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Subject: search.filters.subject.330202 Building construction management and project planning

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    A framework for enhanced decision making in construction organisations based on quality of pipeline information : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Built Environment, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-08-25) Moshood, Taofeeq Durojaye
    The New Zealand government actively pursues the development of a sustainable construction sector that ensures high performance, productivity, innovation, and community well-being through diverse project initiatives spanning residential, non-residential, and infrastructure development. Despite these aspirations, construction projects in New Zealand are frequently delayed and not effectively completed, thus leading to underperformance. Two critical factors contributing to project delays and suboptimal outcomes are inadequate quality of information and ineffective strategic decision-making processes. Formulating effective strategic decisions is a fundamental challenge for construction organisations, significantly impacting their overall strategic goals and operational success. While information management and decision execution are widely recognised as crucial elements in organisational strategy, there remains a notable gap in understanding the intricate relationship between the quality of information and strategic decision-making, particularly within the context of construction business performance. This research addresses this critical knowledge gap by identifying the determinants for successful construction business performance. It investigates the mediating role of quality of information in the relationship between strategic decision-making and the performance of construction businesses in New Zealand. The study employs a comprehensive methodological approach combining systematic literature review, quantitative analysis, and stakeholder validation to develop a robust understanding of these complex relationships. The systematic literature review focused specifically on identifying critical determinants for successful construction business performance in New Zealand, utilising the ATLAS.ti 9 tool for analysis. This comprehensive review highlighted the fundamental role of the quality of information in strategic decision-making processes and its subsequent impact on organisational performance. This systematic analysis led to the development of a conceptual framework and associated hypotheses establishing the relationships between these factors and their impact on strategic decision-making, information quality, and construction business performance. A quantitative survey was conducted with 102 respondents, and the sample size was determined using G*Power analysis to ensure statistical validity. The study examined how strategic decision-making and information quality influence construction business performance in New Zealand. The research method that was employed integrated established theoretical models and employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS4 software. This analytical approach allowed for robust testing of both direct relationships between variables and the mediating effect of information quality on the relationship between strategic management practices and business performance outcomes. The findings revealed a strong positive correlation between strategic decision-making management and construction business performance, with quality of information serving as a crucial mediating factor. A key research component involved validating the proposed strategic decision-making process framework for its sufficiency, clarity, coherence, relevance, and applicability in New Zealand construction organisations. This validation process included in-depth interviews with six industry experts representing various organisational approaches to strategic decision-making. Their responses revealed a spectrum of techniques ranging from highly structured to more informal methodologies, providing valuable insights into the practical application of strategic decision-making frameworks in different organisational contexts. The research outcomes significantly contribute to theoretical understanding and practical application in the construction industry. Establishing clear criteria for successful quality of information and identifying critical factors affecting project implementation success, this study offers valuable guidance for improving practices within the construction sector. The findings emphasise the crucial importance of prioritising both the quality of information and strategic decision-making to effectively lessen project delays and optimise overall performance in the construction sector. Furthermore, the research contributes to developing more effective strategic decision-making processes by highlighting the interconnected nature of the quality of information and strategic planning. The validated framework provides construction organisations with a practical tool for enhancing their strategic decision-making capabilities while considering the critical role of quality of information in achieving successful outcomes. This study's findings have significant implications for construction industry stakeholders, such as project managers, organisational leaders, and policymakers. The research demonstrates that improving the quality of information and strategic decision-making processes can enhance project outcomes and overall organisational performance. The validated framework offers a structured approach for organisations to assess and improve their current practices while considering their unique operational contexts and requirements.
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    Risk identification and allocation in public-private partnerships : a New Zealand perspective : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Construction Management, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-06-13) Rasheed, Nasir
    Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become a prevalent solution for funding infrastructure projects amid declining public reserves. Despite their widespread adoption, not all PPP projects prove successful, often due to inadequate risk management. Recognizing the expertise of the private sector, including the New Zealand government, PPPs are increasingly utilized. However, there is a scarcity of specific research on PPPs in the local context, particularly in social infrastructure using the Design-Build-Finance-Maintain-Operate (DBFMO) delivery method. This thesis aims to address this gap by establishing a framework for improving risk management outcomes in New Zealand's PPP infrastructure projects, focusing on critical success factors, empirical investigations into risk identification, and the development and validation of a Fuzzy based risk allocation model to inform stakeholders' decisions. This research employed two distinct questionnaire surveys targeting industry experts from both public and private sectors, all possessing relevant experience in the local industry and PPP procurement. Given the absence of a precise population, a combination of convenience and judgment sampling, was utilized. A total of 43 and 58 PPP experts provided valid responses to two questionnaires. The sample size was considered appropriate, especially considering the relatively recent adoption of PPP in New Zealand. Additionally, comparisons were made with similar studies that employed questionnaire surveys to ensure validity. The collected data underwent various statistical analyses, including mean score analysis, Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis, independent sample t-test, and factor analysis. Subsequently, the fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) method was applied to model risk allocation. In addition, the study included a set of semi-structured interviews to provide a practical and policy-making context for the research. Critical success factor rankings established through mean scores revealed approval and negotiation process, innovation and project complexity, client’s brief, project’s technical feasibility and strong private consortium to be five top ranked factors out of the 27 identified. Similarly, the top three risk allocation criteria (RAC) having very high importance (mean score greater than 4 on a scale of 5) were risk foresight, response to risk and minimise risk loss. Furthermore, factor analysis showed that the 9 identified RAC can be classified into three component groups namely risk management expertise, core risk management capability and risk management strategy. Recognizing the importance of principle of risk allocation, the proposed fuzzy based risk allocation model took into account the risk management capability of public and private sector. FSE was chosen for its adeptness in handling intricate multi-faceted challenges, particularly in the context of risk distribution decisions that involve the inherent vagueness within human cognitive processes. Due to their contentious nature in literature and different PPP projects, 16 risk were carefully chosen to be allocated via the model from a list of 35 risks initially identified. The findings indicate that for 12 of the risks, the distribution proportions between the government and the private sector are comparable. Risks associated with land acquisition and public opposition are predominantly assigned to the public sector, while risks linked to unforeseen geotechnical conditions and financing are predominantly allotted to the private sector. The results were validated using six interviews with highly experienced professionals within the New Zealand PPP scene. The outcomes of this study are anticipated to guide policymakers in formulating effective strategies for assigning risks and devising well-balanced risk sharing arrangements within PPP contracts, to achieve outcomes mutually agreeable to both the public and private sectors, ultimately enhancing the uptake of PPP projects.
