IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM LIM PUI CHUNG

Transcription

1 i IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM LIM PUI CHUNG A report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Science Construction Management Faculty of Civil Engineering Universiti Teknologi Malaysia NOVEMBER 2006

2 Dedicated to my God, the congregation of my church and to my family. iii

3 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This paper is successfully completed with the assistance and support of my honorable project supervisor, Associate Professor Dr. Abdul Kadir Marsono. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to him for his continuous support and guidance throughout the process of making until the completion of this dissertation. His enthusiasm has been a great source of inspiration to me and it is indeed fortunate to be under his supervision and guidance. His dedication will always be remembered. On the other hand, I am indeed thankful to those who have shown their full support to the making of this dissertation especially my family members and friends for their moral support throughout the process. Greatest thanks to Mr Rozaiman from CIDB, government departments such as MBJB and MPJBT and to all the respondents who have spent their time and taking the effort in replying the questionnaires. Finally, I wish to thank all parties who have given their cooperation and support directly or indirectly to ensure a successful completion of the project report.

4 v ABSTRACT In Malaysia, the implementation of Industrialised Building System (IBS) by using precast concrete elements were introduced since 1966 when the government launched two pilot projects in 1966 which involves the construction of Tuanku Abdul Rahman Flats in Kuala Lumpur and the Rifle Range Road Flats in Penang. From the survey conducted by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia, the level of usage of IBS in the local construction industry is 15% in 2003 although many government initiatives have been introduced to encourage the use of IBS. Therefore a study is conducted to study the current awareness of the usage of IBS in Malaysia. Furthermore this study will be conducted to analyse ways to improve the implementation of IBS in terms of the current policy and guideline available to implement the usage of IBS in the local construction industry. The study will be focused the usage of 50% of the IBS elements in terms of cost. The Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) Matrix will be used to analyse the current scenario in the local construction industry and therefore the strategic implementation plan will be produced in this study.

5 vi ABSTRAK Perlaksanaan Sistem Bangunan Berindustri (IBS) di Malaysia menggunakan elemen konkrit pasang siap mula diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan sejak tahun 1966 dengan pelancaran dua projek pembinaan sulung yang terdiri daripada pembangunan Flat Tunku Abdul Rahman di Kuala Lumpur dan Flat Rifle Range Road di Pulau Pinang. Daripada tinjauan yang dibuat oleh CIDB, perangkaan menunjukkan bahawa tahap penggunaan Sistem Bangunan Berindustri dalam sector pembinaan adalah hanya 15% pada tahun 2003 walaupun kerajaan telah mengambil banyak inisiatif telah dijalankan untuk menggalakkan penggunaan IBS. Oleh itu, satu kajian dilakukan untuk mengetahui tahap kesedaran tentang penggunan IBS di Malaysia. Tambahan pula kajian ini dijalankan untuk menganalisis cara-cara untuk memperbaiki perlaksanaan IBS dalam aspek polisi dan garis panduan yang sedia ada dalam sektor pembinaan. Kajian ini akan tertumpu pada penggunaan 50% elemen IBS dari segi kos. Matriks Kekuatan, Kelemahan, Peluang dan Ancaman (SWOT) akan digunakan untuk menganalisis keadaan semasa dalam sektor pembinaan tempatan dan seterusnya pelan perlaksanaan strategik boleh dihasilkan dalam kajian ini.

6 vii TABLE OF CONTENT CHAPTER DESCRIPTION PAGE TITLE DECLARATION DEDICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENT LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF APPENDICES i ii iii iv v vii xi xii xiii 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Advantages of Industrialised 3 Building System 1.2 Problem Statement Aim and Objectives Scope of the Project 8 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Definition of Industrialised Building 9 System (IBS) 2.3 Classification of Building System 11

7 viii Classification of IBS Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and 14 Threat in IBS The Strength of IBS Weakness in IBS Opportunities in IBS Impediments to Progress of IBS 19 in Malaysia 2.5 Implementation of IBS by Other Countries The European Code Germany The Netherlands United Kingdom United States of America (USA) Implementation of IBS in Malaysia Roadmap to the Successful Implementation 27 of IBS in Malaysia Strategic Plan Using the Strategic 28 Management Process 2.8 Strategy Formulation Framework Strength-Weakness-Opportunity- 31 Threat (SWOT) Matrix The Strategic Position and Action 32 Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix The Quantitative Strategic Planning 34 Matrix (QPSM) 2.9 Conclusion 35 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction Literature Review Questionnaire 38

8 ix 3.4 Method of Analysis Average Index Mean Median Mod Strategy Formulation 42 4 RESULT AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction Data Analysis and Result Questionnaire Information Respondent Validity and 45 Sample Size Data Analysis for Part A Data Analysis for Part B Data Analysis for Part C Period of Involvement in the 51 Construction Projects Using IBS Numbers of Projects 52 Implementing IBS Types of Development 53 Projects That Implements IBS Data Analysis for Part D Strength of IBS in the 54 Construction Industry Weakness of IBS in the 59 Construction Industry Opportunity of IBS in the 62 Construction Industry IBS Threat in the 65 Construction Industry

9 x Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) Matrix for the Strategy Formulation for IBS SO (Strength- Opportunity) 70 Strategy WO (Weakness-Opportunity) 72 Strategy ST (Strength-Threat) Strategy WT (Weakness-Threat) 74 Strategy Data Analysis for Part E Standardisation of Material 75 for the IBS Components Standardisation of IBS 76 Components Sizing Data Analysis for Part F Manufacturing and 79 Machineries Installation Procedures 83 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction To Determine the Strength, Weakness, 86 Opportunity and Threat in IBS 5.3 To Formulate Strategies for the 87 Implementation of 50% of IBS 5.4 To Suggest the Strategic Implementation 88 Plan 5.5 Recommendation 89 References 91 Appendices 95

10 xi LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE 2.1 Building system classification according to relative 12 weight of component (Majzub,1977). 4.1 Types of IBS system used in developer firm The strength of IBS (Internal factor) The weakness of IBS (Internal factor) Opportunity of IBS (External factor) The threat of IBS (External factor) Standardisation of concrete grade for IBS components Standardisation of IBS sizing The manufacturing and machinery requirement for 79 IBS productions 4.9 The requirement for the installation procedure for IBS 83 components

11 xii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE 2.1 Types of building system in Malaysia The strategy formulation analytical framework The SWOT Matrix The SPACE Matrix Methodology flowchart Pie chart of ways of distributing questionnaire Respondents job position distribution Distribution of respondents working experience Distribution of sources of information on IBS Period of involvement using IBS Number of projects implementing IBS Types of development projects that implement IBS SWOT strategy formulation 69

12 xiii LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDICES TITLE PAGE A Technical paper 95 B Questionnaire Form 102

13 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The industrialised building system (IBS) can be generally interpreted as in which all building components are mass produced either in a factory or at site factory according to specifications with standardise shapes and dimensions and transported to the construction projects site to be rearrange with certain standard to form a building. The development of industrialised building system (IBS) is not new in the construction industry. The history of precast in UK housing dates from the mid 1900 s, when this and other forms of industrialised (prefabricated) construction were used to address the problem of widespread destruction of housing stock during the Second World War. In the United States, the use of precast in the construction industry began in the construction of prefabricated steel house by General House in However the early efforts of rationalising and implementation faded quickly due to price incompetitiveness, high capital and inconsistent local codes. The use of precast increased sharply after the Second World War due to the need to resolve critical shortage of houses.

14 2 In Malaysia, the implementation of precast concept by using precast concrete building were introduced in Malaysia in 1966 when the government launched two pilot projects for precast housing which involves the construction of Tuanku Abdul Rahman Flats in Kuala Lumpur and the Rifle Range Road Flats in Penang. Both projects were the first time whereby precast elements were used to construct mass houses. Later, Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Johor (PKNS) import the precast concrete technology from Germany for the construction ranging from low cost housing to luxurious housing such as bungalows and semi detached. Today, many private companies in Malaysia have teamed up with foreign experts from Australia, Netherlands, United States and Japan to offer precast solutions to their projects. Numerous construction projects have utilized the precast components especially to meet the requirement of time constraint and with high accuracy and quality. The precast components are mainly use in the construction of schools, colleges, quarters, apartments, hospitals, roads, port and other infrastructures. Even so, the usage of precast in building in Malaysia is still low as compared to developed countries such as Japan, United States and Europe. From a survey conducted by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia, the level of usage of IBS in the local construction industry is at 15% based on the IBS Survey The main barriers that impede the growth of IBS are the resistance from the parties involved in the construction. The local authorities are generally unwilling to make changes in local building regulations that need a lot of time, works and cost to establish the legislative, structural planning and economic conditions for industrial development. The developers have to plan a larger project scheme in order to reduce the costs of houses for economic viability. The contractor will relatively play less important role because most of the responsibilities will be taken over by the precast manufacturer. Furthermore, the subcontractors who rely on labour will be out of business due to the fact that prefabrication will reduce the number of workers and replace them with machines. It is important that the Malaysia construction industry need to

15 3 evolve and be ready for the globalization era where increase in productivity, quality and safety is a must. It seems that the lesson from established manufacturing process has not been learned successfully in the construction industry. Probably a greater intervention from government linked companies (GLCs) may be needed in setting up the mega housing projects and endless supply of building ready-made components by multiple vendors and suppliers Advantages of Industrialised Building System (IBS) The conventional construction methods have been known and proven to be wasteful, dangerous and messy due to the process of constructing buildings. It is important for the Malaysian construction industry to evolve and be ready for the globalization era where by increase of productivity, quality and safety are compulsory and the reduction of cost and construction period must be taken into account. The advantages of using Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) are:- a) Reduction of unskilled workers b) Reduce wastage c) Increase in quality d) Safer working environment in construction site e) Reduce construction period Malaysian construction industry has been heavily dependant on the unskilled foreign workers especially from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and etc. The absence of foreign workers during the Amnesty Programme launched by the government in 2005 have crippled most of the construction projects throughout Malaysia. This can hinder the development in this country and it can cause a huge loss in term of cost especially to the local developers and contractors.

16 4 Implementation of IBS can reduce the number of unskilled foreign workers in the construction industry and therefore the money siphoned by the foreign workers to abroad can be minimised and this will benefit the local economy. With less labour involved in the IBS construction, overall construction time is shorter. This will enable the constructor to save on the overhead cost involved in the construction. The reduction of workers will enable workers to work at ease without much congestion involving several crews of workers at the same time such as concretor, brick layer, plasterer, carpenter, electrician, plumber and etc. Using the IBS construction, the service from concretor, plasterer, brick layer and carpenter is no longer needed on site but in the IBS factory and their site tasks will be replaced by a group of assembler which consist about 5 persons per project compared to the conventional method. The conventional construction methods normally generate about 20% of wastage in terms of cost. The usage of IBS elements eliminates or greatly reduces conventional timber formwork and props. This reduction will eventually minimise the use of timber and the forest can be saved from destruction. It also reduces the use of nail for the conventional formwork. Furthermore, the elements produced in the plant and mostly designed to be repetitive and thus minimal wastage will be experienced at the factory and construction site. The IBS elements are manufactured in a shaded and environmental protected casting area where critical factor including curing temperature is taken into account. Temperature control is important to prevent structural cracking and to avoid weather related delays. The concrete mix design and stripping time can be controlled, monitored closely or accelerated using additives or steam curing. This will ensure that the qualities of the precast products are better than the cast in situ concrete. The prefabricated products in the market provide a safe working platform for workers to work on. Prefabricated elements will greatly reduce the usage of nails and bricks which are the main cause of accidents in the country. The reduction of workers will enable workers to work at ease without much

17 5 congestion involving several gangs of workers at the same time. In the conventional construction, brick laying is started as soon the strip form is completed. However in the some cases, the bricks will arrive on site before strip form. This will cause the congestion between the carpenters and the brick layer and thus the workers are at risk of falling formwork. The IBS construction will save valuable time and helps to reduce the risk of project delay and possible monetary losses. The design and production of elements can be started while the construction site is under survey or earthwork. The production of the IBS elements are unaffected by weather conditions due to the controlled environment of the casting area. The usage of large structural panels speed up the structural works and thus other trades such as painting, electrical wiring and plumbing works can begin work sooner. The average delivery time for a complete house using IBS construction is approximately 3 to 5 months whereby the conventional system takes about 18 months to complete. 1.2 Problem Statement The Industrialised Building System (IBS) has been introduced in Malaysia since 1966 for the projects which involve precast houses. Since then numerous construction projects use the IBS system when necessary whereby the system is implemented when the construction requires speed accuracy and work that involves a lot of repetition. The early efforts of the Government seems to be in vain because most of the local construction is still practising the conventional method which proven to be wasteful, dangerous and messy. From the survey conducted by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) of Malaysia in 2003, the usage level of IBS in the local construction industry stands at 15%. The construction industry in Malaysia involves many players in the market such as developer, contractor, consultants, supplier, workers and others that came from different background of the system of work. The construction industry in is

18 6 considered as fragmented because policy and guideline implementation and practice in the construction are inconsistent among the players involved. Commonly, town planners, architects and designers work independently with little input and communication with each other. They are totally incommunicado with builders and contractors so that experience of the latter is not available to the former resulting in wasteful delays in revision of plans and designs arising problem from constructability. The material supplier and transporters have their own agenda causing interruptions and abandoned schedules. The consequences will affect the quality and efficiency in the conventional construction as well as those involving in IBS. The fragmented prefabricated construction approach and practices can be seen that every different manufacturer and applicator in the prefabricated construction has its own designs and construction method. This results in incompatibility of the components used among the manufacturers in terms of dimensioning and installation at site. This result in making the prefabricated industry uncompetitive due to the fact that once a contractor applied a contractor applied a prefabricated manufacturer system; he will most probably be obliged in getting the supply from the same manufacturer throughout the construction. The current state of prefabricated construction method are used in mega projects implementing prefabricated method of construction employing mass production approach in achieving economic viability. However, the economic viability does not apply because there is no continuity in its production of the components used after the completion of the particular mega project. The system developed will be ended. Full utilisation of the particular system can be done to make it more economical and of value after the project had finish with standardisation and proper coordination in its system and dimensioning. The local authorities are generally unwilling to make changes in local building regulations that need a lot of time, works and cost to establish the legislative, structural planning and economic conditions for industrial development. The developers have to plan a larger project scheme in order to

19 7 reduce the costs of houses for economic viability. The contractor will relatively play less important role because most of the responsibilities will be taken over by the precast manufacturer. Furthermore, the subcontractors who rely on labour will be out of business due to the fact that prefabrication will reduce the number of workers and replace them with machines. It is important for the Malaysia construction industry to evolve and be ready for the globalisation era where an increase in productivity, quality and safety is a must. Therefore a long term and comprehensive plan have to be devised to encourage the evolution process in the Malaysia construction industry. All parties including the government and the private sector are required have a close collaboration to work together to bring positives changes in the industry. The positive changes include creating a healthy working environment among those involved directly in the construction industry. The major players in the are architects, engineers, town planner, developer, contractor and the supplier or manufacturer have to play their roles in enhancing their working system, management and administration to enable the modernisation in the industry. Therefore detail schematic strategic planning, implementation and standardisation has to be implemented by the government, the private sector and other parties involved as enhancing the modernisation of the construction industry in Malaysia. 1.3 Aim and Objectives The aim of this study is to determine the effect of implementation of 50% of IBS components for the non primary structure elements into the conventional construction system to the construction industry in Malaysia. The objectives of this study are: a) Determine the strength, weakness, opportunities and threat in IBS.

