Ambika Rose Orrill Dubai Multicultural Construction Projects

7/30/2019 Ambika Rose Orrill Dubai Multicultural Construction Projects

1/35

Strategies to Overcome Challenges onMulti-cultural Construction Projects

A case study on the Palm Island Jumeirah projectDubai, United Arab Emirates

Ambika Rose Orrill

April 5th, 2006


2/35

Overview

My Background Research Goals

Project Studied

Challen es Encountered

Strategies to Overcome Challenges

Research Outcomes

Future Projects


3/35

My Background

Education

2003 BA Bard College, Physics

2005 BS Columbia University, Civil Engineering

2006 MS Stanford University, Construction Eng. & Management

International Project Experience

2004 Design/Construction of Samli Health Clinic, Thailand

2005 Design/Construction of Obodan Sanitation Facility, Ghana

2006 Research on The Palm Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates


4/35

Development & Timeline

Oct 2005: CEM 50th Celebration

Nov 2005 : Meeting with Parson Brinckerhoffs Board

Nov 2005: Meeting with CRGP

Research Study

Dec 2005: Formalized Research Objectives Jan 2006: Performed Interviews & Site Visits

Feb Mar 2006: Transcribed Interviews

Apr 2006: Presentation

June 2006: Complete Paper


5/35

Objectives & Goals

Objectives

Perform independent study/ mini research project

Learn hands-on about the challenges of multi-cultural projects

Increase my international experience

Research Study

Goals

Visit 3-6 projects

Perform 15 20 Interviews

Compile Observations

Give Presentation

Write Report


6/35

Mentors & Sponsors

Mentors

Dr. Ryan J. Orr

Dr. Raymond Levitt

Tim Spall

Research Study

Mike Williams

Sponsors

Collaboratory for Research on Global Projects

Parsons Brinckerhoff


7/35

United Arab Emirates

Area: 30,000 square miles

Population: 4.3 Million (2004 est)

Govt: Federation of 7 Emirates

Independence: 1971 (from UK)

Country of Study

Official Language: Arabic Religion: Muslim, Christian, Hindu

Ethnic groups: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi,

Egyptian, Jordanian, Iranian, Filipino, Other Arabs

Approx. 15% of residents are U.A.E. citizens Natural Resources (30% GPD): oil and natural gas

Other Sectors: Tourism and Finance

http://www.eia.doe.go, http://www.infoplease.com, http://www.state.gov


8/35

DubaiEmirate of Study


9/35

Worlds Largest Man-made Island

3 x 3 miles

100 M cyd of land

Dredged from Jebel Ali Port

Palm Island JumeirahProject Overview

ncrease u a s s ore ne y m es

Developments will include:

Residential

Leisure

Entertainment Areas

Accommodate over 100,000 people


10/35

Palm Island JumeirahProject Timeline

2000 Project Announced

2001 Dredging Commenced

2004 Land Reclamation Complete

2004 Project Management Contracts Let

2005 Project Organization Restructuring 2006 Partial Completion

2008 Final Completion


11/35

Developer: Al Nakheel Properties

Program Management:

Kellogg Brown & Root

Consultant Engineers & Inspectors:

Palm Island JumeirahProject Management Team (2005)

Developer

Program Manager

Parsons De u-Cat er Overseas Lt

ACE International

Project Managers:

Parsons Brinckerhoff Infrastructure

Turner International Shoreline Apts

Hill International Villas

Contractors:

Hundreds

Project ManagerVillas

Project ManagerInfrastructure

Project ManagerShoreline Apartments

Consultant ConsultantConsultant Consultant

Contractors Contractors Contractors Contractors


12/35

Palm Island JumeirahArial View of Project


13/35

Sections of Project

Trunk & Spine

Palm Island Jumeirah

Fronds

Crescent


14/35

Trunk & Spine

10,000 shoreline apartments & town homes


Main infrastructure route, Leisure and Entertainment Areas


15/35

17 fronds containing 74 km of shoreline

Palm Island JumeirahFronds

Over 2,000 villas


16/35

Crescent

7 miles long breakwater


Contain 40 5-star hotels


17/35

Infrastructure Project Management

Parsons Brinckerhoff

Responsible for 15-30 infrastructure contracts

Bridges

Roads


Marine Structures Utilities

Power

Water and Wastewater Facilities

Vehicular and Utility Tunnels

Transit Rail System

Team of 50-75 people (currently)


