21 – 22 September 2011
Venue: Department of Civil Engineering, UTM RAZAK School of Engineering & Advanced Technology, International Campus, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Conference Directors: Professor Dr Christopher Preece BSc(Hons), PhD, FCIOB, MCIM, FHEA (Head of the International Construction Business Management Research Group, UTM Construction Research Alliance) and CIOB Construction Ambassador, and Dr Mohamad Syazli Fathi, (Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, UTM RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, International Campus, UTM, Kuala Lumpur)
Background
The International Construction Business and Management Symposium (ICBMS2011) was organized by the Department of Civil Engineering, UTM RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, in association with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Construction Research Institute of Malaysia (CREAM), the Construction Research Alliance (UTM) and the UTM International Business School in Kuala Lumpur. In addition, the Symposium was supported by the National University of Singapore, the University of Hong Kong, and Loughborough University, UK. The Symposium was accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia.
The event was held over two days on 21st and 22nd September 2011, and included a joint meeting of the International Council for Research & Innovation in Building & Construction (CIB) Working Commission 112 Culture in Construction & CIB Task Group 082 Marketing in Construction .
Description of Event
Over 40 research papers from several countries across the globe had been reviewed over a nine month period, by the international scientific committee. Almost all papers were presented during the two day event.
The Symposium comprised an opening ceremony by the Vice Chancellor of UTM, Y.BHG Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr Zaini Bin Ujang, a response by the Executive Director of CIDB CREAM, Professor Ir. Dr. Zuhairi, followed by 5 sessions as follows;
Forum 1 The Impact of Culture on International Project Success
Forum 2 Business Strategy and Internationalisation
Forum 3 The Sustainability Challenges Facing International Construction
Forum 4 International Project Management – Current and Future Challenges
The following distinguished international keynote speakers from academia and industry provided very thought-provoking and challenging presentations.
Professor Dr Richard Fellows, Professor of Construction Business, Loughborough University, UK , addressed the fundamental issue of how construction organizations can develop their approaches in “satisfying the client”.
Mr Ian Luke, Managing Director, Skanska Cementation International Ltd, set out to challenge the practitioners and researchers to reexamine their approach to procurement, risk and dispute resolution in the Industry with his presentation on “Winning and sustainable strategies; a change of mindset.”
Dr. Thomas S.K. Tang, Director, Corporate Sustainability & Initiatives, Asia, AECOM Hong Kong, invited the research community to investigate a number of areas in the future design and construction of sustainable buildings , focusing on “smart, green and people-friendly” development.
The Symposium also included a Postgraduate Forum chaired by Professor Dr Low Sui Pheng of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Professor Dr Christopher Preece of Universiti Technologi Malaysia (UTM). The forum focused on providing advice and encouragement in carrying out research and publications, and to provide some initial guidance to the PhD students in thinking about their personal postdoctoral strategies.
An informal conference dinner was held on the evening of 21st September and was attended by the delegates, the Deputy Deans and members of the RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology and the Department of Civil Engineering. International guests enjoyed an evening of cultural performances by the undergraduate students of the Department of Civil Engineering and traditional Malaysian cuisine. The dinner ended with a surprise durian-fest!
Outcomes of the Event
The International Construction Business and Management Symposium (ICBMS2011), including the joint meeting of CIB W112 Culture in Construction and TG82 Marketing in Construction, made the following contributions;
• Further helped to develop the field of international construction business and management.
• Generated peer reviewed academic and practitioner papers which have so far been published in the form of a Book of Abstracts and a full Conference Proceedings (ISBN 978-967-41283-2-6).
• Provided an opportunity for the members of the two CIB groups to discuss possible areas for research collaboration on areas of mutual interest.
• Further engaged the universities of Loughborough, Hong Kong, National University of Singapore and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in developing longterm relationships.
• Facilitated networking between researchers and academics in the field of international construction business and management from several countries and with different professional backgrounds and interests.
• Raised the profile of the International Construction Business Management Research Group within the UTM Construction Research Alliance, ongoing collaboration between researchers in the UTM Department of Civil Engineering and the International Business School, and general construction and engineering research within the UTM RAZAK School of Engineering and Advanced Technology in Kuala Lumpur.
Future Directions
• Consideration of a further joint meeting between the CIB W112 and TG082 research groups.
• Organization of a postgraduate forum in the area of international construction business and management.
