Despite the promises however, IBS has yet to be effectively implemented in Malaysia. There are often misconceptions among key stakeholders about IBS applications and some of the rating schemes fail to assess IBS towards sustainability deliverables. A holistic approach to improving IBS implementation is necessary to consider sustainability perceptions on IBS among key stakeholders. As IBS design is one of the most important development phases to incorporate sustainability requirements and expectations, a framework of embedding sustainability factors into IBS design is being developed through research. This paper presents an improved IBS design process focused on sustainability, showing where and how sustainability should be assessed to improve IBS construction. The framework being developed can provide guidance and decision making assistance to not only design consultants but all relevant stakeholders by integrating sustainability concepts into IBS applications. Outcome of the research will also provide a benchmark for developing countries in adopting prefabricated construction systems.

Achieving supply chain sustainability : the role of relationship management, culture and procurement form

In this research we examined, by means of case studies, the mechanisms by which relationships can be managed and by which communication and cooperation can be enhanced in developing sustainable supply chains. The research was predicated on the contention that the development of a sustainable supply chain depends, in part, on the transfer of knowledge and capabilities from the larger players in the supply chain. A sustainable supply chain requires proactive relationship management and the development of an appropriate organisational culture, and trust. By legitimising individuals’ expectations of the type of culture which is appropriate to their company and empowering employees to address mismatches that may occur, a situation can be created whereby the collaborating organisations develop their competences symbiotically and so facilitate a sustainable supply chain. Effective supply chain management enhances organisation performance and competitiveness through the management of operations across organisational boundaries. Relational contracting approaches facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge and build capacity in the supply chain, thus enhancing its sustainability. Relationship management also provides the conditions necessary for the development of collaborative and cooperative relationships However, often subcontractors and suppliers are not empowered to attend project meetings or to have direct communication with project based staff. With this being a common phenomenon in the construction industry, one might ask: what are the barriers to implementation of relationship management through the supply chain? In other words, the problem addressed in this research is the engagement of the supply chain through relationship management.

Regeneration

This presentation relates to a paper presenting an explanation of why the reuse of building components after demolition or deconstruction is critical to the future of the construction industry. An examination of the historical cause and response to climate change sets the scene as to why governance is becoming increasingly focused on the built environment as a mechanism to controlling waste generation associated with the process of demolition, construction and operation. Through an annotated description to the evolving design and construction methodology of a range of timber dwellings (typically 'Queenslanders' during the eras of 1880-1900, 1900-1920 & 1920-1940) the paper offers an evaluation to the variety of materials, which can be used advantageously by those wishing to 'regenerate' a Queenslander. This analysis of 'regeneration' details the constraints when considering relocation and/ or reuse by adaption including deconstruction of building components against the legislative framework requirements of the Queensland Building Act 1975 and the Queensland Sustainable Planning Act 2009, with a specific examination to those of the Building Codes of Australia. The paper concludes with a discussion of these constraints, their impacts on 'regeneration' and the need for further research to seek greater understanding of the practicalities and drivers of relocation, adaptive and building components suitability for reuse after deconstruction.

Developing sustainable housing through building utilities and transport innovation

Sustainability concerns every citizen. Housing affordability and sustainable solutions are being highlighted in research and practice in many parts of the world. This paper discusses the development of a Commuter Energy and Building Utilities System (CEBUS) in sustainable housing projects as a means of bridging the gap between current median house pricing and target affordable house pricing for low income earners. Similar scales of sustainable housing development cannot be achieved through independent application of current best practice methods in ecologically sustainable development strategies or transit oriented development master plans. This paper presents the initial stage of research on first capital and ongoing utilities and transport cost savings available from these sustainable design methods. It also outlines further research and development of a CEBUS Dynamic Simulation Model and Conceptual Framework for the Australian property development and construction industry.

