20

A conceptual Framework for

managing constraints in the
Subm

construction projects
Jasna
MSC P
Manag
Unive
North
Stude

Su
Jasna
Unive
North
Stude
1
Abstract
Constraint in different working situation brings complications and difficulties in

project management. Priorities are diverse when our clients are from large organization like

public client or corporate client. Nevertheless, constraints in construction industry limit their

achievement of high performance. The theory of constraints advising that, managing all

system according to their constraints. Critical chain project management is one of an

application of theory of constraints (TOC) describing that, a project that means lots of chain

activities with duration as its core constraints. However, a project success is depending on

different characteristics and approaches. This research is attempted to examine constraints in

different types of construction project environment and apply the theory of constraints (TOC)

and critical chain project management consumptions (CCPM). If a better understanding of

constraints outlet, it is believed that better result can be achieved. At the present moment,

every client needs to be constructions are well discussed, but constraints have to be

understood in background. In this research I am going to identify and examine different

categories of constraints and the impact of these constraints to the construction project

management. For this research I am planning to use multiple structured and semi-structured

interviews, surveys and case studies as source of data collection. TOC thinking process logic

tools also plan to use identify the core constraints of management. I am believing that,

creating awareness to managing and controlling the constraints in construction working

environment for achieving high performance in the construction working environment.

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Contents
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
Constraints management:......................................................................................................................7
Problem statement...............................................................................................................................12
Objectives............................................................................................................................................13
Critical literature review......................................................................................................................14
Constraints and Constraints management:.......................................................................................17
Total Constraints management:........................................................................................................24
Research Process (Methodology):.......................................................................................................27
Research Philosophy........................................................................................................................28
Inductive and Deductive approach...................................................................................................29
Research Design..............................................................................................................................30
Sampling in research.......................................................................................................................31
Data analysis methods.....................................................................................................................32
Significance of Research.................................................................................................................33
Research Ethics...............................................................................................................................34
Findings and Discussion......................................................................................................................35
Technical Constraints......................................................................................................................36
Economic Constraints......................................................................................................................38
Legal constraints..............................................................................................................................39
Time constraints..............................................................................................................................40
Environmental constraints...............................................................................................................41
Social constraints.............................................................................................................................41
Design Constraints...........................................................................................................................42
Managerial Implications......................................................................................................................43
Theory of Constraints......................................................................................................................44
Critical Chain Project Management.................................................................................................47
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................49
Recommendations:..............................................................................................................................50
References...........................................................................................................................................52
Appendix A.........................................................................................................................................56
ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................2

3
 Constraints management:..................................................................................................................5
PROBLEM STATEMENT.........................................................................................................................10
OBJECTIVES..........................................................................................................................................11
CRITICAL LITRATRE REVIEW.................................................................................................................12
Constraints and Constraints management:......................................................................................15
Total Constraints management:.......................................................................................................24
Research Process (Methodology):.......................................................................................................25
Research Philosophy........................................................................................................................26
Inductive and Deductive approach..................................................................................................27
Research Design...............................................................................................................................28
Sampling in research........................................................................................................................29
Data analysis methods.....................................................................................................................30
Significance of Research..................................................................................................................31
Research Ethics................................................................................................................................32
Findings and Discussion.......................................................................................................................33
Design Constraints...........................................................................................................................34
Technical Constraints.......................................................................................................................35
Economic Constraints......................................................................................................................36
Legal constraints..............................................................................................................................37
Time constraints..............................................................................................................................38
Environmental constraints...............................................................................................................39
Social constraints.............................................................................................................................40
Managerial Implications......................................................................................................................41
Theory of Constraints......................................................................................................................42
Critical Chain Project Management.................................................................................................45
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................46
Recommendations:..............................................................................................................................47
References...........................................................................................................................................50
Appendix A..........................................................................................................................................54

Introduction
Every construction project is different and unique, that have own operating

environment, characteristics, and technical requirements. Every project works according to its

own specifications and requirements (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G. ,

4
2009). Hence every project faces some constraints according to the environment in which it

operates. Every project has to deal with these constraints. There are constraints in each and

every working environment (Pittman, P. H., 1994). These constraints are differing from one

working environment to another working environment. Although every project is different

from the other so does the nature of constraints faced by any project varies from project to

project (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

There is a little literature study on constraints in construction environment. That

involves multi-party participation. “Needs and constraints in a multi-party working situation

bring complication in project management. Different constraints like multiple stakeholders

associated with a project also contributes in creating obstacles in the completion of a project.

These can further develop into conflict and dispute, which bring cost consequence, direct and

indirect to clients and contractors and to the stakeholders of a particular project (Yates, 2002).

The project team members and managers meet clients’ needs and requirements in one side

and meanwhile defeat the constraints in other side. With the limited theory for the constraints

in the construction working environment, it is significant to find the potential constraints in

the construction project (Cox, J. F., 2003).

In order to decrease the likelihood of a project facing failure due to the constraints in

the project, we need to study deep into the nature of the constraints and how to avoid them.

By avoiding or dealing with the potential constraints specifically in the construction projects

we can create awareness and thus extensive loss of capital as well as resources can be

moderated (Newbold, R. ,2008). That will help to reduce the unnecessary wastage, and loss

of both money and time. Controlling constraints will give a high performance of the project

success or development (Pittman, P. H., 1994). This research project will provide an overview

of conceptual framework for managing constraints, theory of constraints, critical chain

project management consumption and schedule constraint analysis. Construction projects are

5
considered the most complex sector of the project management and they contain numerous

constraints that needs to highlight and addressed for the effective delivery and the completion

of the project (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). These constraints limit the progression of

the construction projects and the commencement of the operations being carried out are

deeply affected. In order to effectively implement the project according to the project scope

and the project plan, one needs to effectively manage these constraints in the work plan

(Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

By ensuring the constraints free work plan, the chances of making a construction

project successful increases to a much greater extent (Cox, J. F., 2003). A lot of studies have

been made on the timely identification and the effective management of the constraints in the

construction projects. The studies have highlighted few sets of the constraints and limit our

understanding and comprehension about the types of constraints in the construction projects.

There is a lot of potential available in this area of learning that can help us understand more

constraints types among various industry sectors (Newbold, R., 2008). This can enable the

practitioners to identify the constraints and then classify them according to their level of

complexity.

There must be an approach established that provides us valuable insights on

constraints tracking through more realistic and practical implementation procedures and

policies. This study will focus primary on the conceptual framework for the effective

constraint’s management in the construction projects. A combination of manual and

automated models will be studied in the literature review to back our findings about the

constraints in the construction project and how manage and avoid them. Total Constraint

Management approach will be studied in this research for identifying constraints in the

construction projects. This study will provide information on tracking these constraints and

then providing substantial resolution to implement when they encounter constraints in their

6
projects. This research paper will also discuss the significance of constraints tracking through

semi-automated procedures by critically analysing the literature available on total constraint

management. Tools required for constraint management will also be studied that are

imperative for work force planning which is highly useful for the industry practitioners

(Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Through this research paper, the issues related to the constraint management will

provide insights for industry experts about to track constraints and report status accordingly.

Different types of construction works will be discussed focusing primarily on constraints free

work plan and effective constraints management plans. For better understanding of the

constraints management we need to comprehend what a constraint is and how it can affect the

project. Nature of the constraints needs to be studied so they can be addressed appropriately.

This constraint can be defined and elaborated as any conditions that puts forth limitations in

terms of technicality or in terms of management.

It also refers to as spatial limitations and concerns regarding the safety or the quality

of the products or the service provided that create obstacles in the successful implementation

and the delivery of a construction project (Pittman, P. H., 1994). Any problem regarding to

the construction faced by the crew which can hinder the effective execution of the

construction project is termed as constraints in the operational field. There are numerous

complex projects in the construction’s fields like building malls or subways and large

infrastructure projects have the certainty to be faced by various constraints that can have a

very negative influence on the success of the project. If can significantly affect the project

negatively if they are not addressed or identified on time. Successful performance and the

execution of the overall project is subject to such constraints that needs to be satisfied. Other

than the materials and apparent constraints regarding to interdependencies some other

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constraints regarding to the management of the projects needs to be satisfied long before the

projects start its workflow in the construction field (Newbold, R., 2008).

Moreover, we can have a look on various examples around us to identify constraints

that are not material bounded rather they are the unavailability of basic resources like access

to the updated version of the construction drawings. Unavailability of the information

regarding the specification of the complex construction project is a constraint in itself.

Moreover, unavailability of the material resources and the labour also creates difficulty for

achieving project goals and objectives (Cox, J. F., 2003). Other constraints in the construction

field includes inadequate space to perform daily operations, inaccessibility of the proper

tools, training and information can also subject to be a constraint in the construction projects.

Other constraints are unapproachability to the permits and unrealistic safety control

procedures (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Constraints management:
It is an approach that provides a distinctive view between the critical and integral

resources that are the constraints and the non- critical elements and the resources of an

organization. Theory of constraints provides a broader view of the obstacles that can be

addressed through conceptual framework (Pittman, P. H., 1994). Constraint management is a

subject that needs to study deeply to avoid failing of multiple projects due to the

inappropriate treatment of the constraints being figured out in a project. Multiple

organizations have applied the theory of constraints in their projects to optimize the project

member’s performance and to get valuable insights from the projects (Bevilacqua, M.,

Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

The results have been obtained through independent study that depicts the results of

the organisations that have used the theory of constraints all over the world and have

observed significant reduction in the lead time by around 68-70% on average (Cox, J. F.,
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2003). Moreover, other significant results have been obtained that provides a significant

evidence of the success of the theory of constraints and its effective implementation in the

projects. It is estimated that through applying the principles of theory of constraints

organizations have been able to reduce the production time by 63-65% and the on-time

delivery have been improved by 49% (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

The results indicate noticeable improvements in the project being delivered on time.

