Management in Construction - Essay Example

Management in Construction Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code and Name: University: Date of Submission: Management in Construction Introduction Data, information and communication, plays key roles in any construction organization and helps in supply chain, and projects that the organization engages, so as to keep business flowing (Constructing Excellence 2004). It is imperative to have recorded information in terms of data that will be made available to workers for reference, and enhancing continuity of the organization. For the construction organization to continue being of relevance to its clients, there must be tangible data that us made available to clients, and workers for verification. For easy monitoring of the construction progress, the organization needs to be ready to have data that can be used to help setting of ground work and site preparation (The World Bank Group 2001). The construction organization needs data that can be used by auditors so that the accounts of the company can be checked regularly, to ensure that the company still does business rather than just operating as a humanitarian organization (Vrijhoef & Koskela 1999, p. 133). Data helps in the creation of non verbal communication hence, reducing time wastage. So long as someone can interpret data, it is important that they use the minimum time possible in discussing issues concerning the progress of the organization. Everything done in the construction organization should be written down in a legible writing either using normal alphabet, codes or be typed in computers to increase the level of accessibility (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p.86). Communication and information Information system is a way of deriving and developing value that is found in information and communication technology. Communication is effective if the best tool are put in practical use and if the recipients understands the applications. Information systems involve processing of valuable information and communication applications. Human capital involves individual acquisition of skill and knowledge which help in the realization of social capital. Social capital is where goodwill is made available to groups or individuals. It emanates from contents and structure of the manner information flows in a construction organization. There is a virtuous circle that exists between social capital and human capital which facilitated by things such as norms and rules. The rules are socially acceptable because they are explicit and implicit. In the recent times of globalization, information should be made available to any person relevant from any point of the world. The organization needs to create a website or an email that has passwords to control accessibility. The password needs to be changed on a monthly basis to keep off fraudsters so that the information is made confidential as possible (Senaratne & Sexton 2011). Information and communication are critical inputs in the economy of the construction organization because for marketing of the work done by the company information is a pertinent thing, which initiates communication (Perner 2011). The choice of language of communication should be a key factor because the simpler the language the easier the communication. Interventions in the organization care made easy because of enhanced communication both in the organization and without the organization (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p. 86). This helps the supply chain to reach out to the public in the construction industry. When the people compare the supply chain, they are able to know which company to reach for should they need services in construction (Charter et al. 2001, p. 3). It is imperative to analyze the information that the company uses to market its work. It should be refined plus well tabulated data that have no mistakes. The organization needs to be cautious not to publicize its miscalculated data because the public can feel that the organization is trying to con them (Vrijhoef & Koskela 1999, p. 137). The company needs to utilize all forms of communication by ensuring that they use local networking outlets to the international based networks like the internet. This helps the organization to market its work throughout the world hence increasing the number of potential clients in the construction industry because they will respond using the channels made available to them (Admassie 2002, p. 1). Information is pertinent in conducting international business because interconnectivity in the world enhances shrinking of time and disappearance of geographical boundaries that furthers promotes inter twinned inter connectivity with accelerated flow of data. This causes an overall globalized impact. Information and communication is the one that fuels this interconnectivity, which enhances rapid transformation in the world (Admassie 2002, p. 2). A rapid falling cost in communication and accessibility of World Wide Web turns the world into a global village. Tremendous spread of information and easy communication brought opportunities and challenges in the economy that needs to be exploited (Project-management-knowledge.com 2011). Diffusion of information and easy access of data through the internet, helps individuals to change their lives, because, they can use the current wave of interconnectivity to make business transactions, which allows more construction approaches over the period of doing business (Walker 2007, p. 57). To enhance continued chain of supply in the construction companies, the internet is s resource as well as local stations, which publicize the, work done by the company (Petkoski & Twose 2003). This makes the clients feel attracted and consult the company for more work to be done by the company (Vrijhoef & Koskela 1999, p.133). For any company to acquire funding from financial institutions, it must present it data to the institutions which judge what level of the company has attained or if it meets the qualification of the financing (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p. 87). Information technology enhances companies to share information which pertinent in promotion of actualization of the organization’s capability. Many construction companies uphold communication whereby they integrate their processes of communication which help their supply chain to go a notch higher than before (Charter et al. 2001, p. 5). The power of inter-organizational information (IOIS) is essential in the research of systems of information. It is an effective tool for reducing costs of transactions between companies (Walker 2007, p. 57). Information and data sharing strengthens the supply chains that exist between construction organizations, because there are no needs for travelling all the way to the companies so as to see the costs of supplying materials, but the other clients can access the information through the internet enabled devices, which promote fast transactions (Constructing Excellence 2004). Data available over the internet is useful in the creation of supplies to the organization without necessarily going through the traditional