This thesis is about risk management in fast-track construction projects. The aim of the study is to identify the risks in the UAE construction industry, understand how they are dealt with, and propose more effective frameworks for risk management in fast-track construction. A mixed method approach was used to fulfil the objectives of the study. 65 questionnaires were distributed to professionals in the construction industry, including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers and private consultants. Their responses were analysed using statistical techniques, and the results taken for discussion to a focus group of eleven experienced construction managers and experts. Secondary data was also collected via literature reviews of print and website articles, and of books and documents from company, government and industry-specific databases. The findings show that risks in construction projects can be internal or external, and that in the UAE, owner- and design-related risks are seen as the most significant. Knowledge about risk management is present, but more needs to be done to eradicate the problems associated with poorly managed fast-track construction projects. Using the suggestion of the focus group, a framework for risk mitigation was developed based on the Alien Eyes’ risk and Qualitative Risk Management models. The study discusses the implications of risk management for practitioners and academicians in the construction industry. Poor risk management, which is usually the consequence of inadequate recognition of and/or responsiveness to risks and uncertainties, can have a devastating impact upon projects. It is hoped that practitioners applying the findings and suggestions in this study will see positive change, improved profitability and greater competitive advantage as a result.

D.Com. (Economics) / The South African economy has deteriorated over the past two decades which has resulted In, amongst others, a lower economic growth rate with Increased unemployment. To Increase the general standard Of living, growth and development have become of the utmost Importance. To speed up this process, South Africa needs a new approach to growth and development. The approach suggested In this study, combines the "orthodox approach", which concentrates on maximum growth, with the "basic needs approach", which concentrates on the elimination of poverty. The "combined approach" thus concentrates on (a) the dynamic sectors In the economy which are considered as growth sectors, (b) those sectors which contribute to the elimination of poverty and general soclo-economic requirements and, finally, (c) Implement a structural adjustment programme which will create a suitable climate in which sectors In (a) and (b) can flourish. The manufacturing sector is responsible for approximately 24% of the added value of the South African economy. Given the "combined approach" to development, this sector has the potential to make an even more important contribution to South Africa's economic growth and development. To optlmlse this contribution, one needs to know the potential contribution of each manufacturing sector In relationto certain aspectsof development. There is not much specific specific data available on the manufacturing sectors in South Africa. In order to analyse the various manufacturing sectors, the research partially required the compilation of the data series used In the evaluation process. The data provided by this study has never before been available to this extent in SouthAfrica. The potentia_I contribution of the sectors was evaluated according to specific aspects of development, namely: import replacement; export promotion; inward industrialisation; the effective use of resources; productivity; relative viability; job creation; and, finally, the redistribution of growth between race groups and between regions. The sectors were, according to each aspect of development, graded as leading, average and lagging sectors. Through a compilation of the various modules, the general position of the manufacturing sectors In terms of growth and development can be determined as leading, average or lagging. The grouping does, however, only serve as an indication and does not provide the final answer.

A internacionalização das empresas brasileiras traz uma nova realidade: a necessidade de implementação de projetos globais. Estes trazem, em seu bojo, o desafio do gerenciamento de equipes multiculturais. Sendo um fenômeno recente, com pouco desenvolvimento teórico, o presente estudo buscou entender as relações entre características culturais e desempenho de equipes de projetos globais em multinacionais brasileiras, em contextos de alta e baixa distância cultural. Uma vez identificadas estas relações, tratou-se de entendê-las à luz do processo de gerenciamento de equipes. Para levar avante esta discussão, empreendeu-se um estudo de campo com enfoque tanto quantitativo quanto qualitativo junto a 34 projetos globais de multinacionais brasileiras, em que participaram pessoas oriundas de 22 países. Os resultados indicam que características culturais estão, sim, associadas ao desempenho da equipe, seja técnico ou humano, e que essa associação tem diferentes intensidades a depender do contexto. A proximidade hierárquica e o coletivismo foram mais importantes em contextos de baixa distância, enquanto que a feminilidade e a propensão ao risco foram mais importantes em contexto de alta distância cultural. Em que pesem estes resultados, verificou-se que há, entre os projetos pesquisados, pouca preocupação concreta com a questão da multiculturalidade e pouco incentivo ao desenvolvimento intercultural dos membros da equipe, o que acaba prejudicando a construção de um mindset global, importante para as empresas multinacionais brasileiras atuarem com sucesso no exterior. Ao final do estudo, foram propostas recomendações para que as empresas brasileiras comecem a gerenciar suas equipes globais de forma a evitar os problemas que a multiculturalidade pode trazer, que vão desde conflitos entre pessoas até o fracasso do projeto. / The internationalization of Brazilian companies brings a new reality: the need for implementation of global projects. These, in turn, carry in their essence the challenge of managing multicultural teams. Being a recent phenomenon, with little theoretical development, this study sought to understand the relationships between cultural features and performance of project teams in global projects of Brazilian multinationals, in contexts of high and low cultural distance. Once these relations were identified, we tried to understand them in light of the teams management process. To carry out this discussion, we undertook a field study, with both quantitative and qualitative focus, of 34 global projects of Brazilian multinationals, in which people from 22 countries took part. The results indicate that cultural traits are associated to team performance, whether technical or human, and this association has different intensities depending on the context. At the end of the study, recommendations were proposed for Brazilian companies to start managing their global teams so as to avoid the problems that multiculturalism can bring, which range from conflicts between people until the complete failure of the project.

Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas pesquisas com o objetivo de apresentar as qualidades gerenciais em projetos de tecnologia. Inicialmente foram feitas pesquisas exploratórias para identificar quais as qualidades que compõem o repertório de um gerente de projetos. Os requisitos foram analisados qualitativamente por um prisma enfocando a gerência de projetos e desdobrados em temas para confecção do nstrumento de pesquisa com questões indiretas aplicados aos atuais gerentes de projetos de uma instituição de pesquisas - IPEN. A análise das respostas permitiu destacar quais são as qualidades que têm maior aceitabilidade pelos gerentes e quais as qualidades que necessitam ser realçadas em programas futuros de treinamento e desenvolvimento gerencial. / Researchs with the objective to show the managerials qualities in technologies projects were established in this work. Initially, exploratory research were made to identifiy which are the qualities that compose the repertoire of a manager of projects. The requirements were analyzed qualitatively focusing the management of projects and they were unfolded in subjects for confection of questionnaires with applied indirect questions to the current controlling of projects of an institution of research - IPEN. The analysis of the responses allowed to detach which are the qualities that have greater acceptability by the managers, and which of them need to be enhanced in future programs of training and managerial development.

Building renovation projects are unique in its nature and quite different from new building construction projects. Uncertainties and unforeseen conditions play a much bigger role in building renovation projects making construction planning traditional methods not suitable for these purposes. Soft-logic allows for the modification of predefined network models when a new set of conditions is encountered. An existing computer simulation program called SIMSUPER provides such approach. SIMSUPER (SIMulation SUPERvisor) is a network-based, discrete-event simulation model that has the capability of incorporating conditions of uncertainty and to dynamically respond to changed conditions. The model is capable of combining different networks to respond to changed external factors already embedded in the model networks. The logic followed by SIMSUPER has the flexibility of selecting between networks depending on the conditions inputted. SIMSUPER was primarily developed to conduct research in productivity analysis for adaptable tunneling construction, where excavation and support methods are adapted to changing ground conditions. The main objective of this research is to determine the ability of SIMSUPER to analyze the dynamics of the building renovation process under its particular conditions of uncertainty and to provide the user with the flexibility of adapting the model as these conditions change, optimizing project's productivity. The renovation of Daniels Hall, a four-story dormitory facility at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, is used as the case study of this research. Two computer runs, the contractor's plan, and observed data were tested using the WPI's running version of SIMSUPER. Differences between the computer simulation and observed actions were found. A hand simulation that incorporates resource allocation, preempting rules and conflict management capabilities was conducted to investigate the observed actions in more detail. The hand simulation was able to replicate the observed actions. The concept contained in the program proved to be efficient. The soft-logic rules that drive the simulation of the process replicated the observed plans.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 244-248. / by Angelito Feliciano Santos. / M.C.P.

Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas pesquisas com o objetivo de apresentar as qualidades gerenciais em projetos de tecnologia. Inicialmente foram feitas pesquisas exploratórias para identificar quais as qualidades que compõem o repertório de um gerente de projetos. Os requisitos foram analisados qualitativamente por um prisma enfocando a gerência de projetos e desdobrados em temas para confecção do nstrumento de pesquisa com questões indiretas aplicados aos atuais gerentes de projetos de uma instituição de pesquisas - IPEN. A análise das respostas permitiu destacar quais são as qualidades que têm maior aceitabilidade pelos gerentes e quais as qualidades que necessitam ser realçadas em programas futuros de treinamento e desenvolvimento gerencial. / Researchs with the objective to show the managerials qualities in technologies projects were established in this work. Initially, exploratory research were made to identifiy which are the qualities that compose the repertoire of a manager of projects. The requirements were analyzed qualitatively focusing the management of projects and they were unfolded in subjects for confection of questionnaires with applied indirect questions to the current controlling of projects of an institution of research - IPEN. The analysis of the responses allowed to detach which are the qualities that have greater acceptability by the managers, and which of them need to be enhanced in future programs of training and managerial development.

Este trabalho trata de questões relativas à gestão dos projetos associados com a implementação do planejamento estratégico das empresas. Embora nos dias atuais o planejamento estratégico seja uma ferramenta essencial para auxiliar as empresas a estabelecer, sustentar e ampliar suas vantagens competitivas, pesquisas mostram que sua implementação é bastante deficiente, sendo um dos principais problemas a falta de estrutura e metodologias adequadas para gerenciar a execução dos projetos estratégicos definidos a partir do planejamento. Os objetivos do presente trabalho são, através de um estudo de caso, elucidar em que aspectos - e de que forma - o gerenciamento de projetos estratégicos pode ser aprimorado e contribuir para a compreensão das principais questões e problemas relacionados à implementação e gestão deste tipo de projeto. O estudo de caso foi realizado numa empresa de manufatura da área de tecnologia de informação onde apenas 50% dos projetos estratégicos são concluídos e atingem o objetivo esperado. Neste estudo realizou-se na empresa o levantamento dos processos de planejamento estratégico, de gerenciamento dos projetos estratégicos, dos resultados destes projetos, dos fatores críticos para o sucesso na implementação dos mesmos e da maturidade e excelência nas práticas de gestão de projetos. Com a análise dos dados levantados na pesquisa concluiu-se que, apesar da empresa possuir uma pequena estrutura dedicada ao gerenciamento dos projetos estratégicos, a falta de uma metodologia melhor estruturada para este gerenciamento era a principal responsável pelo baixo índice de sucesso na execução dos projetos. A partir das análises dos dados coletados e das conclusões tiradas a respeito das principais deficiências presentes nos processos de gerenciamento apresenta-se no trabalho uma proposta preliminar para a estrutura básica de uma metodologia para gerenciamento dos projetos estratégicos da empresa estudada, com o objetivo de sanar ou minimizar as deficiências gerenciais encontradas. / This research handle themes related to project management associate with strategic planning implementation in the companies. Although in the current days the strategic planning is an essential tool to aid the companies to establish, to sustain and to enlarge their competitive advantages, researches show that implementation is quite deficient, being one of the main problems the structure lack and appropriate methodologies to manage the execution of the defined strategic projects starting from the planning. The objectives of the present work are, through a case study, to elucidate in which aspects - and which form - the management of strategic projects can be perfected and to contribute for the understanding of the main subjects and problems related to the implementation and management of this kind of project. The case study was accomplished in a manufacturing company of information technology area where only 50% of the strategic projects are ended and reached the expected objective. In this study was performed in the company a survey of the processes of strategic planning, management of strategic projects, results of these projects, critical factors for the success in the implementation and maturity and excellence in the practices of projects management. With the analysis of the data in the research was concluded that, in spite of the company has a small structure dedicated to the management of the strategic projects, the lack of a better structured methodology for project management was the main responsible for the low success index in the execution of the projects. Starting from the analyses of the collected data and of the conclusions regarding the main present deficiencies in the management processes, shows up in the work a preliminary proposal for the basic methodology structure for management of the strategic projects of the studied company, with the objective of to cure or to minimize the found managerial deficiencies.

