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27 pages, 2670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agile Project Management in the Pre-Construction Stage: Facing the Challenges of Projectification in the Construction Industry

by Francisco Moreno, Eric Forcael, Rubén Romo, Francisco Orozco, Ginnia Moroni and Felipe Baesler

Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3551; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113551 - 7 Nov 2024

Viewed by 801

Abstract

Given the complex and dispersed nature of construction projects, which demand collaboration among varied experts, it is crucial to reevaluate project management and execution approaches to enhance their performance. Agile principles offer a path towards heightened responsiveness within tasks and processes, addressing the [...] Read more.

Given the complex and dispersed nature of construction projects, which demand collaboration among varied experts, it is crucial to reevaluate project management and execution approaches to enhance their performance. Agile principles offer a path towards heightened responsiveness within tasks and processes, addressing the construction industry’s fast-paced nature and growing client demands for timely project completion. However, adopting new management methodologies, such as Agile, needs a significant cultural shift, enabling the cultivation of multi-skilled and self-managing teams. Projectification, a growing trend in contemporary society where more activities are managed as projects, has gained significant relevance in recent years. This study examines the application of Agile project management (specifically Agile Scrum methodology) during the pre-construction phase of a construction project through the lens of Projectification. As evidenced by the research results, applying the Agile methodology in the pre-construction phase may help enhance flexibility and collaboration, enabling teams to adapt quickly to evolving project requirements and unforeseen challenges. The findings demonstrate that Agile methodologies offer numerous benefits, including enhanced adaptability, flexibility, accountability, transparency, and teamwork. Additionally, there were significant reductions in time and costs, emphasizing the value of Agile practices in construction project management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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22 pages, 4524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Establishment of Safety Management Measures for Major Construction Workers through the Association Rule Mining Analysis of the Data on Construction Accidents in Korea

by Young-Geun Yoon, Changbum Ryan Ahn, Sang-Guk Yum and Tae Keun Oh

Buildings 2024, 14(4), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040998 - 4 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1643

Abstract

Despite increasing industrial advancements, fatal and severe accidents, such as “Falls”, “Struck-by”, “Hit by an object”, “Be crushed”, and “Caught-in/between” accidents, persist in developed countries, including Korea. Various methods, including risk assessment, monitoring systems, technology improvements, and safety education, are being implemented to [...] Read more.

Despite increasing industrial advancements, fatal and severe accidents, such as “Falls”, “Struck-by”, “Hit by an object”, “Be crushed”, and “Caught-in/between” accidents, persist in developed countries, including Korea. Various methods, including risk assessment, monitoring systems, technology improvements, and safety education, are being implemented to reduce accidents. However, only a few studies have revealed the causes of accidents and their interrelationships; these studies are based on limited data. Korea recently published accident data using national statistical systems, including the construction safety management integrated information (CSI), enabling the analyses of major accident types. Here, we selected various representative accident cases to minimize the duplication of the data published from 2019 to 2023 and applied the Material, Method, Machine, or Man (4M) analysis method, a risk assessment technique, to perform an accident-type-based association rule mining (ARM) analysis of the accident factors. Through the ARM analysis, we quantitatively identified complex correlations for major accidents. Based on the 4M factors derived through this analysis, we improved a 2–4 model for accident causation and proposed safety management measures for each construction entity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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10 pages, 207 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Institutionalizing Projectification—The Case of Kyrgyzstan

by Reinhard F. Wagner and Mladen Radujković

Buildings 2024, 14(4), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040891 - 26 Mar 2024

Viewed by 800

Abstract

The extent to which projects are established as an organizational form in society to cope with various challenges has been analyzed extensively in research under the term ‘projectification’. However, it remains unclear how the projectification at the level of society begins and which [...] Read more.