means of transacting (Grean & Shaw 2000, p. 2). Information, data and communication, are vital because, in the formulation of strategic management, they need to be present so that they will be used accordingly. It is important for any construction organization company to uphold information, so that when the SWOT analysis is carried out there, can be enough information pertaining different departments of the organization (Vrijhoef & Koskela 1999, p. 134). Without concrete information and communication in the organization, it is difficult to come up with strategies that can move the company because, there is no clarity in the manner information is accessed by strategists (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p. 88). The construction company needs to communicate through representatives on issues concerning strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats so that they can be of use during the evaluation of the company’s’ standards. There is no way a construction organization can come up with strategies with communication because they need to air their concerns to the panel that sits to constitute plans (Senaratne & Sexton 2011). For the SWOT assessment to be of use to the company, data needs to be utilized so that references can be made from the filled forms. Any construction organization that deals with construction has logistics that need to fill in any time transactions are done. This enhances that the company uses the available information to come up with the analysis. Communication is essential because it helps the workers to share each and every thing that they know in relation to the company and help in management of the construction company from the point of supply chains (Walker 2007, p. 57). Information found in a construction organization is important in determining the next action in the supply line of the organization. The organization needs to keep these records because they help in determining the supply system. To enhance driving down of costs, product information needs to move from the retailer and back to the supply system (Constructing Excellence 2004). Construction organizations use more of raw materials in construction, hence, it is important to keep records that will help in determining the costs of future materials. When consumer data is flowed back from the retailer to the supplier of raw materials, better forecasts are anticipated and, the right material put in place for the right, finished product to be manufactured (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p. 89). Information sharing and continuous replenishment It is an important strategy to share information so as to manage supply chains. This is done amongst the supply chain partners. When information is shared in a construction organization there, is reduced needs for inventory. The supply chain, as a result, achieves better performance in terms of financial returns; turn around time s and service level (Constructing Excellence 2004). Sharing of information between the manufacturer and the retailer makes the manufacture to use the information in management of quantity, frequency and the timing of shipments rather than waiting the retailer to have orders placed. Most of the raw materials needed by the retailer or the construction organization can be ordered prior to the actual date of need, if there is sharing of information between the manufacturer and the construction organization (Grean & Shaw 2000, p. 10). If the construction organization wants to carry out a project on behalf of the government, there is the need to ensure that the organization has evidence from the past that it has the capability to carry out the project of magnitude the government needs (Walker 2007, p. 56). There is communication between the company representatives and the government officials in the procurement office. Rather than empty talk, information and data are key players in this communication because they enhance certainty of what the company can do, for the government or the public. Most of the organizations keep their records for reference during auditing, but they do not know that it is vital information for sharing with the groups interested to work with them (Emmitt & Gorse 2006, p.87). Many countries for instance China use human labor to earn foreign exchange because they have perfected the art of construction. They are endowed in roads construction, statues among others. The companies that work on behalf of the country market themselves through the use of information and data that is accessible on the internet (Senaratne and Sexton 2011). Communication that takes place between states is important because it enhances striking of deals between different states. This is enhanced by supportive data that the construction organizations have carried out in other countries or places (Vrijhoef & Koskela 1999, p. 135). Conclusion It is imperative to uphold communication that is facilitated by use of data and information. Since the world has become a global village, it is imperative to uphold the best means of communication that will help organizations to have the best out of the projects they undertake (Walker 2007, p. 56). Language is a common barrier to communication, hence the need to find partners who understand the business language in construction in expression of business interests (Grean & Shaw 2000, p. 9). This helps to keep of fraudsters during the signing of construction projects. Involvement of legal practitioners helps in legal communication, which higher than the lay mans expression (Grean & Shaw 2000, p. 45). List of References Admassie, A 2002, Information and Communication needs in Selected Woredas (Districts) in Ethiopia: A Pilot Study, Viewed 18 November 2011 . Charter, M, Kielkiewicz-Young, A, Young, A & Hughes, A 2001, Supply Chain Strategy and Evaluation, Viewed 18 November 2011 . Constructing Excellence 2004, Supply Chain Management, Viewed 18 November 2011, < http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/pdf/fact_sheet/supplychain.pdf> Emmitt, S & Gorse, C 2006, Communication in Construction Teams. Taylor & Francis, London. Grean, M & Shaw, J 2000, Supply-Chain Integration through Information Sharing:Channel Partnership between Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble, Viewed 18 November 2011 . Perner, L 2011, International Marketing, Viewed18 November 2011 . Petkoski, D & Twose, N 2003, Public Policy for Corporate Social Responsibility, Viewed 18 November 2011 . Project-management-knowledge.com 2011, Project Management Knowledge : The Ultimate Resource for Project Managers, Viewed 18 November 2011,< http://project-management-knowledge.com/>. Senaratne, S & Sexton, M 2011, Managing Change in Construction Projects: A Knowledge- Based Approach, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey. The World Bank Group 2001, Capturing Experience Monitoring and Evaluation, Viewed 18 November 2011 . Vrijhoef, R & Koskela, L 1999, Roles of Supply Chain Management in Construction, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Walker, A 2007, Project Management in Construction, (5th Ed), Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, New Jersey. Read More