Measurement of performance is important to the construction sector as an additional way of improving and sustaining competitiveness in the long-term. Most large construction organisations in the United Kingdom (UK) practise performance measurement because they believe it affects their business positively in the longer-term. Performance measurement is thus, recognised as an important way of keeping an organisation on track in achieving its strategic objectives. However, there are still construction organisations that believe performance measurement does not aid in creating and developing appropriate strategies for their organisations, but helps organisations in identifying areas where they did or did not perform well. The improvements in performance thus, can only be brought about through step-by-step strategic guidance to organisations to achieve their performance targets. The first step towards achieving these targets comprises the following: understand the performance measurement process of organisations, and identify the appropriate criteria that need to be measured to improve business; identify strengths and opportunities, which in turn can create a way to maximise profits for an organisation. Such an approach would help organisations target relevant performance measurements and embed them in their organisational strategy in a structured step-by-step manner. Premised on the foregoing, this research project aims to investigate potential tools for improving performance measurement practices in the construction industry. In addition, this research aims to assist organisations in implementing performance measurement in a proper manner and to help them understand the performance measurement process. The first step (objective 1) of this research is to review the generic body of literature in performance measurement to understand key concepts, definitions and existing practices and identify commonly used performance measurement tools. It is noted that there are several definitions of performance measurement. However, at its basic level, performance measurement is a process of determining how successful organisations or individuals have been in attaining their objectives and strategies. To achieve this, the outputs of an organisation's strategic and operational processes are measured in a quantifiable form; the results are used to monitor closely the performance of the organisation, internally and externally. Findings of the review (and later those of objectives 2 and 3) reveal that the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model are the two most widely known and used tools, in all sectors including construction, to measure an organisation s performance. Semi-structured interviews (objectives 2 and 3) were conducted with performance measurement directors and managers in large UK construction companies. The interviews revealed that performance measurement is being practised in organisations directly or indirectly to help improve businesses and profits. The purpose of interviews was to seek the organisations views on how they approach and conduct performance measurement and derive benefits from it. All organisations agreed that the financial aspects such as profit margins and growth, as well as non-financial aspects such as health and safety and customer satisfaction are important criteria to be measured. Both financial and non-financial criteria need to be considered and included in an organisation's strategy; they are important considerations for any future strategy development. Findings of the interviews and the literature review suggest the best way to create an organisation's strategy as the following: understand the performance measurement process of organisations and identify the appropriate criteria, which need to be measured to improve business; identify strengths and opportunities, which in turn can create a way to maximise profits for an organisation. This led to the development of a Framework (also called the Performance Measurement Migration Path) (objective 4), which would help organisations target relevant performance measurements and embed them in their organisational strategy in a structured step-by-step manner. Its implementation in organisations can make performance measurement processes easy and smooth. Evaluation (objective 5) of the framework confirms its suitability and acceptability to industry players for the use in improving the implementation of performance measurement.

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux expériences biographiques de personnes anciennement placées au prisme des questions migratoire et religieuse. Elle cherche à comprendre la manière dont se sont construits les processus d’identification de descendants d’immigrés placés dans leur enfance dans deux associations de protection de l’enfance historiquement imprégnées par le religieux : la première par le judaïsme (l’œuvre de Secours aux Enfants), la seconde par le catholicisme (les Apprentis d’Auteuil). Les analyses ont été menées à partir d’une approche qualitative fondée sur le recueil des récits de vie des personnes et les entretiens réalisés avec des professionnels de ces deux associations. Il ressort de ce travail que les individus s’identifient tantôt au lieu de placement, tantôt à leur famille, tantôt réinventent de manière originale des auto-identifications. Les liens familiaux peuvent devenir des liens distants alors que les liens tissés au quotidien peuvent prendre la forme de liens d’affection devenant supports d’identification. La religion a été une catégorie d’analyse féconde pour comprendre ces processus. / This thesis focuses on the biographical experiences of individuals previously placed through both migration and religious questions. It aims at an understanding on how identification processes of descendants of immigrants placed during their childhood were built. This research was conducted in two child welfare associations historically marked by the religious: the first one by judaism (l’œuvre de Secours aux Enfants), the second one by catholicism (les Apprentis d’Auteuil). Data were analysed through a qualitative approach based on a collection of life stories and interviews with professionals of both associations. From the analyses, it stands out that individuals identify themselves sometimes with the placement, sometimes with their family, and sometimes reinvent themselves in an original way of self-identification. Family bonds can become distant bonds whereas bonds established on a daily basis can take shape as affection bonds becoming then supports of identification. The religious category was a relevant one to understand these processes.

Cette thèse interroge les dynamiques de construction du rapport à la politique (intérêt, critique, indifférence, engagement etc.) des descendants d’immigrés nés en France – ou y ayant grandi – et résidant dans un quartier d'habitat social dans lequel est mise en oeuvre la politique de la ville. L'originalité de ce travail vient du fait que différents rapports à la politique sont étudiés et que les familles rencontrées sont originaires de différents pays (Sénégal, Algérie, Maroc, Vietnam, Laos, Comores etc.). L'analyse développée à partir d’entretiens biographiques souligne l’influence des différents parcours migratoires des parents et des expériences communes des enfants sur la construction de leurs attitudes politiques ; elle questionne leur éventuelle spécificité. Elle accorde une attention particulière à la mémoire familiale et aux dynamiques des transmissions intergénérationnelles, aux trajectoires socioprofessionnelles des descendants d’immigrés et de leurs parents ainsi qu’au contexte local de vie. / This PhD questions the dynamics of political attitudes (interest, criticism, indifference, involvement etc.) of French youths from non-European immigrant background born or raised in France in deprived areas where a specific policy is implemented. The originality of this study is that it includes different attitudes towards politics and different countries of origin. The interlocutors interviewed are from Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, Vietnam, Laos, Comoros etc. The analysis developed from biographical interviews underlines the influence of the different migration paths of the parents, and the common experiences of their children on the construction of their political attitudes; it questions their possible specificity. This analysis pays particular attention to the family memory and the dynamics of intergenerational transmission, to the socio-professional trajectories of immigrants’ descendants and those of their parents as well as their local context of residence.