However, the results indicates the considerable reduction in the status of work in progress by

50% and an overall throughput improvement by around 63%. This study tells a lot about the

theory of constraints and its effectiveness in the operational performance of the project which

seems to have shown considerable improvement and enhancement in various aspects of the

project and thus improves the project performance on the whole (Cox, J. F., 2003). This is

similar in case of the construction projects which are considered to be the most complex

projects that requires technical specifications to meet significantly to meet the project

objectives (Newbold, R., 2008).

Moreover, this approach is found to have same consequences as the Just-in-time

approach the idea of which was put forth by the Toyota Production system. Both of these

approaches have been found to be very effective when it comes to the operational workflow

of the project and have been used to reduce the work in time status of various projects. By

taking into consideration the fact that this approach has been widely utilized by numerous

organizations to improve their project management (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003).

These approaches contribute towards the improvement in the production flow and

reduces the time taken by various projects, thus eliminating the wastage of useful resources

like time and the cost of the project. It helps in establishing an environment where the various

9
forms of waste can be identified and eliminated by working on different project activities that

enhances the workflow by addressing to the constraints in that system appropriately.

Moreover one of most significant characteristic of managing constraints in the

constraints management sector of the project management is its influence and impact on the

throughput that have been increased by 63% according to the independent study being carried

out by obtaining results from various organizations (Pittman, P. H., 1994). This discusses that

by focusing on various elements of the project that limits the performance of the project and

create hindrances in achieving project goals and targets which are commonly referred as the

project constraints can subsequently improve the overall progress of the project (Shenbar, A.

J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Furthermore, this study and its results brings our attention to the most important

aspect of the constraints management to reduce wastage of the resources and emphasizing on

the elements that have excess capacity that are also known as non-constraint aspects of the

projects. These needs to be taken care off as well as they can help in creating and generating

more income (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009). Thus this study have

brought our attention to such valuable insights that can help the researcher understand the

prime significance and the importance of theory of constraints and how to make its best

possible use in the constraints management and significantly improving the project

performance in the construction industry (Cox, J. F., 2003). Many projects experience failures

in the construction industries because the project managers do not completely adhere to the

principles of theory of constraints and how to make an effective use of this theory in

identifying and classifying the constraints that cause project delay or failure of the projects.

The study that is being discussed above to highlight the significance of theory of

constraints and its effective utilization depicts the users from various organizations of

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different production scale from small to medium to large enterprises all have experienced the

utilization of constraints management and the theory of constraints to improve their overall

performance by improving and enhancing the production work flows and making constraints

free work plans (Pittman, P. H., 1994). This can easily be estimated that now this approach

have hundreds of thousands of users from various sectors of the business industries that are

making the best use of this approach in constraint management for reducing wastage and

enhancing their business and meeting their business goals and objectives (Newbold, R.,

2008). Companies like 3M, Ford Motor Company and large enterprises like General Electric

and General motors have used and benefitted from this approach. Some other companies like

ITT, Lucent Technologies and organization like Pratt & Wittney have been using this

approach. A lot of large organizations such as Proctor & Gamble have alos incorporated this

approach and have inspired other companies like Jonson Controls, Nation Semi-Conductors,

United Airlines to use the same approach for achieving their company goals and targets. A lot

of experienced firms provides training to the employees and project managers about the

constraint’s management (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Numerous studies have been carried out on the effectiveness of this approach in the

construction industry. Moreover, numerous books have been written on this subject and how

to completely use them to implement constraints management in various countries. This

study will look into the literature available on the theory of constraints and how it works in

the constraint management which is the prime objective of this topic of concern. Through

understanding and comprehending the underlying principles of theory of constraints and

CCPM this research will be able to draw significant results about how to manage constraints

in the construction field to be very precise (Cox, J. F., 2003).

Through carrying out this research I will be able to address the research question in an

appropriate way and this study will prove to be very valuable for the industry experts in

11
understanding constraints and the nature of constraints and how to address them. Various

studies have proved that constants management transforms the ways business works and thus

enhances the operational performance and aids in generating inspiring and remarkable

economic results (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003). The usefulness and the

implementation of this approach is further studied deeply by taking into consideration various

researches being available on theory of constraints and constraint management and how it

transforms projects by enhancing their performances.

It has been observed that construction projects are the most complicated and intricate

projects and requires extensive time for their completion. They are the most time taking

undertakings that an organization have to bear for its successful execution and

implementation (Clough, Sears and Sears, 2015).The basic requirement of any building

construction project is high performing and experienced team members that exhibits good

quality management to attain desired results and objectives (Newbold, R., 2008). The main

elements of a satisfactory result of a building construction project in light of project

management is the functional and operational satisfaction, project being completed on time

and within the described budget, the intrinsic value of the capital being invested is obtained

through the completion of the project by keeping in view the safety needs being fulfilled by

the project quality management (Walker,2015).

However various stakeholders are involved in the construction projects. Dealing with

multi stakeholder parties and fulfilling the needs and requirements of various stakeholders’

crates constraints in managing construction projects thus contributing towards creating

complications for the delivery and the completion of the project. By carefully analysing and

understanding the constraints that are likely to impact and influence the projects, and by

learning about the features of constraints can help in figuring out the time and the phase at

which the constraints may be encountered.

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 Whereas if the project managers are unable to figure out the constraints in the

construction project being worked out is the core problem of the project and displays the

ineffectiveness and inability of the project managers (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). If the

project managers fail to put forth strategies and pragmatic measures to address constraints,

the organization and the project will have to face dire consequences that can lead failure of

the project (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003).

Problem statement
The importance of developing constraints free and easy working plan will help to long been

established by the industry. Industry experts and practitioners have been researching for a

long time to create work plans that are risk and constraints free to ensure the successful

completion of the projects and reduce the wastage of important resources like capital, time

and labour. Still it is under process that industry experts are looking for ways to avoid project

delivery’s getting late or running over budget. However, lots of projects are still struggling by

delays and cost overruns. First of all, if a constraint is not identified at the time of scheduling,

or at the time of creating a project scope, subsequent constraints will be happening and

creating problem in the successful planning and the execution of the projects. The

identification of the constraints in a crucial step towards the progression of the project and it

cannot be taken lightly, or it cannot be ignored. Today’s projects are becoming very complex

and challenging in this technological era of advancement where there a numerous competitor

is present to take a leap forward by getting hold of an organizations weakness through

analysing their projects and procedures that they follow to execute projects. Which will lead

construction operation even more complex constraints. Secondly, traditional scheduling

method, critical path method, bar charts which are largely used as basis for constraints

analysis. “But these methods have facing some limitation in modelling and communicating

constraints, including inability to cope with non-time related precedence constraints and

13
difficulty to evaluate and communicate inter dependencies at the field operation level”

(Sripresert and Dawood, 2002). In summary, it is very important that a better understanding

of constraints in construction and a structures approach in identifying and modelling

constraints to make sure a constraint-free work plan. Following are the research questions

going to be addressed:

 What are the main constraints in the construction project?

 What are the major categories of constraints? How to identify the constraints at the

beginning of the project?

 What are the current research advancement practise in resolving constraints?

 Are constraints related to any specific individualities of project?

Objectives
The main aim and the purpose of this research is to create a standardize constraint

management system in the construction project. We can simply define constraint management

is the process of identifying, classifying, modelling and solving discriminates at the working

environment. For this research I am planning to provide broad review of theories, industry

analysis and conceptual framework for constraint management. This will be useful for the

industry practitioner to take into account the constraints present in the construction projects

that can hinder the successful implementation of the project. Furthermore, following are the

sub-objectives of my research:

 To create a constraint classification method for easier constraint identification,

scheduling and modelling.

 To review and examine current review and practise of constraint management. A

conceptual framework for total constraint management.

 Briefly examine a typical construction project on the basis of constraint management.

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 I hope the outcome of the study will be useful to the project team members, managers,

practitioners, as well as IT workers who are providing tools and services for the better

journey of constraint management. The construction crew will better be able to analyse and

address various constraints in the complex construction projects by keeping in view the

theory of constraints and the conceptual framework of constraints management.

Critical litratreliterature review

A critical literature review means that, analyse and examine different source of data

on a specific topic. Which include previous case study, present industry situation,

technological background, contractual, and various information’s etc. For the purpose of

modelling and resolving so many approaches and methods recommended. Such as, most of

the constraint project management methods are deals with time-related constraints,

knowledge-based system used for automated work plan generation, network-based

optimization is used for solving constraints, and visual technique like, 3D, 4D and virtual

reality using for communication and visualizing the constraints. Projects are classified as the

ones that are more goal and objectives oriented and the path towards achieving project goals

is created by the field of project management.

