Thoughts on the Management of Construction Enterprises (Reprinted)

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Thoughts on the Management of Construction Enterprises Source: Academic Journal Authors: Xiong Mingxiang, Jiang Lei, Xiong Jun Abstract: As a highly specialized industry, construction enterprises possess many unique characteristics of their own. Enterprise management also has many unique features. It provides a relatively comprehensive explanation of the characteristics and management of construction enterprises. Keywords: engineering ； Construction companies ； Management ； Humanization I. Introduction: Project construction enterprises share many common characteristics with general enterprise management, but they also have many unique features of their own. The source of profitability for construction companies lies primarily in the project implementation at the grassroots level; to manage these projects effectively, it is necessary to invest more human and material resources. Since the work locations for construction companies are uncertain, with projects being spread across various sites, the companies send the appropriate personnel and equipment to these project sites in order to carry out the work required and fulfill the obligations specified in the project contracts. To achieve the desired management goals and results, it is necessary to adopt targeted project management methods and measures based on the characteristics of each project. At the same time, most of the work is done outdoors, with workers operating in natural conditions such as sunlight, wind, and rain, which makes it more arduous and difficult than working indoors. Construction enterprises and their management have their own particularities and characteristics. The management approach adopted also must vary depending on the project. Therefore, to manage a highway project effectively, it is necessary to adopt targeted project management methods and measures based on the project’s characteristics in order to achieve the desired management goals and outcomes. II. Main characteristics of construction enterprises 1. Higher requirements for the quality of personnel. Due to the uncertainty of the project locations for construction companies, projects are not only located across the country but also abroad. This requires employees to have high standards of competence, which is manifested not only in high levels of professional technical expertise but also in a strong ability to adapt, including psychological resilience, physical fitness, language skills, communication abilities, and an understanding of local customs. When employees go to work on projects, they are inevitably separated from their families – it’s truly like leaving wives and children behind and departing from their hometowns. Regardless of whether the separation lasts long or short, not being able to be with one’s family during this time away from home and unable to take good care of them inevitably puts a great deal of psychological stress on one, which in turn has certain effects on work. Therefore, the employees involved in the construction must have good psychological resilience and the ability to withstand pressure. Due to the varying locations of construction projects, local climate conditions are naturally complex and diverse. This requires the employees involved in the construction to have a strong physical capacity to adapt to such conditions and to withstand the demands of the local climate; otherwise, it becomes impossible to carry out work properly. For example, if a project is located in a large mountainous area, the climate can vary greatly between the upper and lower parts of the mountains. As the poem goes, \"By April, the flowers on earth have withered away, while peach blossoms begin to bloom in the mountain temples.\" Therefore, employees’ bodies must adapt to these climate conditions as quickly as possible. Furthermore, people’s lifestyles and customs vary from place to place, with significant differences; it’s truly true that \"even though you live just ten miles away, each place has its own local traditions.\" Employees involved in the project must have a thorough understanding of these local customs and traditions, adapt to them as quickly as possible, respect them, and avoid doing anything that goes against them. One must be cautious at all times and in every situation, to avoid inadvertently doing something inappropriate that could lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, or even disputes, thereby affecting the smooth progress of the project and impacting the management objectives to varying degrees. 2. There are special requirements for the equipment. Depending on the location and scope of the project, construction equipment must also be selected based on the actual circumstances. Some equipment is very suitable for the geological conditions of one project, but ineffective for the geological conditions of another project. At this time, it is necessary to select appropriate equipment based on local conditions in order to carry out effective construction work and increase the economic benefits of the enterprise. For example, in the construction of bored pile foundations, rotary drilling equipment is highly suitable for geologies such as clay and sand, offering high work efficiency. Such drilling equipment is very inefficient in gravelly or rocky terrain; in such cases, an impact drill is the far more suitable choice. Therefore, the construction company’s machinery and equipment must be adjusted according to different projects. 3. Changes in process technology are diverse. For the construction work of the same project, there are often many different construction techniques and methods – truly, \"many roads lead to Rome.\" However, which road is safer, more convenient, and more efficient? This also requires considering various factors, conducting a comprehensive analysis and comparison before making a choice. The factors to consider here include the engineering characteristics, the personal safety of the workers, the requirements regarding the contract deadline, the quality standards for the project, the amount of capital investment, the overall economic benefits, the social benefits, and so on. Only through comprehensive analysis and comparison, as well as the selection of appropriate construction techniques, can the most ideal overall benefits be achieved. There is an engineering example as follows: The design of a municipal bridge in a certain city is quite sophisticated; the piers of the main bridge are cross-shaped, solid piers that are over 60 meters high. To address this, construction techniques such as formwork turning method, climbing formwork method, and slipform method can be employed; all of these are highly mature and viable construction techniques that can ensure project quality. Given the tight deadline specified in the contract for this project, the on-site project team of the construction company concluded, after comprehensive analysis and comparison, that the slipform construction method would not only help reduce the costs associated with construction equipment but also ensure that the project is completed even ahead of the scheduled deadline. Additionally, this method offers better protection for the safety of workers who carry out work at heights. After the plan was submitted for approval and approved, it was put into implementation, ultimately achieving all the intended goals with exceptionally remarkable results. 