An integrated knowledge management framework for managing sustainability knowledge in the Australian infrastructure sector

In Australia, it has been increasingly accepted that sustainability needs to be at the top of the agenda when contemplating infrastructure development. In practice however, many companies struggle to find effective ways to embrace sustainable ideas and implement them in real projects beyond minimum compliance. One of the reasons is the lack of underpinning knowledge and evidence to demonstrate and measure the linkage between sustainability implementations and the relevant outcomes. This is compounded by the fact that very often there are no common understandings between the stakeholders on sustainability and there is a big divide between research advancement and real-life applications. Therefore it is both feasible and timely to develop and expand the body of sustainability knowledge on infrastructure development and investigate better ways of communicating with and managing it within the infrastructure sector. Although knowledge management (KM) is a relatively new and emerging discipline, it has shown its value and promise in existing applications in the construction industry. Considering the existing KM mechanisms and tools employed in practice, this research is aimed at establishing a specific KM approach to facilitate sustainability knowledge identification, acquisition, sharing, maintenance and application within the infrastructure sector, and promote integrated decision-making for sustainable infrastructure development. A triangulation of questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews and case studies was employed in this research to collect required qualitative and quantitative data. The research studied the unique characteristics of the infrastructure sector, the nature of sustainability knowledge, and evaluated and validated the critical elements, key processes, and priority issues of KM for the Australian infrastructure sector. A holistic KM framework was developed to set the overall context for managing sustainability knowledge in the infrastructure sector by outlining (1) the main aims and outcomes of managing sustainability knowledge, (2) the key knowledge activities, (3) effective KM strategies and instruments, and (4) KM enablers. Because of the highly project-oriented nature of the infrastructure sector, knowledge can only add value when it is being used in real projects. Implementation guidelines were developed to help the industry practitioners and project teams to apply sustainability knowledge and implement KM in infrastructure project scenarios. This research provides the Australian infrastructure sector with tools to better understand KM, helps the industry practitioners to prioritize attention on relevant sustainability issues, and recommends effective practices to manage sustainability knowledge, especially in real life implementation of infrastructure projects.

Value management : an extension of quantity surveying services in Malaysia

Value Management (VM) initially started in early 1940s in the US manufacturing industry has increasingly becoming popular within the construction industry community internationally. It has been widely accepted as an important tool in the management of projects. The structured, systematic and multi-disciplinary approach in decision making process is a niche for VM in delivering better value for money project to the client investment. It would appear to be gaining some momentum as an essential management tool in the Malaysian construction sector especially in the quantity surveying practice. Quantity surveyors increasing involvement in VM provides an opportunity for the profession to re-model some of its traditional services in a more positive light and develop leading-edge skills and promote the profession. International practice has associated VM to be part of services offered in the quantity surveying practice; especially in UK has proven to be a natural progression of QS profession. The introduction of VM as early 1980’s in Malaysia combined with increasing demand for construction project to facilitate nation progress is shedding a positive light for quantity surveying profession to take lead in developing VM as one of their niche area. Therefore, the quantity surveying profession having the opportunity to take lead of this service which reflect their traditional attributes for providing the best value-for-money advise to the client. This paper shall discuss on the development of VM in Malaysia and the challenges VM face services in QS firm to remain ahead of their competitors.

Labouring for leisure? Achieving work-life balance through compressed working weeks

Flexible work practices spreading work times across the entire week have reduced the time to engage in leisure activities and for some have compounded the problem of a lack of defined break between work weeks. This study examines time spent outside of the workplace through a multiple case study of working time and leisure in the construction industry. A framework of synchronous leisure is used to examine the interplay of work and non-work arrangements. The effects of changing work arrangements to deliver a longer break between working weeks and the consequent impact on leisure activities are analysed. Interviews and focus groups across four construction sites revealed that while leisure is important to relieve fatigue and overwork, a work schedule allowing a long break between working weeks, specifically on a weekend, enables workers to achieve synchronous time, particularly with family, and improves work-life balance satisfaction. It was found that a well-defined break across a weekend also offers the opportunity to synchronize schedules with others to spend time away on short breaks.

Review of the design-build market in the People’s Republic of China

Design-build (DB) system has been demonstrated as an effective delivery method and been widely used overseas. However it does not receive the same popularity in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This paper first conducts a literature review on advantages and disadvantages of DB in general; then it gives an overview of the PRC construction industry. There are ample evidences that the DB system will theoretically bring benefits to the PRC construction industry. After a thorough investigation of the current DB market, it can be concluded that the development of the DB system is still at its infancy stage. The barriers to entry have been finally identified, which relate to the legal restraints, negative owner attitude, and high requirement of DB projects. These barriers constitute obstacles to the development of DB system in the PRC. However, with rapid growth of construction industry, new requirements in modern construction projects, and strong promotion from governments, it is believed that the domestic DB market will have great potential in the near future.

