Managing Performance in Construction

Investment in any new project invariably carries risk but the construction industry is subject to more risk and uncertainty than perhaps any other industry. This guide for construction managers, project managers and quantity surveyors as well as for students shows how the risk management process improves decision-making. Managing Risk in Construction Projects offers practical guidance on identifying, assessing and managing risk and provides a sound basis for effective decision-making in conditions of uncertainty. The book focuses on theoretical aspects of risk management but also clarifies procedures for undertaking and utilising decisions. This blend of theory and practice is the real message of the book and, with a strong authorship team of practitioners and leading academics, the book provides an authoritative guide for practitioners having to manage real projects. It discusses a number of general concepts, including projects, project phases, and risk attitude before introducing various risk management techniques. This third edition has been extended to recognize the reality of multi-project or programme management and the risks in this context; to highlight the particular problems of risk in international joint ventures; and to provide more coverage of PFI and PPP. With case studies and examples of good practice, the book offers the distilled knowledge of over 100 man-years of experience in working on all aspects of project risk, giving sound practical guidance on identifying, assessing and managing risk.

Project management is of critical importance in construction, yet its execution poses major challenges. In order to keep a project on track, decisions often have to be made before all the necessary information is available. Drawing on a wide range of research, Managing Construction Projects proposes new ways of thinking about project management in construction, exploring the skills required to manage uncertainty and offering techniques for thinking about the challenges involved. The second edition takes the information processing perspective introduced in the first edition and develops it further. In particular, this approach deepens the reader’s understanding of the dynamics in the construction project process – from the value proposition inherent in the project mission, to the functioning asset that generates value for its owners and users. Managing Construction Projects is a unique and indispensible contribution to the available literature on construction project management. It will be of particular benefit to advanced students of construction and construction project management, as well as contractors and quantity surveyors. Reviews of the First edition: «A massive review of the art and science of the management of projects that has the great virtue of being a good read wherever it is touched. It spills the dirt on things that went wrong, elucidates the history so you can understand the industry's current stance, draws on other countries experience and explains the latest management processes. Throughout it is liberally sprinkled with anecdotes and case histories which amply illustrate the dos and don't for practitioners wishing to deliver projects on time to expected quality and price. A valuable book for students and practitioners alike.» —John D Findlay, Director, Stent «This is a valuable source for practitioners and students. It covers the A-Z of project management in a confident contemporary manner, and provides a powerful and much needed conceptual perspective in place of a purely prescriptive approach. The engaging presentation introduces a range of challenges to established thinking about project management, often by making comparisons between practices in the UK and those of other countries.» —Peter Lansley, Professor of Construction Management, University of Reading «A refreshing and unique study of information management and its impact upon international construction project management.... The book is well presented and written, logical and succinct and is flexible enough to allow readers to either read from start to finish or to dip into selected chapters. This book deserves to be an established text for any construction or civil engineering under – and/or postgraduate course.» —CNBR, 25th November 2003 «Generous use is made of anecdotes andc case histories throughout to support the theory. the book illustrates the mistakes made by others, and the means to deliver projects on time and to cost.» —Building Services Journal, April 2004

Managing Change in Construction Projects: a knowledge-based approach offers a new perspective on construction project change by viewing the process of change management as a knowledge-intensive activity, where team members bring their tacit and explicit knowledge into the situation; share, create and capture this collective knowledge for future re-use in similar situations. Through this knowledge-based approach, construction teams can successfully resolve and learn from change events, leading to an overall improved performance of the industry. The book will make a significant contribution to our understanding of construction project change by offering new theoretical and practical insights and models grounded in results of case studies conducted within two collaborative construction project team settings. By demonstrating how the social construction of knowledge works in construction settings, the authors challenge the prevailing change management solutions based on ‘hard’ IT approaches. They put forward a balanced view that incorporates both IT–based and socially constructed approaches to effective management of construction project change. helps construction managers to improve and learn through the process of construction project change presents new theoretical models and offers practical guidelines first research-based book to directly address project change from a knowledge-based perspective draws on detailed studies with construction companies, including Ballast Construction and Kier Construction encourages a move from the information driven, process integrated approach to a knowledge-based view