20 8 b) Formulate strategies for the implementation of 50% of IBS. c) Suggest the strategic implementation plan. 1.4 Scope of Project The scope of the project study of item (a), (b) and (c) is according to the implementation of 50% of IBS components for the primary of non primary structural elements into the conventional construction system as recommended by Malaysian government.

21 9 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter focus on the definitions, background, types and current adaptation of Industrialised Building System (IBS). It will also look into the experience and implementation of IBS using the foreign codes and standards such as British and European Design Codes in terms of design. Further, it will concentrate more on the implementation plan using marketing strategy, design codes and law that are available in Malaysia such as MS 1064, Uniform Building by Law (UBBL), Modular Coordination and the Modular Design Guide. Next, it will be on the current implementation plan that will present each strategic model pros and cons. It will narrow down to techniques of choosing a suitable implementation plan and lastly the suitable implementation plan that will be used for IBS. 2.2 Definition of Industrialised Building System (IBS) Industrialisation process is an investment in equipment, facilities and technology with the objective of maximising production output, minimising labour resource and improving quality while a building system is defined as a set

22 10 of interconnected element that joint together to enable the designated performance of a building (Warswaski, 1999). The industrialised building system (IBS) can be defined in which all building such as wall, slab, beam, column and staircase are mass produced either in factory or at site factory under strict quality control and minimal wet site activities. In another definition by Esa and Nuruddin (1998) claimed that IBS is a continuum beginning from utilizing craftsman for every aspect of construction to a system that make use of manufacturing production in order to minimise resource wastage and enhance value for end users. Another elaboration of IBS was clarified by Junid (1986) where by the IBS in construction industry includes the industrialised process which the components are conceived, planned, fabricated, transported and erected on site. The system balance combination between the software and hardware components. The software elements include system design which study the requirements of end user, market analysis, development of standardise components, establishment of manufacturing and assembly layout and process, allocation of resources and materials and definition of a building designer framework. The software elements provide a prerequisite to create the conducive environment for industrialised building system (IBS) to expand. The hardware elements are categorised into three major groups which include frame and beam system, panel system and box system. The framed structures are defined as those that carry loads through their beams and girders to column and to the ground whilst in panel system load are distributed through large floor and wall panels. The box system includes those system that employ threedimensional modules (or boxes) for fabrication of habitable units that are capable of withstanding load from various directions due to their internal stability.

23 Classification of Building System This section will focus on the classification of the building system that are published internationally and in Malaysia. There are four types of building system in Malaysia according to Badir- Razali building system classification. (Badir et al. 1998). The building systems are namely conventional column-beam-slab frame system with timber and plywood as formwork, cast in-situ system with steel or aluminium as formwork, prefabricated system and the composite building system is shown in Figure 2.1. Each building system is represented by its construction technology, functional and geometrical configuration. Building System Conventional Column-Beam Slab Frame System with Timber and Plywood as Formwork Cast in-situ System with Steel or Aluminium as Formwork Prefabricated System Composite Building Figure 2.1: Types of building system in Malaysia However Majzub (1977) has another different concept in classifying the building system. He explains that the relative weight of the components should be

24 12 used as a basis for building classification which consists of frame system, panel system and box system as presented in Table 1.1. The factor weight has significant impact on the transportability of the components and also influence on the production method of the components and the erection method on site. This classification method is not suitable in Malaysia as it is found inadequate to incorporate other building systems which flourish recently. Table 2.1: Building system classification according to relative weight of component (Majzub, 1977). No General System System Production Material 1 Frame System Light weight frame Wood, light gage metals Medium light weight frame Metal, reinforced plastics, laminated wood Heavy weight frame Heavy steel, concrete Panel Light and medium weight Wood frame, metal frame 2 system panel and composite material Heavy weight panel Concrete (factory produced) Heavy weight panel (tilt Concrete up-produced on site) 3 Box system Medium weight box (mobile) Wood frame, light gage metal, composite (modules) Medium weight box Wood frame, light gage (sectional) metal, composite Heavy weight box Concrete (factory produced) Heavy box (tunnel Concrete produced on site) Classification of IBS The building system asserted by Warszawski (1999) can be classified into a few types which depend on the particular interest of their users and producers. The classification use construction technology as a basis for classifying different building systems. In this manner, four major groups can be distinguished such as system using timber, steel and cast in situ concrete and precast concrete as their main structural and space enclosing materials. These systems can be further

25 13 classified according to geometrical configurations of their main framing components that are the linear or skeleton (beams and columns) system, planar or panel system and three dimensional or box systems. The Industrialised Building System (IBS) is a construction process that utilizes techniques, products, components or building systems which involved prefabricated components and on-site installation. From the structural classification, there are five IBS main groups that are used in Malaysia as shown below:- a) Pre-cast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box Systems b) Steel Formwork Systems c) Steel Framing Systems d) Prefabricated Timber Framing System e) Block Work System. The pre-cast concrete components are among the most common prefabricated elements that are available both locally and abroad. The pre-cast concrete elements are concrete products that are manufactured and cured in a plant environment and then transported to a job site for installation. The elements are columns, beams, slabs, walls, 3-D elements (balconies, staircase, toilets, and lift chambers), permanent concrete formwork and etc. The steel formwork is prefabricated in the factory and then installed on site. However the steel reinforcement and services conduit are installed on site before the steel formwork are installed. The installation of this formwork is easy by using simple bracing system. Then concrete is poured into the formwork and after seven days, the formwork can be removed and there is some system whereby the formwork served as a part of the structure itself after concreting. The steel formwork systems are used in tunnel forms, beams, column moulding forms and permanent steel formworks.

26 14 The elements of steel framing system are rolled into the specific sizes and then the elements are fabricated that involves cutting, drilling, shot blasting, welding and painting. Fabricated elements are sent to the construction site to be then erected whereby welding and the tightening of bolts at joints are conducted. The elements include steel beams and columns, portal frames and roof trusses. The prefabricated timber framing system is normally used in the conventional roof truss and timber frames. The timber is prefabricated by joining the members of the truss by using steel plate. It is important that all members are treated with the anti pest chemical. Then, the installation is done on site by connecting the prefabricated roof truss to the reinforcement of the roof beams. The elements of block work system include interlocking concrete masonry units (CMU) and lightweight concrete blocks. The elements are fabricated and cured in the factory. The elements are normally used as bricks in structures and interlocking concrete block pavement. 2.4 Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat in IBS The IBS construction is evaluated and there are several strength, weakness, opportunity and threats in IBS that can be distinguished. All these factors can impact the use of IBS in the country and therefore solutions of the problems need to be tackled quickly as to encourage the use of IBS in this country The Strength of IBS The new innovative construction system especially IBS has several advantages and positive effect to the construction industry in Malaysia.

27 15 Firstly, the use of IBS can reduce the dependency on foreign labours especially the semi skilled and the non skilled workers to approximately 40% to 50%. This also alleviates the problem of the shortage of foreign workers in Malaysia. Next, the construction period using the IBS construction can be reduce and this can save valuable time and helps to reduce the monetary losses. The production of the IBS can start concurrently with the earthwork stage after the design has been confirmed. It is also unaffected by the weather conditions due to the controlled environment of the casting delay and this will eliminate the excusable delay in the conventional construction. In some projects, probably the speed of construction is not required in construction; instead a steady speed may be desirable due to other constraints such as financial decision at the top management level of construction. The quality of the IBS is more secured because the manufacturer imposed strict quality control over the materials, production process, the curing temperature and etc. The concrete mix and the stripping time can be controlled and monitored closely and thus produces high quality components with high aesthetical value. The use of IBS can greatly reduce the usage of conventional timber and therefore the environment will be preserved. Moreover, the process of producing IBS elements are designed to be repetitive and thus minimal wastage will be experienced at the factory and the construction site. IBS elements provide a safety working platform for the workers to work on and therefore the risk on minor accidents to fatal accidents can be prevented. This is cause by the non congestion of workers and the reduction of waste on site.

28 Weakness in IBS There are several weaknesses that can be discovered in the implementation of IBS. The IBS construction requires a high initial investment capital for the purchase of machineries, steel mould, foreign technology, transportation and the wages of skilled workers for the installation process. The use of IBS need the governance of a particular organisation which cost a lot of money in terms of standardisation of sizes, improve the building regulations through research, quality of the products and others. The extra cost also involved in the training of foreign unskilled and semi skilled labourers to enable them to involve in the IBS construction process. However the training will be in vain if the workers decided to go back to their country and the constant change of workers and the retraining of new workers will be wasteful. The IBS will enable the contractors and manufacturers that implement this technology to monopolise the market. This is because many companies are still reluctant to change due to the high investment cost. Then the small and medium industries that are reluctant to change will be affected and this will result in an unhealthy competition among them. The site condition will also affect the use of IBS. Since the IBS components are transported to the site and involved heavy machineries for the installation process. The site must have fair road surface and temporary site access for heavy vehicle and therefore a lot of money will be spend on improving the road conditions and crusher run need to be laid to improve the existing site access ground condition. The distance between the site and the factory must be considered for the most economic time for the manufacturing plant to rotate the loading and unloading period. Lastly, the transport used to carry IBS components need to be redesign to be able to carry larger panels. Lorries that are redesigned must meet the suitability

29 17 and at the same time to follow the road regulations. Currently, the transporters can carry limited weight, length and depth of IBS components stated in the road regulations therefore the optimum carrying capacity is not met Opportunities in IBS The usage of industrialised building has proven that it will reduce substantial amount of unskilled and skilled labourers that are directly involved on site. This has been proven in Israel where by a study was carried out to compare between IBS and conventional construction method in The results shows that the use of IBS have brought much saving in site labour up to 70% and saving on total construction cost to 5-8% of compared to the conventional methods (Warszawski, 1999). Similarly in Singapore, the use of fully prefabricated system provides labour saving up to 46.5% as compared to the conventional method (Cheong, 1997). This will decrease on the reliance of foreign workers but this does not mean that the country workforce will be affected. The usage of IBS will open up many opportunities to the younger generations that seem to be reluctant to be involved in the construction industry. The usage of IBS can contribute to the increase of professional work force in Malaysia. One of the areas that can be enhanced is the knowledge of design in the IBS components and the machinery design. Research can be conducted to study the buildability and the most efficient system mode of construction. Technology on the machine design can further be improved to suit the local industry and the dependence on the foreign technology can be lessened. Developing our own technology in the sense of design, machinery and technology must suit the local building industry. The new design should meet the local social conditions, local climate, local materials and building tradition should be given top priority (Dragsholt, 1984). The design of structural concrete frames for IBS has come under scrutiny as architects, design engineers and contractor strive to find optimum economy, speed of erection and highest specifications for the project (Elliot, 2003).

30 18 The development of alternatives for industrialised building system (IBS) in the form of natural building materials and geological building materials (Harwant and Bujang, 2003). The use of rock and concrete need not the only material used in manufacturing industrialised building system. The natural building material may be considered are light clay, natural plaster and monolithic adobe. The light clay can be used to make non bearing wall while natural plaster such as lime, gypsum, earth plaster and casein paint are appropriate options for finishing interior and exterior wall surfaces. The monolithic adobe consists of unburned clay with straw as a binder used to build walls. Usage of this material will ease the dependence on rocks and concrete which will assist the environmental conservation efforts. The geological building materials consist of solid geology like igneous rock which constitutes most common lithology of the mountain ranges of the peninsular forming topographic highs (GSDM, 1996). On the other hand, the unconsolidated deposits such as gravel, sand, mud and clay are found along the cost and inland valley of the peninsular (GSDM, 1996). All these material can be easily available in the country and therefore the cost of material can reduced. The manufacturing of industrialised process of IBS need to be studied very thoroughly so that it can meet the current local needs in terms of speed, quality and cost saving. The standardisation of the manufacturing process through the modularization of components can increase product variety without seriously affecting the production cost (Salvador et al., 2002; Starr, 1965; Child et al., 1991; Pine, 1993). The standardization of manufacturing process enables it to be accepted for the implementation of IBS. The step before implementing any process change in construction industry is the simulation process. The impact of any process change no matter how promising it looks needs to be understood to ensure desired results. Every aspect of the process need to be tested. This comprehensive testing can help in validating implementation plans (Attaran, 2000). The effective and current simulation process is used to replace the conventional project management which is

31 19 fragmented and therefore fail to produce a good quality in construction due to poor performance of contractors, consultant and the coordinating team (Egan Report, 2002). The current management systems available are reengineering, concurrent engineering, strategic management and etc Impediments To Progress of IBS in Malaysia The government as the major key player in the construction industry has spent billions of Ringgit over the past several Malaysia Plans to develop the country. However the plans are characterised by short falls, delays and lack of coordination between all parties including the agencies at federal and state levels and other major players in the construction industry. The government has not taken necessary actions for the globalisation and the industrialisation of the construction industry. (Salihuddin et al, 2003). The selection of IBS has been hindered by the lack of assessment criteria set by the approving authorities (Trikha, 1999). An IBS system can only be practised by the practitioner if its major advantages are valuable compared to the conventional system. However up to date, there is inadequate collaborative scientific research undertaken to substantiate the benefits of IBS system. Therefore it can be clearly seen that the implementation of IBS is hindered by lack of scientific information (Razali et al, 2002). The academic curriculum in the university seldom incorporate courses that technology, organisation, construction and the design of IBS (Warszawski, 1999). Lack of research and development to use the local materials causes the dependence of foreign technology can be expensive and the quality of products may be compromised (Thanoon, 2003). The fragmented construction industry straddles over several professions and business. The professionals, builders and the supplier do not communicate to input on ideas on implementation of IBS. However the main concerns for these

32 20 parties are just profit and the resistance to change due to unclear incentives given by the government by using new technology (Salihuddin, 2003). The research output from research institution is not readily commercially exploitable and does not appeal to potential users. The major players of the construction industry are reluctant to carry out the research and development in IBS because this can be seen as risky ventures. The country has not been embarked upon venture capitalism in a proactive meaningful manner and as such effort in universities and research institutions remain largely unexploited and unused (Salihuddin, 2003). All parties involved in the construction industry should collaborate and to work together in order to achieve the full utilization of IBS in Malaysia. The government play a very important role in imposed new regulations, standards and training in terms of knowledge, experience and construction method. Moreover the standardisation of dimensions of material needs to provide a feedback loop from the constructor to enable the implementation to be improved from time to time. Incentives given by government should be clearly documented and making sure that all parties is well informed through promotions by the media. Last but not least, the government should have the authority over parties involved including manufacturer, constructor, designer, financial institution and the transporters to ensure they play their respective roles in the successful implementation of IBS. 2.5 Implementation of IBS by Other Countries The implementation of IBS in other countries is using the local legislative context in the building regulations. The reviews of these building regulations include building controls, regulatory system and technical provision in the countries which has been matured in adopting IBS.

