Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm 13th Edition Laudon, Jane Price; Laudon, Kenneth C - Solutions

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Prepare a punch list of items needing to be remedied for a classroom, laboratory, your place of residence or some other building or room. For each item, note the date, the type of deficiency and the party you believe should be responsible for fixing the defect. Provide a space for recording when
The project closeout and termination phase can be approached as a project in itself. Prepare a schedule network depicting the relationships among the various activities that may take place during this phase, based on the information in this chapter and your general knowledge of the construction
A contract required a construction project to be completed by 15 September. The owner’s representative directed the contractor to suspend operations for the months of June and July and the completion date was revised to 15 November. Is that change appropriate? Discuss and defend your answer.
One item on a unit-price bridge construction project was a continuous concrete protection wall, which the successful tenderer priced at US$ 18 per linear metre. The contractor used a slip-forming method for the wall, rather than a set of fixed forms as anticipated by the owner. Because the
Distinguish between a dispute review board and an arbitration panel. Could both be used on the same project? If so, under what circumstances?
Review the dispute resolution section of a construction contract in your area. Write a brief report on the steps the contractor must take in pursuing a dispute.
Review the claims section of a construction contract in your area. Write a brief report on the steps the contractor must take in presenting a claim.
As the newly hired Information Technology Manager for XYZ Contractors, you have been tasked with the job of implementing project-specific websites on your company’s projects.Prepare a list of 10 action items you must accomplish during your first three months on the job.
Visit the Project Management Center website. Select three providers of project website software. Identify and compare the features of each.
If you were to design a document management system for a construction project, you might begin by developing a tree diagram, similar to a work breakdown structure, in which major categories of documents were subdivided into a series of hierarchies. Sketch the beginning of such a diagram and show
Talk with a contractor in your area about the concept of value engineering. Have them describe a project in which they developed a value engineering proposal. If they have not participated formally in a value engineering process, have them tell you about a project which they believe could have been
In a measure-and-value (unit-price) contract, a common provision stipulates that the unit prices for items whose actual quantities are more than some stated percentage (such as 25%)greater than or less than the estimated quantities will be considered for renegotiation. This means, for example, that
Design a submittal log, indicating the required column headings; show how this fits into the procurement schedule.
Draw a flowchart that tracks the management of a certain material or piece of permanent equipment from the time the procurement process begins until the item(s) is (are) installed and inspected. Pick a specific item such as structural steel or motor control centres or gravel fill. Make assumptions
Discuss specific ways by which the contractor’s supervisory personnel can positively influence four of the factors affecting jobsite labour productivity identified in the text.
One way of defining inflation in the construction industry is to measure the difference between the increase in the cost of a worker and the increase in the productivity of that worker. If a worker is able to increase their productivity at the same rate as their wage increases, there is no
Discuss with a contractor in your locality the environmental laws and regulations which affect its work. What penalties can be levied for violations?
For a construction project with which you are familiar, select four of the environmental issues subject to monitoring and control described in the text (or others that are of special importance on this project) and tell how the contractor might monitor and control them.
According to the text, prime responsibility for jobsite safety should be assigned to a toplevel field supervisor. Write a brief job description for this person and tell where the position should be placed in the project organisation chart.
For each item in the list of common construction site hazards in Table 6.4, describe one type of accident that might happen, a possible injury that could result and one action the contractor might take to protect the worker or the public against the hazard.
Obtain construction accident statistics for your country or region similar to those in Table 6.3 and Figures 6.3 and 6.4. Compare your statistics with those in the chapter and comment on similarities and differences and the likely reasons for these similarities and differences.
Distinguish between a contracting organisation’s company-wide quality management programme and a plan that would be used a specific project. Who prepares each? Who is charge of implementing each?
Design a progress payment form that could be used with the unit-price contract whose unit price schedule is shown in Table 4.4. Assume the following quantities have been completed as of the end of the month for which payment is sought: clearing and grubbing, 0.75;unclassified excavation, 13 050;
We noted in our discussion of Table 6.1 that a quick study of the quantity and cost information could yield important facts about the general status of the project. List those work items that were begun and completed in week one, those that were begun in week one and completed in week two, those
Write a paragraph that summarises the cost and schedule status at the end of the 10th working day for the wastewater system installation project you studied in Questions 1–7, including any recommendations you wish to offer.