New edition of a classic guide to ensuring effective organizational performance Thoroughly revised and updated, the second edition of Managing and Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations is a comprehensive resource for designing and implementing effective performance management and measurement systems in public and nonprofit organizations. The ideas, tools, and processes in this vital resource are designed to help organizations develop measurement systems to support such effective management approaches as strategic management, results-based budgeting, performance management, process improvement, performance contracting, and much more. The book will help readers identify outcomes and other performance criteria to be measured, tie measures to goals and objectives, define and evaluate the worth of desired performance measures, and analyze, process, report, and utilize data effectively. Includes significant updates that offer a more integrated approach to performance management and measurement Offers a detailed framework and instructions for developing and implementing performance management systems Shows how to apply the most effective performance management principles Reveals how to overcome the barriers to effective performance management Managing and Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations identifies common methodological and managerial problems that often confront managers in developing performance measurement systems, and presents a number of targeted strategies for the successful implementation of such systems in public and nonprofit organizations. This must-have resource will help leaders reach their organizational goals and objectives.

Modelling and Managing Airport Performance provides an integrated view of state-of-the-art research on measuring and improving the performance of airport systems with consideration of both airside and landside operations. The considered facets of performance include capacity, delays, economic costs, noise, emissions and safety. Several of the contributions also examine policies for managing congestion and allocating sparse capacity, as well as for mitigating the externalities of noise, emissions, and safety/risk. Key features: Provides a global perspective with contributing authors from Europe, North and South America with backgrounds in academia, research institutions, government, and industry Contributes to the definition, interpretation, and shared understanding of airport performance measures and related concepts Considers a broad range of measures that quantify operational and environmental performance, as well as safety and risk Discusses concepts and strategies for dealing with the management of airport performance Presents state-of-the-art modelling capabilities and identifies future modelling needs Themed around 3 sections – Modelling Airport Performance, Assessing Airport Impacts, and Managing Airport Performance and Congestion Modelling and Managing Airport Performance is a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners in the global air transportation community.

Managing Risk in Organizations offers a proven framework for handling risks across all types of organizations. In this comprehensive resource, David Frame—a leading expert in risk management—examines the risks routinely encountered in business, offers prescriptions to assess the effects of various risks, and shows how to develop effective strategies to cope with risks. In addition, the book is filled with practical tools and techniques used by professional risk practitioners that can be readily applied by project managers, financial managers, and any manager or consultant who deals with risk within an organization. Managing Risk in Organizations is filled with illustrative case studies and Outlines the various types of risk—pure, operational, project, technical, business, and political Reveals what risk management can and cannot accomplish Shows how to organize risk management efforts to conduct risk assessments, manage crises, and recover from disasters Includes a systematic risk management processrisk management planning, risk identification, qualitative impact analysis, quantitative impact analysis, risk response planning, and monitoring control Provides quantitative and qualitative tools to identify and handle risks This much-needed book will enable organizations to take risk seriously and act proactively.

