Redefining performance measures for construction project managers: an empirical evaluation

Abstract

Traditional success criteria for construction projects centre on the achievement of cost, programme and quality targets. In this paper, it is argued that these simple measures are too crude to be used for gauging managers' performance in the context of today's construction project environment, as many variables outside of the manager's control can impact on outturn performance and the demands on project managers are far broader than in the past. It is argued that the industry needs to define more appropriate performance criteria for measuring project managers' performance and encouraging their professional development. These must redefine traditional success parameters to consider the knowledge, skills and behavioural inputs which contribute to superior performance. These can then be used to engender a more appropriate set of management behaviours that lead to improved project outcomes. This study has developed such a framework by examining the views of members of project teams and other organizational stakeholders through a series of focus groups. Factor analysis was used to refine a range of nine performance criteria against which managers' performance can be evaluated. These have the potential to be used as a basis for developing more appropriate reward management approaches and as a starting point for developing competency-based performance management tools in the future.Contractors' Construction Project Managers, Performance Criteria, Performance Management, Competence Analysis, Factor Analysis,

Measurement and Antecedents of Cooperation in Construction

“…This way, the level of cooperation on a construction project can be monitored on a consistent basis and strategies, such as those considered in the current study, can then be implemented if a low level of or significant reduction in cooperation is observed. The inclusion of such scales, which measure performance as the behavior (not its antecedents or consequences) in performance monitoring questionnaires will answer the call for more direct and balanced human performance criteria, which temporally precede and are necessary for achieving the more demanding, 'harder' outturn project performance criteria (Dainty et al, 2003;Anvuur and Kumaraswamy, 2008).…”

Benchmarking construction industry, company and project performance by participants’ evaluation

“…As a result, the performance of the construction industry as a whole tends to be scarce (Costa et al, 2006). Thus, a holistic view of performance measurements in the realm of multifaceted construction projects has been highlighted recently (Dainty et al, 2003;Chan and Chan, 2004;Leung et al, 2004;NzekweExcel, 2012;Lehtiranta et al, 2012).…”

“…Also with the help of KPIs, companies can identify the best practices for developing their operations (CCI, 2004). However, hard measures have also been criticized for that they are too simple to measure the complex construction project environment (Dainty et al, 2003).…”

Performance Improvement Methods

“…They are productivity, quality, leadership, communication competence, administrative competence, effort, interpersonal competence, job knowledge, compliance with or acceptance of authority, and overall job performance. Dainty et al (2003), based on their logistic regression analysis, found 12 competencies helping to distinguish between superior and average performers. These competencies are achievement orientation, initiative, information seeking, focus on client's needs, impact and influence, directiveness, teamwork and cooperation, team leadership, analytical thinking, conceptual thinking, self-control, and flexibility Performance consists of seven dimensions: effectiveness, efficiency, quality, productivity, quality of work life, innovation, and profitability (Sink 1985).…”