reflection
The comparative case study resulted in new insight into the research area organizational culture and project partnering
performance. Therefore the methodology fitted the explorative research character. The research model of a linear analytical
structure proved to reduce the complexity of the research by consequently following the different research steps. Nonetheless
certain aspects of the research method are worthwhile to reflect upon. Therefore certain aspects of the methodology and
case studies are discussed. A reflection is also provided for follow-up research by fellow Master students.
Methodology
Discrepancy in time between organisational culture
and project partnering performance measurement
In the methodology, a retrospective case study approach
was selected in order to prevent time consuming
observations, increase the availability of relevant
documents and to increase the openness of the actors.
The main research question was: “What is the influence of
organisational culture differences between the architect
and the contractor on project partnering performance in
design and build projects?”. This question emphasizes two
variables: organisational culture and project partnering
performance. Due to the retrospective research approach,
both variables should reflect the measurement at a specific
point in time in the past.
During the case study of ‘De Brug’ it became clear that the
measurement of organisational culture in the past (2005) –
with the use of this particular interview – does not provide
the necessary information to describe the organizational
culture in the past (2005). Difficulties arose with the
interviewees, when answering the questions regarding
the organisational culture in the past, despite the specific
emphasis on the time difference by the interviewer during
the interview. The answers regarding the organisational
culture variables reflected the present organisational
culture instead of the organisational culture in the past
(2005). Therefore there is a discrepancy in time between
the measurement of the organisational culture which was
intended (organisational culture in 2005) with what it has
become (organisational culture in 2012).
Due to the fact that organisational culture is a dynamic
concept and changes over time, the organisational culture
was probably significantly different in the past compared
to the present. Especially with the added external influence
of the economic crisis on organisational culture within
the last few years. Therefore, the discrepancy in time
reduces the content validity for the case study ‘De Brug’.
The discrepancy in time within the case study ‘BioPartner
Accelerator’ was ignored because the time difference
had been too small to make a significant difference in the
organisational culture since 2010.
Despite the discrepancy in time in the case study ‘De Brug’,
the influence of the organisational culture (2012) has
been compared with the project partnering performance
(2005).
Limited depth in the description and analysis of
organisational culture
The organisational culture of the architect and the
contractor was described and analyzed by using the
external adaptation variables (external adaptation
– mission and strategy; goals; means; performance
measurement; correction method) (Schein 2004: 88).
The variables relating to the integration of the internal
processes of the group (internal integration – creating a
common language and conceptual categories; defining
group boundaries and identity; distributing power and
status; developing rules for intimacy, friendship and
love; allocating rewards and punishment; managing the
unmanageable) (Schein 2004: 112) and the macro culture
(reality, truth, nature of time and space and human nature
activity and relationships) were ignored due to time
restrictions on the research. The decision to restrict the
research by ignoring the variables regarding internal
integration and the macro culture, implies a lack of depth
in the description and analysis of the organisational
culture of the architect and the contractor.
In order to get a more in-depth description and analysis
about the organisational culture of the organisations
the theory of Schein should be fully applied. In other
words, a description and analysis about the artefacts
and the variables related to the integration of the
internal processes and to the macro culture should be
incorporated. As the variables related to the integration of
the internal processes (Schein 2004: 112) were ignored,
the variable to describe the specific internal design
process of the architect was not taken into account. The
internal design process is a decisive characteristic of the
organisation of the architect and has a strong influence
on the basic assumptions of the organisation. Van Doorn
(Doorn 2004: 49) acknowledges the differences between
the organisation of an architectural firm and general
businesses on several aspects. One of these aspects is the
internal designing process.
Another aspect with which a more in-depth description
can be created is to increase the number of interviews
about organisational culture. Contradictions between the
answers regarding the variables are valuable information
to determine the basic assumptions about the organisation.
Furthermore, a historical description and analysis about
the choices of the organisation and why these choices
have been made (a more ethnographic research approach)
can provide valuable input in order to determine the
basic assumptions of the organisation (Schein 2004).
The ethnographic approach also reduces the subjectivity
of the organisational culture description by finding
contradictions between what the organisation claims to
be and what they actually do. This thesis described the
organisational culture by what the organisation claims
to be, through the use of single interviews with the
supervisors.
The restrictive methodology to determine the
organisational culture of the architect and the contractor
caused a limited description of the organisational culture
of the architect, because the decisive organisational
culture variable – internal design process – was ignored.