33 The European Code The European Code contains the legislation in the form of Codes of Practice or Standards to control structural design. The purpose of the Standard including to prevent actions that might causes stress, deformation or degradation of the works during construction. Furthermore the Standard requirements include structural integrity to prevent collapse, deformation and cracking and disproportionate damage. However in the fire resistance stability requirement which include the provision for initial ignition in installation and system and limitation spread of fire to neighbouring building Germany A detailed investigation by Glass (2001), the German regulations are not too specific of secondary requirements which encourage the use of IBS to be more advantageous or economically viable than in United Kingdom. The IBS in Germany is well established and the market is very competitive due to technological advancement. The development of precast is well recognised especially the precast internal and external wall as well as roof panel. Therefore it is economically viable to set up factories solely dedicated to the production of precast concrete industry (Thanoon et al, 2003). The German Building Regulations are based on model regulations that are written mainly in functional terms and issued by the Federal Government. The Federal Building Code includes both building regulations and planning law so the building regulations include requirements which are mainly to ensure public health and safety and matters concerning the design and layout of buildings and sites. The building regulations are supplemented by technical regulations for building products that differentiate between regulated and non-regulated products. Regulated products generally comply with the technical regulations and suitability

34 22 for purpose is checked either by the manufacturer s certificate of conformity or a certificate of conformity issued by an approved (in accordance with the Federal Building Code or the EC Construction Products Directive) certification agency. Suitability of non-regulated products is confirmed by compliance with general technical approvals, a certificate of inspection and approval or a special agreement for individual cases. In Germany, the building control system operates through a plan submission, approval and inspection by local authority. Structural stability relies primarily on the appropriate DIN Standards for construction methods and the materials used in construction. Meanwhile the fire protection standards are set out in DIN 4102 and the sound insulation technical requirements are contained in DIN 4019 that requires the sound reduction of 53 db in the wall The Netherlands The use of IBS in the Netherland represent 10% of the total housing market, although the conventional brickwall and masonry construction still prevail in the country. Nevertheless, the industrialised housing is steadily increasing due to cost saving up to 30%. This is substantiated by standardised components, flexible manufacturing process and improved industrialised building technique (Jacqueline, 1999). The basis of Dutch law on building work is the Housing Act. The Building Decree (Bouwbesluit) which came into effect in October 1992 contains nationally uniform technical legislation. The main points are of the Building Decree includes safety, health and energy economy, the performance of the building by reference to standard and relevant certificates to conformity and Technical Approval by manufacturers as a proof of meeting the requirements. However, the municipal cannot impose separate technical requirement on all the IBS elements.

35 23 The Building Decree is published as 14 independent Chapters covering the technical regulations for construction work and the state of existing construction works. It contains a collection of performance requirements, by which building plans can be tested using measurements or calculations and indicates, through a test value, whether the requirements have been complied with. The builder can decide how to construct and which materials to use providing the performance requirements are met. The Decree refers to Dutch Standards (NEN s) concerning buildings and civil engineering works (Category A Standards). Provision has been made in the Building Decree for Dutch Standards (NEN s) to be replaced by harmonised European Standards (NENEN s) as these become available United Kingdom Regulation 9 stipulates that the requirements of the regulations can be satisfied only by compliance with the relevant standards. The relevant standards are set out in this document, the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards Regulations 1990, as amended. To satisfy the regulations therefore the design, materials and methods of construction must be at least to the standards set in the technical standard. The provisions deemed to satisfy the standards are provided for the convenience of designers only if they choose to adopt them. There is no obligation to do so but if used properly deemed to satisfy solutions must be accepted by the local authority. In the technical standard in the Building Standard 1990, in the Chapter 9 Part G2.6 sub C mentioned that the suspended floor using IBS elements need to provide insulation above the panels. The non bearing prefabricated walls are required to follow the BS 8297: The BS 476 specified the fire test and requirements for structures and BS 8297: 1995 is the code of practice for design and installation of non load bearing precast concrete wall cladding.

36 24 In BS 6750: 1986 specifies requirement for modular reference system, positions of key references planes and the sizing of the building and their components and material designed in compliance of principles of modular coordination. It also specified the modular grids, positions of modular floor plane, modular height and the modular space. The design specifications, joints and fits and the dimensioning are standardized. On the other hand, BS EN ISO: 1999 are the standardization of the construction drawings which guide in the representation of modular sizes, lines and grids. With all this standards available, it is easier for the designer and fabricator to standardize in terms of sizes, drawings and the concept United States of America (USA) In the state of Georgia, there are several codes that are observed to ensure the uniformity in the construction of industrialized building. The different sections of the Codes specify different materials, method of construction or other requirements and therefore the most restrictive standard will govern. If there are argument between general requirement and specific requirement and the latter shall be applicable. Alternate materials and construction method can be used but it needs the approval from the Commissioner provided the purpose intended meet the specifications in the technical codes. In the Georgia Standard Building Code, the regulations includes the specifications weight of building material for transportation and the minimum ceiling height shall be 7 feet (2181mm). The local authority of the state has the power to govern over the designer, manufacturer and the constructor. The designer is governed through the submission of plan where as the manufacturer need to submit the quality control manual for approval before the construction can be commenced. The quality of the constructor installation of prefabricated is supervised by the representative from the local authority.

37 Implementation of IBS in Malaysia In Malaysia, the implementation of IBS concept by using precast concrete building were introduced in Malaysia in 1966 when the government launched two pilot projects for precast housing which involves the construction of Tuanku Abdul Rahman Flats in Kuala Lumpur and the Rifle Range Road Flats in Penang. Both projects were the first time whereby precast elements were used to construct mass houses. Since 1980 s there are intensive marketing strategy launched by the Malaysian government to introduce modular coordination, its acceptance has received poor responses for the building industry. As a result even partial introduction of IBS such as lintels and staircase has not been possible (Trikha, 1999). Previously in the 7 th Malaysian Plan, the country intended to construct about 800,000 units of houses for its population using the IBS construction. Indeed, 585,000 units were planned for the low and low medium cost houses. However the achievements are disappointing with only 20% completed houses reported due to use of conventional construction method. Although the government introduced numerous incentives and promotions to encourage housing developers to invest in such housing category (Ismail, 2001). Under the 7 th Malaysian Plan, the enforcement of Modular Coordination through the Construction Industry Standard 1&2 only applies to the low cost housing projects initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Malaysia (CIDB, 2001). The enforcement by the local authorities did not apply to all the parties involved in the construction contribute to the failure of the implementation in Malaysia. Furthermore, the incentives that promised to be given to developers by the government does not clearly stated in the law of Malaysia. This non conformance leads to the use conventional method which is less risky to the developers. In 1998, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and CIDB has come up with the Modular Design Guide which contain the modular coordination

38 26 concepts, design rules, drawings and preferred dimensions for architectural finishes material such as bricks, glass, gypsum board and etc. The important aspects of prefabricated concrete in terms of modular dimensions, strength, stability and the fire protection specifications are not indicated. The Uniform Building By Law (UBBL) has introduced several clauses to encourage the use of IBS include the sub clause of 42(1): a) The second line mentioned that 11 meter square gross area is replaced by the 10.8 meter square nett area.this is suitable for the area of room that has the dimension of 3000x3600mm and using the modular dimension. b) The fourth line, 9.3 meter square gross area is replaced by the 9.0 meter square nett area. c) The fifth line, 6.5 meter square gross area is replaced by 6.3 meter square nett area. In the conventional construction the local authority only given the authority to inspect the work after the completion of the project which is not practical. The government should look into allowing the local authority to inspect the work in the manufacturing process up to the construction stage and lastly to the project completion to ensure that quality is not compromised. In year 2001, the Government set the Malaysia Standard 1064 in order to standardise the IBS components in terms of dimensions. However the MS 1064 still have a lot of loop holes that still can be improved. The important specifications such as types of material, design standard, connection types, construction method and the system implementation are not included. These items will ensure the quality of IBS components can be improved and the contractor can implement a standardised system easily and this will encourage the use of IBS in Malaysia especially in the private sector. However the standards must not be too

39 27 rigid as to allow for technological improvements in construction method, system and etc. Many innovations in materials and components are made before their application in the building process. In most cases, construction firm acts as system integrators and catalyst for transforming new technologies into marketable products. These play an important role modifying and developing new technologies that impact as feedback loop to producers in the upstream. The forces for technology for adaptation are strongest among materials, component manufacturers and high quality equipment for production purposes. Property developers and government policy makers also feed the stream for innovation by funding in research and development activities (Salihuddin et al, 2003). 2.7 Roadmap Towards Successful Implementation of IBS in Malaysia Having identified the major impediments to the introduction of IBS in the country, it is important to suggest measures to facilitate adoption of IBS. As we can clearly see that lack of enforcement of the legislation, regulations, guidelines and standards are the major hindrances. Therefore the process of enforcement of regulations needs to be done step by step to enable the IBS to be standardised through modular coordination. The first step is to study the current status of the construction industry in terms of controlling the dimension of the prefabricated concrete product. The study involves legislations, planning, design, manufacturing industry, construction technology, surveying work and etc. The result of the study is used as a foundation to plan for the implementation of modular coordination in IBS in Malaysia. It is also used to formulate the National Modular Coordination Standard MS 1064 as a basis to standardise the dimension for the design of building and the prefabricated components using metric system.

40 28 Next, the strategic planning for the implementation of modular coordination need to be done. This strategic implementation plan needs to consider the construction organisation structure, the collaborative measures and the further improvement that can be made to the current system practised. This is to ensure that the implementation of IBS using the modular coordination can be done successfully. Then, the effort will focus on the preparation of Malaysia Standard MS 1064: Guide to Modular Coordination in Building. Currently there are 15 parts has been approved for implementation by the government of Malaysia. Lastly the execution of modular coordination through legislation is very important to succeed in the industrialised building programme. The implementation of modular coordination into the Uniform Building By Law, planning standard and the building specification need to be executed. The government department such as Public Works Department and the local authorities are responsible to introduce modular coordination through the building regulations and specifications as soon as possible Strategic Plan Using the Strategic Management Process The strategic plan can be formulated using the strategic management process which can be classified into three stages. There are strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation. The strategic management process can be described as an objective, logical, systematic approach for making major decisions in an organisation. The activities involved in strategy formulation are developing a business mission, identifying external opportunities and threat, determining internal strength and weaknesses, establishing long term objectives, generating alternative strategies and choosing particular strategy to pursue. The strategic formulation is

41 29 used when an organisation decide on what new business to enter, what business to abandon, how to allocate resources, whether to expand operations or diversify, decision on whether to enter international markets, to merge or form a joint venture and how to avoid hostile take over. The strategist must decide on which alternative that will determine the long term competitive advantages. Strategy formulation decisions must commit an organisation to specific products, markets resources and technologies over an extended period of time. In strategic implementation stage is whereby employees and managers are mobilised to put formulated strategies into action by establishing annual objectives, devise policies, motivate employees and allocate resources so that formulated strategies can be executed. The activities involved in strategy implementation includes developing strategy-supportive culture, creating an effective organisational structure, redirecting marketing efforts, preparing budgets, developing and utilizing information system and linking employee compensation to organisational performance. This stage is the most difficult stage because it requires personal commitment, discipline and sacrifice. The strategy formulated if not implemented serves no purpose. The final stage will be the strategy evaluation stage. It provides a feedback loop to indicate when the strategies are not working well. All strategies are subject to future modification due to constant change involved in the internal and external factors. The three fundamental strategy evaluations are reviewing internal and external factors based on current strategies, measuring performance and taking corrective actions. The strategic management process is important to make decisions under the conditions of uncertainty. The decision making based on past experience, judgment, feelings and intuition is essential to making good strategic decisions. Furthermore the strategist can use highly interrelated variables to make more accurate decision where there are immense pressure to be right and several plausible alternatives.

42 Strategy Formulation Framework The strategy formulation techniques can be integrated into three stage decision making framework. This framework can help strategist to identify, evaluate and select strategies as shown in Figure 2.2. STAGE 1: THE INPUT STAGE External Factor Competitive Profile Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix Evaluation (IFE) (EFE) Matrix Matrix STAGE 2: THE MATCHING STAGE SWOT Matrix SPACE Matrix BCG Matrix IE Matrix Grand Strategy Matrix STAGE 3: THE DECISION STAGE Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QPSM) Figure 2.2: The strategy formulation analytical framework. The first stage is the input stage which provides the basic input information for the matching and decision making matrices. In this stage involves developing an External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix, Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix and a Competitive Profile Matrix. This enables the strategist to quantify subjectivity during early stage of the strategy formulation process. Next stage is the matching stage which focuses upon generating feasible alternatives by aligning key external and internal factors. These processes rely on the information derived on the input stage to match external opportunities and threats with internal strength and weaknesses. The techniques available are Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats (SWOT) Matrix, Strategic Position and

43 31 Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix, the Internal and External (IE) Matrix and the Grand Strategy Matrix. Lastly, the decision stage involves a single technique which is the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QPSM). This technique uses the information from Stage 1 to objectively evaluate feasible alternative strategies identified in Stage 2. The QPSM reveal the relative attractiveness of alternative strategies and therefore provides an objective basis for selecting specific strategies Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) Matrix The Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) Matrix is an important matching tool that helps managers to develop four types of strategies that are Strength Opportunity (SO) Strategy, Weakness Opportunity (WO) Strategy, Strength Threat (ST) Strategy and Weakness Threat (WT) Strategy. The SWOT Matrix is shown in Figure 2.3. OPPORTUNITIES (O) THREATS (T) STRENGTH-S SO STRATEGIES Use strength to take Advantage of opportunities ST STRATEGIES Use strength to avoid threats Figure 2.3: The SWOT Matrix WEAKNESS-W WO STRATEGIES Overcome weakness by taking advantage of opportunities WT STRATEGIES Minimize weakness and avoid threats SO Strategies use a firm s internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities. The other strategies such as WO, ST and WT Strategies will be evaluated so that the real situation of the company can be simulated. This will enable the company to overcome their weakness and make it their strength. In

44 32 essence, an organisation should strive to maximise its strength on new opportunities (Weihrich, 1982). WO Strategies aim to improve the internal weakness by taking advantage of external opportunities. Sometimes key opportunity exist but a fir has internal weakness that prevent it from exploiting opportunities exist. It is an exertion to conquer the organisation weakness by making out of any opportunities (Weihrich, 1982). One of the WO strategies can be acquire new technology or forming joint venture with firm having competency in a specific technology. The ST Strategies use the firm s strength to avoid or reduce the impact of external threats. This can avoid rival firms from copying ideas, innovations and patented product which can be a threat to the company itself. The WT Strategies are defensive tactics directing at reducing weaknesses and avoiding environmental threats. An organization facing numerous external threats and internal weakness may put it in the precarious position. The firm needs to fight for its survival by merger, retrench, declare bankruptcy or opting for liquidation. With all the strategies generated from the SWOT Matrix by matching key external and internal factors. However not all strategies developed in SWOT Matrix will be implemented. Therefore it is important that the specific strategy to be selected rather than general. It is important to include the notation after each strategy in SWOT Matrix as it reveals the rationale for each strategy evaluated The Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix The SPACE Matrix is another important matching tool is illustrated in Figure 2.4. Its four quadrant framework indicates whether aggressive, conservative, defensive or competitive strategies. The axes of the SPACE Matrix

45 33 represent two internal dimensions (financial strength, FS and competitive advantage, CA) and two external dimensions (environmental stability, ES and industry strength, IS). The four factors are important to determinants of an organisation s overall strategic position. Other variables needed to be considered in the analysis are return on investment, leverage, liquidity, working capital and cash flow to determine the financial strength. Figure 2.4: The SPACE Matrix The aggressive quadrant represent the organisation is in the excellent position to use its internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities, overcome weakness and avoid external threats. The conservative quadrant indicates that the company should stay close to the firm competencies and not taking excessive risk. In the defensive quadrant, suggest that the firm should focus on improving internal weakness and avoiding external threats. Finally the competitive quadrant indicates the competitive strategies that a firm should adopt.

