Paul Van Dyke works in many languages and archives to uncover the history of Peark River trade. This two-volume work is likely to be the most definitive reference work on the major trading families of Guangzhou.

Lean Project Delivery and Integrated Practices in Modern Construction is the new and enhanced edition of the pioneering book Modern Construction by Lincoln H. Forbes and Syed M. Ahmed. This book provides a multi-faceted approach for applying lean methodologies to improve design and construction processes. Recognizing the wide diversity in the landscape of projects, and encompassing private and public sector activity, buildings and infrastructure, the book expands upon the detailed coverage of integrated project delivery and new lean tools and techniques to include: Greater emphasis on the importance of creating a lean culture and the initiatives required to transform the industry; Expanded discussions of the foundational writings in lean construction theory; Exploration of the synergies between "lean" and "green" initiatives; Specific procedures for modifying planning and scheduling activities to improve the performance of the project team; Expanded sections on quality, and topics that have become a part of the lean lexicon, such as Choosing by Advantages, "line of balance"/location-based scheduling, virtual design teams, takt time planning and set-based design; Discussion questions for beginners and advanced lean practitioners; and Improved cross-referencing within the text to help the reader navigate the frameworks, techniques and tools to support the application of lean principles. The techniques described here enhance the use of resources, reducing waste, minimizing delays, increasing quality and reducing overall costs. They enable practitioners to improve the quality of the built environment, secure higher levels of customer/owner satisfaction, and simultaneously improve their profitability. This book is essential reading for all those wanting to be at the forefront of construction management and lean thinking.

Project management is a critical skill across a broad range of disciplines. Yet most people, regardless of educational background, have never received training in how to plan, manage, and execute projects. Project Management Essentials, Second Edition, is the go-to book for tried and true project management skills combined with the most current ideas from Agile in a concise, up-to-date, user-friendly format. It follows the project life cycle and provides several ready-to-use templates. Readers can use this book to plan and manage a project from start to finish or as a reference for help with one particular component of project management. Alongside each template is a brief description of what each template is and why it is useful, with an example to illustrate it.

During the past several decades, the manufacturing and service industries significantly increased their levels of productivity, quality, and profitability through the application of process improvement techniques and information technology. Unfortunately, the construction industry lags far behind in the application of performance improvement and optimization techniques, as well as its overall competitiveness. Written by Lincoln H. Forbes and Syed M. Ahmed, both highly regarded for leadership and innovation, Modern Construction: Lean Project Delivery and Integrated Practices offers cutting-edge lean tools and other productive strategies for the management of people and processes in the construction industry. Drs. Forbes and Ahmed focus mainly on lean construction methodologies, such as The Last Planner(R) System, The Lean Project Delivery System (TM), and Integrated Project Delivery(TM). The tools and strategies offered draw on the success of the world-renowned Toyota Production System (TPS) adapted to the construction environment by construction professionals and researchers involved in developing and advocating lean construction methods. The book also discusses why true lean construction can best occur when all the construction stakeholders, owners, designers, constructors, and material suppliers are committed to the concept of optimizing the flow of activities holistically while de-emphasizing their self-interest. The authors also reintroduce process improvement approaches such as TQM and Six Sigma as a foundation for the adoption of lean methodologies, and demonstrate how these methods can improve projects in a so-called traditional environment. The book integrates these methods with emerging interest in "green construction" and the use of information technology and Building Information Modeling (BIM), while recognizing the human element in relation to motivation, safety, and environmental stresses. Written specifically for professionals in an industry that desperately needs to play catch up, the book delineates cutting-edge approaches with the benefit of successful cases and explains how their deployment can improve construction performance and competitiveness.

The first edition published in 2010. The response was encouraging and many people appreciated a book that was dedicated to quality management in construction projects. Since it published, ISO 9000: 2008 has been revised and ISO 9000: 2015 has published. The new edition will focus on risk-based thinking which must be considered from the beginning and throughout the project life cycle. There are quality-related topics such as Customer Relationship, Supplier Management, Risk Management, Quality Audits, Tools for Construction Projects, and Quality Management that were not covered in the first edition. Furthermore, some figures and tables needed to be updated to make the book more comprehensive.

Paul Van Dyke works in many languages and archives to uncover the history of Peark River trade. This two-volume work is likely to be the most definitive reference work on the major trading families of Guangzhou.

