Management’s Perception of Key Performance Indicators for Construction

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are one of the prominent concepts used for performance measurement, which is an integral part of project management. KPIs are widely and effectively used to monitor, measure, and evaluate the performance and production of project management team in the construction industry. It is therefore necessary for construction projects to complete the project in the budget, time, quality, safety, and satisfaction specified in the contract. This paper provides a review to explore KPIs used in construction project management to measure the performance of construction projects. A comprehensive review was performed to compile KPIs proposed by relevant studies from the Scopus database. Based on the comprehensive literature review, performance of cost, time/schedule and quality, client satisfaction, and effective communication were identified as the most important KPIs in the construction project management domain. Overall, this study presents insights into KPIs and can give an idea to identify trends of KPIs, which is of great importance for the construction project management in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and quality.

Private as well as public sector organisations now recognise the contribution that corporate real estate (CRE) makes to business outcomes. As a result, appraisal of facility performance has of late concentrated heavily on strategic evaluation, that is, the alignment of the real estate function with the organisation’s overall strategic aims. A reductionist view of the building in primarily financial terms is not useful in this context. Rather, the facility must be understood as the intersection of the physical building and the processes that take place within it. CRE professionals must succeed in the delicate balancing act of keeping costs under control, providing spaces that are in a satisfactory condition, meeting regulations, and allowing workers to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. Simply choosing the most easily assembled indicators of asset performance, such as cost/m2 or occupancy rate, does not lead to optimum results. Key performance indicators (KPIs) must be chosen to represent the required function of the real estate as well as its cost and utilisation perspectives. Building on this, the paper presents a strategic facilities management tool that was developed as a major initiative with nine local government partners in Victoria, Australia. The tool incorporates qualitative and quantitative performance indicators and balances the demands of service delivery with those of maintenance, preservation of asset value and financial performance. Web access allows for multiple stakeholder input, while a central database facilitates benchmarking. Implementation of the tool has shown that the success of strategic asset management depends on a number of issues external to the management software. Support for and promotion of strategic asset management by senior management, getting stakeholder buy-in, successful communication between stakeholder groups and the availability of sufficient resources for implementation were found to be key issues.

Moreover, there is an increasing amount of literature covering specific geotechnical risk analysis and management topics. Examples of these are the difference between unsafe geotechnical certainty and safe geotechnical uncertainty (Barends, 2005), the role of the human factor in achieving geotechnical reliability (Bea, 2006), objective and subjective ways of geotechnical risk classification (Altabba et al., 2004), and contractual allocation of geotechnical risk (Essex, 2007).

This study was conducted to determine the level of project management skills, people management skills and operational excellence of construction project managers in private construction services. The respondents were the project management team composed of 215 engineers, architects, technical staff and document controllers fairly distributed to the three business units. The study utilized the descriptive correlational research method. Analysis of data revealed the following findings: The construction project managers had a high level of project management skills in terms of scope management skills, schedule management skills, resources management skills, risks management skills, and quality management skills (=3.62). The construction project manager had a very high level of people management skills in terms of integrity, influence and persuasion, leadership, and planning (= 3.64). In terms of operational excellence, the construction project managers obtained a very high level on customer focus, flexibility, and systematic problem solving (= 3.62). A significant relationship was noted between construction project manager’s project management skills and people management skills; a significant relationship was perceived between project manager’s project management skills and operational excellence; and a significant relationship was noted on people management skills and operational excellence. Based on the summary of findings, the following conclusions were drawn, (1) The construction project managers had a very high level of project management skills in terms of scope management skills, schedule management skills, cost management skills, resources management skills, risks management skills, and quality management skills. (2) The construction project managers had a very high level of people management skills in terms of integrity, influence and persuasion, leadership, and planning. (3) The construction project managers had a very high level of operational excellence in terms of customer focus, flexibility, and systematic problem-solving. (4) The higher the level of construction project manager’s project management skills, the higher the level of their people management skills. (5) The higher the level of construction project manager’s project management skills, the higher the level of their operational excellence. (6) The higher the level of construction project manager’s people management skills, the higher the level of their operational excellence. (7) All the constructs of project management skills, only risks management skills and management skills are the significant predictors of the respondents’ level of operational excellence, implying that the higher the level of project management skills in terms of risks management and scope management skills, the higher the level of operational excellence of the respondents. To deliver the project successfully, the construction project managers should consistently demonstrate and balance the application of project management and people management since the area of focus of CPM in the project revolves in day to day managing of resources (material, manpower and equipment), solving problems, overcoming project challenges, dealing with changes in project requirements, communicating with stakeholders and satisfying the customer’s expectations. With these, the decision and approach of CPM would be solid and cohesive through collaboration with the project management team.

