Time for a real shift to relations: appraisal of Social Network Analysis applications in the UK construction industry

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Published: Mar 4, 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v13i1.3174
Keywords:
Social network analysis, Project organisations, Integration, Knowledge integration, Construction industry

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Ximing Ruan
Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY
Edward Godfrey Ochieng
School of the Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF
Andrew David Freeman Price
Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK, LE11 3TU
Charles Egbu
School of the Built Environment, University of Salford

Abstract

The Social Network Analysis (SNA) has been adopted in the UK construction management research and generated meaningful insights in analysing project management organisations from network perspectives. As an effective tool, social network analysis has been used to analyse information and knowledge flow between construction project teams which is considered as foundation for collaborative working and subsequently improving overall performance. Social network analysis is based on an assumption of the importance of relationships among interacting units. The social network perspective encompasses theories, models and applications that are expressed in terms of relational concepts or processes. Many believe, moreover, that the success or failure of organisations often depends on the patterning of their internal structure. This paper reviewed existing literatures on SNA applications in construction industry from three leading construction management journals.  From the review, the research proposed some advance in the application of SNA in the construction industry.

 

Article Details

How to Cite
Ruan, X., Ochieng, E. G., Price, A. D. F., & Egbu, C. (2013). Time for a real shift to relations: appraisal of Social Network Analysis applications in the UK construction industry. Construction Economics and Building, 13(1), 92-105. https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v13i1.3174
Issue
Vol. 13 No. 1 (2013): AJCEB
Section
Viewpoints (Peer reviewed)
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Edward Godfrey Ochieng, School of the Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF

Senior Lecturer in project management. Edward’s research is focussed on construction project management. He has presented at national and international conferences, such as Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM), Australian Universities Building Educators Association (AUBEA), CIB World Congress, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and International World of Construction Project Management where he has shared his knowledge on ‘Project Complexity, Project Performance and Project Team Integration’. Edward has published one book and over 40 refereed papers. He has extensive research experience relating to people and organisational challenges and solution development for managing large capital and heavy engineering projects. He has 2 PhD completion, and is currently supervising 4 PhD students on project related topics (Risk Management, Agile, Knowledge Management and Sustainability).

Andrew David Freeman Price, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK, LE11 3TU

a Professor of Project Management with over 30 years design, construction and industry-focused research experience including several large collaborative research projects and centres. He has graduated 48 PhD/EngDoc students from 25 countries and acted as External Examiner at 12 Universities as well as a Visiting Professor at four overseas Universities. Andrew has published 6 Books and over 300 papers in refereed journals and conferences. He has been a principal or co-investigator on 24 completed research projects. He was a Co-investigator on SUEMoT Consortia (£1.6M) and Loughborough’s IMCRC with access to research funds (£13M) over the past 10 years. Andrew is currently Co-Director of the EPSRC funded (£13M over 7 years) HaCIRIC. He has been a member of 11 DETR/DoE/DTI/CIRIA Steering Groups and 9 European Construction Institute Steering Groups and Task Forces dealing with major project performance in the heavy engineering sector.

Charles Egbu, School of the Built Environment, University of Salford

Professor Charles Egbu holds the Chair in Project Management and Strategic Management in Construction at the University of Salford, England, UK. He is Associate Head for Research and Innovation, and Director of the Management in Construction Centre at the University of Salford. His First Degree was in Quantity Surveying [First Class Honours] – Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, and he worked briefly as a site Quantity Surveyor for a large UK construction company. His Doctorate was obtained from the University of Salford, UK, in the area of Construction Management.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS); a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB), a Fellow of theAssociation for Project Management (FAPM), a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (FRSA), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). He is also a Director and member of the Board of Trustees for the Association for Project Management (APM), and Chairman of the Professional Standards and Knowledge (PS&K) committee of the Association for Project Management.

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