INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND INFLUENCE FACTORS

This paper provides a framework for the development of strategies for improving construction planning practices. Interrelationships between construction planning and situational factors in the environments with in which construction planning is undertaken were examined using regre ssion analysis. Factors having a critical influence on construction pl anning were identified. The results revealed three critical factors th at should be incorporated into strategies for improving construction p lanning effectiveness: (1) Investment of substantial quality time for construction planning prior to the commencement of work on-site; (2) r educed emphasis on developing schedules for monitoring and controlling project progress; and (3) increased emphasis on developing operationa l plans for project implementation. Significant relationships between the project's environment, organizational characteristics of construct ion firms, planners' efforts, and construction planning effectiveness are discussed. The paper concludes with implications for construction planning practice.