The extent to which projects are established as an organizational form in society to cope with various challenges has been analyzed extensively in research under the term ‘projectification’. However, it remains unclear how the projectification at the level of society begins and which actors are involved in its institutionalization. Drawing on an explanatory case study in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, responses are provided to these questions and propositions for further research. The country is undertaking reforms as part of its ongoing transformation, which includes the professional implementation of projects, particularly in the public sector. These activities are, to some extent, based on the developments in project management in neighboring Kazakhstan, where a presidential decree also constituted a first step towards the institutionalization of projectification. It later found its way into relevant sectors and to key actors via the presidential administration, primarily through regulative and normative institutions. Because of increased international cooperation, the number and importance of projects in Kyrgyzstan will continue to increase in the coming years, requiring greater emphasis on projectification. The results are informative for research into projectification and for those involved in countries with comparable situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

26 pages, 1596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Fuzzy-ISM-MICMAC in the Risk Analysis Affecting Swivel Bridge Construction Spanning Existing Railway Lines: A Case Study

by Chunyan Peng, Jiquan Wang, Huihua Chen and Runxi Tang

Buildings 2024, 14(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010052 - 24 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1880

Abstract

Swivel bridge construction (SBC) technology has significant advantages in building bridges that span existing railway lines (ERLs), but it also entails complex risks from ‘skylight’ windows and railway boundaries. A notable challenge is the relationships and interdependencies among these risks, which collectively increase [...] Read more.

Swivel bridge construction (SBC) technology has significant advantages in building bridges that span existing railway lines (ERLs), but it also entails complex risks from ‘skylight’ windows and railway boundaries. A notable challenge is the relationships and interdependencies among these risks, which collectively increase safety hazards through mutual influence. Prior research has typically focused on mitigating the risks inherent in particular tasks or operations, with less emphasis on the risks from interdependencies. A novel framework was developed to explore this research gap by integrating fuzzy logic, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) approach (Fuzzy-ISM-MICMAC) to investigate the relationships and interdependencies among the risks of SBC spanning ERLs and the critical points of risk control. Furthermore, the data collected from a literature review, a case analysis and expert interviews resulted in 28 risk factors. Then, the application of ISM distilled complex risk relationships into a clear, multilevel hierarchy, accurately illustrating the complex interrelationships among risk factors. Combined with MICMAC analysis, the research findings indicate that preliminary works such as the selection of construction technology, scheme design, construction rehearsal and the provision of safety facilities are essential for preventing risks in SBC spanning ERLs. We applied these findings to the double T-structure swivel construction of the Xiaojizhuang Bridge, where its practicality and efficiency were thoroughly tested and validated. This research’s critical contribution is identifying, clarifying and visualizing the interrelationships of the complex risk factors of SBC spanning ERLs and providing specific solutions for safety management in similar bridge construction projects. The research results and risk control recommendations offer valuable insights for managing other swivel bridge construction risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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16 pages, 1406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Public’s Support for Emergency Infrastructure Projects Based on K-Nearest Neighbors Machine Learning Algorithm

by Caiyun Cui, Huan Cao, Qianwen Shao, Tingyu Xie and Yaming Li

Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2495; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102495 - 30 Sep 2023

Viewed by 998

Abstract

The public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects, which will affect the government’s credibility, social stability, and development, is very important. However, there are few systematic research findings on public support for emergency infrastructure projects. In order to explore the factors influencing the public’s [...] Read more.

The public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects, which will affect the government’s credibility, social stability, and development, is very important. However, there are few systematic research findings on public support for emergency infrastructure projects. In order to explore the factors influencing the public’s support and the degree of influence of each factor on the public’s support, this paper employs K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), a learning curve with m-fold cross-validation, grid search, and random forest to study the public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects and its influencing factors. In this paper, a prediction model of the public’s support for emergency infrastructure projects is developed based on KNN from data drawn from a questionnaire survey of 445 local residents concerning Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital, China. Two optimization algorithms, the learning curve with m-fold cross-validation and the grid search algorithm, are proposed to optimize the key parameters of the KNN predictive model. Additionally, quantitative analysis is conducted by using the random forest algorithm to assess the importance of various factors influencing public support. The results show that the prediction accuracy and model stability of the KNN prediction model based on the grid search algorithm are better than those using a learning curve with m-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, the random forest algorithm quantitative analysis shows that the most important factor influencing the public’s support is government attention. The conclusions drawn from this paper provide a theoretical reference and practical guidance for decision making and the sustainable development of emergency infrastructure projects in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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29 pages, 4561 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Stakeholder Engagement Process as the Success Factor for Infrastructure Projects

by Kristijan Robert Prebanić and Mladen Vukomanović

Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1785; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071785 - 13 Jul 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 18511

Abstract

Today, the world is experiencing a major cycle of investment in infrastructure, which is essential for the development and prosperity of countries and societies. Management failures in infrastructure projects are widely known, and some of them involve the weak engagement of project stakeholders. [...] Read more.

