Course syllabus

Course-PM

BOM025 - Construction, Processes and Management lp4 VT24 (7.5 hp)

The course is offered by the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering (ACE) as part of MPDCPM.

 

Welcome to BOM025!

Dear students,

Welcome to Construction, Processes and Management! The course starts on Monday the 18^th of March, at 13:15-16:00. We are looking forward to meeting you.

BOM025 will be solely held physically (both for the course sessions and the on-site assignments). However, if we do have to implement any significant changes in the course format down the line due to unprecedented situations or changes in the rules by Chalmers, we will notify you in time.

The course's staff wishes you a successful learning experience. We expect you to carry out practical and theoretical assignments to support your learning. Our aim is to prepare you as professionals who can critically reflect on construction processes, production and management - both on the level of the construction site and on higher managerial strata - while adopting multiple perspectives.

 

Contact details

Examiner

Dimosthenis Kifokeris (DK) - Associate Professor PhD, Division of Building Design, ACE, dimkif@chalmers.se, Chalmers profile page

Teachers and supervisors

Martine Buser (MB) - Associate Professor PhD, Division of Building Design, ACE, buser@chalmers.se

Mikael Viklund Tallgren (MVT) - Researcher PhD, Division of Construction Management, ACE, mikael.tallgren@chalmers.se

Paula Femenias (PF) - Professor PhD, Division of Building Design, ACE, paula.femenias@chalmers.se

Bri Gauger (BG) - Postdoc Researcher PhD, Division of Architectural Theory and Methods, ACE, bri.gauger@chalmers.se

Madhushree Mrutyunjaya Happalad (MH) - Doctoral student, Division of Construction Management, ACE, happalad@chalmers.se 

Special expert practitioner guests

Helena Lidelöw (HL) - PhD, Chief Technical Officer at Volumetric Building Companies

Jan Kohvakka (JK) - Manager of Business Development and Innovation at Incoord

Oliver Löfman Nastefski (OLN) - Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Manager at Serneke

Student representatives

Hana Dires                    hanatamrat12@gmail.com     
Lina Engelbrektsson     lina.engelbrektsson@gmail.com     
Jakob Niemer                Mjakob.niemer@hotmail.com     
Johanna Nyvall             johannanyvall@gmail.com     
Amar Taja                      ammar.architect1@gmail.com     

 

Course purpose

The construction industry faces a number of major challenges. Those can be either constant (e.g., global competitiveness, global sustainability goals, impacts on the individuals' physical and mental health) or contemporary (e.g., the energy crisis, material shortage). The purpose of this course is therefore twofold: First, develop an understanding of the way construction processes are organized and managed; and second, develop an understanding of the way design and construction companies can implement processes that meet the aforementioned challenges while also minimizing the consumption of resources.

 

Schedule

BOM025 - Construction, Processes and Management: Course plan (VT2024, Study Period 4: Monday 2024-03-18 to Saturday 2024-06-02)

TimeEdit schedule (timetable below is the most current version)

A minimum of 80%+ of physical attendance  (i.e., 13 out of 16 course sessions) is required. Included in this 80% are all the sessions noted as obligatory (O). However, attending more than just the (O) sessions are needed for you to reach that 80%+.

