Designers and Contractors: Impediments to Integration
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 123, Issue 3
Abstract
The adversarial nature of the relationship between designers and contractors is recognized as one of the most serious problems in the building industry. Research in this area has centered on integration issues related to the implementation of partnering and contracts. This paper takes a step back. It argues that the adversarial nature of the designer/contractor dyad may be attributable to differences on a set of perceived project critical dimensions. An understanding of these dimensions and how the dyad members differ is important for the successful implementation of integration methods. In addition, it is suggested that a lack of a holistic conceptualization of the contract and its relation to integration hampers the ability to achieve improved project performance. This paper reports on a large-scale survey and analysis that tests propositions related to these issues.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Abudayyeh, O.(1994). “Partnering: A team building approach to quality construction management.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 10(6), 26–29.
2.
Albanese, R.(1994). “Team building process: Key to better project results.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 10(6), 36–44.
3.
Baker, G. P. (1992). “Incentive contracts and performance measurement.”J. Political Economy 100(3), 598–614.
4.
Brown, C., and Beaton, H.(1990). “Looking back at design, looking forward to construction.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 6(3), 342–349.
5.
Chritie, R., and Geis, F. (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press, New York, N.Y.
6.
Construction and Management Committee of ASCE Construction Division (CMC).(1991). “Constructability and Constructability Programs: White Paper.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 117(1), 67–89.
7.
Cook, E. L., and Hancher, D. E.(1990). “Partnering: Contracting for the future.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 6(4), 431–446.
8.
Crowley, L., and Karim, M.(1995). “Conceptual model of partnering.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 11(5), 33–39.
9.
Dixon, R., Nanni, A., and Puddicombe, M. (1994). “Contracts and interorganizational relationships: The roles of governance structures, compensation schemes and conflict resolution mechanisms.”Working Paper Series, 94-12, School of Mgmt., Boston Univ., Boston, Mass.
10.
Eisenhardt, K. M.(1989). “Agency theory: An assessment and review.”Academy of Mgmt. Rev., 14(1), 57–74.
11.
Ettlie, J., and Stoll, H. (1990). “Integrated design management.”Managing the design-manufacturing process, J. Ettlie and H. Stoll, eds., McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y.
12.
Gordon, C.(1994). “Choosing appropriate construction contracting methods.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 120(1), 196–210.
13.
Harback, H., Basham, D., and Buhts, R.(1994). “Partnering paradigm.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 10(1), 23–27.
14.
Judd, C., Smith, E., and Kidder, L. (1991). Research methods in social relations. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., Orlando, Fla.
15.
Kohn, D.(1991). “Highways: Painful lessons learned on I-595.”Engrg. News Record, 226(3), 43–44.
16.
Kostoff, S. (1977). The architect: Chapters in the history of the profession. Oxford University Press, New York., N.Y.
17.
Kotha, S., and Orne, D.(1989). “Generic manufacturing strategies: A conceptual synthesis.”Strategic Mgmt. J., 10, 211–231.
18.
Larson, E.(1995). “Project partnering: Results of 280 construction projects.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 11(2), 30–35.
19.
Liker, J., and Fleisher, M. (1992). “Organizational context barriers to DFM.”Integrating design and manufacturing for competitive advantage, G. Sussman, ed., Oxford University Press, New York, N.Y.
20.
Macneil, I.(1974). “The many futures of contracts.”Southern California Law Rev., 47, 691–816.
21.
Macneil, I.(1978). “Contracts: Adjustments of long-term economic relations under classical, neoclassical, and relational contract law.”Northwestern Univ. Law Rev., 72(6), 854–905.
22.
Macneil, I.(1981). “Economic analysis of contractual relations: Its shortfalls and the need for a `rich classificatory apparatus.”' Northwestern Univ. Law Rev., 75(6), 1018–1063.
23.
Macneil, I. (1980). The new social contract. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.
24.
Macomber, J. (1989). “You can manage construction risk.”Harvard Business Rev. Mar.-Apr., 155–165.
25.
Meredith, J., and Mantel, S. (1989). Project management a managerial approach. John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.
26.
Nam, C. H., and Tatum, C. B.(1992). “Noncontractual methods of integration on construction projects.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 118(2), 385–398.
27.
Neter, J., Wasserman, W., and Kutner, M. (1990). Applied linear statistical models. Irwin, Boston, Mass.
28.
Puddicombe, M., and Kim, J. (1993). “DFC.”Proc., 1993 Decision Sciences Inst., Atlanta, Ga.
29.
Reichelstein, S.(1992). “Constructing incentive schemes for government contracts: An application of agency theory.”The Accounting Rev., 67(4), 712–731.
30.
Rittel, H., and Weber, M.(1973). “Dilemmas in a general theory planning.”Policy Sci., 4, 155–169.
31.
Saaty, T. (1977). “A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures.”J. Math. Psychology 15, 234–281.
32.
Sanvido, V., Parfitt, K., Guvenis, M., and Coyle, M.(1992). “Critical success factors for construction projects.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 118(1), 94–111.
33.
Seigel, S., and Castellan, N. (1988). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y.
34.
Stevens, J. (1992). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences. Lawrence Erblum Assoc., Hillsdale, N.J.
35.
Stinchcombe, A.(1959). “Bureaucratic and craft administration of production: A comparative study.”Administrative Sci. Quarterly, 4, 168–187.
36.
Tarricone, P.(1992). “Cranes, concrete, construction . . . and computers.”Civ. Engrg., ASCE, 62(6), 44–47.
37.
Tatum, C. B.(1990). “Integrating design and construction to improve project performance.”Proj. Mgmt. J., 21(2), 35–42.
38.
Thomas, H., Smith, G., and Mellot, R.(1994). “Interpretation of construction contracts.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 120(2), 321–336.
39.
Williamson, O. E. (1975). Markets and hierarchies: Analysis and antitrust implications. The Free Press, New York, N.Y.
40.
Williamson, O. E. (1979). “Transaction-cost economics: The governance of contractual relations.”J. Law and Economics, 12(Oct.) 233–261.
41.
Williamson, O. E. (1985). The economic institutions of capitalism. The Free Press, New York, N.Y.
42.
Williamson, O. E.(1991). “Comparative economic organization: The analysis of discrete structural alternatives.”Administrative Sci. Quarterly, 36, 269–296.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 123 • Issue 3 • September 1997
Pages: 245 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Sep 1, 1997
Published in print: Sep 1997
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.