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Du, J (2012) Investigation of interpersonal cooperation in construction project teams: An agent-based modeling approach, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
- Type: Thesis
- Keywords: social sciences; agent-based modeling; construction project teams; interpersonal cooperation; organizational behavior; organizational simulation; teamwork; collaboration; case study
- ISBN/ISSN:
- URL: https://d.lib.msu.edu/etd/855
- Abstract:
Construction project teams have been criticized to be incapable of delivering projects in a predictable and reliable manner. A major issue is contemporary construction practice doesn't encourage a closer cooperation among project participants. Hence as addressed by a variety of industry wide reports, the real challenge of the construction industry is to move from the current modus operandi to a more collaborative approach. To achieve this goal, knowledge should be advanced to fully capture the processes of cooperation in construction settings. This dissertation is intended to provide an innovative insight into the dynamics of cooperation in construction that we couldn't access before. The basic hypothesis of this dissertation is that cooperation at the individual level among construction project team members can significantly affect team performance. In particular, diverse cooperative behaviors of project participants and corresponding micro-level processes may determine project team performance in certain scenarios. To test this hypothesis, a conceptual framework was developed to capture relevant components of interpersonal cooperation; then an ABM (Agent-Based Modeling) simulation platform, named VOICE (Virtual Organizational Imitation for Construction Enterprises) was developed for exploratory simulation experiments. VOICE allows the investigators to design an artificial construction organization just like engineers designing a bridge. It is also able to visualize project team performance by real time performance dashboards and 3D graphs. Two case studies were conducted using VOICE to illustrate its capacity in investigating realistic cooperation related issues in construction. The first case study investigated intra-team cooperation in an estimating team. Specifically, certain cooperation related management actions—job acquiring, coordination, and team communication—were examined to check their influences on the estimating team performance in DBB (Design Bid Build) projects. The second case study extended the investigation to a cross-functional context where conditions become more complex. Simulation experiments were performed based on a real case between a proposal team and an engineering team in an EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) construction enterprise. The effects of goal congruence, as well as the implications of time pressure, task dependence and micro-management were examined based on a series of uncertainty analyses. The findings have supported the basic hypothesis of this research that cooperation at the individual level plays a vital role in affecting construction project team performance. It was also found the investigation of cooperation in construction settings to be nontrivial because of the complex interactions of cooperative behaviors and processes. This research is anticipated to constitute a stepping stone for further investigations of cooperation in construction: for academics, it is expected that the simulation approach and findings of this research would attract more scholars' attention to the behavioral and attitudinal aspects of cooperation in construction settings; for industry, the simulation platform VOICE could be used as a decision support tool for decision makers of project management to tackle with cooperation related issues.
Garciacortes, A (2017) Knowledge transfer and application in integrated project delivery teams, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Getto, G (2011) Toward a rhetoric of infrastructure: Doing new media writing with communities, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Goodarzi, M (2021) A post-construction evaluation of long-term success in LEED-certified residential communities, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Hinkel, M P (2022) Three essays on labor market regulation in the American construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Lahouti, A (2017) Cue-based decision-making in construction work crews: An agent-based modeling approach, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Moore, H (2013) Exploring information generation and propagation from the point of installation on construction jobsites: An sna/abm hybrid approach, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Paullin, R J (1977) Construction management: Implications for intermediate school district boards of education and administrators in Michigan, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Peckham, G E (1971) The systems approach to school construction: the potential benefits, the necessary conditions, and the implications for Michigan schools, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Schafer, D W (2014) A conceptual framework for resilience engineering in construction safety, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Shafique, F (2020) Transformational leadership for sustainability in architecture engineering and construction project teams, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.
Sparkling, A E (2018) Collaborative project delivery practices, goal alignment, and performance in architecture, engineering, and construction project teams, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Michigan State University.