Week	Course day	Date/time	Persons	Topic	Room
12	1 (O)	Monday 18 March 13:15 - 16:00	DK, MB, MVT	Introduction, practical information Processes in construction Introduction to Assignment 1: Case study on process perspectives Introduction to Assignment 2: Site visits and site manager interview Group formation, presentation and course expectations Session literature: Process perspectives	SB-H3
12	2	Thursday 21 March 09:00 - 11:45	DK	Transformation of matter perspective: productivity and performance measurement Session literature: Performance & productivity	SB-H3
13	3	Monday 25 March 13:15 - 16:00	MB, DK	Institutional perspective in construction Session literature: Institutional perspective	SB-H3
13	4	Tuesday 26 March 09:00 - 11:45	DK, MVT	Lean construction perspective Session literature: Lean construction	SB-H4
13	5 (O)	Tuesday 26 March 13:15 - 16:00	DK, MB, MVT, OLN, MH	Workshop: Applying the three perspectives in a case study	SB-H4
15	6	Monday 08 April 13:15 - 16:00	MB	Waste management in construction Session literature: Waste management	SB-H3
15	7 (O)	Thursday 11 April 09:00 - 16:00	DK, MVT, MB	Presentation of Assignment 1 (all groups)	SB-H5
16	8	Tuesday 16 April 09:00 - 11:45	DK, JK	Quality and defects in construction Special guest: Jan Kohvakka Session literature: Quality	SB-H7
17	9	Monday 22 April 13:15 - 16:00	MVT	On-site work environment and safety Session literature: Work environment & safety	SB-H3
17	10	Thursday 25 April 09:00 - 11:45	DK	Structures of subcontracting in the Swedish construction sector Session literature: Structures of subcontracting	SB-H3
18	11	Monday 29 April 13:15 - 16:00	DK	Operations strategy and change Session literature: Corporate & operations strategy	SB-H4
18	12	Thursday 02 May 09:00 - 11:45	PF, DK	Renovation processes Special guest: Patrik Hakenmyr Session literature: Renovation	SB-H3
19	13	Monday 06 May 13:15 - 16:00	DK, HL	Industrialization of building processes Special guest: Helena Lidelöw Session literature: Industrialized construction	SB-H3
19	14	Tuesday 07 May 09:00 - 11:45	DK, MVT	Student supervision for Assignment 2 The students are welcome to also book other supervision meetings for Assignment 2 after consulting with their supervisor	-
20	15 (O)	Thursday 16 May 09:00 - 11:45	MB, BG, DK, OLN	Workshop on diversity and marginalization in the construction sector and on site Session literature: Diversity	SB-H3
21	16 (O)	Tuesday 21 May 09:00 - 16:00	DK, MVT	Presentation of Assignment 2 (all groups) Closing plenary session	SB-H5

 c

Course literature

The course's literature consists primarily of scientific papers. Most of said literature items are readily available through Chalmers Library, but are also uploaded on the course's Canvas page. The literature items in each Session literature group are divided into mandatory and supplementary (optional) ones. Following a flipped classroom format, the students are expected to have read at least the mandatory items in the corresponding Session literature before each session.

Process perspectives

Mandatory

• Kao, C.C., Green, S., and Larsen, G. (2009). Emergent discourses of construction competitiveness: localized learning and embeddedness. Construction Management and Economics, 27(10), 1005-1017.
• Lundberg, O., Nylén, D., and Sandberg, J. (2022). Unpacking construction site digitalization: the role of incongruence and inconsistency in technological frames. Construction Management and Economics, 40(11-12), 987-1002.

Supplementary

• Chen, X., Chang-Richards, A.Y., Pelosi, A., Jia, Y., Shen, X., Siddiqui, M.K., and Yang, N. (2022). Implementation of technologies in the construction industry: a systematic review. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 29(8), 3181-3209.
• Cho, K., Hong, T. and Hyun, C.T. (2013). Space Zoning Concept-based Scheduling Model for Repetitive Construction Process. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 19(3), 409-421.

Performance & productivity

Mandatory

• Bassioni, H., Price, A., and Hassan, T. (2004). Performance Measurement in Construction. Journal of Management in Engineering, 20(2), 42-50.
• Bröchner, J., and Olofsson, T. (2012). Construction productivity measures for innovation projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 138(5), 670-677.
• Windapo, A., Adediran, A., Rotimi, J.O.B., and Umeokafor, N. (2022). Construction project performance: The role of client knowledge and procurement systems. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 20(5), 1349-1366.

