Modern Construction Management

by Harris, Frank; McCaffer, Ronald

• ISBN13: 9780632038978
• ISBN10: 0632038977
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-08-01
• Publisher: Blackwell Science Inc

Summary

This well established text is aimed at aspiring construction industry executives and students of civil engineering, building and surveying. The book is divided into three parts: the first two sections deal with site experience and then head office activities. The third section - a new feature for this edition - provides a comprehensive set of tutorial problems, followed by complete worked solutions, to aid the understanding of the techniques featured in the first two sections and to provide a student centred learning package.
There is a new chapter on quality management and new material on design and build contracts, procurement and time, cost and quality.

Author Biography

Frank Harris is Professor of Construction Studies at the University of Wolverhampton.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xii
Introduction	p. 1
Objectives and contents	p. 2
Quality management	p. 6
Summary	p. 6
Introduction	p. 6
Quality control and inspection	p. 7
Quality assurance	p. 9
Total quality management	p. 18
References	p. 26
Project production management	p. 27
Production process improvement	p. 29
Summary	p. 29
Introduction	p. 29
Systems	p. 29
Management	p. 33
Work tasks	p. 35
Work task analysis (work study)	p. 36
Method study	p. 38
Recording techniques	p. 39
Work measurement (time study)	p. 52
Work (activity) sampling	p. 65
Field count	p. 66
Theory of activity sampling	p. 66
Activity sampling procedure	p. 68
Rated activity sampling	p. 70
References	p. 72
Planning techniques	p. 73
Summary	p. 73
Planning in construction	p. 73
Who plans?	p. 73
Planning techniques	p. 76
Other planning techniques	p. 94
Computers and construction planning	p. 98
Data exchange	p. 103
Estimating and tendering	p. 107
Summary	p. 107
Introduction	p. 107
Parties involved in estimating and tendering	p. 108
The estimating process	p. 110
BoQ estimating	p. 111
Tendering adjustments	p. 127
Submitting the tender	p. 128
Estimating in management contracting	p. 129
Estimating by computers	p. 131
References	p. 136
Workforce motivation	p. 137
Summary	p. 137
Introduction	p. 137
Motivation theories	p. 137
Payment systems, remuneration and performance	p. 140
Principles of a good incentive scheme	p. 147
Setting target rates	p. 149
References	p. 150
Cost control	p. 151
Summary	p. 151
A cost control procedure for construction works	p. 151
Systems in current use	p. 152
Example of a cost control system	p. 154
Allocation of costs	p. 155
Materials control	p. 160
Subcontracts	p. 162
Points to consider when choosing a cost control system	p. 163
Business management	p. 165
Project procurement	p. 167
Summary	p. 167
Introduction	p. 167
Project management	p. 167
Appointing the project leader and professional services	p. 173
The contract	p. 174
Categories of contract	p. 177
Separated and co-operative contracts	p. 178
Management oriented contracts	p. 182
Integrated contracts	p. 186
Discretionary contracts	p. 189
References	p. 193
Competitive bidding	p. 194
Summary	p. 194
Introduction	p. 194
A brief review of bidding strategy	p. 195
The importance of accuracy in estimating	p. 201
Some ways of using the existing theories	p. 208
Recent developments in bidding	p. 214
References	p. 216
Budgetary control	p. 217
Summary	p. 217
Introduction	p. 217
Preparation of budgets	p. 217
Types of budget	p. 218
Classification of costs	p. 219
Costing	p. 220
Example of budgetary control	p. 221
Cash flow and interim valuations	p. 224
Summary	p. 224
The need for cash flow forecasting by contractors	p. 224
The requirements of a forecasting system	p. 226
Capital lock-up	p. 231
The factors that affect capital lock-up	p. 231
Interim valuations and cash flow	p. 236
Measurement of work in activities	p. 240
Computers and cash flow	p. 241
Conclusion	p. 243
References	p. 244
Economic assessments	p. 245
Summary	p. 245
Introduction	p. 245
Interest	p. 247
Economic comparisons	p. 250
Profitability measures	p. 252
Inflation	p. 257
Accuracy of future estimates	p. 261
Financial modelling	p. 266
Cost-benefit analysis	p. 270
Some worked examples	p. 272
Reference	p. 277
Formulae for interest rate and time relationships	p. 277
Plant management	p. 278
Summary	p. 278
Plant acquisition	p. 278
The financing of plant	p. 278
Systematic plant selection	p. 281
Setting hire rates	p. 292
Methods of depreciation	p. 294
Graphical comparison of the depreciation methods	p. 296
Plant maintenance	p. 299
References	p. 301
Administration and company management	p. 303
Company organisation	p. 305
Summary	p. 305
Introduction	p. 305
The function of a manager	p. 305
Company objectives	p. 306
Company organisational structures	p. 307
The span of control	p. 312
Pattern of communications	p. 313
Construction site management	p. 313
Manager attitude	p. 314
Head office departments/functions	p. 315
References	p. 321
Market planning and business development	p. 322
Summary	p. 322
Introduction	p. 322
Identifying the customers' needs	p. 323
The business development strategy	p. 323
The business forecast	p. 324
Company strengths and weaknesses	p. 327
Promotion of the product or service	p. 329
Implementing the market plan	p. 331
Satisfying the customers' needs at a profit	p. 331
References	p. 332
International construction logistics	p. 333
Summary	p. 333
Introduction	p. 333
The international environment	p. 333
Seeking international work	p. 335
Conclusion	p. 340
Information resources and ICT systems	p. 341
Summary	p. 341
Introduction	p. 341
The construction company's business	p. 341
Processes involved in construction business	p. 342
Information needs to support business processes	p. 344
Management of contractors' information resources	p. 346
The construction information manager	p. 350
ICT in construction	p. 351
ICT change within construction	p. 352
Enablers of current construction IT	p. 352
Using IT resources in construction	p. 353
Financial management	p. 363
Summary	p. 363
Introduction	p. 363
Types of business	p. 363
Types of capital	p. 366
Capital sources	p. 367
The control of capital	p. 372
The company accounts	p. 375
Trial balance	p. 379
Analysis of the PandL account	p. 379
Analysis of the balance sheet	p. 382
Inflation accounting	p. 385
Self-learning exercises	p. 387
Questions and worked solutions	p. 389
Questions	p. 391
Solutions	p. 442
Bibliography	p. 575
Index	p. 583
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