Challenges of Work Placement Feasibility - Case Study Example

 1. Introduction: This document reports the critical analysis, of a work placement feasibility where a project consisting of 100 rooms was to be set-up, with a 5 star category branding. In order to execute the project, the work placement was with a group of construction consultants. The work placement experience brought to light various aspects of obstacles encountered, techniques used to overcome conflict, the consultancy style and models followed, the limitation of the consultancy models, and the ideas of improvement launched. 1. Following were the obstacles that had to be overcome: a. Investigate the available resource of consultants in the market for following purposes: i. Architectural design ii. Engineering Construction iii. Electrical contractors iv. Plumbing contractors v. Interior designing b. A need to identify those who had the expertise of constructing a five star hotel. c. Check the quality of their work with previous projects. d. Check their reliability on executing the project as per schedule. e. Check their resource capability in executing the project f. Check the technologies they use. g. Analyze their awareness on the minimum standard parameters required to qualify for a 5 star hotel category. h. Co-ordination of activities by various contractors. i. Analyzing the risk factors and security of the project. Having identified the above obstacles, a tender was floated, inviting consultants who were interested in taking up the project of a 5 star hotel for execution. Several contractors subscribed. The above obstructing parameters were checked and contract was awarded to one architect consultant – Velmar Inc. who was responsible for end-to-end execution of the project with a group of construction companies, and who qualified with all above parameters. 2. In order to ensure that no major conflict arouse between the company and the architect consultant, following techniques were applied: a. A clear description on requirement as follows was provided to the Architect: i. The project should be of a 5 star hotel category. ii. Number of rooms required: 100 iii. The purpose and objective of the project is “Customer satisfaction”. Hence, all activities involved with the project, had to be looked at from a “Customer” perspective. iv. Should carry facilities of the minimum standard requirement of hotel such as: a. Minimum 25 let able rooms b. Located suitably c. Public areas and rooms well appointed & centrally located d. Kitchen, Pantry & rooms well designed and equipped e. Bathrooms with shower facilities, 24 hours hot & cold water and with modern design and high quality fittings. f. Ladies and gents cloak rooms furnished with high standards g. Architecture feat and construction of building should have distinctive qualities of luxury. h. Quality of walls and garden of high standards i. Adequate parking space for vehicles. j. Well designed and equipped swimming pool with recycling facility k. B/rooms modern in design & fittings of high quality with hot/cold water – 24 hrs. l. Reception, cash and information counters m. Well appointed lobby area n. Minimum of one conference and banquet halls o. Lifts to be installed for building more than two floors. p. Rooms to be spacious and well furnished with curtains and upholstery q. Lighting arrangements in all areas r. Dual telephone line facilities in each room s. Provision for relayed music in each room t. Remote control televisions to be provided. u. Flooring to be of high quality in all areas v. Elegant bar with luxury w. Special restaurant for entertainment x. Restaurant with multi-cuisine v. A plan was defined with the following: i. The layout should provide maximum capacity within the available space. ii. Handling of material in the most economic manner. iii. Human effort, material and space to be optimally utilized, where wastage had to be avoided. iv. No delays/bottle necks in completion of the construction. v. Should have no requirement of making changes of installed machinery vi. Service areas such as restaurants, rest-rooms to be conveniently located vii. Morale of the workers to be kept high, and motivated. viii. Possibility to increase capacity catering to future requirements. b. The architect had to present the following towards the company: i. The architectural plan of the hotel layout ii. The schedule of the project and committed completion date iii. The scope of activities involved in the project related to various contractors – such as construction, plumbing, electrical, interiors, etc. iv. The estimated cost with break-up. c. Further, a Facilities and Administration Manager was appointed by the company to follow-up on the activities of the architect consultant. This manager was qualified with Engineering back-ground and quality controls, and security aspects. d. Also, Finance responsible was appointed to exclusively handle the cost pertaining to the project, and implement necessary check and balances. e. A two way approach of the contractual agreement indicating some of the following: i. Failure of executing the project on time would result in penalties to be paid by the Architects/consultants. ii. Outcome of errors during executing project needs to be reworked at the cost of the Architect/consultant. iii. Failure of prompt payments from the company would result in project being put on-hold, thereby company being responsible for delays. iv. Review by company representative to follow-up activities of the project. 3. Thus, with above techniques in place, the consultancy model adopted was: a. Ensure the luxury property is members of an elite group of hotels that exhibit an exceptionally high degree of service and hospitality, and where the property display an original design, elegant room decor, exceptional dining, and meticulous grounds. b. The consultant being responsible for end-to-end activities of the project. c. An interface from the company to whom there is a day-to-day reporting by the architect, to ensure that the project goes well. d. The company prepared the Project Plan and control functions chart to ensure that reference could be made at any point in time with the various aspects of the project plan. e. Payments of consultant fees dependent on phase-by-phase completion of the project, subject to quality standards, testing of the project, and risk aspects analyzed. 4. During execution of the project activities, following limitations of consultants were identified: a. Competitors gain an insight of the up-coming hotel project, due to disclosure of information from consultancy in lieu of earlier relationships with competitive hotels. b. Risk that consultants replicate the same ideas to other customers whose project they execute. c. Dependency on consultant for advises in technical aspects – a risk that the advice may not be true, though projected well. d. Dependency of consultant for future maintenance of the project – since they constructed the hotel, they have clear visibility on the technical infrastructure of the projects. e. Conflicts between various contractors in co-ordination of activities – example a civil worker refusing to conduct activities due to activities being carried out by the electrical contractor. f. Conflict among laborers. g. Absence of customer focus. 5. Having witnessed the work placement of the hotel project execution, I would suggest following improvements and ideas to do the project differently. a. First analyze the lessons learnt from this project, and put they to use with the next project. a. Define a business function model which consisted of: i. Customer: Who is a key player of the project and an end user, and on whom the success or failure of hotel depends on. ii. Marketing: The project to be designed in a manner where marketing the hotel becomes easier. Hence designing the project in line with the advantageous that would be marketed. iii. Operations: Where the whole construction, labor, materials are taken into consideration. iv. Finance: The estimate of finance it required. v. Personnel & Security: Analyzing the risk factors in terms of Personnel and security aspects from customers perspective as customer safety aspects and Personnel to service. b. Make a clear plan of action indicating clearly the responsibilities, estimated cost, schedule time for completion, schedule time for payments. c. Conduct quality inspection by external sources d. Analyze the risk and safety aspects with the help of an external resource. e. Award the contract to different consultant firms which would bring in following advantageous: i. The dependency on the existing consultancy is less ii. Having other consultants carrying out other activities, would bring in competition, thus quality would be better, because one consultant may fear that the other is doing good in quality, hence want to ensure that they are better. iii. Reliability on maintenance not limited on only one contractor. f. Insist on a confidentiality agreement with the consultants, to ensure that inside information of the company or project does not leak-out. g. Allow inside company resource to front-end the project - eg. Operations Head, Facilities & Admin personnel. h. Set up an inventory control system, where materials purchased are accounted for its use. Read More