Market Demands on Construction Management: View from Graduate Students
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 143, Issue 4
Abstract
The construction industry demands managerial skills for professionals working within it, especially from those having an undergraduate civil engineering degree, which is generally pursued through graduate programs [master of science (M.Sc.) degrees] in the construction management field. This paper checks how graduate students’ views are relevant in order to assess and improve these M.Sc. programs. The research is performed through a survey based on a sample of 534 graduate students from several American and European universities. Using confirmatory factor analysis with the survey data, it has been corroborated that the construction management field can be mapped according to two dimensions: infrastructure lifecycle and organizational breakdown. Furthermore, by means of an exploratory factor analysis, six components or approaches for a graduate program in the construction management field are highlighted as important by the respondents: leadership, built environment stakeholders, innovation and quality, economics, business management, and project management. The organizational point of view is clearly identified by the students: its four variables are highlighted as principal components. However, regarding the infrastructure lifecycle, certain important facets, such as feasibility analysis and operation and maintenance of infrastructure, are considered by graduate students less important than classical design and construction. The findings of this research can help improve the curricula of graduate programs in the construction management field.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors are indebted to Professors Luis F. Alarcón, Salvador García, David Eaton, Pawel Nowak, Gloria I. Carvajal, Sheyla M. B. Serra, Carlos T. Formoso, M. Dolores Martinez-Aires, and José C. Teixeira for their collaboration throughout this study. The authors also thank all the participants in the study. The questionnaire survey was possible due to partial support from the following agencies and projects: CYTED (Project GESST-IC, Network 309RT0375), European Commission (Life Long Learning Program, Project MBAIC, Grant No. 2013-1-PL1-LEO05-37822), and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project BRIDLIFE, Grant No. BIA2014-56574-R).
References
Abowitz, D. A., and Toole, T. M. (2010). “Mixed method research: Fundamental issues of design, validity, and reliability in construction research.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 108–116.
Abudayyeh, O., Russell, J., Johnston, D., and Rowings, J. (2000). “Construction engineering and management undergraduate education.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 169–175.
Allaback, S. (2008). The first American women architects, University of Illinois Press, Chicago.
Arditi, D., and Polat, G. (2010). “Graduate education in construction management.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 175–179.
ASC (Associated Schools of Construction). (2015). ⟨http://www.ascweb.org⟩ (Nov. 2, 2015).
Atalah, A., and Muchemedzi, R. (2006). “Improving enrollment in the master of construction management program at Bowling Green State University.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 312–321.
Baur, S. W., Myers, J. J., and LaBoube, R. A. (2010). “Architectural engineering curriculum at Missouri University of Science and Technology.” J. Archit. Eng., 74–79.
Berger, L. (1996). “Emerging role of management in civil engineering.” J. Manage. Eng., 37–39.
Bowman, B., and Farr, J. (2000). “Embedding leadership in civil engineering education.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 16–20.
Castro, A. L., Yepes, V., Pellicer, E., and Cuéllar, A. J. (2012). “Knowledge management in the construction industry: State of the art and trends in research.” Rev. Construcción, 11(3), 62–73.
Chinowsky, P. (2002). “Integrating management breadth in civil engineering education.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 138–143.
Chinowsky, P. S., and Diekmann, J. E. (2004). “Construction engineering management educators: History and deteriorating community.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 751–758.
CICCP (Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos). (2008). Análisis estratégico del campo de actividad profesional del ingeniero de caminos, canales y puertos, Madrid, Spain (in Spanish).
Cleland, D. I., and King, W. R. (1968). System analysis and project management, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education, 7th Ed., Routledge, New York.
Cooksey, S. R., Seok, D. S., and Chae, M. J. (2011). “Asset management assessment model for state departments of transportation.” J. Manage. Eng., 159–169.
Edum-Fotwe, F. T., and McCaffer, R. (2000). “Developing project management competency: Perspectives from the construction industry.” Int. J. Project Manage., 18(2), 111–124.
EQS version 6.1 [Computer software]. Multivariate Software, Inc., Temple City, CA.
Farr, J. (1997). “Leadership development for engineering managers.” J. Manage. Eng., 38–41.
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using SPSS, 4th Ed., Sage, London.
Fondahl, J. W. (1991). “The development of the construction engineer: Past progress and future problems.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 380–392.
Fritchen, D. R., and Tredway, T. C. (1998). “Kansas State University architectural engineering.” J. Archit. Eng., 34–39.
Gann, D. M. (2000). Building innovation: Complex constructs in a changing world, Thomas Telford Publishing, London.
Gann, D. M., and Salter, A. J. (2000). “Innovation in project-based, service enhanced firms: The construction of complex products and systems.” Res. Policy, 29(7–8), 955–972.
GLFCEMP (Global Leadership Forum for Construction Engineering and Management Programs). (2015). ⟨http://rebar.ecn.purdue.edu/glf⟩ (Nov. 2, 2015).
Goodman, R. E., and Chinowsky, P. S. (1997). “Preparing construction professionals for executive decision making.” J. Manage. Eng., 55–61.
Grussing, M. N. (2014). “Life cycle assessment management methodologies for buildings.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 04013007.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., and Anderson, R. E. (2009). Multivariate data analysis, 7th Ed., Pearson–Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Harris, R. B. (1992). “A challenge for research.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 422–434.
Hauck, A. J. (1998). “Construction management curriculum reform and integration with a broader discipline: A case study.” J. Constr. Educ., 3(2), 118–130.