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    Productivity in road pavement maintenance & rehabilitation projects : perspectives of New Zealand roading contractors on the constraints and improvement measures : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Construction, School of Built Environment, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Haji Karimian, Saeed
    Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation contractors (RMRCs) – and indeed all contractors handling public sector projects – face the challenge of performance-based rewards, which seek to maximise tax dollars by ensuring whole-of-life best value in the project delivery process. To be successful, a contractor’s productivity and performance should remain high and resilient to internal and external constraints in the project environment. There is a lack of research on a practical approach to modelling and prioritising performance constraints in the roading sector. This study aimed to investigate the priority constraints RMRCs face in New Zealand (NZ) as well as strategies for improvement. The thesis presents the final findings of interview-based qualitative surveys of medium- to large-sized roading contractors in NZ, followed by a questionnaire survey (quantitative) to prioritise the constraints found during the first stage of the research. Empirical data then were analysed using descriptive statistics and SPSS-based principal component analysis. The results showed - in diminishing order of influence - the following four principal items extracted from the initial 68 constraints identified from the interviews: process, operating environment; input; and output constraint groups. The most influential constraints in the four groups are inclement weather, frequency of design changes, inadequate supply or high cost of required resources, and post-construction defective or non-compliant work. The findings contribute to the relevant body of knowledge by revealing critical factors constraining the productivity performance of NZ RMRCs and associated improvement measures. The Input-Process-Environment-Output (IPEO) constraint model is seen as being more practical and easy to follow by industry stakeholders than the internal-external risk approach reported in the literature; it presents new and more enriching perspectives into how contractors could leverage their limited resources to address key constraints.
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    Rework management in construction contracts : an assessment of NZS3910:2013 provisions : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, Construction Project Management, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Asadi, Ramin
    Contracts play a significant role in achieving project goals in the construction industry. To enhance a project's performance by implementing a professional contract, construction practitioners must understand how contraction issues are addressed in the contract conditions. Although various contributing factors that affect construction contracts have been investigated and several methodologies have been proposed, the contract provisions that contribute to rework in construction projects have not been assessed adequately. Rework is of interest in the construction industry as it occurs throughout the project life cycle and affects its performance. The lack of understanding of construction practitioners under rework events may lead to cost overruns and delay in projects, resulting in contractual claims and disputes. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the contract clauses to improve the conditions that affect the project's performance by addressing rework. On the other hand, the contract is an essential means of controlling and managing interactions between parties under various situations. The assessment of contract provision in addressing contractual issues has been practiced effectively over the years to overcome conflicts between contract parties. Thus, the selected concept is helpful for improving the contract conditions under different circumstances. This study attempts to address issues related to rework in construction projects, which significantly improves the contract conditions. Initially, through conducting a comprehensive literature review, the root causes of rework are identified and then using a systematic literature review approach, the identified causes are classified with liable contract parties. The classified rework causes then are investigated in New Zealand construction projects using a questionnaire survey to find the relevant common causes of rework in contracts. The relationship between rework causes and contract clauses is then established through common sources of rework and contractual claims. For this purpose, the case of NZS3910 is selected as the most commonly used standard form of contract in New Zealand to assess the contract provisions under rework events. The initial findings show that the current condition of the contract does not address rework adequately. After investigating the relational aspect of rework in the construction contract, a series of professional interviews are conducted to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the contract conditions related to rework in construction projects. Then, the best practice to address rework is followed up. Furthermore, the current provisions stipulated in NZS3910 are evaluated as a documentary review to collect evidence for validation of interview results. It is observed that, while rework has not been defined in the contract, some of the contract clauses can be referenced for addressing rework. It is also confirmed that more clarification in the contract provision is required during contract preparation to avoid contractual claims originating from rework. Thus, the study develops a list of recommendations for improving the contract conditions that address rework issues. The research concludes by providing guidelines for addressing rework in contract provisions of NZS3910 and some general recommendations for improving the contract conditions. This research adds to the body of knowledge by improving the contract practices for rework management and achieving higher project performance with fewer contractual claims and disputes. Finally, and based on the study's findings, a framework that shows the flow of information for addressing rework is presented and recommended for further investigation in future research.