Supplementary

• Beatham, S. Anumba, C., Thorpe, T., and Hedges, I. (2004). KPIs: a critical appraisal of their use in construction. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 11(1), 93-117.
• Bourne, M., Neely, A., Platts, K., and Mills, J. (2002). The success and failure of performance measurement initiatives: perceptions of participating managers. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 22(11), 1288-1310.
• Crawford, P., and Vogl, B. (2006). Measuring productivity in the construction industry. Building Research & Information, 34(3), 208-219.
• Dubois, A., and Gadde, L.E. (2002). The construction industry as a loosely coupled system: implications for productivity and innovation. Construction Management and Economics, 20(8), 621-631.
• Li, H., Arditi, D., and Wang, Z. (2012). Transaction-related issues and construction project performance. Construction Management and Economics, 30(2), 151-164.
• Neely, A., Gregory, M., and Platts, K. (2005). Performance measurement system design: a literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 25(12), 1228-1263.

Institutional perspective

Mandatory

• Qiu, Y. and Chen, H. (2022). A systematic review of the knowledge domain of institutional theory in construction project management. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. DOI: 10.1108/ECAM-08-2021-0754.

Supplementary

• Galea, N., Powell, A., Salignac, F., Chappel, S., and Loosemoore, M. (2022). When following the rules is bad for wellbeing: The effects of gendered rules in the Australian construction industry. Work, Employment and Society, 36(1,) 119-138.
• Jeschke, K.N. (2022). Understanding how managers balance the paradoxical nature of occupational safety through a practice-driven institutional lens. Safety Science, 147, 105627.
• Kadefors, A. (1995). Institutions in building projects: implications for flexibility and change. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 11(4), 395-408.
• Oti-Sarpong, K., Shojaei, R.S., Dakhli, Z., Burgess, G., and Zaki, M. (2022). How countries achieve greater use of offsite manufacturing to build new housing: Identifying typologies through institutional theory. Sustainable Cities and Society, 76, 103403.
• Qiu, Yumin, Chen, H., Sheng, Z. , and Cheng, S. (2019). Governance of institutional complexity in megaproject organizations. International Journal of Project Management, 37(3), 425-443.

Lean construction

Mandatory

• Gao, S., and Low, S.P. (2014). The Toyota Way model: an alternative framework for lean construction. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence,  25(5-6), 664-682.
• Kifokeris, D. (2021). Variants of Swedish lean construction practices reported in research: a systematic literature review and critical analysis. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 147(7), 05021005.
• Koskela, L. (2020). Theory of lean construction. In: Tzortzopoulos, P., Kagioglou, M., and Koskela, L. (eds.). Lean construction: Core concepts and new frontiers (1-13). London: Routledge.

Supplementary

• Büchmann-Slorup, R. (2014). Applying critical chain buffer management theory in location-based management. Construction Management and Economics, 32(6), 506-519.
• Green, S., and May, S. (2005). Lean construction: arenas of enactment, models of diffusion and the meaning of ‘leanness’. Building Research and Information, 33(6), 498-511.
• Lohne, J., Torp, O., Andersen, B., Aslesen, S., Bygballe, L., Bølviken, T., Drevland, F., Engebø, A., Fosse, R., Holm, H.T., Hunn, L.K., Kalsaas, B.T., Klakegg, O.J., Knotten, V., Kristensen, K.H., Olsson, N.O.E., Rolstadås, A., Skaar, J., Svalestuen, F., Vaagen, H., Wondimu, P., and Laedre, O. (2022). The emergence of lean construction in the Norwegian AEC industry. Construction Management and Economics, 40(7-8), 585-597.

Work environment & safety

Mandatory

• Grill, M., Pousette, A., Nielsen, K., Grytnes, R, and Törner, M. (2017). Safety leadership at construction sites: the importance of rule-oriented and participative leadership. Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environmental Health, 43(4), 375-384.
• Koch, C. (2013). From crew to country - local and national construction safety cultures on construction sites. Construction Management and Economics, 31(6), 691-703.
• Thörnqvist, C., and Bernhardsson, S. (2015). Their own stories: How Polish construction workers posted to Sweden experience their job situation, or resistance versus life projects. Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 21(1), 23–36.