Based on information in Question 2, find the estimated total cost of the project at completion and the estimated cost variance at completion.
Calculate the cost variance and the schedule variance for the project analysed in Questions 3, 4 and 5. What conclusions do you draw from these variances?
Based on information in Question 2, find the actual cost of work performed.
Based on information in Question 2, find the budgeted cost of work performed as of the end of the 10th working day.
Based on the information in Question 1, find the budgeted cost of work scheduled as of the end of the 10th working day, assuming that all activities are scheduled to start and finish at their early times. Assume that the cost of each activity is spread evenly over its duration.
Assume the project in Question 1 has progressed to the end of the 10th working day. The following status information is available for each activity.Update the network schedule. Identify the critical path. What is the remaining project duration, based on this analysis? Is the project behind, ahead
(This question reviews some of the materials in Chapter 5.) The programme and budget for a wastewater system installation project is based on the following activities, precedences, durations and cost estimates.(a) Prepare an activity-on-node network schedule diagram for this project. In each node,
List some of your ideas for assuring that the construction industry in your area will have adequately trained operatives to perform construction work for the workload expected in the next 5 years.
Find out about trends in construction collective bargaining in your country or region in the past 10 years. What proportion of construction work is done by merit or open shop contractors?How has this proportion changed? What are some reasons for the changes, if any?
Interview a local construction manager to determine the organisation structure for a current or recent project worksite. Does the project have a chart that depicts this organisation? If so, try to obtain a copy. If not, try to create one from the information you glean at your interview. How does
List five other topics that might be considered during subcontractor negotiations, in addition to those given in the text.
List several arguments in favour of centralised purchasing of all materials for a construction project and several arguments in favour of having individual projects do all of their own purchasing. Which do you tend to prefer? Why?
For the bridge construction project whose cross-section is shown in Figure 5.6, sketch a possible site layout plan, incorporating ideas from the section on ‘organising the worksite’.Because very little is given about this project, make some assumptions and state them in your answer.
A contractor is planning the budget and cash flow for a 12-month project with the following estimated costs per month.(a) Calculate and plot the cumulative cost per month.The ‘value’ of the project works will be 130% of the costs. That is, the margin is 30%in addition to the costs given
Observe a construction project and note the various repetitive operations. Write a brief report on your findings. Do you believe a modelling analysis could improve this operation? Why or why not?
What actions might be taken to save even more time than the result of your revised analysis in Question 8? How much time do you think you could save?
The sidewalk construction project in Question 7 is a very linear project, with very few parallel sequences of activities. Thus, its schedule often has only one activity underway at any one time. A somewhat shorter programme might be achieved by phasing the work in the following way. Divide the
The construction of a sidewalk project consists of the activities given below.Note that there is a lag of 10 working days between the completion of ‘place concrete’ and the beginning of ‘strip forms’.(a) Draw an activity-on-node schedule network diagram for this project.(b) Calculate the
The schedule in Figure 5.13 is rather inefficient because it shows that no activity will take place while the pier concrete cures. Discuss several ways to make this schedule more efficient.
In the footing construction schedule in Figure 5.10, suppose we could arrange to procure the reinforcing steel in 1 day, thus reducing that activity’s duration by 3 days. How much would this modification change the project duration if nothing else were changed? Why?
For the work breakdown structure in Figure 5.7, select either the north abutment footing or the concrete deck element and create more detail by adding two more levels to the hierarchy.
Develop a work breakdown structure for the concrete wall project shown in Figure 4.5. Your answer is not required to correspond to the work items in this ‘project’s’ cost estimate.
Find a tender (bid) bond and a performance or payment bond for a project in your area and compare their wordings to those found in the text. What are the significant differences?
Interview a general contractor in your area to determine what permits, consents and licences are required for a typical project carried out by this contractor.
