Issue 2

CONTENT

Editorial

1. Agnese Travaglini, Mladen Radujkovic, Mauro Mancini:
Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Project Management: a Stakeholders Perspective

2. Gülçağ Albayrak, İlker Özdemir, Uğur Albayrak:
A Survey Based Study Of Civil Engineering Education In Turkey

3. Olanipekun Ayokunle Olubunmi, Aje Isaac Olaniyi, Adedokun Fisayo:
Diversity Among Construction Professionals: A Study of Their Perception of Construction Site Management Practices

4. Joshua Oluwasuji Dada:
A Principal Component Analysis of Skills and Competencies Required of Quantity Surveyors: Nigerian Perspective

5. İlknur Akiner:
Critical Viewpoints on the Management of Conflict in Multi-National Construction Projects

6. Adebisi Abosede Bamgbade, Richard Ajayi Jimoh, Peter Kuroshi:
Cultural Diversity Management of Construction Firms in Abuja-Nigeria

7. Adesh Jain:
Transparent Collaboration Amongst Stakeholders -
The Key To Project Performance

1. Agnese Travaglini, Mladen Radujkovic, Mauro Mancini:
 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Project Management: a Stakeholders Perspective

Abstract:
Construction projects are becoming much more complex and difficult to manage. As a response Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been developing at a very fast pace. The major shift in ICT for the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector is the spreading of Building Information Modeling (BIM) (Bryde, Broquetas, & Volm, 2013). BIM is a system and its main objective is the managing of the information and because of that it is also a project management matter. Our research work is originated from the understanding of the managerial relationship gap between the two realities of BIM and project management. In particular this paper aims at addressing this gap from a specific perspective: stakeholders. Stakeholder management is one of the most important project critical success factors, as project success highly depends on stakeholders' satisfaction. The goal is relevant for both practitioners and educators. The exploration is done mainly through the literature review, but it is also strongly supported by the collection of primary data. The second source regards direct interviews to a portfolio of stakeholders of the AEC industry, e.g. project managers, architects, BIM experts, software resellers, building developer owners, innovation managers. The findings regard the classification of the key stakeholders in BIM adoption and the contextual situation in the different European countries, with particular focus on the role of the Governments.

Keywords: Building Information Modelling (BIM), Project management, Stakeholder, Government

2. Gülçağ Albayrak, İlker Özdemir, Uğur Albayrak:
 

A Survey Based Study Of Civil Engineering
Education In Turkey

Abstract:
The main purpose of the study is the investigation of teaching qualities of some civil engineering departments in Turkey assessment by civil engineering students that are the main part of this teaching. Also, some solution proposals are offered to improve the quality of the teaching. In this context, students’ opinions about the universities; development level of the faculty and the department; quality of courses and summer practices taken throughout their education and teaching programs; academic and scientific capabilities of faculty members and departments; the city and mass transportation opportunities are investigated.
The research is a questionnaire-based study and applied on total 301 undergraduate students from 6 different civil engineering departments which are categorized as developed, developing and newly established according to some criteria like as the foundation date of department, number of faculty members etc. Research data is evaluated by IBM SPSS Statistics v.20.0 that is a computer program generally used for survey authoring, data mining and statistical analysis. In this study, a reliable and valid scale is created to specify the current levels of educational environment by defining of students’ value criteria that are expected from higher education institutions in learning process.

Keywords: Civil engineering education, Student survey, Problems in education

3. Olanipekun Ayokunle Olubunmi, Aje Isaac Olaniyi, Adedokun Fisayo:
 

Diversity Among Construction Professionals: A Study of Their Perception of Construction Site Management Practices

Abstract:
Introduction: This paper tests a proposition that there is no significant difference in construction professionals’ perception of construction site management practices in the construction industry. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide support, or otherwise to the diversity attribute of the construction industry. The construction industry is largely regarded as diverse; however, the industry also manifests signs of alignment especially on issues that tie construction professionals to project goals. One of such issues is construction site management, which when effective, leads to project success. Design: This paper adopts a survey research design where well-structured questionnaires were used in obtaining the perception of construction professionals (architects, civil engineers, builders and quantity surveyors) on their prioritisation of construction site management practices. The data obtained was subjected to empirical analysis that informed the findings. Findings: The research proposition is rejected. Significant difference exists in the construction professionals’ perception of construction site management practices in the construction industry.
Value: The findings of this paper is valuable to tinkering the need for professionals’ interests and goal alignment in the construction industry Research Limitation/Implication: Interview case study could be deployed to complement the survey research design used. The singular survey design used is not however expected to undermine the findings owing to the comprehensiveness of the questionnaire designed and the scientific basis (objective-oriented) upon which the respondents were selected. Practical Implication: The paper informs on the non-unified interests that exist among professional service providers in the construction industry.

