The Design-Build delivery method has gained popularity in the construction industry in the 21st century among clients seeking singular responsibility, shorter delivery time frame and management of complex works. In this exploratory study, a model that considers the effects of project technical system on the project organisation structure has been proposed. Project technical system comprises of two dimensions: technical uncertainty and technical complexity, while integration, organisational differentiation, information processing and project size were considered as dimensions of the project organisation structure. Several hypotheses linking the relationship between technical uncertainty, technical complexity and project structure has been developed. A self-administered questionnaire was developed as the data collection instrument. Field data were collected from design-build projects in the civil and architectural construction industry in Taiwan, and analysed at the project level. The technical system-structure relationships were tested statistically mainly by multiple regression. Results indicate that various scholarly perspectives of uncertainty have a common underlying construct. Several inter-correlations among components of the technical system were identified, and interactively they affect the project organisation structure. Technical uncertainty was found to be a better predictor of information processing and internal integrative efforts than technical complexity. Less structured and flexible information processes and coordinative mechanisms were favoured under high levels of technical uncertainty and complexity. Technical complexity was found to partially predict organisational differentiation, particularly by the interacting effects of project scope and concurrency. The level of technical staffing could be explained by project scope and technical differentiation of the complexity dimension. Lastly, the results were mixed for technical complexity as a predictor of the extent to which project work is subcontracted. The findings of this study contributed to the understanding of the relationships between technical system and organisation structure in complex Design-Build projects. Various managerial implications were outlined. The model proposed in this study can be extended to include project effectiveness, which may lead to the identification of key structural arrangements that contribute to improved project performance.

The aim of the thesis was to investigate and analyze howproject members at operative level experience industrialproject work. The project goal, alongside the time limits,methods applied, and cooperation, were envisaged to set theprerequisites for the work situation. Four empirical studies,based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, areencompassed by this thesis. In total, 31 companies and 298respondents were involved in the studies. The studies wereperformed in product-development and construction settingswithin the mechanical engineering industry. The analysis showsthat project work is characterized by: 1) Goal-focusedcooperation in flexible and changeable work groups. Demandscompetence for cooperation; interaction and communicationconstantly adjusted to problem-solving processes; and jointactivities for goal definition. 2) Treating time as a resource.A fast pace of work demands shared responsibilities in a team;unconstrained interaction and communication; and socialsupport. Scarce time resources give rise to the risk ofneglecting needs for long-term knowledge development. 3)Development and insecurity. Development makes contingency-basedsupervision and planning needed, together with team-basedplanning and goal formulation. High levels of developmentstimulate knowledge and improvements to routines and practices.Technological development also entails insecurity, whichrequires the ability mentally to cope with flexibility andcontinuous adjustments. <b>Keywords:</b>Project organization, Project work, Projectmanagement, Project team, Product development, Constructionprojects, Psychosocial work environment.

<p>The aim of the thesis was to investigate and analyze howproject members at operative level experience industrialproject work. The project goal, alongside the time limits,methods applied, and cooperation, were envisaged to set theprerequisites for the work situation. Four empirical studies,based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, areencompassed by this thesis. In total, 31 companies and 298respondents were involved in the studies. The studies wereperformed in product-development and construction settingswithin the mechanical engineering industry. The analysis showsthat project work is characterized by: 1) Goal-focusedcooperation in flexible and changeable work groups. Demandscompetence for cooperation; interaction and communicationconstantly adjusted to problem-solving processes; and jointactivities for goal definition. 2) Treating time as a resource.A fast pace of work demands shared responsibilities in a team;unconstrained interaction and communication; and socialsupport. Scarce time resources give rise to the risk ofneglecting needs for long-term knowledge development. 3)Development and insecurity. Development makes contingency-basedsupervision and planning needed, together with team-basedplanning and goal formulation. High levels of developmentstimulate knowledge and improvements to routines and practices.Technological development also entails insecurity, whichrequires the ability mentally to cope with flexibility andcontinuous adjustments.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Project organization, Project work, Projectmanagement, Project team, Product development, Constructionprojects, Psychosocial work environment.</p>