Moreover, the description of both contractors’ subcultures was not extensive enough to distinguish the
contractors’ sub-cultures, even though other factors
could also explain the difficulty to distinguish the subcultures of the contractors. These factors could be: the
contractors (Dura Vermeer Bouw Leidschendam and Dura
Vermeer Bouw Rotterdam) are departments of one large
organisation (Dura Vermeer); the strong collaboration
between both departments due to a collaborative
business unit (PCS construction systems); and the limited
separation of the departments from one another (Dura
Vermeer Bouw Leidschendam was established 12,5 years
ago due to the separation of the department Dura Vermeer
Bouw Rotterdam). Nonetheless, it can be concluded that
the method of measuring the organisational culture –
through the five variables related to the external survival
of the company in its environment (Schein 2004: 88) – is a
too superficial method. Although the method provides an
indication for certain basic assumptions of the company,
it does not provide the necessary broadness and depth in
order to determine a definite and objective organisational
culture description.
The case studies
Discrepancy between project partnering in theory
and strategic partnering in empirical data
Project partnering is defined as: “A commitment between
two or more organizations during a single construction
project for the purposes of achieving specific project
objectives by maximizing the effectiveness of each
participant’s resources. This requires changing traditional
relationships to a shared culture without regard to
organizational boundaries. The relationship is based on
trust, dedication to common goals, and an understanding
of each other’s individual expectations” (adapted from CII
1991). Explicit differences between project partnering
and strategic partnering is the commitment to one project
(project partnering) and two or more projects (strategic
partnering).
For the case selection the most important criterion was
the application of project partnering. This implied that the
actors were participating together in one single project.
During the case studies it became clear that the architect
and the contractor knew each other and had a mutual
project history. The architect and the contractor have
completed different types of projects, where they played
different roles. Within the formal definition this implies
that, not project partnering but strategic partnering, has
been applied (collaboration within multiple projects
due to supply chain integration). Therefore a more
thorough analysis of the definition of project and strategic
partnering is required.
In the definition of project partnering the former experience
between the participants and the project type (the type
of project refers to the variety of functions a building
can have, e.g. house, office, laboratory, library) were not
discussed, even though these aspects are important to
further clarify and distinguish project partnering from
strategic partnering. Therefore, the project partnering
definition is re-defined as: “A commitment between
two or more organizations during a single construction
project – with no former experience between the project
participants on similar project types – for the purpose
of achieving specific project objectives by maximizing
the effectiveness of each participant’s resources. This
requires changing traditional relationships to a shared
culture without regard to organizational boundaries.
The relationship is based on trust, dedication to common
goals, and an understanding of each other’s individual
expectations”.
Limitations of the two case studies
The results are based on a single case and the proposals
are based on two cases. Therefore, it is not possible to
generalize the results or the proposals. For this reason the
results and proposals should be considered in the context
of the two cases. In order to validate the proposals, further
research is required.
The two selected cases were very successful construction
projects for all the project actors. The results and proposals
of an explorative case study depend on the type of case
and the success of the results of the cases. If the cases had
shown difficulties during the process or had a dissatisfying
result, it could have provided different and interesting
results and proposals. Therefore, it would be interesting
to extend the study by applying the methodology to cases
that have been subjected to an unsuccessful process or
have had a dissatisfying result.
Further research
Influence of competences and values of organisation
on personal level in the project
According to Hofstede (2010: 348) and Schein (2004:
225) the founder exposes his values to the members of the
organization and these values become a part of the new
members. Within JHK Architects the members are selected
by the supervisors, thus the supervisors try to find a
person that suits the company and is probably sensitive
to the values that the supervisors will expose on him
when a new member enters the organization. According
to Blau (1984: 27) several architectural companies claim
that “new staff are hired because they will be congenial
and will fit in; they should be people with the same
ideas or similar philosophy”. This was recognized within
the case studies. Moreover, it was also recognized that
certain competences and values of the members of JHK
Architect were recognized in the project team by the
contractor. Examples of these values were: dedication to
the construction team; look further than own interests;
technical and functional design vision and the central
client. Figure 8.1 shows a concept drawing of the influence
of competences and values on a personal level in the
project team. The influence of competences and values of
the organisation on a personal level in the project could be
of interest for further research.
Further exploration of the research subject
The research subject can be explored more extensively.
This thesis resulted in the possible relationships of the
organisational culture variables on the project partnering
variables. These were presented in four propositions
(Chapter 7). In order to find out whether the possible
relations are significant, quantitative correlation research
should be done. The propositions could also provide a
base for further correlation research.
Furthermore, new possible influences of the organisational
culture on the project partnering performance could
be explored, by re-applying the particular methodology
on different case studies. It would be very interesting to
extend the organisational culture measurement method
with ethnographic research methods and increase
the organisational culture variables with the integral
integration and macro culture variables (Schein 2004:
112), in order to explore the possible influences of the
organisational culture on project partnering performance
from different perspectives.
Figure 8.1 Influence of competences and values of
organisation on personal level in the project
organisation
contractor
project
environment
member
contractor
leader
member
architect
member
architect
?
competences
values
organisation
architect
selection