Knowledge management in the construction project environment | |
| Author | Wasan Teerajetgul |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.CM-07-03 |
| Subject(s) | Knowledge management Construction industry--Management |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Engineering in Construction Engineering and Infrastructure Management, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. CM-07-03 |
| Abstract | The research focuses on the practice of knowledge management practice in Thai construction projects at on-site work level with the objectives as follows: 1) to identify knowledge factors including individual and organizational factors influencing on-site construction execution; 2) to examine the current practice status of knowledge factors in association with knowledge creation process and project team creativity; 3) to examine the influences of key knowledge factors and knowledge creation process on project team creativity; and 4) to propose an improving mechanism of knowledge creation process at on-site construction. The design of this research is cross-sectional and uses a blended methodological approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The research model includes the following variables: a) six knowledge factors: vision of leadership, trust, collaboration, incentives, Information Technology (IT) support, and individual competencies, b) four knowledge creation processes: socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization, and c) team creativity. At the beginning stage, the qualitative method using focus-group interviews is used due to the novel nature of knowledge management practice in Thai construction. This method helps the researcher to obtain some rich data. The quantitative method is used when exploring the effects of the knowledge factors, the knowledge creation process, on the project team creativity. Then, the study results are verified through the qualitative method by using a case study again. Survey data from 70 construction projects in Thai construction firms, obtained in second stage by means of a questionnaire developed by the researcher, were collated and analyzed. As a means of testing the model, regression analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. Consistent with previous empirical evidence, three knowledge factors affected the knowledge creation process: incentives, IT, and individual competencies. It was noted that these factors overlay the knowledge creation process at all execution stages of on-site construction. In other, only internalization of knowledge creation process affected project team creativity. It was presented that construction members had focused largely on managers' conception as individual. This research is expected to contribute to a better understanding of important knowledge factors and knowledge management research in Thai construction which is still at an infancy stage. In order to build a knowledge creative culture, construction project executives need to support and maximize the value of human assets (individual competencies). Furthermore, facilitating IT-supported knowledge management in construction projects needs to be considered and emphasized needs to be placed on productive work and gain a competitive advantage. |
| Year | 2007 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. CM-07-03 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Construction Engineering and Infrastructure Management (CM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Chotchai Charoenngam; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Ogunlana, Stephen Olu ;Noppadol Phienwej;Liu, Anita M. M. ; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2007 |