A model of contingency factors affecting contractors' economic organisation of projects

Ross, AD

Abstract

The identification of factors that affect the performance of temporary multi
disciplinary organisational teams has been a central aim of management
research in the construction industry for over 40 years. This study
contributes to what is known about the formation of a construction project
organisation by identifying the contingent factors that affect contractor's
gathering and analysis of price information from supply chain organisations
during the ex ante processes to contract formation.
The research methodology adopted a combined approach to data collection
and analysis, and used a theoretical framework adapted from transaction
economics to identify and explicate a model of contingency factors. The
research method for data collection in the dominant quantitative first phase
used a postal survey of 760 estimators working for contracting organisations
in the United Kingdom in December 2003. The resultant data set was
analysed using descriptive statistics. A multi variable general linear model
and principal component analysis defined the parameters of a model that
informed the second phase of data collection and analysis. This model was
explicated using a multiple case study approach that gathered and analysed
interview data from estimators working for organisations that had been
purposively selected.
The findings of this research identified the contingency factors that affect
contractors', seeking, gathering, analysing and synthesising of supply chain
price data, that can be grouped into four categories, which are; external
environment, project environment, task environment and inter-organisational
relations. The research also found that the existence and strength of effect of
the contingency factors was differentiated by organisational size, and
identified the factors that may be influenced by the intervention of the client
procurement system, (or the organisation) in the ex ante process of supply
chain organisation team development.

Citation

Ross, A. A model of contingency factors affecting contractors' economic organisation of projects. (Thesis). University of Salford, UK

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 1, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 1, 2009
• Additional Information: Additional Information : PhD supervisor: Dr Jack Goulding
• Award Date: Jun 1, 2005