CE 476

Construction Management
Lectures # 4 and 5

Dr. Abdulrahman K. Yussef

Chairman of the Architectural

Engineering Department
 Today…
1.5 Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
1.6 Project Format
1.7 Project Development
1.8 Construction Technology and Construction Management
1.9 Construction Management is Resource Driven
Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
•Construction is the largest product-based (as opposed to
service-oriented) industry.
•The process of realizing a constructed facility such as a
road, bridge, or building, however, is quite different from
that involved in manufacturing an automobile or a television
set.
•Manufactured products are typically designed and
produced without a designated purchaser.
•In other words, products (e.g., automobiles or TV sets) are
produced and then
presented for sale to any potential purchaser.
•The product is produced on the speculation that a
purchaser will be found for the item produced.
Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
•In construction, projects are sold to the client
in a different way.
•The process of purchase begins with a client
who has need for a facility.
•The purchaser typically approaches a design
professional to more specifically define the
nature of the project.
•This leads to a conceptual definition of the
scope of work required to build the desired
facility.
 Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
•Because of the one-of-a-kind unique nature of
constructed facilities, this is still the method used
for building construction projects.
•The purchaser approaches a set of potential
contractors.
•Once agreement is reached among the parties
(i.e., client, designer, etc.) as to the scope of work
to be performed, the details of the project or end
item are designed and constructed.
•Purchase is made based on a graphical and
verbal description of the end item, rather than the
completed item itself.
Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
•This is the opposite of the speculative process where design and
manufacture of the product are done prior to identifying specific
purchasers.
•A constructed facility is not commenced until the purchaser has been
identified.
•It would be hard to imagine, for instance, building a bridge without
having identified the potential buyer.
•(Can you think of a construction situation in which the construction is
completed prior to identifying the buyer?)
Construction Versus Manufacturing Processes
•In construction, because the item purchased is to be
produced (rather than being in a finished state), there
are many complex issues that can lead to failure to
complete the project in a functional or timely manner.
•The number of stakeholders and issues that must be
dealt with prior to project completion leads to a
complex level of risk for all parties involved (e.g.,
designer, constructor, government authorities, real
estate brokers, etc.).
Project Format
•In contrast to other manufacturing industries that fabricate
large numbers of units, such as automobiles or television
sets, the construction industry is generally focused on
the production of a single and unique end product.
•That is, the product of the construction industry is a facility
that is usually unique in design and method of fabrication.
•It is a single ‘‘one-off’’ item that is stylized in terms of its
function, appearance, and location.
•In certain cases, basically similar units are constructed—as
in the case of town houses or fast-food restaurants.
•But even in this case, the units must be site adapted and
stylized to some degree.
Project Format

A manufactured product is, so

to say, ‘‘a bird in the hand.’’ A
construction project is ‘‘a bird
in the bush.’’
Project Format
•Mass production and batch production are not typical of the construction
industry.
•Since the industry is oriented to the production of single unique units, the format
in which these one-off units are achieved is called the project format.
•Both the design and production of constructed facilities are realized in the
framework of a project.
•Figure 1.9 compares the batch size against the number of units produced (i.e.,
volume) for project, batch, and mass production systems.
Project Format
Project Format
•The focus of construction management
is the planning and control of resources
within the framework of a project.
•This is in contrast to other
manufacturing sectors that are
interested in the application of
resources over the life of an extended
production run of many units.
Project Development
Project Development
Construction Technology and Construction Management

The study of construction as a discipline can be

broadly structured into two general themes:
1. Construction technology
2. Construction management
 Construction Technology and Construction Management
•As the name implies, construction technology relates to the methods or techniques
used to place the physical materials and elements of construction at the job site.
•The word technology can be broken into two subwords—technical from techno and
logic. Logic addresses the concept of sequence or procedure.
•That is, logic addresses the order of things; something is done first, another thing
second, and so on until a result is achieved.
•Adding technical to this leads to the idea that technology has to do with the
technical sequence in which something is done to produce an end result. It is
possible to talk about a technology that applies to placing concrete, cladding a
building, excavating a tunnel, and so on.
•Once a project has been defined, one of the most critical questions facing the
construction manager is ‘‘What construction technique or method should be
selected?’’
 Construction Technology and Construction Management
•In contrast to construction technology, construction
management addresses how the resources available
to the manager can be best applied.
•Typically, when speaking of resources for construction,
we think of the four M’s of construction: manpower,
machines, materials, and money.
•Management involves the timely and efficient
application of the four M’s to construct a project.
•Many issues must be considered when managing a
project and successfully applying the four M’s.
Construction Technology and Construction Management
•Some are technical (e.g., design of formwork, capacities of excavators,
weather tightness of exterior finishes, etc.). Many issues, however, are
more qualitative in nature and deal with the motivation of workers, labor
relations, the form of contracts, legal liability, and safety on the job site.
•This course will focus mainly on the topic of construction management.
•Therefore, we will be talking about the four M’s and subjects that relate
to management and the timely and cost-effective realization of a
project.
Construction Management is
Resource Driven
•The job of a construction manager is to efficiently and economically
apply the required resources to realize a constructed facility of
acceptable quality within the time frame and budgeted cost specified.
•Among the many watch words within the construction industry is the
expression ‘‘on time and within budget.’’
•More recently, the concept of quality as a requirement has become an
increasingly important aspect of the construction process.
•So this old adage can he expanded to say ‘‘a quality facility on time and
within budget.’’
Construction Management is
Resource Driven
•The construction manager is provided with resources such as labor,
equipment, and materials and is expected to build a facility that meets
the specifications and is consistent with the drawings provided for the
project.
•The mission of construction is constrained in terms of the available time
and amount of available money.
•The challenge faced by the construction manager is to apply the
resources of workers, machines, and materials within the limited
funding (money) and time available. This is the essence of construction.
Construction Management is
Resource Driven
•This requires a variety of skills.
•A high level of competency is needed in a broad range of qualitative
and quantitative subjects.
•A strong ability in many areas is a necessity.
•Being outstanding in one area (e.g., engineering) but weak in a number
of others (e.g., interpersonal relationships, contract law, labor relations,
etc.) is not enough to be a successful construction manager.
•A strong performance across the board is required.
HW 1
1.2