CE PROJECT

CHARLIE V. FRIA BSCE-5

MCM 609 International Issues in Construction

The subject is about understanding the significant impact of international construction in the
development of global economy and its continuing evolution due to market trends and rapid
changes in technology. This allow student to develop awareness of international issues of global
concern and emerging risks in construction ; Learn how the current international issues in
construction are analyzed and addressed by different construction industries and have a better
appreciation of the need for sustainable development and disaster risk mitigation and
adaptation in construction.

Course Content and Structure

MODULE 1 International Construction

Construction in the World Economy, Markets and Trends

This module covers the role of international construction in the world economy in general, and
profiles of international construction industries. It discusses various markets and construction
industry trends and concerns.
Module 2 International Issues in Construction

International Issues and Emerging Risks in Construction

This module will cover the various issues and emerging risks in international construction such
as economic crimes, and how they are analyzed and addressed. It will discuss the current State
of the World to increase awareness of the universal problems in international construction
particularly in Transport, Water, Solid Waste, Energy Resources, Buildings and the Built
Environment, Urbanization and Infrastructure.

Module 3 Sustainable Development, Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation

International Construction Trends and Future Development

This module discusses urbanization risks, sustainable development and innovation, risk
mitigation and adaptation as the future of construction development; disaster management,
project management problems and concerns and how they are addressed in other countries.
Project Management Issues in the Construction Industry
 Project Management Issues in the Construction Industry

Issues and challenges with regards to construction project management have emerged over the
last two decades. Naoum and Egbu (2015) assert that most of these project management
issues faced by construction managers may result either directly from construction operations
or indirectly from peripheral activities. It is advisable that many of these project
management issues be addressed and dealt with expeditiously and intelligently by project
managers to ensure the success of the project (Omran et al., 2015). Some of the direct
construction project management issues include time constraints (Fulford & Standing,
2014.), safety (Zeng et al., 2015), workforce considerations (Zhang et al., 2015) and the ever-
changing nature of construction works (Sears et al., 2015).

The indirect project management issues that construction managers face are those that
stem from the business landscape: legal issues and government regulations (Sears et al.,
2015); environmental concerns (Omran et al., 2015); and pressures on the socio-political front
(Muir, 2005). Leach (2014) advises construction project managers about the importance of
understanding the demanding realities they face in the planning and execution of construction
operations. Most of the project management issues and challenges construction managers
face on a daily basis are presented in Figure 1 below.

Construction projects comprise sets of activities that take place in order to produce unique
products. Successful projects are judged by meeting project management issues of safety,
cost, resource allocation, time and quality as determined by the client (Omran et al., 2015;
Sears et al., 2015; Fulford & Standing, 2014). The purpose of project managers is to attain
objectives and goals through careful resource allocation that meet the client’s requirements
(Kelly et al., 2014). The construction project manager must control, redirect and/or mitigate any
situation or occurrence that might affect the success of the project. This essay discusses the
direct construction project management issues of time constraints, safety, workforce
considerations and the nature of the work.
Time Constrains

As the adage goes, “Time is money” and Omran et al. (2015) agree that time is money to both
project managers and their clients. Enshassi and Mosa (2015) found that because project
owners perceive time constraints as one of the project management issues that result in
lost revenue, defective designs and increased accidents, they adopt close supervision as a
method of dealing with this challenge. As stakeholders, users of the finished construction
products also believe that time constraints have financial implications (Haimes,
2015). According to Omran et al. (2015), missed deadlines and targets result in less efficient
construction operations which translate into higher construction costs.

Safety

Safety is an ongoing project management issue for all construction managers. By its very
nature, construction work is inherently dangerous and carries a degree of risk (Love et al.,
2016). The number of accidents emanating from construction projects is high, in terms of both
loss of life and costs (Hughes & Ferrett, 2015). According to Love et al. (2016), accidents add a
significant burden of avoidable and needless costs. Love et al. (2016) further affirm, that
financial losses, however, are minor when compared to death, bodily injuries and the
subsequent social impact these have on communities. According to the health and safety
executive (HSE), the estimated cost of workplace accidents and illnesses in the UK was £14.3
billion for the year 2013/2014 (HSE, 2015).

Insurance policies usually cover contractors for some direct expenses such as financial
compensation and medical costs (Muir, 2005), but accidents can involve other indirect
uninsurable costs (Muir, 2005) such as time lost from work, economic loss for the injured
family, loss of production, clean-up and repair costs, damage to equipment and tools and many
other costs that cannot be quantified (Zhang et al., 2015; Zeng et al., 2015; Muir, 2005).
Construction managers must therefore be concerned with project management issues of
safety to avoid legal, cost and ethical implications that may arise.
Workforce considerations

According to Zhang et al. (2015), the most valuable resource for any construction organization
is its people. The operations of any construction company are dependent on the expertise, skills
and knowledge of the people planning and implementing the work. Muir (2005) says that the
quality of the workforce is what makes a construction project stand out. Acquiring a talented
management team and obtaining enough skilled and unskilled workers is crucial for the success
of any construction project (Marzouk et al., 2014). Among other project management
issues, finding and hiring a talented and skilled workforce has proven to be the most difficult
(Zhang et al., 2015).

Managers of construction projects should provide objective solutions to this project

management issue to ensure that the productivity and safety of the workforce are enhanced.
These should be geared to maximising performance in the long term; to do this, construction
workers should receive the necessary training to enhance their knowledge of what is needed for
the project (Muir, 2005). Research shows that an increased level of workforce empowerment
translates to enhanced productivity (Van De Voorde et al., 2016; Salajeghe et al., 2015). Van
De Voorde et al. (2016) found a connection between high levels of empowerment yields and
high production levels. Empowerment of the workforce is a key project management
issue for improving the performance of construction projects.

Nature of work

Construction projects comprise a complex array of interlinked activities that some refer to as
‘well-organised chaos’. The very nature of construction work introduces project management
issues typically unique to the construction industry (Muir, 2005). For instance, construction
projects differ from other types of projects in that they are often seasonal. Each project is
unique. Some of the difficulties to be anticipated include: the site may be located in remote
areas with limited access; the process is often unpredictable; it may not be easy to apply
automation and the success is dependent on the quality of the workforce (Zhang et al., 2015;
Salajeghe et al., 2015; Marzouk et al., 2014). Moreover, construction work is not performed
under controlled conditions which makes the project highly susceptible to the impact of adverse
weather and other environmental conditions (Nadhim et al., 2016; Assaf & Al-Hejji, 2006).