The Construction Industry in Saudi Arabia - Research Proposal Example

PROPOSAL ON LEAN CONSTRUCTION Background and ment of Research Problem The construction industry in Saudi Arabia is not a new one. However, it continues to be faced with a number of technical constraints. Some of the challenges identified by Atkin (2009) and Egan (1998) include ineffective communication standards, institutional defragmentation and lack of integration between system level design and development. All in all, these technical challenges often result in situation where there is delay in the delivery of construction works. Indeed, in the absence of some of these delays, the construction industry in Saudi Arabia would have grown far beyond the level it is now. In a survey conducted in 2006 by Assaf and Alhejji, it was proved that 70% of projects overran their scheduled completion time-scales. Experts believe that one principle that can help in minimizing delays in construction is the lean manufacturing principle. This research work therefore seeks to use the lean manufacturing principle to avoid unnecessary delays in the construction industry. Research Aim and Specific Objectives The major aim of the research work is to look into the potential benefits of lean manufacturing principle in minimizing project delays in construction projects in Saudi Arabia. This is a broader aim that has been broken down into specific objectives. The achievement of the specific objectives will lead to the eventual achievement of the research aims. 1. To identify the present performance outcomes within the Saudi construction sector. 2. To come to terms with the causative delay factors within Saudi construction projects. 3. To find how the application of the ‘lean construction’ principle can affect the Saudi construction sector in a positive manner. 4. To evaluate how the ‘lean construction’ principle should be utilised to ensure that it achieves its maximum benefits. Research Questions 1. What is the rate of output performance of the present Saudi construction sector? 2. What are the causes of delay within Saudi construction projects? 3. Are delays associated with the construction sector in Saudi avoidable? 4. Are there any positive effects that can be associated with the application of the ‘lean construction’ principle in Saudi construction; especially in the area of reducing delays? 5. How can the principle of ‘lean construction’ be well utilised to ensure that it achieves its maximum benefits? Significance of the Study The benefits of the current research cannot be overemphasized. The benefits are also widespread and do not apply to only a particular group of persons. Broadly, it can be seen that the research topic is directed at the construction sector and so the most immediate benefactors will be investors in the construction sector. By avoiding delay, investors; especially constructors can be assured of the fact that they will be in a position to put up more buildings and make more profit. Clients and end users will also be spared the worries associated with delays and disappointment in the delivery time of projects. At the national level, there is a lot of significance that this research work will serve. This is because the construction sector has been found to be one of the highest income making sectors in Saudi. Such increased income can be guaranteed as a result of increased rate of production. Research Design The research design refers to the strategy that the researcher is going to use to conduct the research and by extension the collection of data. Looking at the specific objectives aiming to be achieved by the researcher and the research questions set out, it is clear that there is going to be the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. Due to this development, the researcher adapts the experimental research design to collect data. The Experiment Resources (2008) explains that an experimental research “is a collection of research designs which use manipulation and controlled testing to understand causal processes.” It is this feature of experimental research that makes it ideal for this research since the manipulation and controlled testing makes room for both qualitative and quantitative research. Population and Sample Selection The population for the study shall be all stakeholders in the construction industry in Saudi. However, a selection shall be made out of this number to form a sample size from whom data shall be collected directly from. The sample shall be made up of four major categories of stakeholders. These four groups are clients, consultants, contractors and designers. All these stakeholders shall be practitioners in the construction industry within Saudi Arabia and their contribution to the research shall be to give data with regards to their experience in the construction section. Most of these data shall be on how and why delays come about and how these delays can be avoided. Data Collection Procedure As stated earlier, the research design used for this research work is experimental research design. This research design makes room for both qualitative and quantitative researching. For this reason, data collection procedure shall be in two major categories, which are qualitative and quantitative. To make quantitative data collection possible, the researcher shall embark on primary data collection. Also to make qualitative data collection possible, the researcher shall make use of secondary data collection. Primary data collection shall involve the collection of data directly from people in the sample size. This shall be done personally by the researcher and shall not involve any third parties. This means that there will be a benefit whereby the researcher can be assured of reliability in the data collected. The primary data collection shall also employ the use of two major research instruments. These research instruments are questionnaire and interview. Questionnaire shall be used to collect data through written answers. This means that the respondents to use the questionnaire must have a very good background in reading and writing. Because the answering of questions by the use of questionnaire gives to much limitation to the respondents on the amount of data that can be given, the questionnaire shall be used only on clients and designers and not on consultants and contractors. This is because much of the data to be collected to help in achieving the research aim must come from the latter. On the interview, the researcher shall have a one-on-one question and answer section with contractors and consultants. It is expected these group of persons shall give detailed data on how the lean principle can be well utilized to avoid delays in construction. Secondary data shall on the other hand be collected primarily through literature review. Data Analysis Plan Due to the nature of the research design, the researcher shall adapt both qualitative and quantitative data analysis procedure. Qualitatively, the researcher shall base on the literature review to pass personal comments and judgment on data collected. Quantitatively, there shall be the use of mathematical representations such as percentages, tables, graphs and charts to give empirical analysis and representation to data collected. REFERENCE LIST Assaf, S.A and Al-Heijji, S. (2006) Causes of delay in Large construction projects International Journal of Project Management 24, 349-357. Assaf, S.A, Al-Khalil, M.I. and Al-Hazmi, M (1995) Causes of delay in large building construction projects. Journal of Management in Engineering, 11(2), 45-50. Atkin, B. (2009) Performance improvement in construction management [electronic resource]. Taylor & Francis Ltd. Egan, S. J. (1998). Rethinking Construction. Rotherham: Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Experiment Resources (2008). Experimental Research. Retrieved November 23, 2011 from Experiment Resources: http://www.experiment-resources.com/experimental-research.html Smith, R., & Hawkins, B. (2004). Lean Maintenance. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth– Heinemann. Spoore, T. (2003). Five S (5S): “The key to Simplified Lean Manufacturing.” The Manufacturing Resources Group of Companies (MRGC), written for the Durham Region Manufactures Association (DRMA) Feb. 2003 newsletter. Stalk, G., &Hout, T. M. (1990). Completing Against Time. New York: Free Press. Swies, G., Swies, R., Hammad, A.A. and Shboul, A. (2008) Delays in construction projects: The case of Jordan. International Journal of Project Management 26, 665-674. Thomas, R. (2002). Comparison of Labour Productivity. Construction Engineering and Management Journal , 118. WB (2009) Doing Business In The Arab World, a report by World Bank downloadable from the following website: www- wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/12/ Womack, J. P., & Jones, D. T. (1996). Lean Thinking: Banish waste and create wealth in your corporation. New York: Simon & Schuster. Womack et al. (1991), The Machine that Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production, (Harper Perennial, New York). Wright, K. B. (2005). Researching Internet-based populations: Advantages and disadvantages of online survey research, online questionnaire authoring software packages, and web survey services. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(3), article 11. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue3/wright.html Zain Al-Abedien, H.M (1985) About the effect of delay penalty on the construction of projects and modification proposals, Proceedings –First Saudi Engineering Conference, Jeddah, May 14-19. King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah. Read More