Assessing coordination performance based on centrality in an e-mail communication network
AbstractBuilding design and construction require the collective effort of diverse project participants. The coordination performance of these project participants is important for effective management and needs to be assessed periodically. However, there is no uncomplicated quantitative way to measure coordination. Measuring coordination is cumbersome and time-consuming particularly during the project execution phase. This study proposes an easy procedure for monitoring the coordinative performance of project participants. The degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality measures of the project participants in a wayfinding signage project at a major airport construction project are calculated using social network analysis on the e-mail communication network between the participants. A centrality index is defined for each firm based on the average of these three centrality measures. The firm’s coordination score is also calculated based on content analysis of the sent and received e-mails between the part...
Abstract To co-ordinate the activities of all participants in their business system, Benetton and Toyota explicitly separated entrepreneurial from professional activities. Managing flows of information, cash and goods became the distinctive competence of sinior entrepreneurs. This created two independently co-ordinated and distinct organizations: The social and the professional organization. The author discusses ways of creating these organizations.