Macrofirms: Construction Firms for the Computer Age
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 109, Issue 1
Abstract
The turbulent building construction industry—a condition applying today to the entire economic system—determined both by macroeconomic causes (general trends) and by micro economic factors (the irregularity of contract awards) points to the need for flexible organizational models in which large firms become “Macrofirms,” playing a role based predominantly on coordination and management, while the smaller enterprises would undertake activities of a specialized character. The implementation of such models can only be attained by subcontracting specialized work, making it possible for small specialized firms to count on continuous specialized work for their personnel. In this type of model, defined as a “heliocentric Copemican” type system, the use of management information systems must be highly developed and computer utilization extended not only to bookkeeping and general clerical tasks, but also and above all to management and planning. Eventually, these information systems should be extended to support preventive, routine and special maintenance services for the upkeep and improvement of the buildings constructed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Boulding, K. E., Collected Papers, Vol. 4, Colorado Associated Press, Boulder, Colo., 1974.
2.
Chandler, A. D., Jr., Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of the American Industrial Enterprise, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1962.
3.
Chandler, A. D., Jr., The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1977.
4.
Chandler, A. D., Jr., and Daems, H., Managerial Hierarchies: Comparative Perspectives in the Rise of the Modern Industrial Enterprise, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1980.
5.
Cotta, A., Les choix économiques de la grande entreprise, Dunod, Paris, France, 1970.
6.
De Rosnay, J., Le macroscope: Vers une vision globale, Editions du Seuil, Paris, France, 1975.
7.
Drucker, P. F., Managing in Turbulent Times, William Heinemann Ltd., ed., London, England, 1980.
8.
Galbraith, J., Designing Complex Organizations, Addison‐Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., Reading, Mass., 1973.
9.
Levitt, R. E., and Logcher, R. D., “The Human Element in Project Control Systems,” presented at the October, 1976, Project Management Institute Annual Symposium, held at Montreal, Canada.
10.
Logcher, R. D., and Levitt, R. E., “Human Information‐Handling Capacity as a Factor in the Design of Project Control Systems,” presented at the May, 1976, International Council for Building Research, Studies and Documentation Working Symposium on Organization and Management Construction, held at Washington, D.C.
11.
Logcher, R. D., and Levitt, R. E., “Organization and Control of Engineering Design Firms,” Issues in Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 105, No. EI1, New York, N.Y., Jan., 1979.
12.
Moss, S. J., An Economic Theory of Business Strategy, Martin Roberson and Co., Ltd., Oxford, England, 1981.
13.
Ouchi, W., Theory Z—how American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge, Addison Wesley Publishing Co., New York, N.Y., 1981.
14.
Sylos‐Labini, P., Oligopoly and Technical Progress, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1962.
15.
Schumacher, E. F., Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as People Mattered, London Blond and Briggs Ltd., London, England, 1973.
16.
Sloan, A. P., Jr., My Years with General Motors, Doubleday & Co. Inc., Garden City, N.Y., 1963 (Anchor Books Edition 1972).
17.
Tanner, R., and Athos, A. G., The Art of Japanese Management—Applications for American Executives, Simon and Schuster, New York, N.Y., 1981.
18.
Thompson, J. D., Organizations in Action, McGraw‐Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., 1972.
19.
Williamson, O. E., Markets and Hierarchies Analysis and Antitrust Implications, The Free Press—MacMillan Publishing Co. Inc., New York, N.Y., 1975.
20.
Williamson, O. E., “Emergence of the Visible Hand,” Chandler and Daems, 1980, pp. 182–202.
21.
Williamson, O. E., “The Modern Corporation: Origins, Evolution, Attributes,” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 19, Dec., 1981, pp. 1537–1568.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 109 • Issue 1 • March 1983
Pages: 13 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 ASCE.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1983
Published in print: Mar 1983
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.