This paper presents a structured, two-pronged approach to the development of a framework for assessing the severity of occurrence of design revisions and determining the causes of these revisions. The development of the framework involves the identification of a causal taxonomy consisting of...

This paper considers the relationship between the major Japanese industrialized housing suppliers and their subcontractors. It describes the different types of contractor and subcontractor, indicating their role in customer liaison, design and delivery on site. It explains the different supply...

A significant proportion of building investment expenditure goes to replacement expenditure for organizations owning a large building stock or portfolio. Over the years, researchers have attempted to develop asset replacement models to aid decision-making in building portfolio management, based...

This paper reports on the impact of organizational change on a government department in Hong Kong. It focuses on the perceptions of professional personnel of the organizational culture developed in the depart4 ment and its mismatch with their expectations. The commitment of the professionals to...

Construction is an increasingly global industry, and benchmarking initiatives that are restricted to a single country run the risk of complacency, as national best practice falls out of line with international best practice. The aim of this article is to report the results of a detailed...

This paper presents an overview of the philosophy, structure and key objectives of R&D activity in the Japanese construction industry. It argues that this unique model of a close partnership between industry, government and society is based on shared values, and delivers significant benefits not...

The success of the design and build (D&B) procurement route could be undermined by issues arising from the rigid professional cultures of individual participants within project workgroups. These have the potential to inhibit the achievement of a key espoused benefit of D&B procurement, i.e. that...

Due to increasing constraints on project duration and costs, together with the increasing implication of contractors in the design process, guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contracts are likely to become common in the future. This paper explores a new approach for evaluating the remuneration of...

The construction industry makes significant contributions to the socio-economic development process in most countries. Its importance in the economy is due largely to the direct and indirect impact it has on the national economy. It stimulates the growth of other sectors through a complex system...

Several contemporary theories of ethics are reviewed and then linked to professional ethics. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect primary data regarding quantity surveyors' attitudes towards professional ethics. The subjects were members of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS)....