Project Management
Project Management
Estimate-To-Complete, or,…Guess What?!
By W. Scott Tidemann
During the life-cycle of a construction project, most contractors routinely predict in some fashion the project’s final job costs to determine whether it will be in a profit or loss position at completion. If these predictions are frequent, accurate and timely, the contractor can also often identify job problems, take appropriate action and mitigate or eliminate potential economic loss while the project is underway. Armed with this information, a contractor can make critical business decisions more confidently. …
Construction Industry, General Management, Procurement Management, Project Management
Implementing Strategic Management in Construction
By Samer H Skaik
Introduction
Strategic thinking has engaged the brains of business leaders for centuries. Many books and researches have been developed to cover the strategy subject because of its importance. Organizations always seek to adopt dynamic and effective strategic management to secure proper growth and remain competitive.
Strategic management is necessary to any organisation particularly those working in construction where there is a rapidly changing environment with adverse competition and surprises which may act as serious threats to organisation stability. …
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Construction Technology, Project Management
Time for technology
by Peter Hedlund
With squeezed margins and tighter control required on projects, technologies that can reduce costs, enhance productivity and manage risk are more valuable than ever. Collaboration technology – web-based systems for managing documents and correspondence on construction projects – are an example of this and there is a strong demand for these solutions in the current climate. …
Construction Technology, Project Management
3-D models cut construction disputes
In most construction projects, an architect builds a three-dimensional model and then creates two-dimensional drawings for the general contractor and the dozens of subcontractors who are typically involved in a big commercial job. …
General Management, Project Management
Help Your Project Team Escape Meeting Hell
Written by Josh Nankivel
Meetings. Meetings. Meetings. The end of another week. I didn’t get the design finished like I had wanted to this week. It just seems like there is so much to do, and so little time! This has been happening a lot lately. What is going on here? Why am I not getting things done? …
Project Management
Project Managers Need to Set Deadlines, Even if the Client Doesn’t
Many projects have firm deadlines that are the result of business constraints, the fiscal calendar or the relationship with other projects. However, many projects do not have a firm external deadline. In fact, your sponsor may want the project completed as soon as possible, but the sponsor does not have a reason why the deadline should be one date versus another. …
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Contract Administration, Procurement Management, Project Management
What should Clients do when dealing with one tenderer only?
By Samer H Skaik
Sometimes, clients face difficulty to procure projects due to absence of competitors. The risk of how to secure value for money is extremely high when dealing with one single contractor to quote and execute the works. This article gives significant guidelines for which client can follow to minimize such risk and achieve value for money:
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General Management, Procurement Management, Project Management
Challenges facing management practice
By Samer H Skaik
Management principles should be deeply understood by organizations to be mature enough to face the challenges of the 21st century. The search for better and more efficient ways of utilizing people’s knowledge and skills in providing services has become a must to handle challenges like globalization, micro-electronic technology, Market changes, lack of skilled employees and increased expectations of customers…etc. …
General Management, PMP Hints, Project Management
Management theories: History and Practice
By Samer H Skaik
Organizations have realized that deep understanding of management theory and practice is a must to ensure continuous improvement to their operations. Management theories were solely or primarily adopted in organizations to help get the job done and find ways to efficiently manage the organization and enhance financial rewards (Grey, 2005). …
Procurement Management, Project Management
Choosing procurement type key to success
Whichever procurement type is adopted by the contracting parties it is essential to bear in mind both the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy so that informed decisions can be made prior to project commencement, warns JOANNE EMERSON. …
Project Management
Successful Project Management
by Michael Stanleigh
Successful Project Management is one of the the key organizational strategies to saving money and satisfying customers in troubled economic times. …