Matching Items (22)
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- All Subjects: management
- Creators: Sullivan, Kenneth
Description
Standardized processes for training and accountability, for an Environmental Services department within a healthcare system, were implemented to see the impact they would have on key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPIs involved infection rate for hospital acquired Clostridium Difficile (CDI), cleaning verification compliance, patient satisfaction, concerning the cleaning of their environment, and employee turnover. The results show that standardizing training and an accountability measure can have a significant impact on turnover, contribute to the reduction in CDI cases, ensure cleaning is performed at a high level and that the patient perception requires additional tools to meet their expectations on a consistent basis.
ContributorsZiffer, Steven (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Smithwick, Jake (Committee member) / Lines, Brian (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
ABSTRACT
The current Saudi Arabian (SA) procurement system leads to many losses in money and benefits in projects. Also, the use of the traditional procurement system in SA has been identified as one of the causes for poor performance in the delivery of construction and the major risk to the SA government. A questionnaire has been developed and carefully designed based on literature review. The purpose of the survey was to identify the validity of the recent claims that the procurement system in SA is broken and to improve the current SA procurement system. The questionnaire was sent out to 1,396 participants including included 867 engineers, 256 consultants, 93 contractors, 35 owners and 132 architects and 13 academics.
All participants have been registered and licensed professionals at the SA Council for professional engineers, who work in both private and public sectors. The participants are interested in the SA procurement and contracts system with experience ranging from one to more than twenty-five years with the majority of twenty-five years of experience in common construction sectors such as; residential and commercial buildings, healthcare buildings, industrial building and heavy civil construction.
Most of the participants from both private and public sectors agreed with the survey questions subject matter regarding: zone price proposals, contractors' evaluation, risks, planning, projects' scope, owners concern and weekly risks reports (WRR). The survey results showed that the procurement system is the major risk to projects, affects construction projects negatively and is in need of improvement.
Based on the survey and literature review, a model, called Saudi government performance procurement model (SGPPM), has been developed in which the most expert contractor is chosen through four phases: submittals& education, vendors selection, illustration and execution. The resulting model is easy to implement by SA government and does not require special skills or backgrounds.
The current Saudi Arabian (SA) procurement system leads to many losses in money and benefits in projects. Also, the use of the traditional procurement system in SA has been identified as one of the causes for poor performance in the delivery of construction and the major risk to the SA government. A questionnaire has been developed and carefully designed based on literature review. The purpose of the survey was to identify the validity of the recent claims that the procurement system in SA is broken and to improve the current SA procurement system. The questionnaire was sent out to 1,396 participants including included 867 engineers, 256 consultants, 93 contractors, 35 owners and 132 architects and 13 academics.
All participants have been registered and licensed professionals at the SA Council for professional engineers, who work in both private and public sectors. The participants are interested in the SA procurement and contracts system with experience ranging from one to more than twenty-five years with the majority of twenty-five years of experience in common construction sectors such as; residential and commercial buildings, healthcare buildings, industrial building and heavy civil construction.
Most of the participants from both private and public sectors agreed with the survey questions subject matter regarding: zone price proposals, contractors' evaluation, risks, planning, projects' scope, owners concern and weekly risks reports (WRR). The survey results showed that the procurement system is the major risk to projects, affects construction projects negatively and is in need of improvement.
Based on the survey and literature review, a model, called Saudi government performance procurement model (SGPPM), has been developed in which the most expert contractor is chosen through four phases: submittals& education, vendors selection, illustration and execution. The resulting model is easy to implement by SA government and does not require special skills or backgrounds.
ContributorsAlofi, Ahmed Abdulrahman (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis advisor) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Committee member) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The purpose of this paper is to present a case study on the application of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) quality improvement methodology and tools to study the analysis and improvement of facilities management (FM) services at a healthcare organization. Research literature was reviewed concerning whether or not LSS has been applied in healthcare-based FM, but no such studies have been published. This paper aims to address the lack of an applicable methodology for LSS intervention within the context of healthcare-based FM. The Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) framework was followed to test the hypothesis that LSS can improve the service provided by an FM department responsible for the maintenance and repair of furniture and finishes at a large healthcare organization in the southwest United States of America. Quality improvement curricula and resources offered by the case study organization equipped the FM department to apply LSS over the course of a five-month period. Qualitative data were gathered from pre- and post-intervention surveys while quantitative data were gathered with the Organization’s computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software. Overall, LSS application proved to be useful for the intended purpose. The author proposes that application of LSS by other FM departments to improve their services could also be successful, which is noteworthy and deserving of continued research.