46 34 The result shown in the SPACE Matrix only shows the result as in average. This only provides a very general environment of the firm and based on the results it is difficult to come up with an accurate and suitable strategy The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QPSM) The QPSM is an analytical technique designed to determine the relative attractiveness of feasible alternative actions. This technique objectively indicates which alternative strategies are the best to be implemented to suit the current environment. Conceptually, the QPSM determines the relative attractiveness of various strategies based on the extent to which key external and internal critical success factors are capitalised upon or improved. The relative attractiveness of each strategy within a set of alternatives is computed by determining the cumulative impact of each external and internal critical success factor. Any number of sets of alternative strategies can be included in the QPSM, and any number of strategies can comprise a given set. However the strategies are evaluated relative to each other. The QPSM method examines the matrices from Stage 2 and alternatives strategies can be identified for implementation. Then the determination of attractiveness score are usually done through the questionnaire. The attractiveness score should be assigned to each strategy to indicate the relative attractiveness of one strategy over others. The range of Attractive Score is 1=not attractive, 2=somewhat attractive, 3=reasonably attractive and 4=highly attractive. The weight of each strategy is prioritised and the total weight should be 1. Then the attractiveness score are multiplied by the weights and the higher the score indicates the better the alternative is.

47 35 The positive feature in QPSM is that it requires strategist to integrate pertinent external and internal factors into the design process. Developing QPSM make it less likely that key factors will be overlooked or weighted inappropriately. However it requires intuitive judgment and educated assumptions. 2.9 Conclusion The SWOT Matrix will be used in the matching of the internal and external environment of IBS. It is because that the BCG Matrix remains as a means of measuring strategy rather than the means to select a strategy in SWOT Matrix. The SWOT Matrix serves as a great stepping stone to build key performance index. Then the strategies from the SWOT analysis are analysed using the QPSM to identify which strategy has the highest level of Attractiveness Score which means the most critical strategy that need to be taken at this moment.

48 36 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction The implementation of the types of delivery system in the construction is carried out by the Project Management Consultant. Therefore the implementation of IBS as a new technology in the construction needs careful study and observation. The study of this implementation requires the information from the Project Management Consultant. Therefore it requires proper planning of the methodology to achieve the objectives of the study. Figure 3.1 refers to the flowchart of methods in achieving the mentioned objectives of the study.

49 37 Identify Problem Determine Objectives & Scope of Studies Literature Review Data Collection Questionnaires & Interviews References, Technical papers, Books Data Processing (SWOT) Analyse Data Conclusion & Suggestion Figure 3.1 Methodology flowchart This section of study would focus on the method of study to be carried out to achieve the objective of this report. Therefore, every measure taken must be appropriate and relevant to the related topic of study.

50 38 Three approaches have been throughout this study to gather reliable and relevant data. The approaches are: i. Literature review ii. Handing out of questionnaire iii. Reviewing the effective strategic formulation method 3.2 Literature Review Literature review is an important part in the study in terms of gathering secondary data. Important and resourceful information can be obtained to gain understanding of the study. For this, it has helped to achieve the objective to understand the opportunity available due to the implementation of IBS. 3.3 Questionnaire Handing out questionnaire is an approach to determine the current development of implementation of IBS that have been practiced among developers and project management consultant in Malaysia. It was designed to gather information which is not available from literature review. Generally, two approaches of questionnaire has been handed out, namely quantitative approach and qualitative approach. Quantitative approach, in short, is a systematic way of questionnaire where corresponding parties are required to complete the questionnaire by answering one or more answer from a list of given alternatives. The statistical report can therefore be generated. Whereas, for qualitative approach, questions are set in the form of semistructured or non-structured. Semi-structured questions require the respondent to

51 39 complete a list of questions based solely on their experience and opinion. As for the non-structured questions, the respondents are required to explain subjectively the answer given by them. Questionnaire is an effective way for the purpose of gathering information and data that are not available through literature studies. However, the limitation of questionnaire is that it is subjected to the willingness and cooperation of the respondent in completing the questionnaire. Therefore, it is necessary to design the questionnaire as straight-forward as possible to obtain information related to the objectives of the study. Another important criterion when designing the questionnaire is the time to complete it. It should be designed to be completed in the shortest time possible for the convenience of the respondent as the workload of the developer and the project management consultant usually heavy. 3.4 Methods of Analysis The information and data gathered through questionnaire will be compiled and processed using average index method in relation to the objectives and scope of study. Two statistical methods will be applied, namely descriptive statistic and inferential statistics. Result from the findings will be presented in the form of graphs, histogram and pie chart for easier understanding Average Index Average index is being calculated based on the formula of: Average Index = aixi xi Where, a = constant, weighing factor for i, x = frequency of respondent

52 40 i = 1, 2, 3 n A scale of 5 categories has been used for the average index method in order to show priority. The scales of 5 categories are: 1 = Most less important 1.00 Average < = Less important 1.50 Average < = Moderate Important 2.50 Average < = Important 3.50 Average < = Most important 4.50 Average < Mean The collected raw data are required to be separated in a table of frequency. Basically, mean is the average value of a group of data. The formula for the calculation of mean is: n i 1 n i= 1 fix fi Where, f i represent the frequency of class where x i is the sign of class.

53 Median Median can be defined as the middle number of a group of number that have been arranged in order. In other word, median represent a value where half of the total collected data are either larger or smaller than its value. The formula for the calculation of median is: n Where, fi i= 1 fi i= 1 fm 1 Median, X = Lm + 2 ( C) fm = Total frequency, Lm = Border of lower class that consist of median, fm = Frequency of data in the class that consist median, fm 1 = The collected frequency of class before that consists median. C = The size of the class that consist median. n Mod Mod represent the highest frequency of the value in a group of data. In such cases where repetition of value doesn t exist, the group of data is considered as no mod. The value of mod can be determined from either histogram or calculation by applying certain formula. The formula for mod is: Mod = Lm + ( 1 ) x C 1 + 2

54 42 Where, Lm = the border of lower class that consists of mod, 1 = difference of frequency between the class of mod and the class before 2 = difference of frequency between the class of mod and the class after it. C = the size of class that consist of mod 3.5 Strategy Formulation The strategy formulation involves the use of SWOT Matrix to match the internal strength and weakness with the external opportunities and threat. There are several strategies that can be generated using this matrix such as SO, WO, ST and WT strategies that may be use for the implementation of IBS. Then the strategies are evaluated using QPSM to determine which strategy is the best implemented based on the Attractiveness Score that are obtained from the questionnaire.

55 43 CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction This chapter focuses on analyzing the results gathered from the respondents through interview and questionnaire. Since IBS time allocated is very limited in doing this dissertation, the distribution of questionnaire and interview will be limited to the developers in Johor Bahru area only. The data collected are converted into more meaningful, useful and informative formats that are in the form of tables and figures. The data also will be expressed in the form of percentage and according to the suitability of the analysis itself. 4.2 Data Analysis and Results There were a total of 70 copies of questionnaires sent out to the targeted respondents who are in charge of the construction project management in the developer firm. The list of targets was obtained from the local authorities that are the Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) and Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah (MPJBT).

56 44 On 7 th August 2006, the questionnaires were sent out to targeted respondent by mail. 80% of the questionnaires were sent by mail and the remaining amount is being distributed via interview with the project manager and project engineer in the developer firm. Distribution of Questionnaires Interview 20% Mail 80% Figure 4.1: Pie chart of way of distributing questionnaire Questionnaires Information The sample of the questionnaire can be referred in the appendix. The questionnaire is divided into 6 parts that are Part A, B, C, D, E and F. The division of the questions into different parts so that the analysis can be done systematically and reflects a logical result. The division of parts represent certain information that are desired to be retrieved from the respondents at which in Part A is on the information of the company itself. Where as Part B is to determine how much information the respondents knows about IBS and the possible sources that are referred to obtain the information on IBS. Part C on the other hand is to know how far the

57 45 implementation of the IBS types in the company as soon as it concerns. Next Part D focus on the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat in using IBS. Finally Part E and F are to determine the standardization of the materials, sizing, machinery and manufacturing and the installation process of the IBS components Respondent Validity and Sample Size The total response of questionnaire gathered from the respondents which comprise of the developer s representative are 46 sets. All questionnaires are valid and are completely filled up. This represents the rate response of 36%. Since IBS has not been fully implemented and the lack of awareness of the usage of IBS in Johor Bahru and therefore the response rate is very low. According to Roger Sapsfor & Victor Jupp (1996), the estimated sample size can be provided by the following formula with assumption that the sample survey the 99 percent level of confidence (P<0.01), and the maximum error is at 1 unit out of 100 units. Sample Size = 2 (1.96) (SD) 2 /1 2 Where P< 0.01 SD = Standard Deviation The needed sample size for the questionnaire is 10 respondents and therefore it proves that the sample size for the questionnaire is sufficient with 46 respondents.

58 Data Analysis for Part A The questionnaires are distributed to the housing developer firm in Johor Bahru. Since this topic covers a large area in IBS, it would be preferred to be filled by engineers, project executive and project managers because they are the person who involved in the development projects. Referring to Figure 4.2, it shows the distribution of different types of job position that responded to the questionnaires. Distribution of Job Position 2 2 Engineer 14 Project Executive Project Manager 28 Quantity Surveyor Figure 4.2: Respondents job position distribution. There are 28 of 46 respondents are project executive that are in charge of the operations in the developer firm and followed by the second highest which is the engineers stands at 14. On the other hand, the minority positions that made up of the project manager and quantity surveyor which made up of 2 each respectively.

59 47 Respondents' Working Experience Years 4-6 Years 7-10 Years < 10 Years 8 Figure 4.3: Distribution of respondents working experience. Referring to the Figure 4.3, there are 21 respondents that are working in the construction industry for more than 10 years and consequently followed by 4-6 years working experience. Next are the respondents that have previous working experience from 7-10 years and lastly is that those who worked for 1-3 years. Since most of the respondents have more than 4 years working experience and this represents that the data acquired is quite reliable and accurate Data Analysis for Part B Most of the respondents knew about the Industrialised Building System which comprise of 91% of the total respondents. However the minority that made up of 9% does not know the existence of IBS being implemented in Malaysia. The high percentage knew about IBS because the working engineers in the construction must keep up with the current technology to be more competitive in the job market. Furthermore, CIDB has launched many campaigns to encourage the local constructors to use IBS as an application to construct buildings.

60 48 Source of Information on IBS 20% 4% 25% Attend Course Magazines CIDB Internet 51% Figure 4.4: Distribution of sources of information on IBS. Referring to Figure 4.4, it shows the distribution of the sources of information on how the respondents got to know about IBS. There highest group of respondents were made up of 51% which got to know IBS via reading the magazines and the second largest source of information on IBS is the respondents attending courses which comprise of 25%. Some of the respondents also got the information on IBS through CIDB which is currently very aggressively promoting the use of IBS which stands at 20% of the respondents. Lastly, the least type of source that is available to promote the IBS is via internet which consists of 4%. The magazines, newspapers and media are the major resources group that are promoting IBS especially the publications from the professional bodies such as PAM (Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia), BEM (Board of Engineers Malaysia) and others that are involved in the construction industry in Malaysia. CIDB plays an important role in promoting the use of IBS in the construction as well as training the workforce as in the professional and the labour force to be equipped fully to take on the challenge to fully implement IBS in Malaysia. Through the courses, CIDB can instil the information, concept and the advantages of using IBS in the construction as to encourage the implementation process.

61 Data Analysis for Part C Referring to the questionnaire in the Part C, which is included (Appendix). The Table 4.1 shows the average index for each type of IBS being used in the construction among the developers in Johor Bahru. Table 4.1: Types of IBS system used in the developer firm. Types of IBS Systems Used in the Developer Firm Frequency of Respondents Average Index Position Score Timber Framing System Steel Framing System Precast Concrete System Steel Formwork System Block Work System Standard Components Based on the results obtained from the questionnaire, it can be summarized that generally all the respondents moderately used all the IBS except for the standard components and block work system which are less used by the developers in Johor Bahru. The most common types of IBS used in the construction is the timber framing system which stands at the average index of This is because this system is generally used in the roof truss system and for the traditional wooden houses. Since Malaysia is one of the producers of solid wood, it is inevitably that the raw material is easily available and used to make houses.

62 50 The second most common IBS system used is the steel framing system which has an average index of Since steel is a very durable and light material and the installation of the frame can be done quickly, the developers normally used this method to erect factories as to withstand the harsh environment. The next IBS system usually used in the construction is the precast concrete system which has an average index of This system is not widely used as the cost of the precast concrete components are said to be expensive due to the high cost of transportation because of the rise in the price of fuel. Furthermore, there are a lot of complaints from customers whereby the joints of the components are not properly grouted to ensure water penetrating through the gaps. The fourth standing is the steel formwork system which has an average index of The respondents only moderately used in the construction projects. It is because this type of system usually used in the large projects such as shopping complexes, apartments and condominiums. Moreover, the steel formwork system is still a new technology introduced in Johor since five years ago and the application requires a highly repetitive task to ensure that the price of construction remains competitive. The least preferred IBS systems used in the construction are the standard components and the block work systems at which both has an average index of 2.43 and 2.37 respectively. The former is less used is because the manufacturers does not have a standardize sizing in the components. This will result in incompatibility of the components from different manufacturers causing problems during and after the installation process. On the other hand, the least preferred which is the block work system because there is lack of awareness of this type of system promoted by CIDB. This system is similar to the brick laying process but the process is slightly more complicated and therefore developers prefer to use the former as it is faster for completion and therefore ensure the marketability of the houses in a shorter time.

63 51 On the whole, the implementation of IBS in the housing construction projects is still low which is being expressed in the average index of less than The usage of IBS is still low because it involves high construction cost, high degree of repetition, lack of awareness and involving skilled workers to install the system itself that may require much expertise and might be expensive at the same time. The implementation of IBS is expected to increase as the government as the major client is encouraging local developers to implement IBS in the housing projects Period of Involvement in the Construction Projects Using IBS Figure 4.5 indicates that the period of involvement in the housing construction projects that use IBS in the local developer firm. Period of Involvement in IBS 13% 13% 20% 54% 1-5 Years 5-10 Years Years None Figure 4.5: Period of involvement using IBS. Most of the respondents working in the developer firm involved in the implementation of IBS for 1-5 years which consist of 54% of the total

64 52 respondents. It is because the IBS technology is a new type of construction concept introduced not long ago by CIDB through the Roadmap programme and many players of the construction industry responded positively. This is followed by 5-10 years experience by the developers which made up of 20% of the total respondents. The lowest period of involvement is developers firm with years of involvement and no involvement at all with both has a percentage of 13%. It is quite surprisingly that there are still some of the companies that do not implement IBS at all because of the resistance to change due to the rather cheap labour that are still available in the market. Furthermore it also seems that the developers are afraid to implement IBS due to the quality and the price concern as they do not want to lose the competitive advantage in the property market Numbers of Projects Implementing IBS Referring to the questionnaire on Part C, question number 3 (Appendix). Figure 4.6 shows the results obtained from the questionnaire as below. Number of Projects Implementing IBS 13% 7% 11% 69% 1-10 Projects Projects Projects None Figure 4.6: Number of projects implementing IBS.