PurposeThere are significantly fewer women than men in managerial positions, mainly project management. This problem is noticeable in the construction and engineering sectors, traditionally male-dominated industries with leadership much dependent on masculine qualities. This study examines the obstacles to the career progression of professional female project managers (PFPMs) in the Ghanaian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachTwenty potential obstacles to women's career progression in the construction industry were identified from a comprehensive review of the literature. A questionnaire was prepared and administered among eighty project managers who work in large construction firms in Ghana. Data obtained were analysed using one sample t-test, Kendall's concordance test, Chi-square test and exploratory factor analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest the significance of all the twenty factors as potential obstacles to the career progression of PFPMs. The exploratory factor analysis identified five underlying grouped obstacles: “leadership and human capital related issues”, “issues related to discrimination of all forms”, “career aspiration and planning issues”, “female related role conflicts”, and “recruitment and selection issues”.Research limitations/implicationsThe subjective nature of the views of the respondents could influence the evaluation of the obstacles. With this study only exploring the dimensions underlying the significant obstacles, future studies could examine the interrelationships between the various obstacles and move on to determine their impacts on the career progression of professional female PMs as well.Practical implicationsHaving an in-depth understanding of these obstacles, stakeholders and other industry practitioners in Ghana could make informed decisions on measures to put in place to address some of these critical issues to raise the standard of professional female PMs in the construction industry. Policymakers and gender advocates in Ghana could also take up some of the critical obstacles identified and provide suitable strategies to educate and create the needed awareness of the industry on those obstacles. Practically, the findings from this study can be valuable for informing decision-making at different management levels in the construction industry.Originality/valueWith country-specific (Ghana) obstacles identified, the findings significantly contribute to the literature on the career advancement of females in the construction sector.

With the development of the real estate industry, the take-off of the construction industry has also caused more and more capital to pour into the construction industry, driving the rapid development of the construction industry, but also causing the construction industry to face great competitive pressure. In order to achieve effective management of construction projects, this article aims to point out the main problems in Chinas construction management and improve the construction project management system and improve construction technology, which is conducive to improving the operational level and construction quality of construction projects. Currently, there is a lack of effective information communication and coordination mechanisms within the construction units of construction projects, which can lead to slow progress and low efficiency in the construction of construction projects, which will greatly increase the implementation difficulty of construction projects and restrict the improvement of enterprise construction project management level. Thus, it is important to improve the role of construction project management in the construction industry, and it is necessary to figure out the inner problems and strengthen the management of construction projects. The articles main purpose is to focus on the current situation and development reality of construction project management, specific research is conducted on its management and control optimization from the perspective of engineering management, to provide a reference for modern management and optimization of construction projects management.

With the continuous expansion of enrollment in private colleges and universities and the expansion of private universities' scale, China's private universities has been exposed to the shortage of education funds and the decline of teaching quality, especially the performance evaluation problem, which has aroused widespread concern in society. Based on the comprehensive research results at home and abroad, this paper establishes the performance evaluation index system of private universities and discusses how to scientifically evaluate the performance of private universities, just take a private university as an example, aiming at improving the utilization rate of higher education resources and promoting the rapid and healthy development of private universities.

The scientific paper explores the specifics of applying NLP communication in the professional activities of a manager in an architectural and construction company. The relevance of using rapport techniques for effective interaction with various professional groups in the context of transformation in the construction industry has been substantiated. Theoretical foundations of NLP approaches and their practical application in management activities have been analysed. The main elements of rapport have been examined: nonverbal mirroring, verbal mirroring, emotional synchronization, and alignment with the interlocutor’s values. Techniques for establishing rapport are described in detail, including crossover mirroring and calibration. A review of scientific studies by domestic and foreign scholars regarding the use of NLP techniques in professional communication and management activities has been conducted. Practical examples of NLP technique application in various communicative situations within an architectural and construction company are presented: in communication with clients, architects, builders, suppliers, investors, and the project team. A system of practical recommendations for implementing NLP communication into managerial practice is proposed, including diagnostics of the communicative environment, development of communication protocols, enhancement of team interaction, and conflict management. A system for evaluating the effectiveness of NLP approach implementation has been developed, based on quantitative and qualitative indicators such as the speed of managerial decision-making, the percentage of tasks completed on time, employee satisfaction level, and the quality of interdepartmental cooperation. Particular attention is paid to the impact of NLP techniques on improving project management efficiency and optimizing business processes in architectural and construction companies. The specifics of applying different communication strategies depending on the interlocutor’s professional profile and the context of interaction have been analysed. Key success factors for implementing NLP approaches into the corporate culture of the organization have been identified. The features of adapting communicative approaches to the specifics of various departments have been considered: from the project office to production units, from the financial sector to customer service. The influence of digital transformation on communication processes has been studied, and ways of integrating NLP techniques into modern communication platforms have been proposed. The results of the study demonstrate that the use of rapport techniques significantly improves the quality of communication, reduces conflict levels, increases team motivation, and optimizes the implementation processes of construction projects. The practical value of the obtained results lies in the development of a system of recommendations for integrating NLP techniques into the daily management practices of an architectural and construction company, which provides a foundation for enhancing overall management efficiency and strengthening the organization’s competitive position in the market. Mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of communication processes through KPI systems and regular surveys have been proposed, as well as approaches for developing a crisis management and strategic communication system. The study has both theoretical and practical significance for the development of management science and practice in the construction industry, offering innovative approaches to organizing communication processes and improving the efficiency of managing construction projects.

