Construction Research Congress 2020
Expertise Flows and Network Structures in AEC Project Teams
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2020: Project Management and Controls, Materials, and Contracts
ABSTRACT
Architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) project team networks frequently increase the density of information sharing ties to improve team performance. However, increased density might not result in team members receiving adequate information to collaborate towards common goals. There is a need to examine how network ties should be set up to manage information flows. Thus, the research goal is to explore the features of information sharing networks and their relationship with team performance in AEC projects. To achieve this goal, we collected communication data from an AEC project team with 179 members involved in total during the schematic design phase. Then, we performed social network analysis using Gephi and UCINET software. Results suggest that AEC project team networks are dynamic and adopt a core-periphery structure to share information early in project delivery. Including civil and mechanical subcontractors into the core subnetwork to collaborate with owners, designers, and general contractors can improve team performance. The study’s contribution to the body of knowledge is expanding our understanding of the characteristics and evolution of information sharing networks in AEC projects for optimized team performance.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant No. 1825678. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the researchers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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Published In
Construction Research Congress 2020: Project Management and Controls, Materials, and Contracts
Pages: 95 - 104
Editors: David Grau, Ph.D., Arizona State University, Pingbo Tang, Ph.D., Arizona State University, and Mounir El Asmar, Ph.D., Arizona State University
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8288-9
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© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Nov 9, 2020
Published in print: Nov 9, 2020
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