65 53 The highest percentage whereby the number of projects implements IBS is from 1-10 projects which consist of 69% of the total respondents. Next it is followed by the range of numbers of projects that implements IBS. Then there are about 11% of the respondents that have not implemented IBS in their construction in the local housing development projects. Lastly there are only 7% of the respondents that managed to implement IBS into their projects. From the analysis above, it can be summarized that the number of projects using IBS is still very low and therefore some of the factors are recognized that contributes to the low usage. The factors are that the implementation of IBS is costly, lack of skilled labour that knows the construction process of IBS, the probability of using conventional method in the local development scenario is still more suitable and the lack of awareness to study the structural stability and the economical of the construction using precast components Types of Development Project That Implements IBS Numbers Single Storey Double Storey Flat Condominium 5 0 Types of Projects Building More Than 5 Storey Building Less Than 5 Storey Figure 4.7: Types of development projects that implements IBS.

66 54 Referring to Figure 4.7, the project that is mainly carried out by the respondents in the developer firm is the buildings less than 5 storeys. The types of buildings that are categorized under this group include the shop houses, office buildings and etc which consist of 21 projects. These buildings need to be completed almost immediately due to the demand from the customers and also the competition from other developer firm developing nearby. Then there are 13 respondents that use IBS in the construction of double storey houses. It is because that the double storey housing is one of the most popular demands among consumers in Johor. Then it is followed by the development of flat quarters which has a number of respondents of 11. Next the type of project that has the fourth highest IBS implemented projects are the single storey houses and condominium development projects which has respondents of 6. The least types of development projects are the buildings that are more than 5 storeys high; the types of buildings fall in this category are mainly shopping complexes, government offices, corporate offices and commercial buildings Data Analysis for Part D Referring the questionnaire in the Part D (Appendix), the following data on the results of respondents is expressed in the figure according the standings of the score of average index Strengths of IBS in the Construction Industry Table 4.2 expressed the results of the respondents whether they are agreeable to the advantages of IBS based on the experience of IBS application in their construction projects. The analysis will be done based on the average index.

67 55 Table 4.2: The strength of IBS (Internal factor) Frequency of Respondents Average Index IBS Strength Score Reduce the dependency of foreign labour in the construction site Position Indication Most important Faster completion time of the construction project Reduce or eradicate the use of temporary formwork and props Result in a clean and neat construction site environment Reduce the material wastage on the construction site The IBS components are easy to be installed Better construction quality and neat finishes Reduce the construction area for material storage Increase the level of safety of the construction site Reduce the cost of construction Most important Important Important Important Important Important Important Important Moderate Important The most important factor of IBS strength that has been recognized by the respondents is the reduction on the dependency of labour and the faster completion time of construction project. Generally the result indicates that strength of IBS suggested are fairly important and except for the strength positioned at the last only managed to be ranked as moderately important. The highest average index for the strength of IBS is the reducing the dependency of foreign labours working in the construction site which has a score of This is because the most of the components and panels have been prefabricated in the factory using the automation technology before the

68 56 installation process on the construction site. The components delivered on site indirectly simplified the job process and the workers required in the site are just erectors, precaster, roofer, piling workers and other professional work force. There will be absence of workers from other trades that are involved in the construction projects such as carpenter, brick layer, plasterer and etc. Therefore, implementation of IBS in the construction projects will enable development projects to be done smoothly without any disruption when there are shortages of foreign labour in the future. The second highest IBS strength that is agreeable to the respondents is the faster completion time of the construction project which has an average index of The reason behind the faster completion period is that the installation of the prefabricated concrete components and panels are designed standardized so that it can be installed at ease by the labour, easy to be maneuvered and hoisted by the site machinery and also minimize the concreting works in the construction site. As compared to the conventional method, the formwork can only be removed after the curing period which is a waste of precious time because the time of this process does not add any value to the construction. Then this is followed by the reduction and eradication of using temporary timber formwork and props which has an average index of Since the temporary formwork and prop are made of timber and at the end of the construction project, it will be disposed by burning. This contributes to the environmental concern by the government to conserve the existing forest in the country. On the other hand, the mould to cast the components and panels are made of steel and the cycle of production is more than a thousand of times and the damaged forms will be recycled to form new mould. Therefore it will indirectly reduce the destruction of the forest and open burning in the construction site and thus avoiding the global warming. On the fourth place which has an average index of 4.15 that is it will result in a clean and neat construction site environment. Since the IBS components and panels are fabricated in the factory, the installation process only requires the bolts,

69 57 nuts and welding works. There will no nails, temporary formworks and steel laying around the construction site which could lead to injuries. It will create a safer environment to work and therefore reduces the number of occupational accidents on site; this can motivate the labours to work more efficiently. The application of IBS technology in the construction projects will be able to reduce the material wastage on the construction site which has an average index of Generally in a typical construction projects, the wastage is approximately 20% of the total cost. The wastes are commonly occurring in the materials such as formwork, steel, sand, concrete, cement and etc. By using IBS in the construction projects, wastes can be reduced greatly and therefore the constructor can bid at a more competitive price or perhaps they can maximize their profit and therefore can be at the competitive advantage ahead of other players in the same industry. The respondents also agreed that IBS components are easy to be installed that generated the average index of Then it is followed by the quality of the finishes is better and neat which has a score of In the building and housing development projects, the most important criteria to ensure that the marketability and the competitive edge over the other players is the quality of the finishes. Since the IBS components and the panels are being fabricated in the factory with the automation technology, the curing process and the quality of the surfaces can be controlled under a strict environment and standards. Then this will ensure the quality to be very consistent and controlled with the help of the computers, sensors and etc. Unlike the finished wall finishes, the quality may deviate from what the client wants because the quality depends on the experience of the brick layer and plasterer. The quality control on the human and technical experience is very subjective and there are no classifications of standard finishes in the construction in Malaysia, this will complicates the inspection process on the quality of the finishes aspect. The standard IBS surface finish will be completely smooth and ready to be painted immediately after the installation process is being completed.

70 58 The use of IBS can also reduce the construction area by the reduction of the area for material storage as agreed by the respondents which has an average index of Therefore the application of IBS is suitable for the construction projects which has limited site are. It will enable the concept of Just in Time (JIT) in the construction process whereby the components and panels are installed immediately when it reached the construction site. Therefore it can avoid the double handling in the construction process itself and indirectly saves equipment operation time and reduce the construction period. Furthermore it also promotes a very lean cash flow in which the installation process adds value to the construction and there is no storage for the materials that will erode or even spoil during the storage period. On the claiming side of view, the constructor can claim in full all the installation works done where as in the conventional method, constructor can only claim partially for the material in the storage from the client. The second least agreeable advantages that the respondents give their opinions are that the application of IBS can increase the level of safety of the construction site which generates the average index of The result shows otherwise because the risk and danger in the construction site always exist no matter what technology is being implemented in the project. The most effective way to reduce the risk and accidents in the construction site is by educating all the workers as in professional, skilled and unskilled labour that are involved to be more cautious and the preventive steps that can be taken. Lastly the respondents are least agreeable that the application of IBS can consequently reduce the cost of construction which has the lowest score of Since IBS is a prefabricated concrete elements, several mould are required to produce standardize components and panels. The mould available in the market now is expensive as most of the technologies are fully imported from the European countries. Therefore before construction the constructor or developer need to plan the development of the building to be constructed to be highly repetitive such as in the high rise and large area for housing. Furthermore the developer must calculate the breakeven point and at how many units constructed can generate the most cost effective projects.

71 Weakness of IBS in the Construction Industry Referring to the Table 4.3 indicates that the result from the respondents from the questionnaires received from the least important to the most important on the weakness suggested. The data are available from the question number 2 in the Part D of the questionnaire distributed. Table 4.3: The weakness of IBS (Internal factor) IBS Weakness Frequency of Respondents Score The requirement of suitable forms of Important transportation The high usage of plant and machinery Important Average Index Position Indication Suitable site condition for the transportation of Important the IBS components High working capital Important Require experienced and skillful operator Important Lack of maintenance of components after installation Determination of suitable price of the IBS components The lack of awareness about IBS by managers and workers Important Important Important There are no incentive given in the application Important of IBS Lack of communication Important Resistance of change by the companies Important Generally all the weaknesses factors are in the range from 3.50 to 4.50 in which it indicates that the factors suggested contributes importantly to the usage of IBS. The weakness factor with the highest average index is the requirement for

72 60 suitable transportation to transfer the IBS components from the manufacturing plant to the construction site that has an average index of In the logistics and transportation industry in Malaysia, the maximum length that can be carried a vehicle on the road and by rail is only 15 metres and the maximum effective prefabricated concrete span as in the beams or slabs can reached up to 20 to 25 metres. Normally on the road, the IBS components are being transported using trailer which can unload the materials on a site with good soil condition in which site with unsuitable soil condition will causes it to sink. Therefore there are suggestions that the trailer must be designed in such a way that it can be transported into the difficult conditions and to isolated areas and the movement must be flexible. Secondly, the second highest score of the weakness of IBS is the high usage of construction plant and machinery with an average index of The use of such plants and machineries will involve a lot of cost in the construction. With the current rise of fuel in the world market, the operations of the machinery will somehow burden the constructors budget and affect the pricing of the tender bid of the construction projects. Since the cost of the labour are considered cheap in Malaysia, so it is more preferable to use the conventional method rather than IBS. On the third position stands the factor of suitable site condition for transportation of IBS components with an average index of The following weakness factor in IBS requires a high working capital in which the IBS components can be expensive in terms of the investment of machineries to produce the components has an average index of The early stage of training of workers to handle machineries is also costly and the training might cause the workers to hop to other companies as it is the normal culture in Malaysia. The high cost also involved the transportation cost of the IBS components for the handling from the factory to the construction site. The following weakness factor is the installation process of the IBS components requires experienced and skilful operators in which the average index of It is because the installation must be very precise and the level and

73 61 position of the suspended beams and slabs must be accurately measured so that it is being positioned as being simulated in the design. Workers and the foreman also must ensure that the beams and columns must be in the correct position and furthermore ensuring the stability of the structure during installation instead being at risk of collapse of the building itself. In the sixth position, the respondents also agree that the important factor of lack of maintenance of components after installation as a weakness which has a score of It is because that the quality of the IBS components is very good and the design life period is meant to last for more than 20 years. Therefore, the maintainability of the components is not necessary at the moment. However there are complaints on the water leakages are often occurs between the joints whereby this concerns the workmanship and not the quality of the IBS components. Next, the respondents also agrees that the pricing of IBS components must be set at a suitable price has an average index of 3.89 and then followed by the weakness of lack of awareness about IBS by the managers and workers. Then there is a dummy question that has been set that CIDB does not give any subsidy to the constructor that stands at the ninth place with an average index of At the second last agreeable is that the lack of communication among constructor, designer and manufacturer which has a score of This indicates that the manufacturer has in house designers that collaborate closely with the client s architect to ensure that the design of the structure elements satisfy the client s requirement. The manufacturers are serious about the commitment to quality and holding the principles of constructing a building right at the first time so that to avoid any rework that might be very costly to the constructor and clients. This will eventually increase the quality and productivity of the end product. The least agreeable weakness is that many developers are resistant to change which has an average index of This shows that many companies

74 62 wants to implement IBS but however the price and the rigid policy of transportation and others by the government hinder the usage of IBS application in the construction projects Opportunity of IBS in the Construction Industry Table 4.4 shows that the average index of the opportunity factors of IBS in the construction industry in the respondents from the developer in Johor point of view. All the results obtained are based on the Question 3 in Part D. The results are being arranged from the highest score to the lowest. Table 4.4: Opportunity of IBS (External factor) IBS Opportunity Frequency of Respondents Score To have training and Most development for important workers Consultation by the Most IBS experts important To have research and development centre for Important IBS The execution of IBS Road Map by CIDB Incentive from the government Export of IBS components for overseas application Suitable for all construction class Application of IBS components can increase the construction value Average Index Position Indication Important Important Important Moderate important Moderate important

75 63 Referring to the Table 4.4, it shows the opportunities factors that are being suggested by the literature and the rating of the average index and being arranged from the highest score to the lowest. The opportunity factor with the highest score as suggested is to have training and development programme for the workers which have an average index of 4.65 that can be translated to be most important. Training and development of the workers are important to ensure that they are competent to handle the construction projects using the IBS application. The training includes the installation process according to the proper sequencing to ensure the stability of the structure itself and also on the technical side of the application. On the other hand, labour need to be trained in the application of the proper connection of bolts, nuts and welding. Then the second highest is followed by the consultation of IBS experts on the application itself which has an average index of 4.61 that is also rated as most important. There is a need for the consultation of the design, installation and the sizing so that the application of IBS in the construction can be designed for safety, durability and the size is according to the international standard for modular coordination. Then it is to have more research and development centres for IBS so that the product elements can be produced at a more quality and cheaper in the operations for productions which have an average index of There should be more R&D to be done in Malaysia so that the elements can meet the international standard and produced at a value for money price. This can bring the IBS industry in Malaysia to a more competitive level among the existing famous manufacturers in the world. Then the execution of IBS Road Map by CIDB is an opportunity to promote the use of IBS in Malaysia. It has an average index of 4.13 that still stands at the important point. Through the road map, it is slowly

76 64 encouraging the local construction industry players to participate in the application of IBS in the projects. The incentive by the government stands at the fifth place with a score of Since most of the respondents worked locally, therefore they are not very sure that the IBS components can be exported to the foreign market. It has an average index of 3.74 which represents that this factor is important. Ideally the IBS components that are quality and complying to the international standard can be exported to foreign countries that does not have much water resources to mix the concrete for construction. Therefore since Malaysia workforce is still one of the lowest in the world, it is the possible for Malaysia to export these IBS components especially to the Middle East whereby water is scarce and the development in the building are growing in a very fast pace. The final two opportunities factors with the lowest score is that the IBS application is suitable for all construction class and through its application it can increases value of the construction project which has a score of 2.89 and 2.85 respectively. It is because the application of IBS in the construction projects are only suitable for the building that has a very high in the repetition in terms of design such as high rise building and a large housing development project. On the other hand, the custom made housing development projects will not be economical anymore in terms of cost. Then the application of IBS cannot increase the value of construction significantly but the IBS components of the architectural finishes such as cornices and other decorative can increase the value. The IBS components are not only limit to the prefabricated concrete alone, in the Malaysian Standard there are other materials that can be classified as IBS such as door sets, tiles, masonry bricks, cabinets and etc. The respondents suggested it is not the sizes of the IBS components that are important however it mainly depends on the quality finish.

