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For many types of buildings, prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) is increasingly becoming a preferred alternative construction approach. Empirical evidence of project performance has consistently demonstrated that the ultimate success of PPVC projects is directly linked to the key decisions made at the outset of the PPVC project life cycle. However, there is limited knowledge of how to successfully manage these early stages. This research identified and evaluated the critical success factors (CSFs) required for the management of the conception, planning and design stages of the PPVC project life cycle.

A multistage methodological framework was adopted to identify and evaluate the CSFs for management of the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle. Based on a comprehensive literature review and expert review, a list of the 9 CSFs relevant to the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle was established. Drawing on an online-based international questionnaire survey with global PPVC experts, the CSFs were measured. The data set was statistically tested for reliability and analyzed using several techniques such as mean scores, relativity weightings and significance analysis.

The analysis revealed that the top 5 most influential CSFs for management of the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle include robust design specifications, accurate drawings and early design freeze; good working collaboration, effective communication and information sharing among project participants; effective stakeholder management; extensive project planning and scheduling; and early engagement of key players. The research further found correlations among the CSFs and proposed a conceptual framework for the management of the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle.

The research recognizes that data quality and reliability risks are the major drawbacks of online questionnaire surveys but the engagement of experts with substantial theoretical and hands-on experiences in PPVC projects helped to minimize these risks. Although small, the sample size was justified and compared with studies that adopted the same data collection approach but analyzed even smaller samples. However, the results should be interpreted against these limitations.

The findings suggest that effective management of the early stages of the PPVC project lifecycle requires early commitment to the PPVC approach in a project; detailed planning and assessment of the suitability of PPVC for the given project; and collaborative design with manufacturers and suppliers to address module production challenges at the detailed design stage. These findings practically instructive and may serve as management support during PPVC implementation.

This research constitutes the first exclusive attempt at identifying the CSFs for successful management of the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle. It provides a fresh and more in-depth understanding of how best to manage the early stages of the PPVC project life cycle. Thus, it contributes to the practice and praxis of the PPVC project implementation discourse.

Prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) is a game-changing construction method that transforms the fragmented site-based construction of buildings into an integrated production, integration and assembly of value-added volumetric building components. Where circumstances merit, the effective implementation of PPVC leverages significant gains in time, cost, quality, productivity and sustainability performance of construction projects. As PPVC is increasingly becoming mainstream, it is imperative to identify the critical success criteria (CSC) for measuring PPVC project success. The purpose of this study is to identify, rank and benchmark the CSC for measuring PPVC project success.

This study adopted a quantitative research design where the potential CSC for PPVC projects were evaluated. A comprehensive literature and pilot expert review identified 18 CSC for measuring PPVC project success. Based on a questionnaire survey of international PPVC experts, the 18 CSC were analyzed and prioritized using mean score analysis and weighting function.

Based on mean index assessment, the top five CSC for PPVC projects were identified as adherence to project schedules, meeting project quality specification, meeting safety requirements, client and owner satisfaction and cost savings and profitability. Further analysis grouped the 18 CSC into six principal success criteria (PSC), comprising time performance, cost performance, quality performance, environmental and safety performance, stakeholder satisfaction and supply chain performance. Based on weighted analysis of the six PSCs, quality performance, time performance and environmental and safety performance obtained the highest weights.

The research results are limited by the following limitations. First, although adequate, the sample size was relatively smaller. Second, the generalized analysis overlooked the geospatial sensitivities of the CSC.

The results constitute the first exclusive quantitative ranking and prioritization of the CSC for PPVC projects. The outputs of this study will enable practitioners to reliably and accurately evaluate the performance levels of PPVC projects. A framework of the CSC for measuring the success of PPVC projects was developed.

Prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) projects are industrialized building systems that are co-created. Thus, effective management of the involved stakeholders is required to ensure project success. However, knowledge of how best to manage the diverse stakeholders in PPVC projects is limited. This research identified and prioritized the success factors or key result areas (KRAs) for the effective stakeholder management (SM) in PPVC projects.

A quantitative research design was implemented involving a literature review and structured questionnaire survey with international PPVC experts. The research identified and statistically analysed 12 KRAs for SM in PPVC projects.

Analysis showed that the top three KRAs for SM in PPVC projects include: effective working collaboration, communication and information sharing among participants; effective coordination of the PPVC supply chain segments; and early involvement of relevant stakeholders in the PPVC project. A factor analysis clustered the 12 KRAs into stakeholder analysis and early involvement, effective communication and information sharing and stakeholder interest integration and conflict management.