Today, the world is experiencing a major cycle of investment in infrastructure, which is essential for the development and prosperity of countries and societies. Management failures in infrastructure projects are widely known, and some of them involve the weak engagement of project stakeholders. The importance of stakeholder involvement as a key factor in the success of infrastructure projects is widely recognized. However, the literature provides few answers to the question of how this process manifests itself in projects. Some scholars have concluded that it is a complex and under-researched management process. The research questions aim to find out how practitioners perceive stakeholder engagement, who conducts activities and processes related to stakeholder engagement and in what ways, what organizational aspects influence the process, and how success is achieved in infrastructure projects. Initially, eight experienced experts involved in a whole range of (complex) infrastructure projects were interviewed, and later, four additional interviews were conducted for verification purposes. During the interviews, all aspects of stakeholder engagement were discussed in detail and a thematic analysis was conducted. Based on the analysis, success and failure factors related to the stakeholder engagement process were defined. As a result, a framework model for stakeholder engagement and infrastructure project success is presented based on three levels of management and three levels of project success. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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10 pages, 228 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Leadership on the Projectification of the Public Construction Sector in Germany

by Gunnar Jürgen Lühr, Reinhard Friedrich Wagner and Mladen Radujković

Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1506; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061506 - 11 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1331

Abstract

While the projectification of society continues to evolve, it is clearly lagging behind in the public construction sector in Germany. The purpose of the research upon which this article is based was to reveal the role that leadership has on the projectification of [...] Read more.

While the projectification of society continues to evolve, it is clearly lagging behind in the public construction sector in Germany. The purpose of the research upon which this article is based was to reveal the role that leadership has on the projectification of the construction sector and to identify the differences between the public and private sectors. Building on the theoretical concept of Institutional Work, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted on both sides of the construction sector in Germany to ultimately reconcile the findings. The interview’s transcripts were analyzed by applying qualitative content analysis. The responses from the private sector show a very high significance of projects for everyday work and a further trend toward projectification in enterprises. This development is attributable to a positive image of executing projects in the private sector and to the leadership provided. In contrast, projects in the public sector still play a rather subordinate role and tend to be perceived culturally and cognitively as being exceptional. As projects are increasingly important for the public sector, leaders can play a key role in nurturing the necessary cultural and cognitive conditions for projectification. The application of Institutional Work concepts opens promising perspectives for future research in the context of projectification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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14 pages, 679 KiB

Open AccessReview

Transformational Community Engagement in Urban Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships: A Governmentality Approach to Create Social Value

by Ulohomuno Eze Afieroho, Yongkui Li, Yilong Han, Mohsin Ali Soomro and Mladen Radujkovic

Buildings 2023, 13(5), 1225; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13051225 - 6 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3694

Abstract

Based on the Foucauldian concept of governmentality, this paper overcomes the atomistic view of external stakeholder engagement research to examine the specific conditions under which community engagement in urban infrastructure public-private partnerships (PPPs) can be transformational and create social value with and for [...] Read more.

Based on the Foucauldian concept of governmentality, this paper overcomes the atomistic view of external stakeholder engagement research to examine the specific conditions under which community engagement in urban infrastructure public-private partnerships (PPPs) can be transformational and create social value with and for communities. In particular, it shows that a transformational approach to community engagement is, in practice, closer to a form of governance that emphasizes involved stakeholders’ responsibility. It traces this line of argument through the literature and practice of social enterprises and other hybrid collaborations in the private sector. Conceptually, it contributes to a political and transformational understanding of community engagement within the context of public-private partnerships. First, by proposing a “governmentality analytical framework” for understanding and uncovering the often purposefully concealed dynamic power relations in the engagement process between the state, communities, and private investors. Second, by proposing a set of guiding principles on how to: empower communities to be organized; reconfigure the institutional environment to offer incentives and reliability; and design public-private partnerships as hybrid organizations capable of including other actors, such as non-governmental organizations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Construction Projects and Project Management on Society)

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