Keywords: Site management practices, Construction Professionals, Perception, Interests, Diversity

4. Joshua Oluwasuji Dada:
 

A Principal Component Analysis of Skills and Competencies Required of Quantity Surveyors: Nigerian Perspective

Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to examine the intrinsic relationships among sets of quantity surveyors’ skill and competence variables with a view to reducing them into principal components. The research adopts a data reduction
technique using factor analysis statistical technique. A structured questionnaire was administered among major stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry. The respondents were asked to give rating, on a 5 point Likert scale, on skills and competencies required of quantity surveyors. Based on the 21 skills and 15 competencies areas, factor analysis was used to explore and detect the underlying relationship among the identified variables. Important measures, such as Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling accuracy and measure of sampling adequacy were used to test the appropriateness of the factor extraction. The data reduction results in the identification of 5 skill components: managerial, technical, investment and global marketing, information and communication technology and professional practice skills; and 3 competence components: project management, valuation and dispute resolution and cost planning and control. The reduced principal components could serve as a guiding framework for training and distilling the required skills and competencies for quantity surveyors especially in Nigeria working environment. The originality and value of the paper is demonstrated in the use of factor analysis in reducing the complex and multiple categorizations of quantity surveyors’ skills and competencies into clearly defined principal components.

Keywords: Principal component, Factor Analysis, Skill, Competence, Quantity surveyors, Profession, Nigeria

5. İlknur Akiner:

Critical Viewpoints on the Management of Conflict in Multi-National Construction Projects

Abstract:
International construction markets are increasingly taking economic advantage of the global workforce. It is common on international projects to find multi-cultural project teams located in multiple countries. Conflict management is becoming ever more important due to the rapid changes that are common in the current construction business environment. Global change, cultural diversity within multi-national project teams, and complexity are a few of the reasons that managing conflict is a critical skill for project team leaders. Results of this research provide an overview and describe multi-national construction projects, in which construction industry participants play an important role regarding the organization and performance, through a review of the published literature. Critical viewpoints of the paper and literature survey outcomes point in the direction that understanding multi-national or multi-cultural performances within construction projects can be a serious tool for dispute avoidance between the parties involved.

Keywords: Construction, Conflict, Management, Multi-cultural, Multi-national

6. Adebisi Abosede Bamgbade, Richard Ajayi Jimoh, Peter Kuroshi:
 

Cultural Diversity Management of Construction
Firms in Abuja-Nigeria

Abstract:
Construction firms in Abuja are multicultural comprising of different tribes which cut across the country. The interactions of these tribes on site pose a big problem to the organisations that employed them besides the advantage it offers if it is adequately managed. The study is aimed at determining the best managerial style that will mitigate the problem of cultural diversity through the use of embedded mixed methods methodology. This was achieved by interviewing ten managers/supervisors of construction sites and self-administration of 277 well-structured questionnaires. The results of the interview and questionnaires analysis showed that construction firms in Abuja have not really acquired the managerial skill needed to effectively manage the diverse workforce. The cultural dimensions for the tribes on sites were determined to act as a new found managerial style that could be adopted by managers to effectively managed the diverse workforce on construction sites in Abuja, FCT.

Keywords: Culture, Cultural diversity, National culture,
Diversity management

7. Adesh Jain:
 

Transparent Collaboration Amongst Stakeholders - The Key To Project Performance

Abstract:
Aligning stakeholders is the key to awakening 'Project Consciousness'. Whenever we undertake projects it is in regard to building the future which in turn gives rise to the challenge of facing numerous uncertainties. The conflicting interests of various stakeholders, a common aspect in most projects
adds to the level of uncertainties that have to be managed in the project. Stakeholders view the project from different perspectives with different expectations and the possible inward looking quest of 'What is in it for me' makes it extremely difficult to create a common denominator.

Keywords: Site management practices, Construction Professionals, Perception, Interests, Diversity