The project management deals with the managing projects in a way that they are

executed effectively, and the wastage of the resources is limited through thoughtful planning

of the project. Project management keeps an eye on every aspect of the project. This includes

team creation, aligning of the project team with the project goals, creating a project scope by

understanding the project requirements and specifications, identifying and classifying the

constraints in the projects and figuring out ways to address them properly. Everything related

to the project management and successful completion is being taken care off under the

subject of project management (Cox, J. F., 2003). In order to establish the progression of the

main motive of the project that is achievement of the goals and objectives, the utilization of

15
the prescriptive theories becomes an integral and essential component (Ahlemann, El Arbi,

Kaiser, & Heck, 2012).

For the last couple of years Theory of Constraints and its effectiveness have received

lots of attention have been a subject of discussion for the project management experts. It has

been proved to have invoked its capacity in providing effective and prescriptive solutions and

applications for numerous projects belonging from a diverse set of industries and

management (Balderstone & Mabin, 1998; Gupta & Boyd, 2008; Mabin & Balderstone,

2003; Watson, Blackstone, & Gardiner, 2007). Theory of constraints have been deeply

studied and used to understand the influence constraints have on the successful

implementation of the project. Different studies have incorporated the use of theory of

constraints to identify the characteristics of various constraints being figured out in complex

projects and to look for frameworks that can address these constraints and provides potential

solutions for these constraints (Pittman, P. H., 1994).

Theory of Constraints takes into considerations the effective efforts of the researcher

from different studies and his enthusiasm to assume that a constraint exists and how to cope

with it strategically and practically (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

According the theory of Constraints, constraints are regarded and defined as any elements of

the project that create obstacles for the completion of the project and hinders its performance

and limits its progression towards achieving its targeted goals and stated objectives (Raz, T.,

Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003). Due to various issues and problems being faced by the project

managers, theory of constraints has been used by the project managers and the team leaders

to address the potential problems that cause cost overruns, delays and sometimes leads to

project failures (Pittman, 1994).

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 In a study carried out by Goldratt in 1997, the approach that have been identified as

the ‘critical chain method’ in the project management holds prime importance and

significance when it comes to detecting project flaws and limitations. This approach

challenges the thinking and objectives that the overall performance of the project can only be

enhanced if the local performance throughout the project and its management is improved

significantly (Cox, J. F., 2003). Through this the Critical chain method the flawed assumption

being mentioned is challenged and thus opens up new ways for logical thinking and

systematic approach in achieving project goals and improving project performance (Shenbar,

A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

After this assumption being identified as a flawed assumption, CCPM was being

proposed as a more systematic and logical approach that brings the attention and focus of the

project managers and the project team members towards the longest chain of activities of a

project that describes different procedures and phases of a project. This approach focuses

primarily on the behaviours of the project team members towards attaining the objectives of

the project (Newbold, R., 2008). The prime focus of CCPM is to change the behaviour of the

employees towards the different aspects of the project that plays an integral role in the

completion of the project.

The CCPM requires the employees to report early after the completion of the chunks

of activities that are being assigned to them with no delays. It motivates the employees to

reports about the progress of their activities and seeks to eliminate the multitasking that

creates hindrances and obstacles in the completion of the project (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir,

D., 2003). Previous researches and studies have focused on problems like delays in the

completion of the activities and loss of concentration and focus of the project members on the

activities being given to them (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). The delays and the failures

were identified due to the merging of tasks and multitasking of the employees that resulted in

17
the failure of the project (Pittman, P. H., 1994). This was one of the major concerns of CCPM

in the previous literatures being available on this matter of concern. This have been addressed

in a study conducted by Leach in 1999. He stated that the TOC emphasis and the analysis

depicted that all of these problems arise due to the inability to track and identify the

uncertainty and limitations of a project (Cox, J. F., 2003).

These are the core underlying reasons of a failure of a project which at times results in

the projects being delayed or cancelled before the execution. Hence, the CCPM has defined

project as a set of activities that is linked to each other and the time to complete these

activities as their core constraint especially in the construction project (Newbold, R., 2008). A

lot of researches have been made on the successful implementation and application of CCPM

in the literature available by a number of researchers (Bevilacqua, Ciarapica, & Giacchetta,

2009; Hwang, Chang, & Li, 2010; Leach, 1999; Newbold, 2008; Paseuth, 2003; Realization

Technologies, Inc, 2010; Smith, 2012; Stratton, 1998; Umble & Umble, 2000; Viljoen, 1997).

Despite of the fact that CCPM have gained a lot of fame because of its utilization and

successful implementation across various sectors of the business industry, still wide range of

organizations have criticised on the applicability of CCPM for diverse range of projects

(Mckay & Morton, 1998; Raz et al., 2003).

Constraints and Constraints management:

For any construction project to be a success, it needs to be completed within budget

and time while fulfilling the requirements of the clients in the best possible manner (Pittman,

P. H., 1994). Research shows that in order to effectively complete a project it is crucial for the

project team to be able to identify all the constraints that are present in the project

environment (Mcmullen, 1998). It is also so necessary for the project team to be aware of the

level of negative impact of each identified constraint on the outcomes of the project (Raz, T.,

Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003).

18
 Research on the impact of constrained emphasizes that they can be grouped into two

categories where one group of constraints will have a low impact on the overall outcome of

the construction project while the other group will have greater negative impact on the project

(Mcmullen, 1998). The research by Mcmullen in 1998 suggests that in every construction

project there are more than one constraints present at any point during the project and some

of these constraints may result in a relatively lower negative impact on the outcomes of the

project while a single for a few constraints will and up impacting the whole project and result

in negative consequences (Cox, J. F., 2003). The author strongly emphasized rigorous

planning at the start of the construction projects in order to identify both groups of constraints

and formulate strategies to lower the impact of these constraints. Research also suggest that

constraints who you have a higher negative impact on the outcomes of the project can be

categorised as core problems for root causes that need to be dealt in a timely and in an

effective manner so that the negative consequences can be minimised or mitigated

(Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

Time is one of the most important and limited resources in any project and can can be

categorised as a prime constant therefore it is important for an effective team management to

maintain constant focus on identifying other prime problems and ensuring that these

constraints are met in a timely manner so that the scarce time resource can be utilised

effectively in achieving positive and high quality outcomes for the construction projects

(Cox, J. F., 2003). For this purpose timely identification of problems in any project and

evaluation of their impact on the project should be calculated in the early phases of a

construction project so that the project team is ready to deal with the risks and manage them

so that the project is completed on time and within budget (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Another important research related to constraints in a construction project exercises

that constraints can be categorized as physical and non-physical category/groups (Newbold,

19
R., 2008). As the name suggests physical constraints are related to the physical capacity that

can be associated with the machine while non-physical constraints are something that cannot

be easily seen but it can be experienced like fluctuating demand for any product, legal

proceedings or the perspective of project team on any issue (Goldratt, 1990). Simply put

physical constraints are rigid and suggest that some resources' capability have a limit for

example these constraints can be related to materials human resources and machinery being

used in the construction project (Pittman, P. H., 1994).

Research provides evidence related to the categorization of constraints that are present

in construction projects but unanimously most of the research focuses on the mitigation and

minimization of the impacts of constraints on the outcomes of construction project by early

identification of and timely reaction to emerging constraints (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir,

D.,2003). Research also suggest that constraints are impacted by 2 related variables that are

capacity and demand and it is safe to say a that these research sources conclude that

constraints can be e seen as a function of capacity and demand (Dettmer, 1998). When

capacity and demand are compared systematically the results of the comparison is able to

provide an accurate and most reliable indications of the project ability to achieve its goals and

the constraints that are identified through this comparison can be easily grouped in internal

and external constraints (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

Research suggests that any constraints that exist within the project system and more

often than not are manageable and controllable by the project team are said to be internal

constraints (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). In other words if the demand is extremely high

and the system is not able to keep up with the demand project team needs to take corrective

action in order to ensure the elimination of this constraints and continue to carry out the

corrective action to the point where the capacity will be greater than the overall demand

(Cox, J. F., 2003). These corrective actions are most often carried out by the middle

20
management where the middle management is assigned a task from the executive level to

deal with the situation where such constraints are present and it becomes the responsibility of

middle management to take corrective actions in order to overcome these constraints so that

the project can be completed (Newbold, R., 2008).

However, the negative outcome of these internal constraints is that middle

management use more than the estimated, planned and allocated resources while dealing with

internal constraints (Pittman, P. H., 1994). Sometimes internal conflicts arise where it is not

easy to overcome and a collective effort by the team is required so that constraints can be

overcome in the team is able to complete their objectives related to the project. The second

group of constraints external constraints exist in the external environment and are not

manageable and controllable by the project team and project teams often plan slack capacity

and resources for any emerging external constraints because they are hard to identify at the

start of project and immediate action is required to deal with these constraints.

It is also important to know that often the action taken by Project name to deal with

external content constant is only able to minimise the negative consequences of the said

constraints but these actions are not able to completely eliminate these constraints (Shenbar,

A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

It is important to understand the Dynamics of constraints that is present in a

construction project and Research provides valuable theories that are related to identification

and ways of dealing with these constraints in any e organisational project related to any field.

The theory of constraints (TOC) which was developed by Goldratt in 1990 is an important

research in this regard. TOC is a systemically formulated process that aims at smooth

infecting identification of constraints and efficient elimination in any project so that the goals

of the project can be achieved without compromising on the quality (Cox, J. F., 2003). Under

21
this theory constraint loosely means anything that has the ability to limit any organisation or

group of people from working effectively in order to achieve their objectives (Raz, T.,

Barnes, R., & Dvir, D., 2003).