Supplementary

• Baarts, C. (2009). Collective individualism: the informal and emergent dynamics of practising safety in a high‐risk work environment. Construction Management and Economics, 27(10), 949-957.
• Ju, C., and Rowlinson, S. (2014). Institutional determinants of construction safety management strategies of contractors in Hong Kong. Construction Management and Economics, 32(7-8), 725-736.

Structures of subcontracting

Mandatory

• Kahlin, L., Keevallik, L., Söderlundh, H., and Weidner, M. (2022). Translanguaging as a resource for meaning-making at multilingual construction sites. Multilingua, 41(3), 261-280.
• Woolfson, C., Thörnqvist, C., and Sommers, J. (2010). The Swedish model and the future of labour standards after Laval. Industrial Relations Journal, 41(4), 333–350.

Supplementary

• Troje, D. (2023). Social Sustainability in Projects: Using Social Procurement to Create Employment in the Swedish Construction Sector. Project Management Journal, 54(1), 52-69.

Waste management

Mandatory

• Andersson, R., and Buser, M. (2022). From waste to resource management? Construction and demolition waste management through the lens of institutional work. Construction Management and Economics, 40(6), 477-496.

Quality

Mandatory

• Love, P.E.D., Smith, J., Ackermann, F., and Irani, Z. (2018). The praxis of stupidity: an explanation to understand the barriers mitigating rework in construction. Production Planning & Control, 29(13), 1112-1125.
• Koch, C., and Schultz, C.S. (2019). The production of defects in construction – an agency dissonance. Construction Management and Economics, 37(9), 499-512.

Operations strategy & change

Mandatory

• Bygballe, L., Håkansson, H., and Jahre, M. (2013). A critical discussion of models for conceptualizing the economic logic of construction. Construction Management and Economics, 31(2), 104-118.
• Koch, C., and Friis, O. (2015). Operations strategy development in project based production – a political process perspective. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management,  26(5), 501-514.

Supplementary

• Styhre, A., and Josephson, P.E. (2006). Revisiting site manager work: stuck in the middle? Construction Management and Economics, 24(5), 521-528.

Industrialized construction

Mandatory

• Brege, S., Stehn, L., and Nord, T. (2014). Business models in industrialized building of multi-storey houses. Construction Management and Economics, 32(1-2), 208-226.
• Linner, T., Bock, T., (2012). Evolution of large‐scale industrialisation and service innovation in Japanese prefabrication industry. Construction Innovation, 12(2), 156-178.
• Uusitalo, P., and Lavikka, R. (2021). Technology transfer in the construction industry. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 46(5), 1291-1320.

Supplementary

• Meiling, J.H., Sandberg, M., and Johnsson, H. (2014). A study of a plan-do-check-act method used in less industrialized activities: two cases from industrialized housebuilding. Construction Management and Economics, 32(1-2), 109-125.
• Viking, A., and Lidelöw, S. (2015). Exploring industrialized housebuilders’ interpretations of local requirements using institutional logics. Construction Management and Economics, 33(5-6), 484-494.

Renovation

Mandatory

• Ástmarsson, B., Jensen, P.A., and Maslesa, E. (2013). Sustainable renovation of residential buildings and the landlord/tenant dilemma. Energy Policy, 63, 355-362.
• Femenias, P., Jonsdotter, L., Forsemalm, J., Punzi, E., Bogdanova, E., Thodelius, C., and Granath, K. (2019). Residential movements in connection to renovation of rented multi-residential housing: A pilot study. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 297(1), 1-9.

Diversity

Mandatory

• Tatum, B.D. (2000). The complexity of identity: “Who am I?". In: Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Hackman, H.W., Zuniga, X., Peters, M.L. (Eds.). Readings for diversity and social justice: An anthology on racism, sexism, anti-semitism, heterosexism, classism and ableism (9-14). New York: Routledge.
• Won, D., Hwang, B.G., and Chng, S.J. (2021). Assessing the effects of workforce diversity on project productivity performance for sustainable workplace in the construction industry. Sustainable Development, 29(2), 398-418.

