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Detailed description The objective of the book is to make accessible the ways in which social network analysis (SNA) may be used to observe, monitor and analyse systems and relationships in major construction project coalitions. Although this has been an established analytical technique in the US for some time, it is only now being developed in the UK.
Having spent nearly two decades investigating major project relationships using SNA, the author has brought together mathematical and sociological methods, and major project relationships in a manner that will inspire both academic interest and a desire to apply these concepts and techniques to live construction projects. Case studies include projects from two of the UKs largest property developers, the UK Ministry of Defence and a County Council.
SNA is innovative - but potentially inaccessible to project management analysts and practitioners. This book will provide clear and relevant explanation and illustration of the possibilities of using SNA in a major project environment.
In addition to offering the potential; for sophisticated retrospective analysis of a wide range of systems associated with construction and engineering project coalitions, the author looks at how we might apply the network analysis findings to the design and management of project and supply chain networks.
From the contents Table of Contents
Chapter One - Introduction
* Aim of the study
* Context for the study
* Problems with existing forms of analysis and visualisation
* Solutions to the problems
* Structure of the book
Chapter Two - Establishing the Need for a New Analytical Approach
* A review of existing approaches to the analysis of
* management systems
* Graphical approaches to analysis and presentation of management concepts
* Difficulties encountered in formulating a means of presenting the governance of major projects
* A systems analysis approach to project management
* Process protocol
* Overcoming the problems identified
* A social network analysis approach to the analysis and visualisation of organisational forms
Chapter Three - Theoretical Framework
* Developing a theoretical framework
* Adaptation or transformation
* Five basic premises for taking a network perspective
* Types of network actor relations
* Density or cohesion of contractual, performance incentive and information exchange networks
* Point centrality within networks
* Other issues relating to the relevance of centrality as a measure
* Network densities and actor centrality measured jointly
* What might we gain from the adoption of a network perspective?
Chapter Four - Methodology
* Research in construction project organisations
* The choice between qualitative and quantitative research methods
* On case studies
* A profile of case studies for this research project