For many years, government backed reports have continued to deplore the poor performance of the construction industry with many projects failing to exceed or live up to the expectations of clients. There is a common belief that the culture of the construction industry is one of the factors that has an impact on its performance. The culture of the construction industry at the project level is often associated with such attributes as fragmentation, antagonism, mistrust, poor communication, short-term mentality, blame culture, casual approaches to recruitment, machismo and sexism. These attributes are in turn associated with project outcomes like litigation, poor health and safety performance, and inferior quality. Whilst such associations are helpful to the extent that they focus attention on the failings of the industry, and point to aspects that need to be improved, they are arbitrary and often based on no more than anecdotal evidence, and as such do not provide a systematic basis for assessing the real impact of culture on performance. This research was thus undertaken to look for empirical evidence of a relationship between cultural orientations and project performance outcomes. Adopting social cognitive theory and defining culture as the unique configuration of solutions – embodied in attitudes, behaviours and conditions – that a construction project organisation and its members adopt in dealing with problems at the project level, a quantitative research methodology was employed in investigating the culture within the project coalition, also referred to in this thesis as the construction project organisation (CPO). CPOs were profiled to determine their cultural orientations. Several project performance indicators were also assessed and the relationships between these performance measures and the cultural orientations were examined. Analysis revealed five principal dimensions of culture along which project organisations differ. These dimensions are workforce orientation, performance orientation, team orientation, client orientation and project orientation. With the exception of performance and client orientation, the other dimensions of culture were found to be significantly associated with project performance outcomes. These associations were modelled using multiple regression, and from these models it can be inferred inter alia that projects with higher workforce orientation have better participant satisfaction and innovation and learning outcomes. Projects with higher team orientation have better participant satisfaction and health & safety and quality outcomes. Likewise projects with higher project orientation have better health & safety and quality outcomes. Although causality cannot be assumed, these findings support the thesis that culture matters. It is therefore recommended that project participants – and in particular contractors, devote more effort and resources towards improving the orientations of their CPOs in respect of the dimensions of culture identified as having significant association with project performance outcomes, particularly workforce, team and project orientations.

This research is conducted to formulate a framework for project risk management by evaluating the current understanding and practices. It examines the risk management processes provided by the various standards, frameworks and guidelines available globally. The research argues that the existence of varying risk management standards, frameworks and guidelines is not an assurance that organisations will adopt their principles and processes. Furthermore, these documents do not provide sufficient information concerning the understanding of the concept of risk and uncertainty and their management. To accomplish this goal, it became necessary for the research to reach an understanding about the concepts and fundamental issues of risk and uncertainty management. This research also sought to know how organisations in different industries manage risks and uncertainties for their projects. This research was confined to the study of the understanding and practices of PRM by established or influential organisations in aerospace and aviation, oil, gas and petrochemical, power, telecommunication as well as construction industries with matching criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an ‘aide-memoire’ with managers involved in the management of project risks to document the current practices of risk management. Thematic analyses were used to compress and summarise the large amount of data into internally consistent understandings of risk and uncertainty. Based on the results, the research proposes a structure that explains the current understanding of the concepts of risk and uncertainty as well as an outline process framework for conducting risk management for industry use. Practically, risk and uncertainty are found to be interrelated whereby and they happen as an outcome of each other’s occurrence. The proposed framework consists of six major steps which incorporated the purposes and activities within, providing a better understanding of how risk can be managed. This research contributes theoretically, methodologically and practically to project risk management body of knowledge.

Construction is one of the largest industry sectors in terms of size and output in the United Kingdom (UK). The sector contributes about 10% directly to the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and drives historical GDP growth. However, Construction projects and Organisations continue to underperform at significant levels which is underpinned by actors' Information Behaviours (IBs).