Supplementary

• Manesh, S.N., Choi, J.O., and Shrestha, P. (2020). Critical literature review on the diversity and inclusion of women and ethnic minorities in construction and civil engineering industry and education. In: Construction Research Congress 2020: Safety, Workforce, and Education (175-184). Reston: American Society of Civil Engineers.

 

Learning objectives and syllabus

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen: Study plan (the description below is the most current version)

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should be able to understand and apply theories, concepts and techniques on construction processes, especially during production and with a managerial perspective. This competence includes:

• The ability to identify and select the proper theory and approach to tackle challenges related to construction process, organisation, and management.
• The ability to draw practical insights from theories on, indicatively, human activities in construction processes, other process theories, and lean construction.
• The ability to analyze of the role of site management and project management, and their relationship to complex environments.
• The ability to appraise productivity and performance concepts (their advantages and disadvantages).

Content

The course integrates theoretical approaches with practical cases, with a focus on how construction processes should be led and organized. Key concepts include, but are not limited to:

• Processes
• Management
• Lean construction
• Industrialized construction
• Performance measurement
• On-site diversity

Organization

The course includes mandatory seminars and presentations, where the Chalmers rules of absense apply. BOM025 consists mainly of the following learning activities:

• Flipped lectures
• Guest lectures from the industry and academia
• Cases, seminars and exercises
• Two group assignments

 

Examination form

The examination of the course is related to achieving the goals mentioned earlier in the learning outcomes, and is done by two assignments:

• Assignment 1 - Applying the three perspectives in a case study: A group work counting for 40% of the final grade (10% for the presentation and 30% for the paper). The introduction for Assignment 1 will take place on Monday 18/03 (afternoon), the mandatory workshop connected to it on Tuesday 26/03 (afternoon),  the presentation on Thursday 11/04 (full day), and the final submission of the paper should be done until Wednesday 17/04 (full day). These are explained in more detail in the "Assignments" tab.
• Assignment 2 - Site study and manager interview: A group work counting for 60% of the final grade (10% for the presentation and 50% for the paper). The introduction for Assignment 2 will take place on Monday 18/03 (afternoon), the supervision session on Tuesday 07/05 (morning), the presentation on Tuesday 21/05 (full day), and the final submission of the paper should be done until Monday 03/06 (full day). After forming groups at the beginning of the course, you will all be appointed to a site manager working at a construction site, in order to work on this assignment. These are explained in more detail in the "Assignments" tab.

If there are special reasons for doing so, the course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above - e.g. in case a student has acquired a decision from Chalmers on receiving educational support due to disability.

Assessment criteria	Point range
Presentation and peer feedback for Assignment 1	0-10 (10 points for presentation and feedback, 0 points for non-attendance)
Paper for Assignment 1	0-30
Presentation and peer feedback for Assignment 2	0-10 (10 points for presentation and feedback, 0 points for non-attendance)
Paper for Assignment 2	0-50
Total	0-100

 

Grade limits	Point range
5	85-100
4	70-84
3	55-69
Fail	<55

 

Instructions on using generative AI tools (like ChatGPT)

BOM025 follows the general stance of Chalmers’ Executive committee for education, which is that bachelor's and master's education should reflect a real working situation within the professional field as much as possible, including access to AI tools. However, it is not always appropriate to use them, and when they are used, it is a prerequisite that AI tools are employed in a responsible and transparent manner. In this page, you can find instructions and implications on using AI for your course work: Regulations for the use of AI tools in thesis work (chalmers.se). The page refers to working on theses, but the same principles apply for your regular coursework and assignments.

 

Changes made since the last occasion

The students' assessment from the previous academic year (2022/2023) were taken into thorough account. The course's examiner and staff opted for continuing with the course's content and attributes that gathered a positive feedback (e.g., the partial flipped format in sessions, the literature material), and modified or updated the course content and attributes that received some kind of constructive feedback (e.g., modifying part of the assignments).