A Conceptual Framework to Study the Effectiveness of Interface Management in Construction Projects

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The management of mega construction projects which incorporate a large number of stakeholders, technologies, data, work culture etc., is cumbersome. The experts in the construction arena advocate that interface management serves as a precise tool in resolving these conflict points due to the intricate nature of the construction projects. Interface management is a current trending management practice in the construction industry which is also a beneficiary to mega/fast track projects in enhancing the project performance. The main objective of this study is to validate a model for assessing the relationships among interface management, IT applications, project performance & project benefits. The mediating effect of interface management in relationship between project performance & interfacial factors was also investigated. The research model was validated using PLS-SEM (Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling) approach. Data were collected from clients, contractors, consultants in large scale projects through questionnaire survey and smart-PLS software was used to analyse the conceptual model. The research model comprises eleven hypothesis and the significance of these hypothesis were tested using T- statistics values. The research implies that people/participants factor is greatly influenced by interface management with the path coefficient of 0.608 and also enhancement of project's schedule performance due to the interface management is strongly appealing (Path coefficient = 0.711). The results also reveal IT application is significantly associated with interface management practice (Path coefficient =0.723) and also the effect of IT application on project performance (schedule, cost, quality & safety) is successfully mediated through interface management practice. The practical application of this validated model was done through case study. The case study aims at measuring the impact of interface management on interfacial factors and role of interface management in improving the project performance in the construction organisations.