Hegazy, T., Abdel-Monem, M., Saad, D. A., and Rashedi, R. (2013). “Hands-on exercise for enhancing students’ construction management skills.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 1135–1143.
Hu, L. T., and Bentler, P. M. (1999). “Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives.” Struct. Equ. Model., 6(1), 1–55.
Jackson, D. L., Gillaspy, J. A., and Purc-Stephenson, R. (2009). “Reporting practices in confirmatory factor analysis: An overview and some recommendations.” Psychol. Methods, 14(1), 6–23.
Kabir, G., Sadiq, R., and Tesfamariam, S. (2014). “A review of multi-criteria decision-making methods for infrastructure management.” Struct. Infrastruct. Eng., 10(9), 1176–1210.
Ledbetter, B. S. (1985). “Pioneering construction engineering education.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 41–51.
Lee, S., Esmaeilzadeh, A., and Lee, D. E. (2013). “Graduate construction management programs in the U.S.: Lessons learned from leading institutions.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng., 17(7), 1664–1671.
Lowe, J. (1991). “Interdisciplinary postgraduate education for construction managers.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 168–175.
Milosevic, D. Z., Martinelli, R. J., and Waddell, J. M. (2007). Program management for improved business results, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Navascués, P. (1996). “La creación de la Escuela de Arquitectura de Madrid.” Madrid y sus arquitectos: 150 años de la Escuela de Arquitectura, Comunidad de Madrid, Dirección General de Patrimonio Cultural, Madrid, Spain (in Spanish).
Oberlender, G. D., and Hughes, R. K. (1987). “Graduate construction programs in the United States.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 17–26.
Oglesby, C. H. (1982). “Construction education: Past, present, and future.” J. Constr. Div., 108(4), 605–616.
Oglesby, C. H. (1990). “Dilemmas facing construction education and research in 1990s.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 4–17.
Onwuegbuzie, A. J., and Collins, K. M. T. (2007). “A typology of mixed methods sampling designs in social science research.” Qual. Rep., 12(2), 281–316.
Pellicer, E., and Victory, R. (2006). “Implementation of project management principles in Spanish residential developments.” Int. J. Strategic Property Manage., 10(4), 233–248.
Pellicer, E., Yepes, V., Correa, C. L., and Alarcón, L. F. (2014). “Model for systematic innovation in construction companies.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., B4014001.
Pellicer, E., Yepes, V., and Ortega, A. J. (2013). “Method for planning a graduate program in construction management.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 33–41.
PMI (Project Management Institute). (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge, 5th Ed., Newtown Square, PA.
Pries, F., and Janszen, F. (1995). “Innovation in the construction industry: The dominant role of the environment.” Constr. Manage. Econ., 13(1), 43–51.
Riley, D., Horman, M., and Messner, J. (2008). “Embedding leadership development in construction engineering and management education.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 143–151.
Russell, J., Hanna, A., Bank, L., and Shapira, A. (2007). “Education in construction engineering and management built on tradition: Blueprint for tomorrow.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 661–668.
Russell, J., and Yao, J. T. P. (1996). “Consensus! Students need more management education.” J. Manage. Eng., 17–29.
Salman, A. F., Ibrahim, Y. E., El-Shami, M. M., Osman, S., and Hariri, A. S. (2011). “Developing of specifications and academic curriculum in construction engineering, a case study in University of Dammam, KSA.” Int. J. Eng. Educ., 27(3), 670–678.
Schexnayder, C., and Anderson, S. (2011). “Construction engineering education: History and challenge.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 730–739.
Schraven, D., Hartmann, A., and Dewulf, G. (2011). “Effectiveness of infrastructure asset management: Challenges for public agencies.” Built Environ. Project Asset Manage., 1(1), 61–74.
Sierra, L. A., Pellicer, E., and Yepes, V. (2016). “Social sustainability in the life cycle of Chilean public infrastructure.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 05015020.
SPSS Statistics version 22.0 [Computer software]. IBM, Armonk, NY.
Stuckenbruck, L. C. (1981). The implementation of project management, Project Management Institute, Newton Square, PA.
Tatum, C. B. (1987). “Balancing engineering and management in construction education.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 264–272.
Torres-Machí, C., Carrión, A., Yepes, V., and Pellicer, E. (2013). “Employability of graduate students in construction management.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 163–170.
Ugarelli, R., Venkatesh, G., Brattebo, H., di Federico, V., and Saegrov, S. (2010). “Asset management for urban wastewater pipeline networks.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 112–121.
Walesh, S. G. (1997). “More coaching—Less osmosis: Teaching soft skills to hard scientists.” J. Manage. Eng., 3–4.
Wilkinson, S., and Scofield, R. (2002). “Integrated management curriculum for civil engineers and architects.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 125–130.
Winch, G. M. (2006). “Towards a theory of construction as production by projects.” Build. Res. Inf., 34(2), 154–163.
Yepes, V., Pellicer, E., Alarcón, L. F., and Correa, C. L. (2016). “Creative innovation in Spanish construction firms.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 04015006.
Yepes, V., Pellicer, E., and Ortega, A. J. (2012). “Designing a benchmark indicator for managerial competences in construction at the graduate level.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 48–54.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 28, 2016
Accepted: Jan 24, 2017
Published online: Apr 10, 2017
Discussion open until: Sep 10, 2017
Published in print: Oct 1, 2017
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.