18/35

The Interviews

Over 20 people

Primarily all employed by PB Project Manager

Construction Managers

Conflict Mana er


Safety Manager Scheduling Specialist

Quality Control Specialist

Superintendent

Contract Manager

Secretary

Human Resources

Additional Consultants and Turners Project Manager


19/35

Challenges Identified

Status Hierarchies

Divergent Norms & Values

Communication Barriers

Lack of Preconstruction Planning


Frequent Scope Changes Inconsistent Change Order Procedures

Government Involvement

Impermanent Project Organization Structure


20/35

Status HierarchiesStaffing a Security Gate

Who would you have as a security staff on the project?


21/35

Status HierarchiesStaffing a Security Gate

UAE NationalsGCC NationalsCertain Arabs

Brits

Americans

Who would you have as a security staff on the project whichnationality?

AustraliansOther ArabsIranian/IraqiEuropeans

Filipino

PakistaniIndian/Chinese


22/35

Divergent Norms & ValuesPerception of Safety Risks

I have photographic evidence of a supervisor telling anindividual laborer to jump a 6 foot gap between two 7 beams 25

feet in the air, and he had no option but to do it.


23/35

Communication BarriersNo Common Language

A group of Indian and Chinese labors were all faced offagainst each other armed with tools; they were shouting at each

other across a 10 foot gap, like in an old war film. But theyve

got hammers, machetes, screwdrivers, nails maybe two, three

hundred men.


24/35

Lack of Preconstruction PlanningNo Master Plan

I was surprised at the level of no planning that happens in thispart of the world. Here they just want to see progress, even if it

is in the wrong direction.


25/35

Frequent Scope ChangesIncrease in Infrastructure Demand

Originally the project was designed to contain 1,000 villas, nowsix years later the project will accommodate 2,700 villas.


26/35

Inconsistent Change Order Procedures

The sales office instructed the contractor without goingthrough any of the design consultants, project managers, or the

clients own management team to put a bend in the bridge.


27/35

Government InvolvementUnexpected Mourning Periods

1/4/06 Sheikh Maktoum dies

Ruler of Dubai and Vice-president of the UAE (1990 2006)

11/2/04 Sheikh Zayed dies

Ruler of Abu Dhabi, President and Father of the UAE (1971 2004)


28/35

Impermanent Project Org. StructuresPerpetually Expanding Project Team

Developer

Infrastructure Consultant:

ACE

Infrastructure Consultant:

Parsons

Villas Consultant:

ACE

Shoreline Apts Consultant:

ACE


The role we had lasted maybe a month, and then they changed it.


29/35


Developer:

Al Nakheel Properties

Program Manager:KBR

Infrastructure Consultant: Infrastructure Consultant:Villas Consultant: Shoreline Apts Consultant:


ACE

Parsons

ACE

ACE



30/35


Developer:

Al Nakheel Properties

Project Director:

Atlantis

Program Management:


PB, Turner, Hill

Project ManagerVillas

Project ManagerInfrastructure

Villas Consultant:ACE

Infrastructure Consultant:ACE

Project ManagerShoreline Apartments

Infrastructure Consultant:Parsons

Shoreline Apts Consultant:ACE



31/35

Strategies to Overcome Challenges

Cultural Awareness

Flexible & Adaptable

Develop Relationship

Neutral Part

Cultural Matching Exportation


32/35

Successes and Potential Improvements

Successes

Achieved goals

Met and worked with an impressive group of professionals

Was able to see first hand topics discussed in CEE 245A

Research Study

Minimized expenses

Potential for Improvement

More aggressive in lining up interviews

Clarified length of holidays during stay (Eid al-Adha) Prepared for 4-day mourning


33/35

The Future

The Palm Deira (2009)

The World (2007)

Cost $1.8 B

Additional Developments

The Palm Jumeirah (2006) Cost $5.5 B

The Palm Jebel Ali (2008)

The Dubai Waterfront

Larger than Manhattan


34/35

Thank you

Ryan J. Orr

Raymond Levitt

Tim S all

Mike Williams Collaboratory for Research on Global Projects

Parsons Brinkerhoff


35/35

Questions

Documents

Ambika Rose Orrill Dubai Multicultural Construction Projects