Theory of constraints can be applied to any project field for the purpose of early

identification of the factors and situations that can limit the project team from moving

forward and formulating strategies to achieve project goals (Newbold, R., 2008). After

successful identification of these constraints the theory move on to developing effective and

manageable solutions to deal with these constraints in an effective manner and this theory

allows each individual in the project team to analyse the relative changes that can happen to

their work if the constraints are dealt with (Pittman, P. H., 1994). Theory of constraints is a

big advocate of removing and eliminating constraints from the bottleneck because it's just

that this way of dealing with problems is one of the most effective ways as it allows the

overall enhancing of the performance of the whole system. But it is important to keep in mind

that once the project team is able to eliminate the existing constraints new one will continue

to emerge, thus the project team will have to continuously implement the processes of theory

of constraints to keep on identifying emerging constraints and dealing with them immediately

(Cox, J. F., 2003).

Iterative procedures carried out by the project team to continually investigate for

probable constraints and dealing with them can push the overall capacity of the system closer

towards limit while continually enhancing the performance of the system and ensuring high

quality outcomes of the project (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003). Research provides

evidence that theory of constraints focuses on a balance that exist throughout the project

timeline and allows for the optimal use of allocated resources by a continuous system of

improvement (Stein 1997). Research also emphasizes on the proposal that theory of

constraints can be effectively used in management of construction projects. Theory of

22
constraints will prove extremely effective in construction projects because these projects are

complex and have intricate designs and are often a very time-consuming undertaking

(Patrick, 1998).

Construction projects however work on simulate dynamics all over the globe and due

to two similar circumstances it is easier to create a framework to ensure that the constraints

present in a construction project be identified at an early stage and dealt with using the

processes presented by theory of constraints (Masterman, 2002). For construction project to

be completed in a timely and within budget while achieving its objectives it needs an

effective project team who is directed at achieving the high quality outcomes while keeping

in mind the satisfaction of clients (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). The project team of

construction projects is focused on the functionality E and aesthetics of the constructed

projects while keeping in mind that the project is completed on time and within budget while

providing value for the money invested by the clients (Walker, 1989). The construction

projects also need to ensure your work health and safety is part of the project environment

(newbold, 1998).

Research suggests that the construction projects are successful because of the

effective planning, efficient control as well as coordination of project activities and resources

from the initiation of the construction project to its completion which is done on behalf of an

investor (Walker, 1989). In successful construction projects the management is adamant on

identification of constraints at the initial phases of project so that the project team is ready to

effectively with them when these constraints emerge while ensuring that the investors are

happy with the outcomes of the project (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G,

2009). The aims of the project team is to understand the requirements of the investors and

ensure that the requirements are fulfilled related to the functionality E and utility as well as

23
quality of the project while ensuring that resources are used in the most efficient manner

leading to the completion of project within time and budget (Cox, J. F., 2003).

The aim of the project team in a construction project is to establish a cohesive

relationship between all the available resources because the integration between resources

allows them to contribute effectively while achieving the goals of the project, ensuring that

the output fulfil the requirements and achieve higher level of satisfaction of clients (Newbold,

R., 2008). It is important to ensure that enough time and slack resources are planned into the

project strategy for emergent constraints because if there is no extra time and resources

planned, it will be difficult for the team in a construction project to deal with problems

without delaying the project or exceeding the budget limit (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007).

Research emphasizes on the need to identify constraints as soon as possible ideally in

the planning phase because this allows the project team to have an opportunity to discuss the

plausible constraints with the investors of the project so that additional budget and time can

be planned in the project strategy to deal with these problems in case they emerge and also

this will ensure that the project is not delayed (Pittman, P. H., 1994). Identification of

constraints early on and having opportunity to discuss them with the client and will allow the

project team to get additional budget for dealing with these constraints (Ballard, 2004).

Research suggest that in order to ensure that climbs understand this variety of the emerging

constraint it is important to present the constraints in an quantifiable manner which is easily

understood by the clients as it allows for them to understand this severity and impact of each

identified constraint (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D., 2007). The data can be quantified in order

for the investors or clients to understand that probability of each constraint to occur and the

undesirable impact it can have on the quality of outcomes of the project (Masterman, 2002).

Therefore theory of constraints can be effectively adopted in construction projects because in

24
basic systematic manner a construction project resembles a process of production where the

production is affected by a number of constraints (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir, D.,2003).

Total Constraints management:

It has been studied that the successful implementation of Theory of Constraints

requires proper automation of the procedures and processes, otherwise it is nearly impossible

to implement TOC. This results in creating problems while identifying the potential

constraints in a project that needs to be tracked and identified before time so they can be

addressed in an intricate building construction projects (Cox, J. F., 2003). Furthermore, a lot

information and knowledge regarding to the constraints and constraints management have

been studied before as well for a deep understanding of its importance.

In this era of technological progression and advancement the companies are striving at

their hardest to remain in the competition where multiple global companies are striving their

best to remain in the race. Every day a new philosophy chosen by a company floats on the

surface of global competition, which the company thinks as the most suitable one for making

their strategies a big success in this highly competitive market (Newbold, R., 2008). A

number of studies and literature reviews have been carried out to understand the significance

and importance of the TOC and its applicability in the construction industries. TOC have

been considered an imperative strategy if applied appropriately to locate issues in the chain of

activities and to locate constraints within the workflow. The companies are making the best

use of this theory to gain the competitive edge among their rivals and to spot and optimize

any advantage over their competitors (Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G,

2009). The theory primarily focusses on the companies being more alert and area about their

own particular process and chain of activities in the operational workflow. Studies have

revealed that a better understanding of the company’s structure and processes can help them

identify the constraints and potential risks within the system. Numerous literatures is present

25
on the applicability of theory of constraints and how it plays its role in figuring and focusing

out the weakest areas to work on in the chain of activities (Raz, T., Barnes, R., & Dvir,

D.,2003). This theory proposes the idea that all the activities are linked together in the form

of a chain and are no different from each other and depends on each other for their

completion. The theory puts forward the logic that the activities are like a ring which are

connected to each other and are not independent. Theory sheds lights on the sensitive areas

which are considered as the bottle necks for their companies (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D.,

2007). However, this theory talks about figuring out these bottle necks by understanding their

relationship and impact on the surrounding processes. In this way this theory brings a new

point for the managers to think on and paves a path for solving the potential root causes of the

constraints that creates obstacles for many business operations in the large complex

construction projects (Cox, J. F., 2003).

At first the basic objective of this theory was to focus primarily on locating resources

and on the production process in the operational workflows but due to the ever changing and

progressing business environment it has improved its content and procedures (Raz, T.,

Barnes, R., & Dvir, D. ,2003). The business environment is transforming and so does the

content of TOC to align itself with the technologically advanced business world full of global

rivals and competitors the TOC have been evolved (Cox, J. F., 2003). Studies have shown

that TOC have been applied in various companies from different business sectors and have

produced significant changes and improve the overall business functions and process. It can

easily be integrated within different systems and is considered as a sort of management

related philosophy where the procedures and processes are being focused on to improve the

situation of the businesses workflows. Many industry practitioners have worked using this

theory and this is still considered as the best strategy used by multiple organizations for large

and complex projects.

26
 For almost more than 30 years this theory has been successfully used and

implemented in almost various sectors. Large complex projects have benefitted the most from

this theory and it has helped them strategically plan their operations and sustain them in this

competitive environment by focusing on their weak areas and then working on the loop holes

on how to enhance the performance of their businesses (Pittman, P. H., 1994). In a study

conducted by Goldratt in 1990, he identified that every organization and business have one or

more bottle necks that limits the company and the business utilize their full potential and

perform to achieve and attain its purpose. He stated that this can also be referred as any kind

of situation that impedes the business performances in achieving its targeted goals and

objectives. Numerous literatures have been found which studies on the management

philosophy of this theory for understanding its applicability in large and complex

construction projects. In a research conducted by Watson et. Al in 2007, it has been studied

that to better understand the TOC, it’s important to learn about its historical evidence and

background. The TOC have been evolved according to five eras and have been classified

according which suggests that TOC evolves according to the business environment so that its

philosophy remains intact with the technological advancements in the business.

Studies have primarily focused on one of the most significant era that is advanced

technological era of TOC where its applicability on the technologically advanced projects

have been studied by the researchers in detail to draw relevant conclusions about its

significance in the business environment of global competitors (Shenbar, A. J., & Dvir, D.,

2007). Similarly, this theory have been studied in detail in a book named as “The Goals”

where the researchers have primarily increased their findings and research on the TOC to

better understand this theory in detail. Most importantly the researchers have turned their

focus on the drum-buffer-rope architecture which is an integral part of the Theory of

Constraints (Newbold, R., 2008).

