Some Approaches to Managing Flexibility in Construction Projects

• Published in: Global journal of flexible systems management 2008, Vol.9 (1), p.21-26
• Main Authors: Pundir, Ashok K., Ganapathy, L., Sambandam, N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Best practice; Business and Management; Construction; Contingency planning; Decision making; Flexibility; PERT; Planning; Project management; Research Paper; Researchers; Studies; Success factors
• ISSN: 0972-2696; 0974-0198
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03396535

In recent years, flexibility has attracted the attention of management researchers in different contexts. In this paper, we explore the use of flexibility in managing construction projects. Traditional management of construction projects has emphasized the importance of rigidity and control at various stages like planning, scheduling, resource allocation and monitoring. Such rigidity is derived from network based tools like PERT / CPM and their numerous derivatives. Such rigid tools and techniques pose difficulties in implementation when the scope of work and the environment of execution are dynamic and when the underlying assumptions of network-based models are no longer valid in a shifting context. Several researchers have found that for such situations, flexibility in managing the construction project can lead to its successful execution. The present paper provides a bird’s-eye view of different aspects of flexibility and highlights some of the issues involved in applying flexibility in practice. The application of these ideas is illustrated through a real-life case study.