Multi-outcome construction policies : comparative analysis of western australian and queensland policies

This document provides an overview of the differences and similarities in the objectives and implementation frameworks of the training and employment policies applying to public construction projects in Western Australia and Queensland. The material in the document clearly demonstrates the extent to which approaches to the pursuit of training objectives in particular have been informed by the experiences of other jurisdictions. The two State governments now have very similar approaches to the promotion of training with the WA government basing a good part of its policy approach on the “Queensland model”. As the two States share many similar economic and other characteristics, and have very similar social and economic goals, this similarity is to be expected. The capacity to benefit from the experiences of other jurisdictions is to be welcomed. The similarity in policy approach also suggests a potential for ongoing collaborations between the State governments on research aimed at further improving training and employment outcomes via public construction projects.

Safety culture research, lead indicators, and the development of safety effectiveness indicators in the construction sector

Construction sector application of Lead Indicators generally and Positive Performance Indicators (PPIs) particularly, are largely seen by the sector as not providing generalizable indicators of safety effectiveness. Similarly, safety culture is often cited as an essential factor in improving safety performance, yet there is no known reliable way of measuring safety culture. This paper proposes that the accurate measurement of safety effectiveness and safety culture is a requirement for assessing safe behaviours, safety knowledge, effective communication and safety performance. Currently there are no standard national or international safety effectiveness indicators (SEIs) that are accepted by the construction industry. The challenge is that quantitative survey instruments developed for measuring safety culture and/ or safety climate are inherently flawed methodologically and do not produce reliable and representative data concerning attitudes to safety. Measures that combine quantitative and qualitative components are needed to provide a clear utility for safety effectiveness indicators.

Construction planning workbench

This report is an attempt to present the current state of product and process modelling in the building industry in general, and in construction planning and scheduling in particular. This report endeavours to describe what has been achieved by the Construction Planning Workbench (CPW) project.

Influences on construction innovation : a brief overview of recent literature

This report reviews the most recent literature on construction innovation with the aim of highlighting the primary influences on innovation in the building and construction industry.

Ethical behaviour in the construction procurement process

In construction, inter-organisational relationships are of the highest importance. Ethical practice and behaviour is a means for improving inter-organisational relationships by providing a clear understanding of the rights and obligations of all parties, improving productivity, affecting long-term business dealings, and influencing quality, time and costs. Therefore, the ability to build sustainable relationships grounded in ethical practice is important to the construction industry. Establishing ethical standards at the beginning of the procurement process provides an ethical platform for the project life cycle and the relationship between procurers and contractors. Therefore it is important to determine what the ethical issues are in the Australian construction industry from members of the industry themselves; including clients. This “bottom up” approach is not a particularly new concept. Ever since the Gyles Royal Commission in 1992 there has been a considerable effort by government agencies to develop policies to improve the ethical behaviour of the industry.

Adoption in the construction industry

This report draws together the key findings from six case studies on the subject of ebusiness Adoption in Construction conducted in Australia by the University of Newcastle (UON) and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) from 2005 through to mid-2006 under the auspices of the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation (CRC_CI). Reference to this timing is important because one of the key themes to emerge from the study is that the take-up of e-business is a dynamic phenomenon within the construction industry.

E-business adoption in construction : international review on impediments

The adoption of e-business by the Australian construction industry lags other service and product industries. It is assumed that slow adoption rate does not reflect the maturity of the technology but is due to adoption impediments peculiar to the nature of construction. This chapter examines impediments to the uptake of e-business nationally and internationally. A systematic and extensive literature search of impediments (also referred to as obstacles, impediments or hindrances) to adoption has been undertaken and the findings discussed in this chapter. This review included more that 200 documents and these have been published in a searchable database as part of a larger research initiative funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation. The influence of levels of e-business maturity seen in other sectors such as retail, tourism and manufacturing was also captured and a number of major impediments were identified some including: privacy, trust, uncertainty of financial returns, lack of reliable measurement, fraud, lack of support and system maintenance. A total of 23 impediments were assessed in terms of impact to organisational type and size across reviewed documents. With this information it was possible to develop a reference framework for measuring maturity levels and readiness to uptake e-business in construction. Results have also shown that impediments to e-business adoption work differently according to organisational type and culture. Areas of training and people development need to be addressed. This would include a more sensitive approach to the nature of construction organisations, especially to those small and medium enterprises. Raising levels of awareness and creating trust for on-line collaboration are other aspects that need attention, which current studies confirm as lacking. An empirical study within construction, to validate these findings, forms the subsequent phase of this research.

Innovate now : Improving performance in the building and construction industry

Trying to innovate or wanting to? Making a start is the most difficult step on any journey. Whether trying to innovate for the first time, or seeking improvements on current performance, organisations are confronted with a plethora of options. Innovate now! makes action easier by presenting some of the key considerations for improving innovation performance. This guide has been based on the outcomes of a survey and case studies conducted between 2003 and 2005 in the Australian property and construction industry and therefore contains unique and up-to-date information, examples and suggestions tailored specifically to your industry needs. The large-scale industry survey and 12 innovation case studies on which this guide are based were carried out by The BRITE (Building Research, Innovation, Technology and Environment) Project as part of research for the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation. The stakeholders volunteering to take part in BRITE research included over 400 businesses, 14 government organisations, 8 industry associations and 4 universities.

Public policy implications of construction innovation research

This report undertakes an exploratory analysis of Construction Innovation research projects in order to answer the question “What are the public policy implications of Construction Innovation research?”

A primer in public policy for the construction industry

The purpose of this document is to introduce non-specialists to the discipline and practice of public policy, particularly in relation to the construction sector in Australia. In order to do this, a brief overview of Australia’s government structure, and some of the main approaches to public policy analysis are outlined. Reference to construction related examples are provided to ensure issues discussed are relevant and understandable to construction professionals. Government is a significant player in the construction industry, and has multiple roles: adjudicator, regulator, constructor, purchaser and client of construction projects. Moreover there are many spheres of government that are typically engaged in construction projects at multiple stages. The machinery of government can be difficult to understand, even for long term public servants. Demystifying the processes within government can help to improve communication and therefore performance in the industry. A better understanding of how policy-making and government policies affect the construction industry will enhance communication and assist construction professionals and academics to understand and work with government. Additionally the document will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the relevance of policy analysis to inquiries of construction policies and regulation.