27
 Once the researchers and the program or the project managers have understood and

realized the importance and significance of this theory in the business environment, their

focused have been switch to another important aspect of TOC which are categorized as TOC

measures and its thinking processes on which it works and performs by identifying the

constraints in the system and then working on them simultaneously (Bevilacqua, M.,

Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009). This is considered as the most important tool in the

project management and its potential have been realized by multiple organizations to enhance

their operational workflows

Research Process (Methodology):

Choosing the appropriate methodology for carrying out a research is critical in nature

because the process of research is complex in nature and should be dealt systematically. In

order to make a research in a systematic way one needs to be aware of all the appropriate

research methodologies. Using an approach or methodology that serves the purpose of the

research study will help in collecting data systematically and choosing the most appropriate

tools to evaluate data in order to achieve the research objectives. Thus, selection of

appropriate tools serves as the most integral step towards the achievement of carrying out a

significant research with reliable and reasonable findings. A research methodology involves

using various measures, tools, techniques and approaches that a researcher finds appropriate

for carrying out the study. Using the most reliable and effective methodology will result in

higher reliability and effectiveness of the study (Storey and Hesbol, 2016). In order to carry

out a study, a researcher can make use of quantitative or qualitative data in a systematic

context. Selection of either of the methodologies represent systematic approach towards the

completion of a research and thus researcher is able to draw results and conclusion using

these tools.

28
 Having a clear understanding of the research question and objectives will help the

researcher in choosing the most appropriate methodology for carrying out the study. The

nature of the study and the research question hold utmost importance and significance while

selecting a methodology or approach towards data collection and analysis. When an academic

research is carried out, the first and most important step is reviewing the existing literature

(secondary research) because the existing literature helps in building a solid foundation for

the current research study and opens up new knowledge avenues while also instilling varied

perspectives which allow the researchers to build upon their results and come up with a new

understanding (Savin-Baden, & Major, 2013). However, the purpose of new studies its to

promote unique or fresh ideas in the academic practical study and therefore collecting and

analysing primary data holds great importance. Making use of secondary data allows the

researchers to take inspiration from the conclusions of the experienced authors (Bevilacqua,

M., Ciarapica, F. E., & Giacchetta, G, 2009).

This chapter focuses on highlighting the measures, tools, techniques and approaches

that have been adopted for carrying out this research study. The selection of the research

methodology depends on the nature and philosophy of the research topic and this chapter

discusses the philosophy as well as the process of data collection and the ways through which

the researcher ensured the authenticity of the research.

Research Philosophy

Before selection of the research methodology is done, it is critical that the research

philosophy is determined. The research philosophy makes it easier for the researchers to

identify the direction in which the research study is going and select the various aspects of the

topic that will be included in the research study. Identifying the research philosophy also aids

the process of selecting sources through which information and knowledge will be collected,

easier (Srivastava, & Thomson, 2009). Research philosophy highlights the ways through
29
which the secondary research papers will be utilise in order to build a solid foundation for the

new study. The research study can be based on four different research philosophies which are

being used widely throughout the world (Goldkuhl, 2012).

However for this particular research the best approach to be used is Interpretivism

because of the qualitative nature of the study (Weber, 2004). For this particular research

study the researcher used qualitative approach to collect primary data through structured

and semi structured interviews and used Interpretivism approach to interpret the collected

data. and based on this interpretation, the researcher was able to generate discuss discussion

and conclusions which are reliable and valid in nature. The focus of Interpretivism is to

interpret data that has been collected from various diverse sources and identify any

underlying similarities and commonalities which may exist (Collins, 2010). The approach

also focuses on identifying any theme or phenomenon that may exist in the data collected for

the research. The approach supports the use of secondary data in connection with the primary

data to identify any connections or links. For the Interpretivism approach, some of the most

commonly used tools of data collection include interviews (structured or semi-structured),

observations and holding focus groups.

The findings and discussion on the findings are presented in the form of a case study

because generally the results of qualitative studies are best presented in form of case studies

as it allows the researcher to summarise the links, similarities and commonalities between the

secondary and primary data.

Inductive and Deductive approach

Two other methods that researchers use while conducting research include Inductive

and deductive method of interpretation of the collected data. It is very important to identify

the best and most appropriate method of interpretation in order to achieve the research

30
objective and to formulate a valid answer to the Research question. The researches

considered using a detective approach because it basically revolves around a conceptual

framework through which a hypothesis is generated that is later tested with the collected data

and a result is reduced. However deductive approach has its own limitations because this

approach either supports or rejects the hypothesis.

On the other hand, when considering inductive approach it was concluded that it is

opposite to dreductive approach because rather than a theory or conceptual Framework the

inductive approach relies more on practical experiences and reality (Collins, 2010). As

compared to you working based on a conceptual Framework for a pre-existing Theory

inductive research focuses on creation of new theories and frameworks where the inspiration

is taken from practical experiences (Thyer, 2010). Research on inductivein deductive method

shows that this approach or method is suitable for experiments done in laboratory but can

also be used in management research. The focus on this research study is to highlight the

common constraints that occur in the construction projects and how the construction crew

manages these constraints for better outcomes and timely completion of the construction.

For this particular research study, a mix of both inductive and deductive approaches

has been utilized. The deductive approach was used to write a critical literature review. The

inspiration has been taken from critically evaluating the literature published in journals.

However, the majority of the analysis and discussion are based on inductive analysis because

the research aims to understand the constraints in construction projects in real life scenarios.

It makes sense to use inductive approach to bring forth new insights into identifying the

constraints in a timely manner. The fact that this study is based on practical experiences

points that using the inductive approach was best suited for this research.

31
Research Design

The collection of data for this research was done using numerous structured and

semi structured interviews with members from various construction projects. The

questions were sent out to some of the participants via email while some were contacted via

telephone. The interview data was also data was collected by visiting more than one

accessible construction sites in the United Kingdom for gaining a clear insight into

constraints of a construction project and understanding the impact of these constraints on the

completion of the project.

The people that were contacted included, masons, architects, manual labour, plumber

and electrician as well as the construction contractors. The interviewees included people

from management, project teams, supervisors, contractors and clients of some construction

projects. The data was collected by visiting more than one accessible construction sites in the

United Kingdom for gaining a clear insight into constraints of a construction project and

understanding the impact of these constraints on the completion of the project.

The collected data has been analysed by using the theory of constraint. The

interviewees were asked to focus on categories of constraints that they have experienced in

their professional work in the past. The research findings involve identification of various

categories of constraints that occur in construction projects and the ways and tools to manage

these constraints. The critical evaluation of all the identified constraints and their impact is

presented in detail alongside some recommendations related to measures that can be taken to

manage these constraints in the event of their occurrence.

Sampling in research

Selecting a sample is a crucial part of any research study especially for academic

studies. The time limitation of this research study did not allow the researcher to collect data

32
from a huge sample. The researcher had to take interviews from a small sample and due to

budget and time constraints the sample had to be chosen feasibly (Briggs, Coleman and

Morrison, 2012).

Due to time sensitivity and the unwillingness of some sample elements, the random

sampling or convenience sampling technique can bewas utilized to gather information

through the use of structured or semi structured interviews. Random sampling is best suited

to research study where data is taken from a huge population because it allows gathering data

from a large population by giving an equal opportunity of participation to all elements within

the population. However, having time frame limitations led to the use of convenience

sampling because it aided the researcher to gather information from a small population and is

often best suited for academic studies.

Steps in gathering information

To gather information from people involved
Developing an interview guide
in construction projects

Sending out questionnaires

Distribution of interview questions through
In person and through emails
convenience sampling

Results
Analysing the collected data To achieve the research objevtives

Data analysis methods

This research is a qualitative study as it focuses on real life experiences and

emphasizes on understanding the various constraints that can create hindrances for the

completion of construction projects. The focus on this research study is to highlight the

33
common constraints that occur in the construction projects and how the construction crew

manages these constraints for better outcomes and timely completion of the construction. The

data analysis is focused onFor understanding links between different categories of constraints

and their impact on the construction projects. T, using the qualitative research method is the

most appropriate way because it allows the researcher to carry out a thematic analysis in a

very systemic manner (Mihas, 2019). There are no specific tools that will be utilized for

analysis and discussion, but the material gathered through interviews, literature and

observations will be compared against each other.

Similarities and commonalities will be the focus of the research to understand the

most common constraints that hinder the effective completion of construction projects. Using

the literature as foundation and starting point for this research, the researchers will analyse

the primary data collected through observations and interviews to find out the underlying

similarities between construction projects and how these similarities can help the project

managers in sensing timely identification of ththe constraints in order to create mitigation

strategies. No statistical analysis was carried out because they are only applicable in

quantitative studies.

Significance of Research

This research study will hold a great deal of significance for the construction industry

and construction project management because the study aims to create an ideal framework for

identifying and managing the constraints that may occur in the construction projects.

Research shows that construction projects may look similar but are distinct and unique in a

number of manners including, budget, resource availability, time factor, operating

environment, characteristics and technical requirements (Abdelhamid & Salem, 2005). Due

to varying needs of the clients and changes in the construction industry, the construction

projects are subject to a number of constraints which result in losses of millions. This study
34
will be helpful to the construction project teams in preparing for projects by being aware of

the potential constraints and their managerial implications. With differences in projects, it

may become difficult to understand any constraints that have a chance of delaying the

effective completion of the project within the budget and allocated time frame. This study

holds significance because it will help the construction project management to categorize the

constraints that may occur and provide an effective recommendations framework for

mitigation of these constraints and ensuring that these constraints do not lead to a failed

project.

There is a limitation of research relates to constraints in construction projects and the

ways to manage them effectively. The research will focus on ensuring that the project team in

construction projects are able to meet the requirements of their clients while effectively

dealing with any potential constraints that may constrict the completion of project on time.