Anatomy of a Sub-tropical Positive Energy Home (PEH)

Zero energy buildings (ZEB) and zero energy homes (ZEH) are a current hot topic globally for policy makers (what are the benefits and costs), designers (how do we design them), the construction industry (can we build them), marketing (will consumers buy them) and researchers (do they work and what are the implications). This paper presents initial findings from actual measured data from a 9 star (as built), off-ground detached family home constructed in south-east Queensland in 2008. The integrated systems approach to the design of the house is analysed in each of its three main goals: maximising the thermal performance of the building envelope, minimising energy demand whilst maintaining energy service levels, and implementing a multi-pronged low carbon approach to energy supply. The performance outcomes of each of these stages are evaluated against definitions of Net Zero Carbon / Net Zero Emissions (Site and Source) and Net Zero Energy (onsite generation vs primary energy imports). The paper will conclude with a summary of the multiple benefits of combining very high efficiency building envelopes with diverse energy management strategies: a robustness, resilience, affordability and autonomy not generally seen in housing.

The use of virtual prototyping for hazard identification in the early design stage

Purpose: The construction industry is well known for its high accident rate and many practitioners consider a preventative approach to be the most important means of bringing about improvements. This paper addresses previous research and the weaknesses of existing preventative approaches and a new application is described and illustrated involving the use of a multi-dimensional simulation tool - Construction Virtual Prototyping (CVP). Methodology: A literature review was conducted to investigate previous studies of hazard identification and safety management and to develop the new approach. Due to weaknesses in current practice, the research study explored the use of computer simulation techniques to create virtual environments where users can explore and identify construction hazards. Specifically, virtual prototyping technology was deployed to develop typical construction scenarios in which unsafe or hazardous incidents occur. In a case study, the users’ performance was evaluated their responses to incidents within the virtual environment and the effectiveness of the computer simulation system established though interviews with the safety project management team. Findings: The opinions and suggestions provided by the interviewees led to the initial conclusion that the simulation tool was useful in assisting the safety management team’s hazard identification process during the early design stage. Originality: The research introduces an innovative method to support the management teams’ reviews of construction site safety. The system utilises three-dimensional modelling and four-dimensional simulation of worker behaviour, a configuration that has previously not been employed in construction simulations. An illustration of the method’s use is also provided, together with a consideration of its strengths and weaknesses.

Visualizing safety assessment by integrating the use of game technology

Construction is undoubtedly the most dangerous industry in Hong Kong, being responsible for 76 percent of all fatal accidents in industry in the region – around twenty times more than any other industry. In this paper, it is argued that while this rate can be largely reduced by improved production practices in isolation from the project’s physical design, there is some scope for the design team to contribute to site safety. A new safety assessment method, the Virtual Safety Assessment System (VSAS), is described which offers assistance. This involves individual construction workers being presented with 3D virtual risky scenarios of their project and a range of possible actions for selection. The method provides an analysis of results, including an assessment of the correctness or otherwise of the user’s selections, contributing to an iterative process of retraining and testing until a satisfactory level of knowledge and skill is achieved.

Adoption of innovative products on Australian road infrastructure projects

Product innovation is an important contributor to the performance of infrastructure projects in the construction industry. Maximizing the potential for innovative product adoption is a challenging task due to the complexities of the construction innovation system. A qualitative methodology involving interviews with major construction project stakeholders is employed to address the research question: ‘What are the main obstacles to the adoption of innovative products in the road industry?’ The characteristics of six key product innovation obstacles in Australian road projects are described. The six key obstacles are: project goal misalignment, client pressures, weak contractual relations, lack of product trialling, inflexible product specifications and product liability concerns. A snapshot of the dynamics underlying these obstacles is provided. There are few such assessments in the literature, despite the imperative to improve construction innovation rates globally in order to deliver road infrastructure projects of increasing size and complexity. Key obstacles are interpreted through an open innovation construct, providing direction for policy to enhance the uptake of innovation across the construction product supply network. Early evidence suggests the usefulness of an open innovation construct that integrates three conceptual lenses: network governance, absorptive capacity and knowledge intermediation, in order to interpret product adoption obstacles in the context of Australian road infrastructure projects. The paper also provides practical advice and direction for government and industry organizations that wish to promote the flow of innovative product knowledge across the construction supply network.