Liquidity risk is a topic growing immensely in importance in risk management. It has been much neglected by financial institutions and regulators in recent years and receives, in the course of the sub-prime crisis, sudden and great attention. This book is well-structured and provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to the topic. It will help risk controllers to systematically set up a liquidity risk framework in their bank. —Peter NEU, European Risk Team Leader, The Boston Consulting Group, and co author of Liquidity Risk Measurement and Management «Mr Duttweiler's book is a welcome addition to the literature on liquidity risk measurement and management. In addition to his contributions to liquidity risk theory and liquidity pricing, the author provides a good overview of all of the critical elements.» —Leonard Matz, International Solution Manager, Liquidity Risk and co-author of Liquidity Risk Measurement and Management Liquidity Risk Management has gained importance over recent years and particularly in the last year, as major bank failures have led to a re-evaluation of the significance of liquidity in stressed market conditions. Liquidity risk is closely related to market risk and solvency, suggesting its significance in times of volatile and 'bear' markets, where a single bank's failure can have dramatic effects on market liquidity. The term liquidity is not well-define, and a comprehensive understanding of its common elements is often missing within a banking organisation. In too many cases, liquidity risk management has not been developed with a coherent framework and generally accepted terms and methods, creating weaknesses in its structure and vulnerability to market risk. In this title, Duttweiler advances the study of quantitative liquidity risk management with the concept of the 'Liquidity Balance Sheet', which allocates portfolios into a specific structure, and consequently is able to account for potentially negative surprises so that the necessary buffers can be quantified. The book begins with an overview of liquidity as part of financial policy and highlights the importance of liquidity as part of a general business concept and as protector and supporter of a business as a going concern. The author examines the role o liquidity in helping managers to achieve high-level liquidity aims to support operating units to achieve business goals. He looks at quantitative methods of assessing a banks liquidity levels, including LaR and VaR, to establish an integrated concept in which liquidity is incorporated into the framework of financial policies. He also presents methods, tools, scenarios and concepts to create a policy framework for liquidity and to support contingency planning.

This is the first post-Egan book to look at benchmarking and KPIs (key performance indicators) in the construction industry. Benchmarking is one of the key management techniques the construction industry now needs to adopt if it is to meet challenging new efficiency and productivity targets as well as clients' demands for best value. Contracts are increasingly being awarded only to contractors who can demonstrate the lean construction practices that come with benchmarking. This authoritative and accessible book: * clarifies the thinking behind benchmarking and why firms must now adopt it *shows how to set up effective benchmarking *explains the theoretical background and offers clear, practical guidance *demonstrates best practice though reference to case studies. There are nine case studies describing the use of KPIs and the application of the EFQM excellence model – including contributions from Morrison and John Mowlem The author Steve McCabe is senior lecturer in the School of Property and Construction at the University of Central England in Birmingham. He has conducted extensive research in quality improvement techniques and benchmarking and has wide experience in industry with a number of contractors and within the local authority sector.

Of all the complications which arise from diabetes, cardiovascular complications are by far the most prevalent and the most deadly. Authored by some of the world's leading names in this area, this outstanding book provides all those managing diabetic patients with clinical, practical and succinct guidance to the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. With a joint endocrinology and cardiology focus, and with the very latest in clinical guidelines from the ADA, EASD, AHA, ASC and ESC, selected highlights include: – The role of new biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in diabetes – The latest on diagnosis of cardiovascular problems via vascular imaging – Hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the diabetic patient – Dyslipidaemia and its management in type 2 diabetes – Management of thrombosis, acute coronary syndrome and peripheral arterial disease in diabetes Key points, case studies and self-assessment questions allow for rapid-reference, quick understanding of all topics, thus ensuring that this is perfect reading for endocrinologists, diabetes specialists and cardiologists of all levels managing patients with diabetes and associated cardiovascular problems.

The incidence and prevalence of diabetes is increasing globally, and most health professionals are likely to care for people with diabetes. In such cases they may often find that they have to make clinical decisions without expert support, which can be difficult for both patient and carer. Managing Clinical Problems in Diabetes provides this support by exploring common clinical problems in diabetes care, and providing practical solutions based on evidence and the clinical experience of diabetes educators, endocrinologists, general practitioners, and other health professionals who encounter such problems on a daily basis. Each chapter begins with an introductory section presenting an overview of the management of diabetes, including short and long term complications and management targets across the lifespan. The authors then pose commonly encountered diabetes management problems, developing comprehensive responses from a range of relevant health professionals who each provide management suggestions from their area of practice. Managing Clinical Problems in Diabetes is a vital resource for health professionals involved in the provision of care for people with diabetes.