This research study holds importance because there is very limited amount of literature

available on the constraints present in the construction industry. The findings of this research

study will allow the construction project management to reduce the amount of unnecessary

wastage and budget increases and time delays. Through having a clear understanding of any

potential constraints will allow the project management to ensure higher productivity and

high performance and increased chances of project success.

Research Ethics

There are certain research ethics that have to be maintained and obliged to while carrying out

a research study. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure that no being is harmed

throughout the duration of the research and that respondent are not deceived or tricked into

providing information for the research. It is the duty of the researcher to ensure that the

respondents of the interviews are fully aware of the intent of research and the way in which

the information they provide will be utilized (Costley, Elliot and Gibbs, 2010). It is the
35
responsibility of the researcher that the personal information gathered from the respondents is

kept confidential (Wilson, 2014). The respondents were kept highly comfortable and were not

pressured into answering any questions. In order to ensure that the research remains

authentic, the interviewees were not given any answers. They were free to give their own

opinion and views.

36
Findings and Discussion

The interviews were taken from as many participants as possible due to the limitation

of time and other resources. The information gathered from the interviews was recorded and

the content was analysed by recognizing the underlying similarities and commandments

commonalities between the opinions of various respondents. The interviewees were asked to

focus on their experience and highlight issues that created problems within the project and the

impact of these issues on the completion of the construction projects within time and budget.

The findings show that there are various categories of constraints that can be found in a

common/simple construction siteproject. These constraints hinder the timely completion of

any construction project including economic and legal constraints.

The findings of the research showed that there are a number of factors related to

various categories that hinder the progression of a construction project and deviate it from the

timeline. One of the interview questions asked the respondents whether early identification of

constraints cane prove helpful. Around 75% of the The responses of some respondents

suggested that the project team should identify the constraints early on in the planning phase

so that contingency planning can be done so that constraints can be avoided or mitigatedto

avoid and mitigate the negative impacts of these constraints on the construction quality. One

of the interview question focused on the negative consequences of the constraints. A huge

majority of the respondents (80%) highlighted that the constraints raise the costs of the

project. Occurrence of constraints result in extra days, extra labour hours, penalties and fines

were some of the examples that these respondents put forth. They suggested that Tthe

awareness of constraints can help the project team in creating strategies to overcome these

constraints and to minimize the negative consequences of these constraints. The findings of

the interviews showed that it is possible to plan for the construction related constraints

37
because the constraints are more often than not related to the nature and dynamics of the

project.

Constraint Category: Level of Impact

Economic Constraints 7

Legal Constraints 7.2

Technological Constraints 4.75

Environmental Constraints 7

Social Constraints 5.4

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The findings suggested some categories of constraints that may occur in a typical

construction project in the United Kingdom.

Design Constraints

Constraints related to the design solutions for any construction project are categorized under

design constraints. These constraints limit the number of possible designs that can be adapted

for a particular project hence they are a must in any project and are welcome by the project

team because these constraints are quite helpful in shortlisting the possible designs that

should be given time and thought by the project management. If there are no design

constraints it will become extremely difficult for the design team to look for the most

appropriate designs.

Design constraint should be recognised very early in the project management stage because

if the design constraints are unknown it would be difficult to carry out the project if the chosen

design has the possibility of failing later on in the project. Design constraints can also be mentioned

by the Client or third party as per the project requirements however project design managers are

38
mainly responsible for identifying the design constraints. Design constraints include having a specific

set of requirements related to the project performance, limitation of the local infrastructure, the

completion date of the project which limits the use of a particular design, the climatic conditions in

the local vicinity, the availability of Technology, required skills, raw material, and workforce as well as

the regulatory framework.

Technical Constraints

Another The wide majority constructions crew members (65%) that were interviewed

for this research identified technical constraints category which was suggested by most of the

response of the interviews was technical constraints. Category technical controls included

constraints related to the processes which are involved in any construction project and can

hinder the completion of the project in a timely manner. These constraints are related to the

reliability and practicality of the methods used for building and the construction standards.

The participants of the research give examples related to technical constraints such as that the

foundation of any building can only be built, once the construction site is levelled.

Technically a building can only be constructed properly, if the foundation is laid down

properly. There is a technical order of activities of a construction process and a series of task

need to be completed in order otherwise the project cannot be completed. These steps that

need to be completed before the new activities can be started are termed as technical

constraints. The first floor of a building cannot be constructed before the ground floor. Thus,

ground floor is a technical constraint for completion of first floor.

The More than 60% of the respondents were construction crew were actively involved

in the construction like manual labour, masons, machine operators, plumbers and electricians.

Around 70% of these participants also mentioned that some other major technical constraints

on the construction site may includes the space required for the construction workers to carry

39
out their work, the construction tolerances, the route for accepting the construction site, the

availability of area for a storage of construction tools and machinery as well the overall

coordination of the services like location of drinking water and access to food or

accommodation for the workers. Additionally The remaining 30% of the respondents

suggested that the technical constraints were related to the work health safety and fulfilling

the requirements related to do proper construction work sites as well as meeting the required

regulations related to building all the while fulfilling the requirements of the client and

keeping in mind the architectural aspects of the construction project.

Sometimes the technical constraints can be very small and this seemingly meaningless

to some construction managers but they can end up having a huge impact on the overall

completion of the project for example when covering a fool which is heighted up to 25

million leading to the design where stairs will not work but the construction manager will

have to do something about the extra 25 millimetre of the floor covering. Such small

technical errors or constraints lead to project getting delayed and out of budget. The

respondents of the interviews suggested that technical constraints should be kept in mind

throughout the completion of the project and especially during the planning phase because

these constraint are highly related to the delays of certain construction projects because of

some small technical constraints have a huge impact on the overall smooth progress of a

project and may lead to additional costs as well as projects not being completed on time.

Technical constraints often involve baby proofing the designs as well as keeping in mind

people with special needs while completing the project to fulfil the needs of the client.

Economic Constraints

The 86% of respondents that belonged to the upper level of management in

construction projects stated that Constraints that are related to the budget of the project as

40
well as the resource allocation are categorised under economic constraints. The The

remaining respondents (14%) suggested that often clients come up with projects with inadeq

educate and insufficient budgets where the budget is often allocated in an inappropriate

manner which can lead to the failure of the project. The reasons for the failures provided by

the majority of the interviewees was that due to lack of resources for compro compromises

have to be done on the quality of construction project as well as the safety of the completed

building with faulty functionality and performance issues. The project managers (26% of the

total sample) who were interviewed for the purpose of this research study suggested that it is

important to understand that the construction projects need to have a balance between the

resources allocated for its completion. There should be a balance between the scope of the

project and the budget allocated for its completion. Over ambitious project scope are a key to

failure because they are hard to achieve.

A These project managers concluded that a good construction project has a balance of

time resources budget and quality because if the client is ready to compromise on one of the

resources there will be negative impact on the other two ends. If a construction project

demands high quality in short time with a limited budget, then the quality will also have to be

comprised. There needs to be a balance and harmony between the resources being allocated

to a construction project. The overall budget is not only related to economic constraint but

also the levels of cash flows which are flowing through the supply chain of the construction

process are an important aspect of economic constraints. 56% of the remaining respondents

stated that aA successfulny construction project should have sufficient amount of free cash

and available funds which should be paid to relevant tasks as they are completed and prompt

payments must be released to the construction and throughout the contractual chain so that

the activities continue to proceed without any delay. Delay in payments to the team can cause

demotivation and negative performance amongst the labour.

41
 The participants of the research studyThe majority of the contractors (73%)

interviewed for the research study mentioned that insufficient cash flow funds are one of the

major reasons of bankruptcy in the construction industry because it is often very difficult to

find new contractors or suppliers when some percentage of the project is the project is

partially completed. The result of insufficient cash flow is cost and timeline overruns. 47% of

the interviewees reported that and this can lead to huge cost additions and overall delay in

the completion of the project. Ssome other economic constraints that may affect the

completion of any construction project may include the unavailability of skilled workforce at

reasonable wage rates and the level of competition that exists between several contractors and

construction consultants. Additionally,The participants of the study also reported that the

level of taxation in the construction industry can also be an important and impactful

economic constraint.

Legal constraints

The members of the upper management of construction projects were keen on

discussing the The findings of the research study letter to the discussion of legal constraints

that are also quite problematic for construction project because these constraints are related to

the several regulations and legal practices that somehow limit the activities on a construction

project. The respondents declared that gGenerally, project teams are bound to comply with

these rules and regulations and follow some standard practices. Some The project managers

reported that of the most common legal constraints that are seen in theapplicable in the

construction industry are related to employment law, the work health safety laws, regulations

related to the planning and construction of building requirements as well as the

environmental requirements within any construction project.

42
 Many legal constraints are related to formalities of submitting papers to various

government departments and it can become very time consuming and troublesome for

construction project management to deal with all the legal issues. In order to The contractors

interviewed for the study stressed that it is extremely important to fully understand the

complexities of bureaucratic procedures, time is required by the project managers and it can

delete delay the overall completion of project within time and budget especially for projects

that need to be completed on urgent basis. Moreover, the added stress of failure to comply

with legal constraints can lead to several negative consequences for the project completion

related to the delay of the completion of construction project as well as fines and financial

penalties or probation and in some severe cases the possible criminal charges and

proceedings.

