Balancing Engineering and Management in Construction Education
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 113, Issue 2
Abstract
Many of today's construction projects require both complex technology and sophisticated management techniques. Experience prevails in the requirements for management positions, but appropriate education can assist prospective managers to maintain steep learning curves in rapidly acquiring this experience. The Business Roundtable's study of construction education recommended increased emphasis at the graduate level. This paper describes a graduate program, including both technical and management elements, to prepare engineers beginning careers in construction. Although complete coverage of all suggested technical and managerial subjects is not possible in a single program, this proposal may assist in increasing discussion between educators and industry professionals regarding the relative priorities for background in the technology and the management systems required for construction careers. It may also assist prospective graduate students in selecting the mix of engineering and management courses which provide the best preparation for the construction career paths they choose.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Business Roundtable, Construction R&D In a Research Program and Strategy to Foster Technology Advancement in the U.S. Construction Industry, A Report of the Construction Technology Area of the Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness Project, New York, N.Y., Nov. 1981.
2.
Business Roundtable, Management Education and Academic Relations, Report A‐5, New York, N.Y., Jun. 1982.
3.
Dietz, A. G. H., and Little, W. A., “Education for Construction,” Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol. 102, No. 2, Jun., 1976, pp. 347–364.
4.
Halpin, D. W., and Woodhead, R. W., Design of Construction and Process Operations, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1976.
5.
Jordan, M. H., and Carr, R. I., “Education for the Professional Construction Manager,” Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol. 102, No. 3, Sep., 1973, pp. 511–519.
6.
Levitt, R. E., “Superprojects and Superheadaches: Balancing Technical Economies of Scale Against Management Diseconomies of Size and Complexity,” Project Management Institute Journal, Vol. XV, No. 4, Dec., 1984, pp. 82–89.
7.
Limprepht, J. A., and Hayes, R. H., “Germany's World Class Manufacturers,” Harvard Business Review, Nov.–Dec., 1982, pp. 137–146.
8.
Oglesby, C. H., “Construction Education: Past, Present and Future,” Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol. 108, No. 4, Dec., 1982, pp. 605–616.
9.
Parker, H. W., and Oglesby, C. H., Methods Improvement for Construction Managers, McGraw‐Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., 1972.
10.
Paulson, B. C., Jr., et al. “Simulation and Analysis of Construction Operations,” Journal of Technical Topics in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 109, No. 2, Aug., 1983, pp. 89–104.
11.
Paulson, B. C., Jr., “Transportation Construction in Japan,” Technical Report No. 240, Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., Aug., 1979.
12.
Paulson, B. C., Jr., and Fondahl, J. W., “Craft Jurisdiction Impact on Construction,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, Vol. 109, No. 4, Dec., 1983, pp. 369–386.
13.
Sanvido, V. E., Productivity Improvement Programs in Construction, Technical Report No. 273, The Construction Institute, Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., Mar., 1983.
14.
Tatum, C. B., “Managing Nuclear Construction—An Experience Survey,” Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol. 104, No. 4, Dec., 1978, pp. 487–501.
15.
Tatum, C. B., “Professional Development in Heavy Construction,” Issues in Engineering—Journal of Professional Activities, ASCE, Vol. 106, No. 3, July, 1980, pp. 189–203.
16.
Tatum, C. B., and Fawcett, R. P., “Organizational Alternatives for Large Construction Projects,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, in press.
17.
Tatum, C. B., and Cottrell, T. E., “Resident Engineering in Power Plant Construction,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, ASCE, Vol. 109, No. 2, Jun., 1983, pp. 224–232.
18.
Tatum, C. B., and Harris, J. A., “Construction Plant Requirements for Nuclear Sites,” Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol. 107, No. 4, Sep., 1981, pp. 543–556.
19.
Tatum, C. B., and Teague, F. G., “Managing the Engineering/Construction Interface for Improved Project Performance,” 1981 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute—INTERNET Joint Symposium, Sep. 28, 1981, Boston, Mass., pp. 157–169.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 ASCE.
History
Published online: Jun 1, 1987
Published in print: Jun 1987
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.