77 IBS Threat in the Construction Industry Table 4.5 shows that the average index of the opportunity factors of IBS in the construction industry in the respondents from the developer in Johor point of view. All the results obtained are based on the Question 4 in Part D. The results are being arranged from the highest score to the lowest. Table 4.5: The Threat of IBS (External factor) IBS Threat Frequency of Respondents Score The increase of diesel and fuel prices Important Location of manufacturers that is far away from the Important construction site Expensive IBS components Important Authorities are unwilling to make amendment to the Important acts and laws in the local building Lack of varieties of products manufactured by the Important local producers Lorries has low loading carrying Important capacity The competition by competitor to produce better quality Important at a cheaper price IBS components size that are not Important economical The modular sizing of the building are not approved by the Important local authorities Average Index Position Indication

78 66 Lack of inspection of the quality of materials in the manufacturing plant The quality of the IBS components are not assured Moderate Important Moderate Important Referring to the Table 4.5, it shows the threat factors that are being suggested by the literature and the rating of the average index and being arranged from the highest score to the lowest. The most significant threat according to the respondents is the increase of diesel and the fuel prices which has an average standard of 4.46 which is defined as important. Since the IBS components are being transported to the construction site, therefore the fuel is an important commodity in the logistics industry. The fluctuation of fuel will directly influence the transportation cost and consequently the IBS components will rise significantly. As a result the construction cost will also rise because the application of IBS also makes use of lots of machineries. Next threat factor of IBS is that the location of the manufacturers is far away from the construction site which has a score of Generally the longer the distance it will contributes more to the cost. There are some suggested that the IBS components are expensive and have an average index of There are other factors that contribute to the expensive IBS components that are fuel prices, technology and etc. Then it is followed by the threat of the local authorities are reluctant to make amendment to the act and laws for the local building which has an average index of In the amendment of laws and acts are very tedious job as they need to look into many aspects among the construction players on the whole. Furthermore the approval process of the law takes a very long time and the execution period is even longer. Therefore, it is important for the local authorities to take up the proactive measures to encourage the use of IBS and looking on more of the national interest.

79 67 On the other hand, some picked that there are lack of varieties of products manufactured by the local producers that has an average index of In the current trend of the housing finishes, there are decorative on the wall that has coping and other extra accessories that can be added on to enhance the ambience of the interior of a building. Standing at the sixth position is the lorries have a low load carrying capacity which has an average index of Next is the threat factor of competition by competitor to produce better quality at a cheaper price that has scored at As the consumers nowadays are getting wiser in their spending in comparing quality, prices and market survey before buying a unit of a building, therefore the developers need to equip themselves to produce better houses at affordable price and at the same time helping the community to preserve the forest from destruction. Some of the respondents agreed that the IBS components do not have economical sizes that have an average index of There are some cases that the unethical manufacturers over design on the loading so that more profit could be generated from the design and sale of the IBS components. Although IBS has been introduced into this country for approximately 20 years, it is very unfortunate that many developers, local authorities, contractors and manufacturers do not understand the concept of IBS. Most of them assume that IBS is equivalent to prefabricated concrete which is wrong. The sizing of the IBS must follow the modular coordination standard and due to this confusion among the players in the construction industry and local authorities, it is sadly to say that some of the modular sizing of the building is not being approved by the local authorities. This threat factor has an average index of The two least agreeable threat factors are the lack of inspection of the quality of materials and the quality of IBS components are not assured which have an average index of 2.76 and 2.74 respectively which interprets tem to be only moderately important. Based on the respondents previous experience, they are being shown the report on the quality of the materials and some are brought for plant visit to see how the quality is being controlled. Furthermore the quality of

80 68 the IBS components delivered on the construction site is in satisfactory condition and follows the standards set by the manufacturer itself Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) Matrix for the Strategy Formulation for IBS The Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) Matrix is an important matching tool that can help an organisation to develop four types of strategies which is the SO (strengths-opportunities) Strategies, WO (weaknessopportunities) Strategies, ST (strength-threat) Strategies and WT (weaknessthreat) Strategies. It is important to match the key internal and external factors in the development of the SWOT Matrix. The SO Strategies use an organisation s internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities and the WO Strategies aims at improving internal weaknesses by taking advantage of the external opportunities. Furthermore the ST Strategies uses an organisation s strength to avoid or to reduce the impact of external threats and lastly WT Strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weakness and at the same time avoiding external threats. In this strategies formulation, the top six of each factor will be selected to generate the strategies as mentioned above. The factors with the highest score will be a priority to generate or formulate the strategies.

81 Figure 4.8 SWOT Strategy Formulations. ST Strategies 1. Reduce the price of IBS components and more innovation in the design. 2. Collaboration of inter ministry to amend legislations for the benefit of national interest. SO Strategies 1. Encourage the participation of more local workforce in the construction industry. 2. More R&D to ensure the simplicity of application to ensure fast marketability. 3. Penetration into the foreign market which is not affected by the local market condition. 4. Promote campaign such as road show, exhibition and etc to promote awareness of IBS Strength Opportunity Threat Weakness WT Strategies 1. Increase the capacity of the transportation capacity in terms of length, width and load. 2. Search for foreign market in the technological aspect. WO Strategies 1. Manufacturer to produce better quality IBS components for prolonged life span. 2. Produce country own IBS technology, which is cheaper. 3. Job market will involve more highly skilled local workers. 9 69

82 70 There are four types of strategies that have been developed from the matching process from the factors recommended that has the highest score are being prioritised. The four categories of strategies are the SO (Strength- Opportunity) Strategies, WO (Weakness- Opportunity) Strategies, ST (Strength- Threat) Strategies and WT (Weakness-Threat) Strategies SO (Strength-Opportunity) Strategies The strategies that have been formulated under the category of SO (Strength-Opportunity) Strategy are the encouragement of the government to promote more participation of the local workforce in the construction industry. The justification behind this formulated strategy is that the main reason that the local workers are reluctant to participate in the construction industry is because it involved a very dirty and dangerous working environment. Therefore with the application of IBS, neat and clean working environment of the construction site will affect the local market employment as this construction industry is considered as one of the most lucrative business and occupation. The participation of the local workforce will decrease the dependency of foreign labour which is the main concern of the government as to prevent the outflow of money and resources away from the country so that the wealth in the country can be shared among the citizens in Malaysia. The prevention of outflow of money can strengthen the economy of the country and the realisation of Vision 2020 can be achieved and prepared for the globalization era. The second strategy generated in the SO Strategy categories is by conducting more research and development to ensure faster marketability to avoid the economic down cycle. Since Malaysia is considered as a Third World Country or developing nation whereby the economic system is considered to be unstable and is not self sufficient. In the capitalist economic cycle undergoes cyclical growth and referred as business cycles. There are times when economy grows over time and the growth is not continuous but occurs through a series of booms and slumps. In the peak of boom, the confidence level in businesses is high,

83 71 speculation occurs and the projects are likely to flourish as well as things are going very well. However the peak period is hard to speculate because there are too many variables that contributes to the ups and downs of the economy. Fast construction will ensure the fast marketability so that the developer or contractor can avoid any recession period that can cause the property being left unsold while the project is still under construction. The longer the construction period, the more risk the constructors need to bear in the sense of selling the construction product. Thirdly is the strategy of penetration of IBS components exports into the overseas market. Currently countries in the Middle East are starting to develop at a very face pace as the oil prices increase. The examples of countries are Dubai, Qatar and etc is opening the construction development market to the international countries. Since the countries do not have much water resources and the harsh weather condition, it is difficult for the conventional construction to take place there whereby the scarcity of water will not enable the mixing of high volume of concrete and the harsh weather is not suitable for concrete curing either. Therefore the most of the building and infrastructure development projects require the implementation of prefabricated IBS components. This factor can be seen as a good opportunity to export the IBS components to these countries and this would promote a better economic growth to be more ideal which the straight line growth is and to ensure the narrow band boom or slump. Through the implementation of IBS, it can avoid the construction development projects being abandoned as this problem is a common stigma exist and the house buyers suffers as a consequence. Lastly the government should conduct more campaign such as road shows, exhibition and etc to promote the awareness about IBS to all the people in the country. The government can broadcast the documentaries on IBS and the working condition that are created as a result of the application of IBS in the construction site. Furthermore the broadcast can be made to compare between the conventional construction and the application of IBS during the peak hours to get a greater pool of viewers. This might give the local workforce on the deeper understanding on the working environment. According to the Maslow hierarchy of needs, safety needs is a higher than the basic psychological needs. The example

84 72 of safety needs including the need for security, safe working environment and the job security. Once the economy of Malaysia is self sufficient and stable, then the job security is something that is common in the construction industry WO (Weakness-Opportunity) Strategies The WO (Weakness-Opportunity) Strategies aim at improving internal key weakness by taking advantage of the external opportunities. The WO strategy that is formulated is the commitment to produce better quality IBS components and the workmanship durability. This goal can be achieved by setting research and development centre to improve the product quality especially in the finishes, durability and long lasting of weathering. The common problem in the prefabricated concrete components installation is the water leakage between the joints. Therefore the quality of the product does not contributes to the quality of construction project alone, the quality of the workmanship also play an important role as well. The quality of the workmanship can be improved by consulting the IBS experts and providing training to the workers. Research must also be done to innovate more ideas in the installation process which can speed up the activity by observation on the method study and the work measurement. Therefore, the maintenance period can be extended and more importantly that IBS will be regarded as suitable for high end building construction. Secondly is that Malaysia should develop the country s own IBS technology that can suit into the construction culture here. This effort can lower the dependency of foreign technology into Malaysia which often can be expensive and this will increase the competitiveness of the products produce to be export to the foreign market. The technology can also be patented and being exported to other countries as knowledge based products. Developing the Malaysian IBS technology can encourage more participation of the local workforce in the construction industry as the research and development needs a lot of skilled workers rather than the unskilled ones.

85 73 Since IBS needs a lot of skilled workers, the job market will be open to the local graduates that are having difficulties in finding job upon graduation. The job may require highly skilled workers to perform specialised jobs such as plant and machine operations, design, installation, project management and etc. With the implementation of IBS, the workforce will be brought to the next level of job skills which turning them to be professional and more specialised in their field that requires more intellectual and skills. Therefore there will be less of clerical and labourer s job and this will enhance the thinking and analytical skills so that Malaysia can prepare her citizens to be more prudent and prepared for the First World mind set in the year ST (Strength-Threat) Strategies The ST (Strength-Threat) Strategies are using the strength to avoid or to reduce the impact of external threats. One of the strategies is to lower the prices of IBS components and to develop more innovation in terms of variability and fuctionability. As soon as the research and development centre can function to the full capacity, the construction industry will minimise the application of foreign technology and start to implement the local technology which suit to the local construction culture. By implementing the local technology will be much cheaper and this also can help the country economy to be self generated and therefore be excellent among the nations although in the times of globalisation whereby the competitiveness of survival will be very high. Secondly, there must be a forum and collaboration of various ministries to update some of the laws and acts for the benefit of the national interest. Currently, the government has lots of non applicable laws and acts that are implemented during the emergency period and times have change and more practical laws and acts need to be legislated to accommodate the current social and economic requirement. The implementation of IBS does not involve the Ministry of Housing alone but the burden is shared among other departments such as Ministry of

86 74 Works, Ministry of Transport and etc. Although the legislative procedures are very tedious and need various parties approval before the bill can be implemented, however the government should take action for benefit of the national interest. In the current state of the government procedures are very bureaucratic that involves many levels of approvals and this is the time for the government to change the management system to be a more flexible, citizen oriented and competitive to compete with the new developing nations such as China that is growing very intensely and there are speculations that she will be the next economic power of the world WT (Weakness-Threat) Strategies The WT (Weakness-Threat) Strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weakness and avoiding external threats. The strategy is to increase the capacity of lorries and the machineries capacity in terms of length, width, load and the numbers of components carried at one time. In the conventional IBS construction, the IBS components are carried one piece at a time by a tower crane to be installed. This proved to be inefficient and not productive to the construction activity itself. Since the fuel price is increasing drastically and the inefficient use of machinery is very high and therefore it contributes to high total cost of construction. The capacity of the lorries should be increased as to accommodate the most cost effective design of a IBS components and this reduce the travel frequency from the fabrication factory to the construction site as both are situated far apart. Currently there are machineries that are designed to install a sufficient numbers of prefabricated slabs and walls at a time of unloading. Finally is the strategy of searching for foreign market for the export of the technology aspect. As the government is encouraging Malaysian to be involved in the knowledge based economy, the foreign market can be tap especially in the developing nations in the South America, India, Africa and etc. By developing the technology for local and export purposes, this can prepare the nation to be self

87 75 sufficient and remains competitive in the globalisation period goes to the full implementations Data Analysis for Part E The data analysis for Part E focused on the standardisation of the materials and the sizing of the IBS components and to determine whether the respondents agree to the standard as being suggested in the Malaysian Standard Standardisation of Material for the IBS Components The commonly IBS components used in the construction projects for building works can be divided into four categories as below: a) Prefabricated structural frame (beams and columns) b) Prefabricated slab c) Prefabricated non bearing wall d) Prefabricated bearing wall Table 4.6: Standardisation of concrete grade for IBS components Prefabricated Structural Components Prefabricated structural frame (beam and column) Frequency of Respondents G20 G25 G30 G35 G40 G Prefabricated Slab Prefabricated non bearing wall Prefabricated bearing wall

88 76 In the local housing development projects usually involve the small scale building which consist of terrace houses, low cost houses and the condominiums or high rise building is rare in Johor. The majority of the respondents recommend the Grade 25 concrete for the prefabricated structural frame components. Next is the prefabricated concrete slab, whereby the larger pools of the respondents also prefer to use Grade 25 concrete. In the current market, the hollow core slabs available are prefabricated using the Grade 35 concrete with prestressing cable. Then it is followed by the prefabricated concrete for non bearing wall, which the Grade 25 concrete being suggested. Since the wall does not take any loading, therefore the concrete strength can be at the minimum requirement in accordance to the British Standard. On the other hand for the prefabricated concrete bearing wall takes a huge amount of load especially the compressive strength and therefore the concrete must be at a higher grade. Most of the respondents suggested that the bearing wall usually must be of Grade 35 concrete however for the conventional less than 5 storeys, the most cost effective concrete strength would be of Grade Standardisation of IBS Components Sizing The analysis of the following can be referred to the question asked in the Question 5 in Part E (Appendix). Table 4.7 illustrate the results from the respondents on the standardisation of sizing of the IBS components.