The construction crew members (49%) reported that Llegal constraints related to

construction sites include that before any project team can even start planning the

construction project, it needs to gain planning permission and should be able to meet some

criteria that can lead to the approval of the project. The committee of Town and Country

planning can put some restrictions on the project and as a Project mean to revise their plans in

order to gain the permission. The project managers also stated that building regulations put

on several legal constraints where a set of approved documents need to be understood clearly

because they put forth criteria of performance standards which should be complied by the

construction project after it is completed. The finished project only receives a certificate after

it is approved for all the compliance standards and only then the owner of the constructed

building can get insurance on the completed project

43
Time constraints

Research suggests Ttime is one of the most important resources in any project

especially a construction project because there are several key dates on the casual and

important project milestones need to be completed by certain dates. The project managers

who create timelines for the projects stated that Ccompleting tasks by certain dates is

significantly important because completion of certain activities in showinfluence and affect

the overall completion of the project by the given due date and sometimes fines and penalties

are applicable if the project progress fails to meet certain dates. In some exceptional cases the

delays are not the fault of the contractor and therefore the client is able to provide extension

of time. However,The project managers who were interviewed also reported that in cases

where the contracstructor is at fault for the delays in in meeting the timeline then the client

may put penalties that have been agreed beforehand. Additionally, the construction contracts

often hasve specific dates on which a particular task needs to be completed. Legal action is

taken against the contractors who are at fault for delay of project and non-compliance of

construction contractd which may become lead to legal issues for the contractors if the delays

are their fault. The respondents cumulatively concluded that Most often than not time

constraints are put forth by third parties who may include legal department who have

provided expiry dates for Planning permission and often a certain piece of work in a

construction project needs to be completed before there are any changes in the legal

framework. Ttime constraints hold significant importance because ultimately if activities are

not completed on time the overall project can be delayed which may lead to additional costs

and legal issues.

44
Environmental constraints

More than half of the upper management members (57%) in the sample were quite

keen on discussing the environmental concerns. They respondents explained that

Eenvironmental constraints refer to the regulations that are related to the production of the

environment and in the best interest of the public. The Around 80% of the information

gathered in interviews specifically mentioned that the rising concern of the public related to

the protection of the environment has led to strictness in Environmental constraintlaws for

preserving world which make it difficult for many construction proposals to be accepted by

the relevant authority and departments in the country. 34 percent of respondents from higher

management in construction projects further stated thatT the environmental constraints

include the level of pollution such as their productcarbon emission production, the

preservation of the green life (trees) as well as traffic limit and noise pollution. It

isFurthermore, the respondents clarified that it is quite important to understand that abiding

by the environmental loss is important and should be planned in the early stages of the project

the responsible project teams should visit the environmental department in order to apply for

the approval of their construction project proposal. However environmental constraints often

take time and have a negative impact on the progress of the project. If a project team fails to

obtain approval for the project on time the overall construction project will experience delete

or could not even be started.

Social constraints

The respondents (35%) from the middle management of projects discussed that

sSocial constraints are important because no construction project can be carried out without

the involvement of local people. It isThey further emphasised that its important to understand

that social factors lead to a huge amount of constraints in the completion of any construction

45
project and its work site. Initially One of the respondent holding important designation in

construction team reported that when any construction project is started, the impact of human

constraint is often thought as insignificant and they may appear minor but dealing with social

constraints can become very complex and complicated. In worst case scenario, these

constraints cane affect project completion and quality of the outcomes.d.

More than 50% of the The information gathered from the respondents of interviews

suggested that afternoon the apparently minor social constraint lead to several problems for

the construction project and hinders the progress of the project. The contractors involved in

interviews (61%) stated that the pressure of the media and the concerns voiced by the public

often become constraints for the construction problem because the construction projects rely

on the public money (that is taxation money) and the concern of the public can impose

restrictions on new construction projects. The taxext paying public who is not in favour of

new technology may oppose the use of funds for the construction of projects that involve

using new technology. Social constraints often soap refer to the inability of construction

workers to carry out their work on time and with efficiency. 83% of the upper management

respondents reported that workers neglect their work and its quality when they engage in

workplace social interactions.

The information collected in the interviews mentionedWhile the remaining 17% of

the respondents from the upper management stated that frustration and lack of motivation as

well as miss trust in the project team often leads to unfulfilled commitments and poor quality

of work due to bad performance and unproductivity of the workers. They also emphasised

that poor performance can lead to cost and timeline overruns. 56% of the construction

workers opposed the idea that oOften workers start to resist using new technology in

construction projects and find it hard in taking ownership of the problems caused by their

inefficiency. They emphasised that proper training must be conducted when new technology

46
is introduced so that workers feel confident while using it. Similarly,74% of the construction

workers voiced concerns that the project management also so sometimes finds it hard to take

ownership of the problems that may arise due to lack of proper planning.any of the above-

mentioned constraints.

Design Constraints

Only a small percentage (23%) of the upper management stated design constraint as a

consideration for this study. They explained that the Cconstraints related to the design

solutions for any construction project are categorized under design constraints. These

constraints limit the number of possible designs that can be adapted for a particular project

hence they are a must in any project and are welcome by the project team because these

constraints are quite helpful in shortlisting the possible designs that should be given time and

thought by the project management. They also stated that these constraints are part of the

planning phase and should be thoroughly explored before the actual construction begins. If

there are no design constraints it will become extremely difficult for the design team to look

for the most appropriate designs.

Design constraint should be recognised very early in the project management stage

because if the design constraints are unknown it would be difficult to carry out the project if

the chosen design has the possibility of failing later on in the project. Design constraints can

also be mentioned by the Client or third party as per the project requirements however project

design managers are mainly responsible for identifying the design constraints. Design

constraints include having a specific set of requirements related to the project performance,

limitation of the local infrastructure, the completion date of the project which limits the use of

a particular design, the climatic conditions in the local vicinity, the availability of Technology,

required skills, raw material, and workforce as well as the regulatory framework.

47
Managerial Implications

The findings of this research study emphasize that constraints are present in In aAll

cConstruction projects however identifying the underlying similarities can help project

management in in doing effective risk management and constraint management leading to a

smooth sailing project with no over runs and wastage of resources. It is important to focus on

identification of constraints in the early phases of construction project and applying the

theory of constraints (TOC) to facilitate decision making related to the management of

identified constraints. Theory of constraint is a strategic and systematic step which can help

the organisation in making decisions related to situatiosituations ns where constraints exist.

This theory focuses on the belief notion that if the constraints are effectively identified at the

early phases of project then probability of better project outcomes can be eimprovednsured.

The research findings also implicate that in the present world the needs of clients related to

the construction projects are very complex or unique but still fall within some known

paradigm and therefore it becomes easier for the project management to understand

constraints which are part of various construction processes are. The research findings

effectively identify five different categories of constraints that can be found in various

construction projects and these include economic, legal, environmental, technical and social

constraints.

The findings of the information gathered from the interviews alsoFindings

emphasized that constraints related to construction exist in every construction working site

however it becomes difficult for the project managers to become acutely aware of existence

of these unnecessary or unwanted problems that lead to project being overrun in terms of

time, costs and scope. Findings of this research study also focus on the possibility that there

48
are internal and external constrains.ed w Where internal constraints ourare related to project

management and our existing within the project system. The implications of this research

study focuses on the theory of constraint which was developed in 1990 by Goldratt and it is

basically a process which is aimed at their identification and removal of any existing

constraints in in any organisational process. In this research study, the theory of constraints is

being applied to the construction projects in order to identify and remove any constraints that

may exist.

Theory of Constraints

The theory of constraints focuses on the organisations need for continuous

improvement and it promotes regular inspection and strategies to enhance performance while

achieve high quality project outcomes. The findings also pointed out words the implication

that if the purpose of construction project management is to improve the overall system

performance it is important to remove all the constraints from bottlenecks in the most

effective and efficient manner. However it also implies that even though is a project

management is able to remove all the existing and known constraints there is always a risk of

new unknown constraints that may emerge and the findings of this research study also

emphasized on being prepared for the risk of encountering the unknown constraints. The

management team of construction project need to carry out extensive planning and focus

especially on the constraints that can limit the productivity of the project team while

increasing the expenses and costs as well as leading to low quality project outcomes.

The findings of this research study emphasises on the early detection of all the

constraints because if the constraints are detected earlier in the project it becomes easier for

the project management to formulate strategies that can be used to mitigate or minimise the

negative consequences of the constraints while ensuring that the goals of the projects are

49
achieved. It can be easily concluded that the construction projects are complex and need to

have integrated timelines while being managed by a good project team in order to achieve all

the satisfactory results that fulfil the requirements of the client in terms of the functional

performance as well as aesthetic sense. At the same time it will help ensure and the

completion project on time and within budget while meeting the rules and regulations related

to health and safety.

The majority of the respondents from the construction workers of the research study

clearly mentioned that it is the responsibility of the project team in a construction project to

plan control as well as we need the project from its initiation to its completion in accordance

with the requirements and wishes of the client. They stated that planning is the task of upper

management and if constraints arise due to the poor or lack of planning, the upper

management should take responsibility. While expanding further, more than 90% of these

respondent claimed that the upper management fails to take responsibility for the constraints

that occur due to their poor planning.