Describe an alternative way to incorporate equipment costs into the embankment and roadway estimate in Table 4.3. Which way do you prefer? Why?
Suppose the actual quantities for the project in Table 4.4 are as shown below.Find the total amount the contractor will be paid for this project, using (a) the original balanced unit prices, and (b) the unbalanced unit prices given in Question 14, assuming no renegotiation of unit prices. Item
Consider the unit price schedule in Table 4.4. If we consider this schedule to represent a‘balanced’ tender, an ‘unbalanced’ tender might use the following unit prices for unclassified excavation and asphalt concrete respectively: US$ 13.06 and US$ 119.19, with no changes to any other unit
If a contractor decides to prepare a tender for the warehouse project in Question 9, what will be the primary considerations in deciding how large a figure to add for markup?
Based on any assumptions you wish to make, prepare a bar chart for a preliminary project schedule for the warehouse project in Question 9. Include about 15 tasks in your schedule.
Explain the differences between the cost estimate in Question 9 and a final cost estimate for this same project. List 20 items whose quantities might be needed in developing a final cost estimate for this project. (You will need to make some assumptions about the kinds of materials that have been
For what purpose might the estimate in Question 9 be prepared?
Suppose a cost estimate is needed for a 20 m × 35 m single-storey warehouse with a flat roof and two 20 lm interior partitions. Exterior and interior walls are 6 m high. Explain how one would prepare a panel unit cost estimate. Calculate the appropriate quantities. Set up a table, with proper
Find an on-line source that advertises construction tender opportunities, such as the New Zealand Tenders Gazette. List the kinds of information that are commonly included in each listing.
Perform calculations to verify quantities in Table 4.1 for Item 5 – backfill, Item 9 – wall forms – place and remove, Item 10 – wall reinforcement and Item 12 – wall concrete.
Pick one aspect of the marine docking facility project in Question 3, such as piling installation or mining and placing gravel over frozen ground for a roadway. Identify several of the possible methods that might be studied in the constructability analysis.
Prepare an outline for the method statement a prospective contractor in Question 3 might prepare prior to developing its detailed cost estimate.
For the project in Question 3, identify five especially important factors to be considered by a prospective contractor as it investigates whether to submit a tender.
An owner and its design professional will pre-qualify general contractors for a remote marine docking facility in Northern Canada. What factors should be included in the prequalification criteria?
You need to develop a cost per cubic metre, including operator, for a truck operation, to be used in preparing a tender and, if the tender is successful, in the subsequent monitoring and control of costs. The truck will be leased for US$ 450 per week, without operator. It is expected to be operated
Make a brief study of methods for placing concrete for sub-sea bridge pier foundations.Describe each method including required equipment, list advantages and limitations of each and tell how a contractor might decide, during its constructability analysis, which method will be used.
Find an invitation to tender (‘invitation to bid’) in the classified advertising section of your local newspaper or a construction trade magazine. List the various pieces of information contained in the invitation and compare them with those discussed in the text.
Obtain the contract documents for a recent or current construction project in your area.(a) List the major divisions in the technical specification section and one specific item in each.(b) Note three specific items in the general conditions.(c) Note three specific items in the special
A website (Davis Langdon Australasia, 2002) gives international cost comparison data for the third quarter of 2000 for average standard high-rise office buildings, as follows:Auckland, 732; Hong Kong, 1430; Singapore, 950; Kuala Lumpur, 425; Manila, 600;Johannesburg, 320; San Francisco, 890;
What costs are omitted from Table 3.2 that the developer of a potential project would need to consider?
Answer Question 8 if the assumed occupancy rate is 90%.
For the parking garage in Questions 6 and 7, suppose your client is considering investing in the facility and desires a 12% annual rate of return on their investment. If the garage has a service life of 30 years and no salvage value at the end of 30 years, determine the required daily rental rate
For the parking garage in Question 6, make a rough estimate of the annual cost of operating and maintaining the facility, assuming that spaces will be rented daily to vehicle owners. List the various elements of annual cost and their amounts.