ContributorsShirey, William T (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Smithwick, Jake (Committee member) / Lines, Brian (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The practice of Facility Condition Assessments (FCA’s) has received academic attention with over 20 condition assessment methodologies to date, focusing on condition gradients and scale ratings. However, little attention has been brought to the life cycle of an FCA, specifically how building owners and managers plan and conduct an FCA. FCA methodologies in academic research are complex, sophisticated and require time for implementation that a typical facility manager does not have. This work showcases the need for simpler, more practical planning variables for a facility manager to begin the process of planning for an FCA in their management of a facilities portfolio. This research is a compilation of two national studies, the creation of an FCA project lifecycle analytical framework, and the creation of an organizational FCA maturity self-assessment model. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews from facility managers and facility condition assessment service providers to gain in-depth insight and understanding of the current practice of facility condition assessments in the facility management profession. This data was used to develop national surveys for both facility owners/managers and FCA service providers. An FCA project delivery model was developed through a Delphi study, representing an FCA project lifecycle. The development of a multi-phased FCA project delivery method provides a relative position and sequence of phases representing an FCA project lifecycle. An organizational FCA maturity self-assessment model was created as the first step for organizations to measure their current state of FCA awareness, FCA practice, state of reliability, asset knowledge posture and historical capital spending. The resulting research makes two distinct contributions to the literature. The first contribution is the sequencing of FCA project phases provides an analytic framework for understanding an FCA project lifecycle, providing owners, FCA practitioners and researchers to acknowledge that an FCA project represents a lifecycle model. The second contribution is an FCA planning tool for building owners and managers that allows an organization to bring to light the current state of FCA awareness and help communicate the value proposition FCA’s can afford to an organization. Recommendations for future research on the role of an FCA are provided.
ContributorsHillestad, Derek (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Ayer, Steven (Committee member) / Hurtado, Kristen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Facilities Management is a service that should follow economic concepts of “value added” and “cost-effectiveness.” Facilities sites and campuses can be divided into geographic facilities maintenance zones to improve response time, coordination of trades, customer service, and the ownership or accountability of technicians. Facilities zone maintenance teams of multi-trade technicians can work together in a dynamic partnership to significantly reduce costs and do more with less. Six months of field research, case studies, and crew balance analysis of primary quantitative data was used to deductively evaluate the effectiveness of the zone maintenance model. To fill gaps in skilled labor, reduce maintenance costs, and increase available skilled labor capacity the maintenance zone implemented a strategy to better utilize and schedule the labor of unskilled entry level maintenance technicians. A teamwork approach was also used to share the collective multi-trade workload and allow the zone maintenance crew to accomplish more than individual technicians could do alone.
A comprehensive literature review revealed an alarming lack of facilities management research and the vast disconnect between academic assumptions and practical real-world applications. It is evident from the case studies that more effective utilization of unskilled labor and harnessing the unique capacity of a multi-trade team are important competitive advantages of the facilities zone maintenance model. These intangible contributions and the value added to the organization can be measured and quantified through careful data collection and analysis. These studies are a reminder that significant maintenance cost savings can be achieved by eliminating labor waste and crew scheduling inefficiencies. Value can be added to the organization by reducing these and other intangible costs by focusing on continuous improvement, productivity, efficiency, and effective workflow.
ContributorsMathews, Paul (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Hurtado, Kristen (Committee member) / Standage, Richard (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Research findings have shown that many computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) are largely underutilized, often leading to the loss of efficiencies in the organization’s maintenance program. A literature review is presented of the available research in CMMS and of operations and management roles in a maintenance program. In addition, research was conducted around CMMS users to identify if any misalignments exist between management and operations. The articles selected for review offer a variety of perspectives, considerations, instructions, and noted failures involved with implementation, day to day use and reporting expectations. Through conducting a survey of both management and operations this paper will show how management and operations conceptions of CMMS vary, even greatly in some areas. The objective of this research is to gain an in-depth perspective from CMMS in all roles and analyze where utilizations vary. This information will then be utilized to understand possible misconceptions between roles, leading to inaccuracies and sub-par outcomes of proposed CMMS implementations.