The paper identified and prioritized the KRAs required for the effective SM in PPVC projects. To practitioners, the results may serve as decision support on the key areas to focus to ensure effective SM in PPVC projects and may guide the efficient allocation of limited resources.

This research constitutes the first exclusive attempt at identifying and benchmarking the generic KRAs required for effective SM in PPVC projects and contributes to the SM body of knowledge in industrialized construction.

Industrialized construction (IC) is promoted to address some of the ills associated with the processes and products of the traditional construction approach. With several successful projects, IC is progressively becoming a preferred alternative construction approach and spurred the interest of contractors, developers and housing authorities in the technology. Increasingly, these stakeholders are keen to ascertain the compatibility and feasibility of using IC in their projects. This paper aims to develop a knowledge-based decision support framework for implementing industrialized construction projects (ICPs) that can facilitate better and informed decision-making when deciding to implement ICPs.

A comprehensive literature review was implemented to recruit 40 decision support factors (DSFs) and grouped into project requirements, location and site attribute, labour considerations and organizational factors. A 3-member expert panel validated the relevance of 35 DSFs, which became candidates for a structured questionnaire survey of experts in 18 countries. Statistical techniques are used to evaluate and prioritize the DSFs, leading to the development of a conceptual framework.

Statistical analysis revealed 33 significant DSFs. The top five most significant factors that could influence the decision to implement IC in a project include a stringent requirement for project quality control, suitability of the design for IC, organizational readiness and competencies in ICPs, client receptivity to IC and the need to minimize field construction time. A framework of project requirements, location and site attributes, labour considerations and organizational factors was proposed as decision support.

The proposed framework may help to inform decision-making regarding the implementation of IC in a project. It has wider applicability because it includes technical, managerial and operational aspects of and the required competencies for IC, which are shared between project types and territories. The prioritized DSFs could be used as a guide when implementing IC, especially in countries where bespoke decision support systems cannot be developed.

The paper delineated the most important DSFs that are shared between IC project types and territories and can be used to investigate the compatibility of using IC in a proposed project. This research constitutes the first exclusive attempt at delineating, quantifying and ranking the sets of decision-making factors, drawing on international data set and contributes to the empirical checklist of DSFs for ICPs.

Modular integrated construction (MiC) is a modern construction method innovating and reinventing the traditional site-based construction method. As it integrates advanced manufacturing principles and requires offsite production of volumetric building components, several factors and conditions must converge to make the MiC method suitable and efficient for building projects in each context. This paper aims to present a knowledge-based decision support system (KB-DSS) for assessing a project’s suitability for the MiC method.

The KB-DSS uses 21 significant suitability decision-making factors identified through literature review, consultation of experts and questionnaire surveys. It has a knowledge base, a DSS and a user interface. The knowledge base comprises IF-THEN production rules to compute the MiC suitability score with the efficient use of the powerful reasoning and explanation capabilities of DSS.

The tool receives the inputs of a decision-maker, computes the MiC suitability score for a given project and generates recommendations based on the score. Three real-world projects in Hong Kong are used to demonstrate the applicability of the tool for solving the MiC suitability assessment problem.

This study established the complex and competing significant conditions and factors determining the suitability of the MiC method for construction projects. It developed a unique tool combining the capabilities of expert systems and decision support system to address the complex problem of assessing the suitability of the MiC method for construction projects in a high-density metropolis.

Modular integrated construction (MiC) reengineers the traditional construction process. By introducing factory production and onsite assembly (OA) of modules, MiC reinvents construction projects' uncertainties and risk profiles. The OA stage constitutes the highest end of the MiC delivery and supply chains, where several inherited and symbiotic errors and risk events become realities, negatively impacting the MiC project's success. This study explored the severities of OA risk factors for MiC projects.

A comprehensive literature review, consultation of experts and a questionnaire survey of domain experts were conducted to assess the severity of fifteen OA risk factors for MiC projects. The risk severity index was used to compute and rank the severities of critical OA risk factors for MiC projects, followed by proposed mitigation strategies.

The study revealed that the top five OA risk factors with the severest impact on MiC projects include modules installation discrepancies and errors, poor cooperation among critical onsite stakeholders, a mismatch between production schedules and site conditions, improper lifting equipment selection for onsite installation and site-fit rework due to discrepancies in drawings.

This study is the first to offer some important insights into the uncertainties that could compromise the OA objectives of MiC projects. It discussed risk management strategies for known and unknown OA risks and made a unique contribution to the theory, practice, and praxis of MiC supply chain risk management.

The factory production stage constitutes the bridge in the supply chains of modular integrated construction (MiC) projects. It embodies the fundamental differences between MiC and site-based construction. However, there is a poverty of knowledge of the uncertainties and risk events at the production stage. This study aims to investigate the critical production risk factors (PRFs) for MiC projects.