This study was designed to discover how beneficiary participation in decision making can be encouraged and enhanced in rural development assistance projects in developing countries. The study sought to increase the understanding about how beneficiary participation occurs through the identification of patterns, processes or techniques in development assistance projects that enhance the ability of local people to gain control of the benefits and decision making processes in projects affecting their lives. The data for this study were obtained from telephone interviews with seven individuals who are or have been rural development assistance project managers. A constant comparative method of qualitative data analysis was employed. The findings indicated that community participation is encouraged and enhanced in projects that involve a few salient activities, relatively less complex inputs and consequently less money than larger, more complex projects. These projects should be based on a felt need in the community and be designed to fit community capabilities. As such, they enhance the power of participation to produce a recognizable benefit and to provide a sense of progress toward community established goals. In addition, community participation is encouraged when some investment is required from the community. Investment creates ownership and tests the value and appropriateness of the activity to the community. The case studies suggested that participation is a process that requires support at the community level, from intermediary organizations and from donor agencies and national governments. At the community level, the most practical and effective vehicle through which to implement participatory projects is existing community organizations. These organizations generally possess the necessary skills to be, and by definition, should be involved in all phases of the project from design to evaluation. Locally identified leaders, while a two-edged sword, are necessary for the effectiveness of local organizations and for the endorsement of project activities. Intermediary organizations emerge in this study as key actors in the participatory development process. These organizations act as catalysts and linkages by informing and sharing information with communities; by helping communities gather data about themselves in identifying the most critical problems; by mediating in conflict resolution; and in obtaining funds and other forms of assistance from outside the community. Their role is characterized by an approach to rural communities that is both understanding and interactive. Donor organizations and national governments are seen in the role of development coordinators. The coordinator role is responsive to community desires and strives for equality among diverse groups and communities. They emphasize a "process" approach to development administration. As a result of effective participation, rural poor communities are able to meet their basic needs, solve their problems, and achieve the power to control their lives. In terms of mechanisms encouraging beneficiary participation, this study recommends the following: 1) Participatory development should be viewed as a process of trial and error learning whose goal is community empowerment. Empowerment signifies the degree to which people have gained the capacity to obtain results which they intend to obtain from their involvement in decision making in the development process. 2) Intermediary organizations must assume a key role in the participatory development process. These organizations are composed of sensitive and understanding people who are dedicated to community participation. The function of these organizations is twofold. First, they act as links between donor agencies or national governments and local communities. Second, they function as catalysts in participatory development. The goal of these organizations is to facilitate the building of community capacity in terms of skills and knowledge to the point that the community no longer needs their assistance. 3) The appropriate roles of donor agencies and national governments in participatory development is as coordinators of development assistance projects. This role requires them to provide funds specifically for participatory development; to strive for equity in funding different groups and communities; and to adopt a "process" style of project administration that is seen as most conducive to participatory development. 4) Projects aiming at encouraging beneficiary participation should start small, with a few relatively simple activities that respond to local needs. These activities are most effectively implemented through existing local organizations that are characterized as having control of financial resources, legal authority, involvement in all project activities from design to evaluation and are led by community appointed leaders. 5) It is more important to emphasize "how" projects are implemented rather than "what" is accomplished. This "how" necessarily involves beneficiary participation which is defined as the participation of beneficiaries in their own development by controlling resources, defining needs and making decisions about how these needs can best be met. / Graduation date: 1992

Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) projects are becoming more complex in terms of client requirements, stakeholder issues, physical, budget and time constraints, and safety and environmental concerns. These constraints have spawned ad-hoc innovations in some AEC projects, without structured frameworks for their assessment, resulting in varying success for these innovations. The primary goal of the thesis is to test an existing framework for evaluating innovative design and construction technologies for high-rise buildings by way of a case-study. The case study is a48-story structure (with an 8-level sub-grade parkade) in a downtown setting with significant constraints and challenges. Unlike most other assessment frameworks which are single-issue based (financial, cost, time or risk), a holistic method that captures a broad range of critical issues at the micro and macro levels is used to screen a number of construction innovations. The process highlights the primary difficulty in balancing stakeholder issues, technical/engineering requirements and project goals in assessing the overall feasibility and net benefits of an innovation. As a useful tool, it facilitates the engineering/technical judgment of proposed innovations and provides evidence of a sufficient trade-off between incremental 'cost and benefits' to justify a detailed evaluation and possible subsequent use of a subset of the innovations that passed successfully through a tiered first stage evaluation process. A secondary objective is to propose appropriate quantitative models for a detailed evaluation of the screened technologies that not only seeks to quantify incremental cost and benefits (e.g. time, increased revenue, etc.) but also assess the level of certainty (in benefits and cost) of innovative construction technologies. An illustrative evaluation provides insights as to the level of modeling and analysis required to evaluate an innovative or novel strategy both at the 'activity/work package' and project levels. The quantum of data required at the pre-construction planning stage coupled with the lack of easy to apply evaluation models probably accounts for the non-prevalence of detailed quantitative evaluation of innovative construction technologies on AEC projects, especially in terms of impact at the project level and the degree of certainty with which net benefits are likely to be achieved.