The mostVast majority of the upper management level respondents (69%) declared

that the most concerning part of construction project are based on the functionality the quality

outcomes the completion of project within time and budget and cohesive coordination

between the available resources. More than 50% of these respondents further stated that itIt is

the responsibility of the project management team to identify the constraint in time and

formulate the strategies needed to respond to the existence and occurrence of these

constraints. The findings of this research studies are heavily back by existing research

because the findings suggest that it is important to quantifying the effects of constraintsant in

terms of money. The impact of these objectives on the project objectives and also quantifying

the effects in terms of time so that the project team is aware of the negative consequences of

50
not being able to manage constraints. These negative consequences are quantified often in

terms of additional costs and time required to complete the project.

The findings of this research study have been summarised as average score of the

rating score on the level of impact on the construction project and are provided in table 1.

According to this table the construction projects are strongly impacted by legal constraints

followed by economic and environmental constraints. The technical and design constraints

have one of the lowest impacts on the construction projects while social constraint still have a

powerful impact as compared to technical constraint because it is subject to the work ethic of

construction workers as part of the project team. Legal constraints are rules and regulations

put in place by government departments which focus on work health and safety as well as

permissions that have to be granted by government officials for the construction project to

start. The implication for managers is that proper prior planning is a must for effectively

managing the above mentioned constraints. Similarly, enough time and budget should be

allocated towards constraint identification and mManagement in the earlier phases of

planning for the whole project. It is important to keep in mind the importance oflevel of

motivation of workers who will carry out the vision of project managers and there fore the

impact of social constraint should not be ignored because despite even though the level of

impact on the construction project by a social construct is low but in reality it can be quite

alarming and a great situation for the project team..

Table 1: Category of Constraints Level of Impact

Social Constraints 5.40
Environmental Constraints 7.00
Technological Constraints 4.75
Legal Constraints 7.20
Economic Constraints 7.00

51
 It is importantA major implication is to understand the crucial need for a motivated

and well directed team of workers because without productive performance by construction

workers the project could not progress well, and demotivation of construction workers may

even lead to discontinuation of the project. Even though the table shows that technical

constraints have the lowest impact on the construction projects they are still very critical for

the most effective design and high-quality project results. Technical constraints may be

related to design and the cohesiveness of construction activities and such constraints need to

be resolved as soon as possible because design constraints may eventually lead to an

unfeasible construction project that needs to be started from scratch because the design

chosen was not feasible.

It is noteworthy that if design and technical constraints are identified early on and

resolved in the initial stages of these constraints will no longer pose a threat at the actual

construction stage and therefore will not delay the project or result in increased expenses.

However, the emphasis of the findings was that technical constraints take a lot of time to be

identifiedy and resolved therefore they may take up a lot of planning time which may actually

delays the project even before it commences. The finding emphasizes on the implication that

there are five different categories of constraints that may occur in any construction project

and if even one category is overlooked it may trigger another category of constant constraint

into action because they are often interlinked. Social constraint may bring on the time

constraint.. One of the respondents gaveive an example that if during the deconstruction the

method of disposing of the waste material is a threat to the environment this interns break the

legal regulations and may lead to the construction company spending money in order to deal

with the wastage in a legal manner. It may become difficult for the project to fund both the

waste disposal and the legal case leading to a shortage of funds for the effective completion

of project thus triggering economic constraints.

52
Critical Chain Project Management

Findings of this research study point towards thealso emphasize on using use of

critical chain project management for managing the constraints as well as in showing

ensuring that critical activities are completed on time. However, information gathered from

the respondents of this research study showed that in order to implement the critical chain

project management effectively it is important to ensure that the priorities are established on a

centralised systematic basis. The use of CCPM is not effective for usable if the project is

being executed by contractors. It is important that there is unity of purpose among the people

who are carrying out a construction project if they are trying to use CCPM in an effective

manner because unity of purpose is an important prerequisite of this approach and it aims to

prevent any counter productivity in the construction project and there for this approach is able

to provide mutual benefits to all the stakeholders involved in the construction project.

Some specifically written contractual arrangements can however facilitate the concept

of unity of purpose but these are very rare. Critical chain project management is used that the

overall construction project will be controlled by a time specific schedule and critical activity

with no slack time will be completed on time so that resources can be utilised in the next

activity without tying up any important resources. However, the discussion also pointed

towards the fact that critical chain project management claims that there are some concerns

over the overestimation of time through allocating time buffers to each activity individually.

Another important aspect of CPM is that it draws a distinct line between decision makers and

the executive of the project and uses communication as a medium for effective execution.

Open and constant communication is one of the most noteworthy characteristics of critical

chain project management.

53
 The take away from this research study is that ere the early identification of any

category of constraintant will aid the project management in creating strategies that can

minimise the negative consequences of the constraintant. by Pproper and detailed planning

will also help the project managers in predicting the time and phases of project in which the

constraint may occur. Early identification can help in effective planning. Detailed time

invested in carrying out the theory of constraints as well as the critical chain project

management in being prepared for the occurrence and complete the project within budget

with quality outcomes. The interests of the key stakeholders can be safeguarded and their

requirements can be effectively fulfilled. can ensure the early identification which can help

project management in identifying any economic constraints as well as legal and

environmental constraints in the earlier stages of project planning

Conclusion
It is concluded and recommended that IT project management should document the

constraints encountered in aAll cConstruction projects and understand the common in similar

projects because this will help the project management team in getting a good understanding

of factors that lead to certain constraints to materialize. The identified constraints should be

documented because they will help the project team in planning activities and scheduling

them as well as allocating resources to each individual activity in order to ensure that critical

activities are carried out on time because the delay in critical activities can lead to delay in

the completion of overall construction project. Research also concludes that after the

completion of the project the review of overall project process should be carried out so that

the management is able to document the progress of the project and how measure the

effectiveness of well the constraints were managed because such documentation can help the

project team to do better in future construction projects.

54
 It is recommended that project management tTeam should make detailed plans related

to allocation of resources which includes capital/finance, supporting facilities, human

resource and talent/skill management so that there are fewer constraints related to economic

and social category. Dictionary tLhe research includes are legal requirements of the

construction iIndustry pose a serious constrained for the completion of projects within time

and budget. It is important for clients to shortlist the most successful contractors who are able

to minimise the effects of constraints occurring throughout the project lifetime so thattime the

financial loss due to constraints can be minimised. It is also important to understand that

empowering middle management can help reconstruction teams to quickly respond to

changes in the environment and react to constraints in a timely manner the because waiting

for decision making from the top management can take time and worsen the negative

consequences.

Recommendations:
After the careful analysis and interpretation of the results drawn from the literature review

and the the surveys and through questionnaireinterviews, results have been drawn which have

been concluded above. The following recommendations can be on the successful

implementation and execution of the construction projects are as follows. These

recommendations can provide valuable insights to the industry practitioners and construction

crew and the project managers working or planning to work on the construction projects in

future. The following recommendations have been suggested by carrying out a thoughtful

research on how to manage constraints in the construction industry.

1. Careful constraints free work planning is the core step for the success of any

construction project. Therefore, the project members must be capable enough to

identify constraints and limitations before the start of the project

55
 2. The project manager must be able to identify the stage and phase of the work in

progress where the project it is likely to encounter any constraints.

3. Potential constraints needs to be identified by thoughtful implementation of Critical

chain project management approach so the constraints can be identified and the

project managers can save the stakeholders from bearing the loss of resources like

capital that is being invested, efforts and the time spent on the completion of the

project.

4. Moreover, there is a significant requirement for the stakeholders and the project

managers to pay special focus and attention to the core elements of a construction

project that includes technical requirement and specifications, team alignment, design

and cost of the project, project scope and the time duration of the project,

approachability of the resources required for the successful completion of the project,

considering the needs of the stakeholders involved in the project.

5. Project manager’s needs to be experienced and have knowledge about the work

scheduling and how to allot activities and tasks to the team members of a construction

project. The basic elements of theory of constraints must be considered at the pre-

construction phase of a construction project.

6. The project managers should consider the expertise advice and services for the

architecture and the technical specifications and requirements of a construction

project. The entire project is based on the constraints planning and how to address or

avoid them during the operational workflow of the project. The experts should be

taken into account rather than taking these steps for the purpose of saving costs. This

can possibly lead to the failing of the project if the core steps are not completed

appropriately.

56
 7. The employees should be motivated to provide report after the completion of the

activities being assigned to them. This should be given serious attention and prime

importance as it will help in cutting down the time duration required for the work in

progress status of the project which can become a constraint if it is not being

highlighted and addressed before time.

57
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Appendix A
Interview GuideQuestionnaire
1. Do you think construction projects suffer from constraints? If so what sort of
constraints are these?
2. How do project managers categorize the constraints?
3. What do you think are the legal constraints that are faced by a construction project?
4. What sort of economic constraints exist in the construction industry?
5. Does the opinion of public and motivation level of construction worker pose a
concern or constraint for the construction project? If so in what ways?
6. Has it ever happened that design of the construction project needed to be changed
after project was initiated? Do such things happen often?
7. When do you think should the constraints be identified and why?
8. Do you think early Identification of constraints in planning phase help the completion
of project on time?
9. Do environmental laws make things concerning for the construction industry?
10. How do you think management should react towards an emergent constraint?
11. Do you think it takes a lot of time to react to the constraints because everything has to
be decided by the top management?
12. Do you think giving power to middle management to deal immediately with emergent
constraints can be helpful in timely completion of project?
13. What are the consequences of delay in completion of critical activities in the critical
path of a construction project?

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