Prepare a conceptual cost estimate for the construction of a three-storey concrete parking garage containing spaces for 120 vehicles, to be built in your area. You will need to obtain a unit cost per vehicle space from an appropriate source. To the cost of the structure, add the estimated cost of
List some constructability issues that might be considered for the gas pipeline project in Question 3.
For the gas pipeline project in Question 3, what sorts of alternatives might be studied at various stages of the planning and design phase?
You have been engaged as the project manager by the owner of a proposed 90 km natural gas pipeline that would be located in a rural and suburban area. Two early tasks will be the production of a project brief and the development of a programme statement. List several items that will be included in
Perform calculations to confirm the weighted score of 4.89 for Apex Consultants in Table 3.1. How would the ranking of the five firms change if each of the nine criteria was weighted equally?
Interview a design professional in your community.(a) In what types of projects is this person involved?(b) How do they define the stages of the planning and design process?(c) Are outside consultant specialists used? What factors are considered in decisions about the use of outside versus in-house
The section on design–build includes the following statement: ‘ . . . one of the primary reasons for low productivity in the construction industry is the lack of integration of activities across the project life cycle.’ Based on what you know so far, list several means by which better
Can a cost-plus contract ever be favourable to both owner and contractor? If so, under what circumstances?
Interview a local general contractor to determine the proportion of its contracts that are lump sum, unit price, cost plus and time and materials. Try to find out whether this contractor prefers one over the others.
The text described a cost-plus-fixed-fee construction contract for which the estimated sum of all reimbursable costs was £15 000 000 and the fixed fee was £1 800 000. The guaranteed maximum price (costs plus fee) was £17 500 000. Any savings in costs below the target of £15 250 000 was to be
Distinguish between a time-and-materials contract and a cost-plus contract.
Suppose you are invited to consider performing a pile-driving contract, where the steel piles are to be driven to refusal. Subsurface soil data is incomplete and not trustworthy. What type of construction contract would you prefer? Why?
List several projects, real or hypothetical, for which a joint venture might be well suited to carry out the construction work. For each, suggest the special strengths that each joint venture partner would contribute to the project.
Draw a relationship chart for a project that uses an agency construction manager and multiple prime contractors.
Is it better that a design–build organisation be led by a designer or a contractor? Why?
Visit a local building site and try to determine the number and types of subcontracts that are in active use. How might the number of subcontracts vary with different types of construction?
List several potential risks that will be assumed by the sponsor of a build–own–operate–transfer project. Identify those risks on your list that would not fall upon a design–build organisation if such a project were transferred to the owner upon completion of construction.
Would the design professional tend to prefer the agency or the at-risk construction manager project delivery system? Why? Answer these two questions again from the point of view of the owner and from the point of view of the construction manager.
Clarify the differences between the construction manager and the project manager delivery systems. Under what circumstances would one be preferable to the other, from the owner’s point of view?
Which type of project delivery system might be best suited to a phased construction schedule? Why?
Answer question 1 if the project is an ore-processing facility in a remote equatorial region.
An owner is contemplating the design and construction of a high-rise apartment building in your region’s capital city. Identify potential appropriate project delivery systems and construction contract options. Which might be preferred? Why?
Each phase in the construction project life cycle utilises the talents of various members of the project team. For each of the six phases described in the text, indicate the people with primary roles. In addition, indicate the role you might play, if any, in each phase at some point in your career.
Another way to characterise an area’s construction activity is to look at the number of building consents (also called building permits or building approvals) issued by public authorities. For two or more countries or regions in which you are interested, obtain such statistics for the past
Try to find statistics on the amount of construction carried out in your region, broken down by type of construction or type of contractor. Compare this information with that given in the text and discuss possible reasons for similarities and differences.
Seek statistics on the construction industry in your country or region, similar to those given in the chapter, for proportion of the economy and firm size. Identify any significant differences between your numbers and those in the text and suggest possible reasons for the differences. A likely
Draw a chart that depicts the various categories of construction described in the text. For eachcategory, name an example project in your area.
2. What made SAP a logical partner for Grace’s upgrade?

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Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm 13th Edition Laudon, Jane Price; Laudon, Kenneth C - Solutions

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