Comprehensive literature research and expert review identified and validated 22 candidate PRFs for MiC projects. A structured questionnaire survey was then used to gather opinions of domain experts in 18 countries on the relative impact of the validated PRFs for MiC projects. The collected data were analysed using multiple statistical techniques.

Statistical analysis identified nine critical PRFs for MiC projects. The top five include dimensional conflicts between modules during production; delays in production materials procurement; defective design; design information gap between designer and manufacturer; and limited capacity of manufacturers.

The study addressed the gap associated with identifying critical risk factors peculiar to the factory production stage of MiC projects. Its novelty lies in providing an opposite assessment of severities and prioritization of critical PRFs for MiC projects. The prioritized critical PRFs for MiC projects may inform resource allocation. Thus, it provides valuable information to MiC production specialists and project managers in their production risk planning and management strategies. The identified PRFs contribute to the theoretical checklist of MiC supply chain risk factors and may assist practitioners in assessing the severity levels of the PRFs of their MiC projects.

Modular integrated construction (MiC) projects are co-created by a network of organizations and players providing different roles, information and activities throughout the supply chains. Hence, a successful delivery of MiC projects can hardly be decoupled from effective supply chain management (SCM). This study investigated the critical success determinants of effective SCM in MiC projects.

Comprehensive literature research and expert review identified 20 candidate success determinants, which formed the basis for a structured questionnaire survey of experts in eighteen countries. The study computed the mean scores, normalized mean values and significance indices of success determinants for SCM in MiC projects.

The analysis revealed that design for SCM, effective communication and information sharing, organizational readiness and familiarity with MiC, seamless integration and coordination of supply chain, early involvement of critical supply chain stakeholders and extensive supply chain planning are the top five critical success determinants of effective SCM in MiC projects. The 20 success determinants are categorized into five: project strategy, bespoke competencies, process management, stakeholder management and risk management.

The study has some limitations. The smaller sample size could affect the generalizability of the results. The generalized analysis of the success determinants overlooked their sensitivities to specific contexts, industry climates and project types.

The study established a novel set of critical success determinants for SCM in MiC projects that have not been explicitly discussed in the MiC success literature and described their hypothetical dynamic linkages. It contributes to a better understanding of how best to manage the MiC project supply chain effectively.

Industrialized construction (IC) leverages manufacturing principles and innovative processes to improve the performance of construction projects. Though IC is gaining popularity in the global construction industry, studies that establish the best practices for implementing IC projects are scarce. This study aims to benchmark practical lifecycle-based best practices for implementing IC projects.

The study used a qualitative research design where nine IC cases from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong were analysed to identify best practices. The methodological framework of the study followed well-established case study research cycle and guidelines, including planning, data collection, data analysis and reflection on findings.

The study identified and allocated key considerations, relevant stakeholders, best practices, typical deliverables and best indicators to the different construction lifecycle phases of IC projects. It also developed a lifecycle-based framework of the best practices for IC projects.

The study provides practitioners with practical insight into how best to effectively implement, manage and evaluate the performance of the IC project lifecycle phases. The proposed framework can serve as a practical diagnostic tool that enables project partners to evaluate the performance upfront progressively and objectively in each project lifecycle phase, which may inform timely corrective actions.

The study’s novelty lies in developing a framework that identifies and demonstrates the dynamic linkages among different sets of best practices, typical outputs and best practice indicators across the IC project lifecycle phases.

The study investigated the perceived causes of structural failure of public buildings, frequency of stability checks, stability checking procedures, measures to enhance public building stability checks and the roles of facility managers in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana.

Following a comprehensive literature review, the study employed a structured questionnaire survey and gathered the opinions of sixty-seven facility managers on the facility management practices. Following statistical pretesting of the dataset for reliability, distribution and agreement among the responses, the study analysed the dataset using mean scoring and weighted analysis.

The analysis showed that external building inspectors rarely inspect stability checks of the studied public buildings in Accra. It is also found that both reactive and proactive stability checking protocols are implemented in public buildings in Accra, but inadequate knowledge of facility managers limits technical stability checks. The study further revealed that stability checks of public buildings can be enhanced through incorporating site and location conditions into the design early upfront, active engagement of facility managers in the design and construction of public buildings, adequate budgetary provisioning for planned maintenance of public buildings, and encouraging appropriate use of public buildings.

This paper, to the best of the authors' knowledge, represents the first attempt to comprehensively examine the causes of structural failure of public buildings, frequency of stability checks, stability checking procedures, measures to enhance public building stability checks and the roles of facility managers in Ghana, from the perspective facility management.