89 77 Table 4.7: Standardisation of IBS sizing. Dimension Frequency Beam Length: 10M to 120M at increment of 3M Width: 1.5M to 4M at increment of 0.5M Depth: 2M to 10M at increment of 0.5M Column Height: 28M to 36M at increment of 1M Height: 36M to 48M at increment of 3M Width: 1.5M to 8M at increment of 0.5M Length: 1.5M to 8M at increment of 0.5M Walls Height: 28M to 36M at increment of 1M Height: 36M to 48M at increment of 3M Width: 1M to 6M at increment of 0.25M Length: 3M to 42M at increment of 3M Slabs Length: 10M to 60M at increment of 3M Width: 3M to 42M at increment of 3M Depth: 1M to 3M at increment of 0.25M Average Index Indication Important Moderate 2.98 important Moderate 2.52 important Moderate important Moderate important Important Moderate important Moderate important 3.87 Important 3.93 Important Moderate 3.35 important 4.15 Important 3.52 Important Important Referring to the Table 4.7, it shows the dimension of IBS components as suggested in the Malaysian Standard. The questionnaires distributed respondents working in the developers firm. In the beam section, the respondents agreed to the length size suggested but on the other hand the respondents only regard the width and depth sizes are moderately important. There are respondents that suggested that the most effective width that is implemented in the housing development projects is only measured at 1M. Furthermore the minimum depths for beams are

90 78 suitably to be designed at 3M as to be more effective to take the necessary loading. Next are the dimensions for the columns that are suggested by the Malaysian Standard for IBS components. The dimensions that are moderately important are the height and the width. It is because the ratings are low because on the height part, the height in the housing development usually is between 30M to 33M and seldom fall in the range of 28M to 36M. Then is the width dimension is only moderately important because of the minimum sizing of 1.5M, the majority of the respondents suggested that the minimum size could be up to 1M as to suit the minimum size of the width of the beams. Then is the dimension for the IBS components for walls. The height and the length suggested in the Malaysian Standard are just moderately important. It is because the maximum length allowed is too short which is 42M and could be extended further since the maximum length capacity for the transporters is 15m. The width dimension of the walls has the highest average index of 3.93 which falls into the important category. It is because the size recommended falls in the range of 1M to 6M at increment of 0.25M and complies with rules the Uniform Building by Law (UBBL) and can be easily suit into the current construction. Lastly is the component for slab whereby all the dimensions has scored above 3.50 which is important. The reason behind the respondents gives a strong support of this sizing because it is practical and can suit into the current sizing of housing development projects Data Analysis for Part F The data analysis for Part F is about the general requirement of the standard procedures that are suggested to be implemented to ensure the successful implementation of IBS. The categories discussed are the manufacturing,

91 79 machineries and the installation process. The objective of the requirement is to ensure that the manufacturer and fabricators are able to produce the consistency in terms of quality and size Manufacturing and Machineries In the manufacturing and machineries part, the local authorities or the responsible agency need to step in the local IBS manufacturers so that the components produced meet the quality and the international standards. Furthermore, it is also to ensure that the IBS components are being fabricated to the sizes according to the modular coordination. In the interviews with some of the respondents, it is surprisingly most of them assumed that the sizings of prefabricated IBS components are equivalent to precast which is untrue. The sizes of IBS components are being governed by the modular coordination. Therefore, there should be inspection to accredit the manufacturers with an IBS certification for production purposes. Table 4.8 indicates that the characteristics that need to be fulfilled to achieve the above objectives. Table 4.8: The manufacturing and machineries requirement for IBS productions. Manufacturing and Machineries Frequency of Respondents Score Frequency of the inspection in the manufacturing plant Procedures of test the quality of IBS components Inspection and evaluation of service to ensure the compliance of the rules Quality control procedures Average Index Position Indication Most Important Most Important Most Important Most Important

92 80 Conform to the usage of raw material according to specification Approved machineries for IBS components productions The administrative procedure by the local authorities The data and experience of the workers that works in the industry to ensure better guarantee of quality Important Important Important Important Referring to the Table 4.8 indicates the manufacturing and machineries procedural requirement that are important to be followed as to ensure that the quality of the IBS components can be produced according to the quality specifications and characteristics. The requirement with the highest average index of 4.78 is by carrying regular inspection in the manufacturing plant in the area of the process as to ensure that the quality of the components will be consistent. There should be a government linked agency to be set up to monitor the quality and the manufacturing process so that the quality is in accordance of the international specifications. Furthermore, the agency can give consultancies on the operational process of the manufacturing process as having the commitment to be more effective and efficient as to remain competitive in the globalisation era. There are several operational management concepts that can be implemented such as Just in Time (JIT), Concurrent Engineering, Total Quality Management and etc. Then it is followed by the procedures for testing of the IBS components which has an average index of Once the IBS components are produced, there must be a random selection of components to be tested and commissioned to check on the quality at a regular basis. This is also to determine whether the machineries are faulty due to lack of maintenance and to predict the maintenance period so that the down period of the manufacturing plant can be reduced. Any

93 81 problems to the machineries and the cost incurred for major overhaul, breakdown and downtime can affect the IBS manufacturers will eventually increase the overall cost of the prefabricated IBS components. The next manufacturing and machineries requirement is the inspection and the evaluation of service to ensure the compliance of the rules set by the local authorities and the quality control procedure which shared an average index of Since the implementation of IBS in the construction industry in Malaysia especially in the housing development projects, many of the constructors, contractors, designers and developers does not know the existing rules that are made to protect their rights. The inspection and the evaluation of service should be conducted by the government agencies as to ensure that there are no unscrupulous parties are taking advantage of their clients. Then it is followed by the quality control procedures that implement the Total Quality Management principles whereby the manufacturers have the commitment towards the quality of the IBS components produced. Instead of using labour to monitor the quality and the sizing of the components, manufacturers can use the total mechanization for total quality monitoring which is faster and more efficient. The total mechanization in the monitoring the quality aspect utilizes the sensors to detect the quality of finished surfaces and the jigs can be used to control the sizing so that the IBS components can be installed at ease on site without facing the products being returned that would cost much money to the manufacturers. On the fifth spot of the manufacturing and the machineries requirement, is the need for the manufacturers to conform to the usage of raw material is in accordance to the specifications. This requirement has an average index of 4.46 and it is rated as important requirement. The material strength such as aggregate with suitable sizes and shapes and also the quality of the cement and the additives can influence the quality of the IBS components. Therefore there must be a standard that governed the quality of the materials used for the fabrication of the IBS components so that it meets the international standard.

94 82 Then the respondents also viewed the factor of using the approved machineries for IBS components productions as important which has an average index of The machineries are important as the process of casting the concrete in the mould must have adequate vibrations as to ensure that the concrete is being compacted to the maximum capacity and minimum honeycomb will exist in the concrete. However too much vibrations will cause segregations in the concrete and causes the uneven distributions of strength in the particular IBS components. The respondents also viewed that the administrative procedures by the local authorities as important which has an average index of The procedures being legislated by the local authorities is important because any project development constructed must be approved so that the building can be safely occupied by residents. The developer and constructor are compulsory to obtain the Certificate of Fitness (CF) after a project development site is completed. In obtaining this certificate, the developers can only sell or utilizes the building for their own purposes and for the utilities being supplied into the building. If the construction implements IBS and can have saving however the failure to sell the building to the market of non utilization will cause severe loss to the developer. The respondents also regard the data and experience of workers that has been involved in the application or fabrications of the IBS components is also important which an average index of The experienced worker knows the general requirement and the most effective process of fabricating that enable the quality of the IBS components to be maintained at a regular basis. Furthermore, they can also oversee the problems faced in the installation and therefore their input during the preliminary design can detect the problems early rather than taking corrective actions during the construction involves a higher cost later.

95 Installation Procedures Table 4.9: The requirement for the installation procedure for IBS components. Installation Procedures Frequency of Respondents Score The conformance to the Most building codes Important Procedure of lifting and Most installation to avoid Important damage The sequence of the Most installation process Important Constructability design Most codes Important IBS manufacturers are Most required to prepare the Important installation procedure Detail information on Most the installation of each Important IBS components The consideration of building stability in the Important process of installation Types of IBS application Important Average Index Position Indication Referring to the Table 4.9, it shows the suggestion of requirement for the installation of the IBS components on the construction site. The installation with the highest average index of 4.67 is the requirement of conformance to the building codes for installation such as BS (British Standard), EC (European Code) and etc. It is important to follow such standards as to ensure the safety of the building and to avoid the IBS components being damaged due to mishandling factor. However the Malaysian Standard does not have these considerations in the documentation and therefore the quality of the construction might be affected. Then secondly, it is followed by the procedure of lifting and installation to avoid any damages which has an average index of 4.65.

96 84 The sequence of installation procedures stands on the third place and has an average index of 4.65 which indicates that it is most important. The installation sequences although sometimes looks easy but however there are many factors to consider in the process such as the stability of the frame, wind factors, safety and efficiency. Next the constructability design codes need to be established which has an average index of It is important to consider all the possible means of designing the building as the fabrication and the installation process can be simplified and consequently the speed of construction increases. Therefore the overhead can be saved, work can be done efficiently and the tender bid can be set at a lower price to compete with other competitors and marketing the finished building at a shorter period of time. Next the IBS manufacturers should provide installation procedure and the detail information on the installation of each IBS components and both has an average index of 4.59 and 4.57 respectively. The detail information will help the labourers and the site person to comprehend the appropriate and safe method of installation rather then figuring how to install them. This sometimes can be dangerous to the workers and takes longer time for them to comprehend the drawing. With detail information even before the transportation is being made, time saving can be achieved as the IBS components can be installed immediately upon the arrival on site. This will prevent the double handling process that will increase cost, lessen the productivity and waste time because it will not increase the value of the construction. The consideration of the building stability in the installation process and the types of IBS applications has average score of 4.30 and 4.22 respectively. The installation process also depends on the types of IBS used and the number of storeys of building constructed. In the development of the housing projects for less than five storeys, the stability is often neglected which can be dangerous to the workers and person working in the construction site.

97 85 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction There are many complications in the implementing of IBS in the current state of the construction industries because it involves many parties such as material suppliers, labour, sub contractors and others will be affected. Although IBS has been introduced for more than 20 years, however the construction still applies the conventional which has been proven dirty, dangerous and wasteful. Therefore there must be a strategy formulated to encourage the application of IBS in the local construction industry. In formulating the strategies, further study is conducted to collect relevant data to support the author finding. The finding will give a better understanding on the current state of application of IBS into the local housing development projects and the possible strength, weakness, opportunity and threat that impacts the local developers from implementing IBS into their development projects. It is recommended that the government apply the strategies that have been formulated that will encourage the application of IBS rather than offering exemption of levy that will concurrently affect the research and development work for the construction industry itself.

98 86 The purpose of this chapter is to transform the data analysed in Chapter 4 into more useful information. This chapter focuses on all the findings gathered. The findings are summarized based on the objectives of this study as highlighted in Chapter 1 as below: i) To determine the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat in IBS. ii) To formulate business strategies for the implementation of 50% of IBS. iii) To suggest strategic implementation plan. 5.2 To Determine the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat in IBS This objective is to determine all the possible strength, weakness, opportunity and threat that experienced by the respondents in the implementation of IBS in the housing development projects. It is also to confirm all these factors as the main encouragement and hindrances in the implementation of IBS in the construction. The strength and weakness are considered as the internal forces and the opportunity and threat are considered as external forces. The internal forces will be coupled with the external forces for establishing strategies for the implementation purposes. From the findings, the factors for the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat are identified based on interviewee opinions, literature review and discussion with supervisor. However the resources from the literature are limited to be available in Malaysia since the implementation of IBS is still facing a poor response from the local construction industry. In the internal assessment, the findings showed that the most significant IBS strengths are the reduction of the dependency of foreign workers in the

99 87 construction site and the faster completion time of the construction project. Both factors are has the highest average index and are rated as most important. Next is the IBS weakness with the highest score are the requirement for suitable forms of transportation and the high usage of plant and machinery which only shows that the factor stands at the point of important. On the other hand, the external assessment indicates that the IBS opportunity with the highest ratings is the factors of to conduct training and development for workers and the consultation by the IBS experts. Both factors are rated as most important. Then it is the threat factor with the most significant impact is the increase of diesel and fuel prices and the location of IBS that is far away from the construction site. All the factors above have been suggested and the results on the factors are solely based on the respondents experiences since they are involved in the application of IBS in the housing development projects. There are many other factors that can be considered as more factors will contributes to more refined results in the analysis. 5.3 To Formulate Strategies for the Implementation of 50% of IBS The prime aim of this objective is to generate and evaluating alternative strategies as well as selecting strategies to pursue. Strategy analysis and choice seeks to determine alternative courses of action that could best enable to achieve the implementation plan of IBS in the housing development projects in Malaysia. It is impossible to consider all strategies in the implementation as the solutions and actions generated might be infinite. Therefore, manageable sets of the most attractive alternative strategies must be developed. The considerations included in the process must determine the advantages, disadvantages, trade offs, cost and the benefit of these strategies.

100 88 Strategy can be defined as the match between the internal resources and skills and the opportunities and risks created by its external factors. The matching external and internal is critical success factors in generating feasible strategies. Developing strategies that using strength to capitalize on opportunities could be considered offense, whereas the strategies designed to improve upon weaknesses while avoiding threats could be termed as defensive. The SO Strategies use an organisation s internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities and the WO Strategies aims at improving internal weaknesses by taking advantage of the external opportunities. Furthermore the ST Strategies uses an organisation s strength to avoid or to reduce the impact of external threats and lastly WT Strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weakness and at the same time avoiding external threats. The SO strategies are encourage the participation of more local workforce in the construction industry, more research and development to be done, penetration into the overseas market and promotion of campaign to increase the awareness of IBS usage. Next is the WO strategies are manufacturers to produce better quality IBS components, producing country own technology and creating more jobs involving more highly skilled local workers. Then it is the ST strategies are that to reduce the price of IBS components and the collaboration of inter ministry to amend the legislation, law and acts. The WT strategies on the other hand are increase the capacity of the current transportation and the search for foreign market in the technological aspect. 5.4 To Suggest the Strategic Implementation Plan. The strategic management process does not end when the strategy has been decided to pursue and therefore there must be a translation the strategy into action. There must be a commitment and the strategy implementation effort by all

101 89 the parties involved. The success of the strategy formulation does not contribute to the successful implementation of the strategy. Implementing strategies require such action such as altering the laws, acts and legislations, training workers and others. Since the application of IBS involves many parties such as manufacturers, installer, transporter and various government bodies concerned. Therefore there should be a governing body that is only in charge of the legislations, training, financing, controlling, research and development and etc so that an effective strategy can be formulated and applies to all the parties involved. The body is also responsible to make necessary regulations, guidelines, legislations and looking into the implementation plan that are feasible to all the parties involved. Furthermore, rather than giving levy to the contractors, the body can offer flexible financing and tax reduction to manufacturers and constructor as to encourage the IBS implementation in the construction. The government s initiative to encourage the application of IBS in the construction industry has the objective to reduce the number of foreign worker that are currently working in Malaysia. Therefore the local workforce needs some restructuring in the human capital aspect. The restructuring involves creating more jobs related to the IBS for the local workforce and reducing the unskilled or semi skilled foreign labours significantly. The reduction of foreign workers is intended to prevent the money outflow from the country and the citizens of this country can share the wealth together. 5.5 Recommendation This finding of the study gives an effective strategy to implement IBS in the current state of the construction industry. The application of the IBS in the construction will eventually speed up the process of Malaysia to achieve Vision 2020 to become part of the developed nation.

102 90 Nonetheless, there are still some areas in the IBS management that can be look into to conduct a research which can be look into for further studies and further improvement can be made. The following recommendation can be considered and used as reference for future study purposes. 1. To study in detail the business process involved in the application of IBS in construction. 2. To study and propose on the implementation plan of IBS by introducing policy and guidelines for effective implementation. 3. To study on the financial aspect as in the loan and the payback system that can be implemented in the current banking system. 4. To look into the contract documentation that involves the responsibilities of the manufacturers, designers and installers in the construction and during the defect liability period. 5. To study on the continuous improvement that can be done on the aspect of improving the strategy of implementing IBS as the globalization will change the environment of the construction in Malaysia.

