The role of managerial actions in the cost, time and quality performance of high-rise commercial building projects

Abstract

An analysis of the effects of managerial actions on the objectives of reducing time, reducing cost and increasing quality is undertaken. This approach is proposed as contributing to a rationale for action in the building process. A sample of 25 high-rise office buildings was used to test this theory and the results analysed by partial correlations and multiple regression. Increases in construction planning during design and co-ordination across the design-construction interface are shown to have very strong effects on reducing construction time and increases in the former variable, which also included aspects of value analysis, reduce the cost of the building. However, increases in variations to the contract, the complexity of the building, the number of storeys and the extent of industrial disputes are shown to strongly increase construction time. At the same time the building cost is increased by increasing variations to the contract, the architectural quality and the number of nominated sub-contractors. Increases in architectural quality are shown to occur through generating more alternative designs, increasing the cost per square metre and planning the construction process as part of the design, the last of which included some value analysis. A methodology which could be used on an extended sample is proposed.