ContributorsRennert, Andrew William (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Stone, Brian (Committee member) / Smithwick, Jake (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology extend beyond performing clash detection and avoiding installation issues among subcontractors. When properly budgeted and fully integrated into the pre-construction work-flow, BIM technology can improve the accuracy of estimates and reduce material as well as labor costs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze BIM-related budgeting practices and explore options for optimizing BIM budgeting strategy as well as integrating BIM technology into an estimating strategy. The methodology chosen was a case study. A study of an electrical contractor was conducted using BIM budgeting data based on actual and estimated figures for 245 jobs completed in the years 2015-2019. A review of literature was conducted for the purpose of researching current options with regard to the implementation of BIM as part of estimation, its associated financial cost, and the challenges faced in adapting existing frameworks to meet new demands. It was observed that the current resources allocated for BIM are under-utilized on an aggregate basis. It was also observed that the budget for these resources is sometimes exceeded for larger projects and frequently, grossly under-utilized for smaller projects. There is a strong correlation between contract value and project type, suggesting that contract value is a primary predictor of BIM requirements. The review of literature suggests what employee skills are most necessary for integrating BIM with estimating: the ability to perform accurate takeoffs from BIM models, evaluate the cost of materials that are typically not modeled or appear poorly in the model, the ability to work with a variety of BIM software, the ability to know if a model is accurate, and an understanding of how the model interacts with other aspects of the construction process. It also discusses the challenges faced when adopting BIM in estimation. This paper contributes to the field of construction management by expanding the body of research for the BIM budgeting strategy in electrical contracting; an area of research which is not well developed. The data analyzed from this single electrical contractor provides the basis for an exploratory case study that contributes to the development of a conceptual framework for accurate BIM budgeting, where no such framework had previously existed.
ContributorsBalmer, Steven Thomas (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Smithwick, Jake (Committee member) / Stone, Brian (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become readily available for both the average consumer and professional due to decreases in price and increases in technological capabilities. This work ventured to explore the feasible use of UAV-technology in the area of roof analysis for facilities management purposes and contrast it to traditional techniques of inspection. An underlying goal of this work was two-fold. First, it was to calculate the upfront cost of investing in appropriate UAV equipment and training for a typical staff member to become proficient at doing such maintenance work in the practice of actual roof inspections on a sample set of roofs. Secondly, it was to compare the value of using this UAV method of investigation to traditional practices of inspecting roofs manually by personally viewing and walking roofs. The two methods for inspecting roofs were compared using various metrics, including time, cost, value, safety, and other relevant measurables. In addition to the study goals, this research was able to identify specific benefits and hazards for both methods of inspection through empirical trials. These points illustrate the study as Lessons Learned from the experience, which may be of interest to those Facilities Managers who are considering investing resources in UAV training and equipment for industrial purposes. Overall, this study helps to identify the utility of UAV technology in a well-established professional field in a way that has not been previously conducted in academia.
ContributorsBodily, Jordan (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Smithwick, Jake (Committee member) / Stone, Brian (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
The objective of this thesis is to explore the applicability and impact of specific tools within the public school facilities management sector. Tools assessed include a work order system, block scheduling, and a priority matrix. These tools assist with the management of staff assignments and workload, focused scheduling methods, and decision enhancement for task-level employees. The author found that application of these systems increase productivity within public sector schools. The use of these tools also increases customer satisfaction and reduces costs. The author also explores the challenges associated with these tools.
ContributorsBennett, Freeda (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Stone, Brian (Committee member) / Standage, Richard (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
The workforce demographics are changing as a large portion of the population is approaching retirement and thus leaving vacancies in the construction industry. Succession planning is an aspect of talent management which aims to mitigate instability faced by a company when a new successor fills a vacancy. Research shows that in addition to a diminishing pool of available talent, the industry does not have widespread, empirically tested and implemented models that lead to effective successions. The objective of this research was to create a baseline profile for succession planning in the construction industry by identifying currently implemented best practices. The author interviewed six companies of varying sizes and demographics within the construction industry and compared their succession planning methodologies to identify any common challenges and practices. Little consensus between the companies was found. The results of the interviews were then compared to current research literature, but even here, little consensus was found. In addition, companies lacked quantitative performance metrics demonstrating the effectiveness, or ineffectiveness, of their current succession planning methodologies. The authors recommended that additional research is carried out to focus on empirical evidence and measurement of industry practices surrounding talent identification, development, and transition leading to succession.
ContributorsGunnoe, Jake A (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Wiezel, Avi (Committee member) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015