Communications and coordination in construction projects

Abstract

Coordination can be seen as a process of managing resources in an organized manner so that a higher degree of operational efficiency can be achieved for a given project. Social network matrices are constructed using different centrality measures. These measurements are used to explore the association between network centrality and coordination for a construction project. Network centrality affects the ability of an individual to coordinate the actions of others. The following questions guide this study: What is the effect of network centrality on coordination? How is the actor's ability to coordinate projects related to his or her structural position in the communications network? Multi‐layered test designs were developed to explore this relationship in a project‐based coordination of Dabhol Power Company Construction company and Azurix Corporation. There are three major findings from this analysis. First, centrally positioned actors show more coordinative activity. Second, the betweenness index of centrality is the most potent predicate for coordination. Last, the influence of an actor is associated with coordination more than the actor's prominence.

Keywords:

• Communications
• coordination
• network centrality
• social network analysis.