Scribd
Upload
43 views

Engineering, Project and Production Management Lesson Learned

Uploaded by

stefpan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
43 views

Engineering, Project and Production Management Lesson Learned

Uploaded by

stefpan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management

2013, 3(1), 1

Engineering, Project, and Production Management: Lessons


Learnt from Each Other
Kassim Gidado
Editor

Editorial
Available online December 10, 2012

This Journal always faces the challenge of bringing concluded that there is greater room for improvement in
together the three disciplines in a common pool of the application of the concept of production cell in
management research. This edition provides at least a construction.
paper in each of the disciplines. Although each paper has a
clearly defined focus in a specific discipline, the Although the contents of the last two papers are also
contribution of knowledge by each seems relevant to all applicable to engineering and project management, both
three disciplines. This reinforces the need to further are classified under production management. Morrey et al.
integrate the managerial aspects of the three disciplines for examines the significance of robust strategy to enact lean
mutual benefits. thinking methodologies to contractor-type business
organisations. Green and May (2005) suggests that the use
The first paper evaluates the development of Structural of unitary or pluralist organisational management
Insulated Panels (SIP). Panjehpour et al. gave an overview approach is still debatable when implementing lean
of the application and drawbacks of SIP as a construction methodologies in construction organisations. The strategy
material. The paper revealed the current research questions of implementing lean technique using standardised work
that require further study if SIP is to be universally proved to be successful in some cases, but appropriate
accepted as a suitable alternative material for walls, floors approach should be evolutionary to overcome barriers.
and roof coverings. The paper seems to highlight three key The final paper looked at the effect of inventory control
areas of further studies: technical issues such as joint and classification on company competitiveness. It is
connection, thermal and fire resistance, and opening sizes; paramount that a business organisation maintains an
secondly the facilities management issues such as repair appropriate balance between stock-outs and inventory
and retrofit, breathability and insect nesting; and thirdly holding costs if it is to remain competitive. Kabir and
project management issues such as design management, Sumi propose a systematic inventory classification
standardisation, affordability and competitiveness. approach by integrating Fuzzy Delphi Method with Fuzzy
Analytic Hierarchy Process. The fourth and fifth papers
The second paper is classified under project were selected from the 19th Annual Conference of the
management discipline. Farinloye et al. investigates the International Group for Lean Construction, and their
nature of theft and vandalism on building sites. They inclusions were made possible through the assistance of
established the significance of the problem of thieves and John Rooke, the conference’s Technical Chair.
vandals on sites facing the building industry. The problem
is even more prevalent on large size projects where This issue will put back on the research agenda the
workers are often casual labourers. Two key items of prefabrication for housing delivery, security and
recommendations: to empower workers to own and be welfare on construction sites, concept of production cells
responsible for their tools; and to improve on staff welfare in construction, lean methodology, and inventory control.
to reduce disgruntled workers on building sites. There are a lot more questions and ideas put forward by
these papers, which may suggests that a lot more research
Third paper applies production management is desirable in these areas.
knowledge in the project management field. With greater
demands for speed and value for money, less waste and References
wastages, increase in complexity and use of technology,
more pressure is placed on managers in the construction Hyer, N. L. and Brown, K. A. (1999). The discipline of
industry to seek better methods and procedures for Real Cells. Journal of Operations Management, 17(5),
effective management of construction production 557-574.
processes. Hyer and Brown (1999) highlighted the Green, S. D. and May, S. (2005). Lean construction:
significance of three critical linkages in successful arenas of enactment, models of diffusion and the
production workflow, which are linkages between time, meaning of ‘leanness’. Building Research and
space and information. This enables efficient use of Information, 33(6), 498-511.
materials and equipment in the workflow. The paper
revealed that there are limited or partial linkages between
these three critical items in construction projects. It
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without
permission.

You might also like