Project management is of critical importance in construction, yetits execution poses major challenges. In order to keep a project ontrack, decisions often have to be made before all the necessaryinformation is available. Drawing on a wide range of research, Managing ConstructionProjects proposes new ways of thinking about project managementin construction, exploring the skills required to manageuncertainty and offering techniques for thinking about thechallenges involved. The second edition takes the informationprocessing perspective introduced in the first edition and developsit further. In particular, this approach deepens the reader’sunderstanding of the dynamics in the construction project process– from the value proposition inherent in the project mission,to the functioning asset that generates value for its owners andusers. Managing Construction Projects is a unique andindispensible contribution to the available literature onconstruction project management. It will be of particular benefitto advanced students of construction and construction projectmanagement, as well as contractors and quantity surveyors. Reviews of the First edition: "A massive review of the art and science of the management ofprojects that has the great virtue of being a good read wherever itis touched. It spills the dirt on things that went wrong,elucidates the history so you can understand the industry's currentstance, draws on other countries experience and explains the latestmanagement processes. Throughout it is liberally sprinkled withanecdotes and case histories which amply illustrate the dos anddon't for practitioners wishing to deliver projects on time toexpected quality and price. A valuable book for students andpractitioners alike." —John D Findlay, Director, Stent "This is a valuable source for practitioners and students. Itcovers the A-Z of project management in a confident contemporarymanner, and provides a powerful and much needed conceptualperspective in place of a purely prescriptive approach. Theengaging presentation introduces a range of challenges toestablished thinking about project management, often by makingcomparisons between practices in the UK and those of othercountries." —Peter Lansley, Professor of Construction Management,University of Reading "A refreshing and unique study of information management and itsimpact upon international construction project management.... Thebook is well presented and written, logical and succinct and isflexible enough to allow readers to either read from start tofinish or to dip into selected chapters. This book deserves to bean established text for any construction or civil engineering under- and/or postgraduate course." —CNBR, 25th November 2003 "Generous use is made of anecdotes andc case historiesthroughout to support the theory. the book illustrates the mistakesmade by others, and the means to deliver projects on time and tocost." —Building Services Journal, April 2004

Quality management is essential for facilitating the competitiveness of modern day commercial organisations. Excellence in quality management is a requisite for construction organisations who seek to remain competitive and successful. The challenges presented by competitive construction markets and large projects that are dynamic and complex necessitate the adoption and application of quality management approaches. This new edition of Construction Quality Management provides a comprehensive evaluation of quality management systems and tools. Their effectiveness in achieving project objectives is explored, as well as applications in corporate performance enhancement. Both the strategic and operational dimensions of quality assurance are addressed by focusing on providing models of best practice. The reader is supported throughout by concise and clear explanations and with self-assessment questions. Practical case study examples show how various evaluative-based quality management systems and tools have been applied. Subjects covered include: business objectives – the stakeholder satisfaction methodology organisational culture and Health and Safety quality philosophy evaluation of organisational performance continuous quality improvement and development of a learning organisation. New chapters consider the influence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on quality management. The text should be of interest to construction industry senior managers, practicing professionals and academics. It is also an essential resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of construction management, project management and business management courses.

This text provides readers with a complete overview of the construction industry. While looking at recent innovattions in technology and process, it explores the people that are part of the industry and how they work together.

Value Management is a philosophy, set of principles and a structured management methodology for improving organisational decision-making and value-for-money. The second edition builds on the success of the first edition by extending the integrated value philosophy, methodology and tool kit to describe the application of Value Management to the areas of service delivery, asset management, and, Programmes, in addition to Projects, products and processes. Value Management is a well-established methodology in the international construction industry, and in the UK has been endorsed as good practice in a range of government sponsored reports. In this book the authors have addressed the practical opportunities and difficulties of Value Management by synthesising the background, international developments, benchmarking and their own extensive consultancy and action research experience in Value Management to provide a comprehensive package of theory and practice. The second edition retains the structure of the first edition, covering methods and practices, frameworks of value and the future of value management. It has been thoroughly updated, and a number of new chapters added to encapsulate further extensions to current theory and practice. In particular, the new edition responds to: A range of recent UK industry and government publications; and most notably BS EN 16271:2012 - Value management: Functional expression of the need and functional performance specification; the imminent update of BS EN 12973:2000 Value Management; BS EN 1325 Value Management -- Vocabulary, Terms and definitions; the changes to "Value for Europe" governing the training and certification of Value Management in European Union countries; the UK Government’s Management of Value (MoV) initiative, together with other leading reports, international guidance and standards on Value Management. Research in Value Management undertaken since publication of the first edition. Changes in Value Management practice particularly in Programmes and Projects. Developments in the theory of value, principally value for money measures, whole life value option appraisal, and benefits realisation. Initiatives in asset management initiatives covering the management of physical infrastructure, for example the recent launch of a suite of three standards under the generic title of BS ISO 55000: 2014 Asset Management, and its predecessor BSI PAS55 2008 "Asset Management: Specification For The Optimized Management Of Physical Assets" The second edition contains a dedicated chapter of exemplar case studies drawn from the authors' experience, selected to demonstrate the new areas of theory and practice. An Appendix includes an extensive set of tools and techniques of use in Value Management practice. Construction clients, including those in both the public and private sectors, and professionals such as construction cost consultants, quantity surveyors, architects, asset managers, construction engineers, and construction managers will all find Value Management of Construction Projects to be essential reading. It will also be of interest to researchers and students on construction related courses in Higher Education -- particularly those at final year undergraduate and at Masters level.