Key performance indicators (KPIs): Assessing the process integration of a shell-and-tube latent heat storage unit

This dissertation was prepared in the framework of the postgraduate program in Business Administration for Executive MBA Executives and aims to elaborate the concepts related to the processes and the means to monitor and control them through the mapping technique. The importance and value of this particular visualization and monitoring tactic is directly related to the fact that the business strategy and business objectives are reflected through the processes, i.e. those processes that add value to the customer. Ensuring the full alignment of critical processes with a corporation’s or an organization’s strategy is crucial to maintaining the competitive advantage that these processes introduce, and is therefore essential for the growth and viability of the corporation or organization. The case study refers to a company in the health sector and focuses on the processes “Declaration of Non-Conformity for Equipment and Declaration of Non-Conformity for Reagents”. These processes are considered critical for companies in this field area, as their management is a strategic goal to ensure timely, immediate and proper scientific support to customers. The specific processes are depicted with SIPOC and Swimlanes diagrams and reveal their complexity as well as the need for proper management of resources (human and non-human) and time through qualitative and quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs). The necessity of continuous monitoring and improvement of these processes in order to maintain the competitive advantage of immediate scientific support, essentially leads to continuous improvement of the quality of services related to these processes.

A techno-economic analysis of post-combustion CO2 capture and compression applied to a combined cycle gas turbine: Part I. A parametric study of the key technical performance indicators

PurposeThe successful implementation of hospital projects (HPs) tends to confront sundry challenges in the planning and construction (P&C) phases due to their complexity and particularity. Employing key performance indicators (KPIs) facilitates the monitoring of HPs to advance their successful delivery. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the KPIs for hospital planning and construction (HPC).Design/methodology/approachThe KPIs for HPC were identified through a systematic review. Then a comprehensive assessment of these KPIs was performed utilizing a meta-analysis method. In this process, basic statistical analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitive analysis and publication bias analysis were performed.FindingsResults indicate that all 27 KPIs identified from the literature are significant for executing HPs in P&C phases. Also, some unconventional performance indicators are crucial for implementing HPs, such as “Project monitoring effectiveness” and “Industry innovation and synergy,” as their high significance is reflected in this study. Despite the fact that the findings of meta-analysis are more trustworthy than those of individual studies, a high heterogeneity still exists in the findings. It highlights the inherent uncertainty in the construction industry. Hence, this study applied subgroup analysis to explore the underlying factors causing the high level of heterogeneity and used sensitive analysis to assess the robustness of the findings.Originality/valueThere is no consensus among the prior studies on KPIs for HPC specifically and their degree of significance. Additionally, few reviews in this field have focused on the reliability of the results. This study comprehensively assesses the KPIs for HPC and explores the variability and robustness of the results, which provides a multi-dimensional perspective for practitioners and the research community to investigate the performance of HPs during the P&C stages.

Learning outcomes This case aims to enhance students’ scholarship and understanding of performance management systems with respect to the formulation of key performance indicators (KPIs). Specifically, working through this case and the assignment questions, students will be able to:▪ critically analyse process-based and outcome-based performance indicators;▪ recommend the right mix of process- and the outcome-based KPIs;▪ apply the specific, measurable, aligned, realistic and time-bound (SMART) framework to the KPIs;▪ create SMART KPIs; and▪ propose when to involve team members in decision-making. Case overview/synopsis The Director of the Centre for Learning and Innovative Pedagogies (CLIP), Dr Tanushree Sharma, was in for a surprise when the Dean and the Advisor to the school expressed their dissatisfaction with her approach to framing performance indicators for the management of the Centre. They categorically advised her to change her process-based orientation to an outcome-based one and create tangible ground-level outcomes. Their feedback made her realize why, in spite of having rolled out several initiatives, the Centre was struggling to demonstrate its impact on student learning and faculty development. It dawned on her that the Centre’s inability to showcase a tangible impact on the school could mar the collective hard toil of the team. Accepting the feedback and recognizing the merit of designing outcome-based SMART performance indicators, she started working towards them. Although she was able to conceptualize a broad framework, she was uncertain about whether to include only outcome-based KPIs. She was also unsure whether to unilaterally create and assign the key responsibility areas (KRAs) and KPIs or co-create them with her team members. A confluence of factors weighed heavily on her mind – the pressure of limited time, remote working because of the pandemic, moderately experienced team members, voluntary team membership, lack of positional power and her limited organizational influence. With less than a month to the proposal submission, she had no time to waste. Complexity academic level The case is suitable for courses on performance management systems, human resources and leadership; however, it is particularly relevant to framing KRAs and KPIs, developing outcome-based KPIs and applying the SMART framework to developing KPIs. It can be used in both postgraduate and undergraduate programmes at business schools. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