103 91 REFERENCES 1. Badir, Y.F., Kadir, M.R.A. and Hashim, A.H. (2002), Industrialised Building Systems Construction in Malaysia, Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 8, No Badir, Y.F., Kadir, M.R.A. and Ali, A.A.A (1998), Theory of Classification of Badir-Razali Building System Classification, Buletin of Institution of Engineer, Malaysia, October 3. Esa, H., and Nuruddin, M.M (1998), Policy on Industrialised Building System, Report on Colloquim on Industrialised Construction System, Kuala Lumpur. 4. Thanoon, W.A.M., W.P. Lee, M.R.A. Kadir, Jaafar, M.S., Salit, M.S. 2003), The Essential Characteristics of Industrialised Building System, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp Thanoon, W.A.M., W.P. Lee, M.R.A. Kadir, Jaafar, M.S., Salit, M.S. (2003). The Experiences of Malaysia and Other Countries in Industrialised Building System, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp Harwant Singh and Bujang B.K. Huat (2003), The Need for Diversification of Materials for Industrialised Building Systems, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp

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106 Sui Pheng Low and Joo Chuan Choong (2001), Just In Time Management in Precast Concrete Construction: A Survey of the Readiness of Main Contractors in Singapore, MCB University Press, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp

107 95 APPENDIX A Technical Paper

108 96 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM Lim Pui Chung 1, Abdul Kadir Marsono 2 1 Postgraduate Student, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2 Associate Professor, Supervisor, IT Manager, Information Technology of Civil Engineering (ITUCE), Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Abstract: In Malaysia, the implementation of Industrialised Building System (IBS) by using precast concrete elements were introduced since 1966 when the government launched two pilot projects in 1966 which involves the construction of Tuanku Abdul Rahman Flats in Kuala Lumpur and the Rifle Range Road Flats in Penang. From the survey conducted by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia, the level of usage of IBS in the local construction industry is 15% in 2003 although many government initiatives have been introduced to encourage the use of IBS. Therefore a study is conducted to study the current awareness of the usage of IBS in Malaysia. Furthermore this study will be conducted to analyse ways to improve the implementation of IBS in terms of the current policy and guideline available to implement the usage of IBS in the local construction industry. The study will be focussed the usage of 50% of the IBS elements in terms of cost. The Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) Matrix will be used to analyse the current scenario in the local construction industry and therefore the strategic implementation plan will be produced in this study. Keywords: Industrialised Building System (IBS), Implementation 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Industrialised Building System (IBS) can be defined in which all building components are mass produced either in factory or at site according to specifications with standard shapes and dimensions and then transported to site whereby the components are rearrange with certain standard to form a building. Since 1966, the government has introduced the IBS construction method by launching two pilot projects in this country. Further effort has been made to promote the use of IBS by importing the German technology for the construction of mass housing by Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS). Currently numerous project has been using the precast components to meet the requirement of time constraint and with high accuracy and quality. However the usage of IBS in Malaysia is still low as compared to other developed countries such as Europe, United States, Japan and others. From the survey conducted by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia, the level of usage of IBS in the local construction industry stands at 15% based on the IBS Survey There are several resistances from parties involved in the construction including contractors, developers, architects, government agencies and others. 1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT The construction industry in Malaysia only implement the use of IBS construction when necessary whereby the system is implemented when the construction process requires speed, accuracy and work that involves a lot of repetition work. The early efforts by government seem to be in futile because most of the local construction is still practising the conventional method which has been proven wasteful, dangerous and messy. The implementation plan for the usage IBS was hindered by the fragmented among the construction stakeholders. It is considered fragmented because policy and guideline implementation and the practise in the construction are inconsistent among players involved. Commonly the professional team such as town planner, architect and engineer work independently with little input and communication with each other. The manufacturer and applicator as they have its own unique design, process, production and construction method. This result of incompatibility of components used and making the precast

109 97 components to be less competitive. This also occurs whereby the manufacturer can monopolise the market for a particular construction project from the beginning to the end. The local authorities are generally unwilling to make changes in the local building regulations that need a lot of time, works and cost to establish the legislative, structural planning and economic conditions for industrial development. The inability to change the way the work can be also seen a hindrance for the implementation of IBS. 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY The study is carried out to examine the usage of Industrialized Building System (IBS) and its contribution towards the construction industry. The objectives of this study are as follows: (i) To determine the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats in IBS. (ii) To formulate business strategies for implementation of 50% of IBS (iii) To develop the strategic implementation plan. 1.3 SCOPE OF STUDY The scope of this study involves the implementation of 50% of IBS components for non primary structure elements into the conventional construction system in the construction industry as recommended by the Malaysian Government. This implementation plan only involves the developer due to the short allocated time given to complete this project. 2.0 BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM (IBS) The word industrialising is defined as to build on site with elements or components produced by series in plants. IBS in the construction industry includes the industrialised process by which components of a building are conceived, planned, fabricated, transported and erected on site. The whole system includes a balanced and well-mixed combination between the software (eg: marketing strategy and policy) and hardware components (eg: machinery and transportation). 2.2 CLASSIFICATION OF IBS There are various Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) used throughout the world, and they can be classified into five main groups that are currently practised in Malaysia and they are: (i) Precast concrete framing, panel and box systems - includes precast concrete columns, beams, slabs, walls, 3-D components, lightweight precast concrete, as well as permanent concrete formworks. (ii) Steel formwork systems - includes tunnel forms, tilt-up systems, beams columns moulding forms, and permanent steel formworks. (iii) Steel framing system - includes steel trusses, columns, beams, portal frame systems, open building system and flexible internal layout. (iv) Prefabricated timber framing systems includes prefabricated timber trusses beams and columns. (v) Blockwork systems - includes interlocking concrete masonry units (CMU) and lightweight concrete blocks. 2.3 STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITY AND THREAT IN IBS The IBS construction is evaluated and there are several strength, weakness, opportunity and threats that can be distinguished. All these factors can impact the implementation plan and therefore solutions of the problems need to be tackled quickly as to encourage the use of IBS in Malaysia. 2.4 IMPLEMENTATION OF IBS IN MALAYSIA Our country is still very much left behind in terms of the application of IBS in the construction industry, as compared to other countries. Since 1980 s there are intensive marketing strategy launched by the Malaysian government to introduce modular coordination but however its acceptance has received poor response.

110 98 In the 7 th Malaysian Plan, the country intended to construct 800,000 units of houses for its population however the achievement is disappointing whereby only 20% of the houses are completed. The government also introduce numerous incentives and promotion to encourage the usage of IBS. The enforcement of by the local authorities did not apply to all parties involved. In 1998, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and CIDB has come up with the Modular Design Guide which contains the modular coordination concepts, design rules, drawings and preferred dimensions for architectural finishes. However the important aspects such as modular dimensions, strength, stability and fire protection specifications are not indicated. In 1999, the local authorities have made several amendments to the Uniform Building By Law (UBBL) in sub clause of 42(1) to encourage the use of IBS. However the current amendment made is proven to have minimal impact on the implementation of IBS. In 2001, the government introduced the Malaysia Standard 1064 to standardise the IBS components in terms of dimensions through modular coordination. Nevertheless the important specifications such as types of material, design standard, connection types, construction method and system implementation are not included. In most cases the contractor firm acts as a catalyst and integrators to introduce new technologies into marketable products. They play an important role in modifying and developing new technologies that impact as a feedback loop to producers in the upstream. Therefore all players in the must work together to realise the IBS implementation plan in Malaysia.

111 METHODOLOGY Identify Problem Determine Objectives & Scope of Studies Literature Review Data Collection Questionnaires & Interviews References, Technical papers, Books Data Processing (SWOT) Analyse Data Conclusion & Suggestion

112 DATA ANALYSIS 4.1 SWOT ANALYSIS This study will provide a more accurate and insight information of the IBS implementation in the construction industry. Furthermore, this study is expected to analyse the current scenario of the implementation of IBS in Johor. This chapter focuses on analyzing the results gathered from the respondents through interview and questionnaire. Since IBS time allocated is very limited in doing this dissertation, the distribution of questionnaire and interview will be limited to the developers in Johor Bahru area only. The data collected are converted into more meaningful, useful and informative formats that are in the form of tables and figures. The data also will be expressed in the form of percentage and according to the suitability of the analysis itself. The SO Strategies use an organisation s internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities and the WO Strategies aims at improving internal weaknesses by taking advantage of the external opportunities. Furthermore the ST Strategies uses an organisation s strength to avoid or to reduce the impact of external threats and lastly WT Strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weakness and at the same time avoiding external threats. 5.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The standardisations of the material and the sizing as well as the quality control policy need to be legislated so that it can govern the manufacturers and installer to produce a high quality construction. Therefore there is a requirement for the governing bodies to look into the whole scenario before making any law to implement IBS. The strategic management process does not end when the strategy has been decided to pursue and therefore there must be a translation the strategy into action. There must be a commitment and the strategy implementation effort by all the parties involved. The success of the strategy formulation does not contribute to the successful implementation of the strategy. Implementing strategies require such action such as altering the laws, acts and legislations, training workers and others. Since the application of IBS involves many parties such as manufacturers, installer, transporter and various government bodies concerned. Therefore there should be a governing body that is only in charge of the legislations, training, financing, controlling, research and development and etc so that an effective strategy can be formulated and applies to all the parties involved. The body is also responsible to make necessary regulations, guidelines, legislations and looking into the implementation plan that are feasible to all the parties involved. Furthermore, rather than giving levy to the contractors, the body can offer flexible financing and tax reduction to manufacturers and constructor as to encourage the IBS implementation in the construction. The government s initiative to encourage the application of IBS in the construction industry has the objective to reduce the number of foreign worker that are currently working in Malaysia. Therefore the local workforce needs some restructuring in the human capital aspect. The restructuring involves creating more jobs related to the IBS for the local workforce and reducing the unskilled or semi skilled foreign labours significantly. The reduction of foreign workers is intended to prevent the money outflow from the country and the citizens of this country can share the wealth together.

113 101 This finding of the study gives an effective strategy to implement IBS in the current state of the construction industry. The application of the IBS in the construction will eventually speed up the process of Malaysia to achieve Vision 2020 to become part of the developed nation. Nonetheless, there are still some areas in the IBS management that can be look into to conduct a research which can be look into for further studies and further improvement can be made. The following recommendation can be considered and used as reference for future study purposes. 1. To study in detail the business process involved in the application of IBS in construction. 2. To study and propose on the implementation plan of IBS by introducing policy and guidelines for effective implementation. 3. To study on the financial aspect as in the loan and the payback system that can be implemented in the current banking system. 4. To look into the contract documentation that involves the responsibilities of the manufacturers, designers and installers in the construction and during the defect liability period. 5. To study on the continuous improvement that can be done on the aspect of improving the strategy of implementing IBS as the globalization will change the environment of the construction in Malaysia. REFERENCES 1. Badir, Y.F., Kadir, M.R.A. and Hashim, A.H. (2002), Industrialised Building Systems Construction in Malaysia, Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 8, No Badir, Y.F., Kadir, M.R.A. and Ali, A.A.A (1998), Theory of Classification of Badir- Razali Building System Classification, Buletin of Institution of Engineer, Malaysia, October 3. Esa, H., and Nuruddin, M.M (1998), Policy on Industrialised Building System, Report on Colloquim on Industrialised Construction System, Kuala Lumpur. 4. Thanoon, W.A.M., W.P. Lee, M.R.A. Kadir, Jaafar, M.S., Salit, M.S. 2003), The Essential Characteristics of Industrialised Building System, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp Thanoon, W.A.M., W.P. Lee, M.R.A. Kadir, Jaafar, M.S., Salit, M.S. (2003). The Experiences of Malaysia and Other Countries in Industrialised Building System, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp Harwant Singh and Bujang B.K. Huat (2003), The Need for Diversification of Materials for Industrialised Building Systems, International Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, pp Sumadi, S.R, Johnson W.K.Ng, Sheikh, S.U. (2003), IBS In Malaysia, Proceedings of The 5 th Asia Pacific Structural Engineering and Construction Conference (APSEC 2003), Johor Bahru, pp

114 Sumadi, S.R, Johnson W.K.Ng, S.L.Sim and C.M. Tham, Promotion Strategies and Future Research & Development Needs on Industrialised Building System, National Seminar on Industrialised Building Systems 2001, Kuala Lumpur. 9. Mohamad, N.S. and Sumadi, S.R. (2000), Malaysia Towards Industrialisation of Building Systems, National Seminar on Industrialised Building Systems 2000, Kuala Lumpur. 10. Kementrian Perumahan & Kerajaan Tempatan (1998), Functional Spaces Requirement, Paper for Course in Use of Modular Coordination in Building. 11. Kementrian Perumahan & Kerajaan Tempatan (1998), Modular Design Guide, Implementation of Modular Coordination in Building in Malaysia. 12. Malaysia (1999), Uniform Building By Law, Act David, Fred. R (1997), Strategic Management, 6 th Ed, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 14. Eka Kusmawati Bt Suparmanto (2005), Penggunaan Sistem Binaan Berindustri (IBS) Dalam Industri Pembinaan Malaysia- Kajian di Sektor Swasta, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia: Bachelor Thesis. 15. Salawati Bt Sallan (2005), Penggunaan Sistem Pembinaan Berindustri (IBS) Dalam Industri Pembinaan Malaysia- Kajian di Sektor Awam, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia: Bachelor Thesis. 16. British Standards Institutions (1986), Modular Coordination in Building, London, BS Department of Standards Malaysia (2001), Guide to Modular Coordination in Buildings: Part 1: General Principles, Kuala Lumpur, MS Department of Standards Malaysia (2001), Guide to Modular Coordination in Buildings: Part 10: Coordination Sizes and Preferred Sizes for Reinforced Concrete Component, Kuala Lumpur, MS Glass, Jacqueline (1999), The Future for Precast Concrete in Low Rise Building, British Cement Association. 20. S.F. Lee and Andrew O.K. Sai (2000), Building Balanced Scorecard with SWOT analysis, and Implementing Sun Tzu s Art of Management Strategies on QFD Methodology, Managerial Accounting Journal, pp Novicevic, M.M. and Harvey, Michael (2004), Dual-Perspective SWOT: A Synthesis of Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp Y.K. Ip and L.C. Koo (2004), BSQ Strategic Formulation Framework, Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol.19 No.4, pp Sui Pheng Low and Joo Chuan Choong (2001), A Study of the Readiness of Precasters for Just In Time Construction, MCB University Press, Vol. 50 No. 4, pp Sui Pheng Low and Joo Chuan Choong (2001), Just In Time Management in Precast Concrete Construction: A Survey of the Readiness of Main Contractors in Singapore, MCB University Press, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp

115 103 APPENDIX B Questionnaire Form

116 104 UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM Borang Soal Selidik Topik : Management of Industrialized Building System (IBS): Construction Policy, Guideline and Implementation Nama: Lim Pui Chung Nombor H/P: Course: Master of Science in Construction Management No Matrik: MA Alamat: No 78, Jalan Timah 9, Taman Sri Putri, Skudai, Johor Bahru. Supervisor: Professor Madya Dr. Abdul Kadir Marsono Phone no: Sila isi borang soal selidik yang dilampirkan dan hantarkan ke alamat yang tertera di atas secepat mungkin. Kerjasama daripada pihak tuan amat dihargai. Sekian, terima kasih. Note: Sebarang maklumat yang diberikan adalah untuk tujuan pendidikan sahaja. Terima Kasih. Borang Soal Selidik Projek Sarjana - Fakulti Kejuruteraan Awam Universiti Teknologi Malaysia