4. High security risks. Safety management in construction projects is a complex systematic task. The work carried out by construction companies constitutes a high-risk industry with significant safety hazards compared to enterprises in other sectors. Calling it a high-risk industry is due not only to the many safety risks faced by the workers during their operations, such as safety risks associated with working at heights, working near edges, risks from falling objects, electrical safety hazards, and safety risks related to deep underground construction works. There are also many risks associated with harsh natural working conditions, such as the winds and waves encountered during construction at sea, as well as the dangers of working in deep waters. In mountainous areas, threats to workers’ safety arise from wild animals and venomous snakes. In cold regions, the extremely low temperatures pose hazards during construction, while in hot regions, there are safety risks associated with having to work in scorching heat. And so on. These safety risks are present at all times in the daily work and life of workers; it is only possible to try various ways to avoid and prevent them, as it is not feasible to eliminate these safety risks altogether. Emergency management for work safety in engineering projects should adhere to the principles of \"putting people first, giving top priority to safety, being prepared for potential risks, and focusing on prevention.\" III. Management of construction enterprises As a special industry, construction enterprises possess many characteristics unique to this sector. At the same time, it must also have its own management characteristics and requirements. 1. It is difficult to manage and comes with high costs. Clearly different from companies in other industries, the production activities of construction firms are spread across various locations, forming independent temporary work organizations. Project contents vary, as do the personnel compositions of these projects. The locations of the projects can be either close or far from the company’s headquarters, and all of these factors pose various challenges to the company’s overall management and increase its daily operational costs; expenditures such as those related to personnel and travel time are significantly higher in such cases. Enterprise managers need to devote more thought and effort to business management, and companies must make additional investments in various aspects of management. Otherwise, it will also be difficult for enterprise management to achieve the desired goals and outcomes. 2. Strengthen the management of technological innovation. The product manufacturing of construction enterprises generally takes place at the construction sites of engineering projects, where the majority of employees carry out the most direct and fundamental hands-on work. It is able to accumulate and summarize experience from practice, test, develop, and refine theoretical knowledge, while continuously innovating. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, construction methods are also evolving rapidly and emerging in increasing numbers. To survive and thrive in the highly competitive construction industry, companies must keep up with the trends of the times, increase investment in technology and pursue innovation. Through such innovation, they can acquire their own technical patents, construction methods, and other intellectual property rights, thereby gaining a strong core competitive advantage. By utilizing advanced construction machinery and equipment as well as cutting-edge technological methods, it is possible to significantly reduce construction costs and enhance the economic efficiency of enterprises, thereby strengthening their competitiveness in the market and allowing them to capture a larger share of the market. Paying attention to technology and making it a focus of corporate management has become a distinct feature in the daily operations of many construction companies. 3. Strengthen the management of safety risk prevention. Construction companies have consistently adhered to the principle of \"safety first, prevention foremost, and comprehensive management,\" which has led to a decline in safety accidents over time. Regarding the awareness of construction safety accidents and their transmission pathways, W.H. Heinrich proposed the theory of accident chain reaction, suggesting that injuries are interconnected with various causes, and that the chain process of accidents is influenced by five factors: heredity and social environment, human errors, unsafe human behaviors or unsafe conditions of objects, accidents, and injuries. Due to the numerous risk factors present in the daily operations of construction projects, the direct and indirect economic losses caused by safety accidents are extremely substantial. Construction companies place great emphasis on safety management, and almost all of them implement management that is routine-based, meticulous, and professional. It is not just about control during and after an event; more emphasis is placed on control and prevention beforehand. Almost every construction company invests heavily in safety management: it assigns dedicated personnel and establishes specialized departments, formulates various rules and regulations regarding safety management as well as reward and punishment systems, provides employees with training and safety education, increases the frequency of inspections and patrols, identifies potential safety hazards promptly, and takes effective measures to eliminate them, thereby ensuring that construction activities take place in a 100% safe environment. Strive to control people’s unsafe awareness and behaviors at the source, eliminate potential hazards that lead to accidents through appropriate methods, and achieve inherently safe production. 4. Emphasize humanized management. The foundation of social progress lies in the progress of individuals themselves; societal development is inseparable from the personal development of people. The survival and development of construction enterprises depend on the joint efforts and dedication of their employees. Due to the extremely harsh and difficult working environments and conditions in construction companies’ projects, employees have to put in significantly more effort compared to those in other industries; therefore, companies need to provide their employees with more care and support. It is necessary to fundamentally address the various difficulties and concerns of employees in general, especially those working on the front lines. For businesses to enable their employees to let go of burdens and work with a lighter load, they must adopt a human-centered approach to management, showing genuine care for their employees, treating them as members of the corporate family, and encouraging employees to truly regard the company as their own home. This in turn stimulates the enthusiasm of all employees to work harder and more conscientiously to contribute to the development of the company. IV. Conclusion: For a construction enterprise to achieve healthy development, it must have sound management. Its management requires special methods due to its own particularities. The management of construction enterprises needs to demonstrate more concern for human elements; it should adopt a more humane and person-centered approach to management that emphasizes harmony, prioritize technological innovation, strengthen safety education and management, and allocate the necessary management resources (such as personnel, funds, and equipment). Enterprise managers must have a clear understanding of the unique characteristics of their construction companies, adopt appropriate and correct management methods, and take targeted actions; only in this way can they manage the companies effectively and ensure their continuous growth and development. 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