Firm performance has become an enormously significant focus in today's business environment, especially by construction small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) management. Strong performance translates into higher revenues, profits, and returns on assets, enabling the firm to invest in growth opportunities and ensure its long-term sustainability. Nairobi City County has been on the frontline to ensure SMEs in the construction sector are revamped well to be on the global map and support the country's economic growth. However, despite the effort, 60% of the Nairobi City County SMEs in the construction sector fail to break even to make a profit, thus the need for this research aimed to investigate impact of strategic organizational resilience on how SME perform in the Construction Industry within Nairobi County, Kenya. Distinct objectives here include: To establish impact of organizational learning, adaptive resilience, planned resilience and dynamic capabilities on progression of SMEs within Construction sector of the Nairobi City County, Kenya. This study adopted a descriptive type of research design, and rooted on Resource Based View theory, the Balanced Scorecard Model and the Dynamic Capabilities theory. The target population comprised of 108 registered small and mid-size enterprises firms operating in Nairobi City County with 198 respondents comprising of site manager and project engineers. The study utilized primary data collected from semi-structured type of questionnaire. The questionnaire had both open and close-ended queries. The research supervisor examined the validity of the data instrument. Using the Cronbach's alpha measure (α), variability was ascertained. The quantitative data that was obtained, assigned codes and fed into software called Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS Version 25) and subsequent analysis was done with descriptive statistics. The researcher used a multiple regression analysis to quantify how strongly related variables were in the study. Responses were summarized, using tables and figures, for additional analysis and for the researcher to be able to compare interesting trends. Different quantitative measures such as tabulations, percentages, and measure of central tendency (Mean and standard deviation) were applied when reporting the findings. Before then, through the normality and multi-collinearity test conducted, the Shapiro-Wilk test p-values except for the planned resilience variable, indicated that the data for organizational learning, adaptive capability, dynamic capability, and firm performance do not significantly depart from normality. Through Pearson correlation, and multi-regression analysis, organizational learning, adaptive capability, and dynamic capabilities exhibited a statistical and strong positive correlation with firm performance, while planned resilience and SMEs performance revealed a weak and non-significant value. The study however, recommends small and mid-size enterprises to embrace organizational learning. show value and promote the culture of continuous learning and improvement among its human personnel. Feedback and lessons learnt from past trainings should be incorporated actively into the current and the upcoming organizational projects. SMEs should have the capacity to not only adjust but also respond effectively to the dynamic circumstances, hurdles and the opportunities in its external environment. Moreover, SMEs should undertake proactive measures to scan emerging trends and opportunities and in turn create an environment that welcomes innovative ideas and changes that can further be explored. Position themselves in such a flexible manner that they can effectively respond to environmental dynamics through intentional creation, extension and modification of its resource base. Establish powerful stream of partnerships. Put up strategies in check to aid in sustainability of the implemented components of strategic resilience. Foster a culture of curiosity, questioning with progressive productivity within an organization. Key Performance indicators should be examined to gauge the growth of the firm in addition to any behavioral changes.

With the introduction of the local police system, it is divided into national police affairs and local police affairs, raising the need to revise the previously implemented national police performance evaluation system to suit the circumstances of each region. Accordingly, the municipal police committees stipulate the evaluation of autonomous police affairs as their jurisdiction, but there are still no specific guidelines for evaluating the performance of autonomous police. Therefore, this study aims to establish guidelines for the performance evaluation of autonomous police by the municipal police committees. Accordingly, three out of six performance indicators have significantly improved the current indicators, two quantitative performance indicators have been maintained, and new traffic indicators have been developed so that the municipal police committees can actually play a role in evaluating the performance of the autonomous police. In addition, it proposes a performance evaluation system to motivate evaluators to pay attention and passion by proposing various incentives such as special pledges for excellent performance, on-site inspections of overseas autonomous police, individual commendations, group commendations, and prize money. As a result, the qualitative performance indicators proposed in this study are expected to increase local residents' trust in local police by autonomously preparing plans for local police affairs, continuously executing them regardless of personnel changes or accidents, and raising appropriate policing performance.