Developing a benchmarking system for architecture design firms
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 11 February 2019
Issue publication date: 11 February 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry’s business model is mainly based on the interaction among the architecture office, the engineering office and the construction company. The performance and practices of architects’ offices, unlike those of the other actors, are difficult to characterize and there have been few studies on these issues. To better understand architects’ performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop a benchmarking tool based on real practices identified by managers of Chilean architecture offices.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method includes a complete literature review, followed by a study of a sample of nine Chilean architecture offices, with whom a series of four workshops was developed, to establish both performance indicators and relevant management practices. Finally, these metrics were applied in an architectural office as a pilot case.
Findings
Four management dimensions were defined: client management, external coordination, internal organization and human resources. Key performance indicators were divided into process, financial and quality indicators. The workshops carried out with the architectural offices demonstrated the relevance of benchmarking tools such as the one developed, which enables the systematic measurement of both management practices and performance indicators.
Originality/value
Although there have been several efforts to create benchmarking tools for the construction industry, few efforts have focused on architecture offices. Therefore, this research aims to explicitly identify management practices that can be used for this type of organization and to coordinate among multiple actors to find the best way to measure their performance, other than the fulfilment of schedules and budgets.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the funding and support provided by CORFO (The Clover, Engineering 2030, PUC-USM), GEPUC, and FONDECYT (1181648) to develop this research. R.F. Herrera acknowledge to VRI Scholarship from Universidad Católica de Chile and CONICYT – PCHA/ National Doctorate/2018 – 21180884 for funding the graduate research.
Citation
Salvatierra, J.L., Gálvez, M.Á., Bastías, F., Castillo, T., Herrera, R.F. and Alarcón, L.F. (2019), "Developing a benchmarking system for architecture design firms", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 139-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-05-2018-0211
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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