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This paper summaries a more detailed study already published by the author on cost engineering [8].
The study regards the problem of schedule delay of construction projects with specific regard to US government projects in Italy. The analysis is undertaken from the owner point of view, as the final purpose of this paper is to identify corrective actions that could be implemented by the owner.
The experience of showed that many projects suffered of schedule delay and that delay mostly occurred during the "initial phase" of the projects, covering a period from five to seven months from contract award. The difficulties to maintain the schedule, since the early stage of project development, create the basis of future problems that will cause further "schedule delay". In fact the contractor is called to prepare "aggressive" recovery schedules, since the early stage, that have an high probability to fail for a combination of factors, as described in the paper.
The study analyzes the factors causing schedule delays and suggests guidelines that, in the opinion of the author, could mitigate the problems of schedule delays and improve the control of schedules for similar US government projects in Europe. Although the study refers to the case of US construction projects in Italy, the author believes that the conclusions may be of general interest for project management.
Schedules fail for a combinations of factors, most of them might addressed by the owner by undertaken an effective strategic project planning before the tender phase, thus during the pre-planning phase.
The guidelines are based on a key concept: a different role of the owner who becomes an agent of project management development:
* by driving the contractor to make its strategic choices at earliest stage of project development and,
* by driving the contractor to the implementation of effective methodologies and techniques of project planning and control.
Schedule delays and costs overrun are matter of concern for the owner as well as for the contractor; the problems refer the area of project delivering methods, with special attention to the international projects and the bidding strategy. Managing projects overseas, in an international environment, requires a different approach to tender and select the contractor; surely it's necessary "breaking the low-bid paradigm" [1] and promote...