POSITIVE LEADS IN THE UAE’S CONSTRUCTION FIELD

Raed Ghannam

10 April 2021

MR. EDDIE PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT INCLUDES A MINI PRIMARY

RESEARCH (INTERVIEWS) DONE WITHIN THE UAE CONSTRUCTION GIANT

(TARGET ENGINEERING) – NOW PART OF ALEC CONSTRUCTION.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………..................……………….3

INTERPRETIVE EPISTEMOLOGY…………………………………………………………….3

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FRAMEWORK AND ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND….4

KEY DRIVING FACTORS OF CONSTRUCTION IN TARGET ENGINEERING……………5

PARAMOUNT MANAGERS SKILLS IN TE …………………………………………………4

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY ENFORCING NATURAL DEVELOPMENT IN TE……………..5

CONCLUSION...…………………..……………………………………………………………...3

APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………………………..9

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………7
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ADOPTION OF MANAGERIAL FACTORS ENABLING SUCCESS IN TARGET

ENGINEERING, FACTORS OF CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT (CDC)

INTRODUCTION:

This paper discusses the innovative managerial factors responsible for driving success and

productivity in the UAE construction field, concluding the vital aspects of the construction

development concept (CDC). To get more specific, the case study took place within the Abou

Dhabi-based company Target Engineering (Civil Division), denoted TE.

The paper aims to answer the research objectives and questions. For example, what are the core

driving factors that enable success in TE? What are the most effective practices, strengths, and

best qualities needed to preserve progressive transformation in TE? What kind of construction

organization have we foreseen creating in the future? Using the managers' positive past and the

best of their experiences, how can appreciative inquiry reshape TE's future development concepts?

INTERPRETIVE EPISTEMOLOGY:

Our offered research approach involved analyzing qualitative data. The research involved

collecting company background knowledge and conducting comprehensive interviews with three

managers involved in a related construction project in Dubai / UAE. The collection of qualitative

data considered examining and identifying patterns and themes, building on appreciative success,
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and structuring the foreseen industry factors. All concerns correlate with managers' answers and a

focus group discussion.

Hence, thematic analysis was our core approach. Moreover, the Appreciative Inquiry AI technique

was an effective tool in our questionnaire. AI manipulated our questionnaire with positive

unconditional questions, which helped in extracting the best knowledge of managerial concepts

for the interviewed managers. AI was applied to ramp up our understanding of the vital concepts

in the construction industry. It is beneficial to note that rigid conventional rules do not guide our

qualitative data analysis research; plus, it is adaptive to evolve and change as fresh data emerges.

Besides, the analysis is mercury and depends on the context of the evaluator’s study.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FRAMEWORK AND ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:

The UAE construction industry's characteristics align with the leading worldwide construction

industry. The construction sector is a prominent actor in the UAE economy, accounting for 19

percent of the UAE’s total GDP (IRJET reported Aug. 2020). It is encouraging to notice the soaring

of the industry through the short history of previous decades in the Middle East region, specifically

the UAE. As it continues to play a significant role in economic uplift, construction can be denoted

as an economical machine generating employment for millions of unskilled, skilled, and deft

workforces for locals and expats. The UAE construction sector covers many diversified activities,

such as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, besides oil and gas and infrastructure

fields. The industry is expected to rebound in 2021 the UAE by 3.1%, further to the previous

year's decline of 4.8%. Overall, the industry is forecasted to appreciate an average of 3.8% between

2022 and 2025.

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The qualitative analysis was conducted on Target Engineering TE construction company. TE is a

leading construction company founded in 1975 in Abu-Dhabi, operating in all of UAE’s emirates

and expanding projects in Saudi Arabia. The company operates a quality management system

certified to ISO 9001/2000—TE maneuvers various industry scopes, including marine,

infrastructure, oil and gas, and residential construction. In particular, the selected managers are

devoted to executing the Forte Tower project in Dubai. A world-class architectural project

consisting of two towers (72 and 43 floors consecutively) worth 1 billion dirhams.

KEY DRIVING FACTORS OF CONSTRUCTION IN TARGET ENGINEERING:

The questionnaire comprises 12 narrative questions (Review Appendix 01), with implanted omens

to answer research objectives. Data was collected into themes and analyzed in a thematic

quantitative method in addition to controlling questions. The three managers operate on the project

site as construction managers, façade managers, and project directors (Review Appendix 02).

After sorting and analyzing the data, it has been inferred that managers should have explicitly

agreed on all managerial practices or skills to achieve and attain success. However, the differences

were salient. Each endorses the compatible skill to manipulate his specific scope of work. Thus,

even though managers have been selected from the same industry and sector (Civil construction –

Residential tower), their endorsement of managerial skills varied with their scope of work.

For instance, the construction manager directly leads the TE workforce and is strictly responsible

for site progress and activity completion dates. He appreciates the communication skills with his

team members and his problem-solving skills. Manager 01 declared that communicating with his

staff and routine problem-solving activities are part of his daily schedule. Thus, progress cannot
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be achieved smoothly without the proper flow of information/instructions, which solves daily

construction constraints and facilitates work. In contrast, he showed less interest in negotiating and

discipline skills. Manager 01 claimed that negotiating skills are more related to project managers

who have to deal with financial frameworks and contracts. Moreover, he is less concerned with

disciplining skills, verifying that keeping a malleable space for his subordinates is beneficial in

creating a positive work environment, as he is concerned more about progress and achieving

targets on time. Thus, Progress and performance evaluations are routine activities dependent on

progress and target completion rather than discipline.

Conversely, the façade manager (Manager 02) is more concerned with aligning façade

subcontractors with the project schedule. He deals more with other entities (Other subcontracted

companies) than with target staff and employees. It was healthy that he endorsed

coordination and verbal and written communication skills as the most prominent. His vast time is

spent communicating through official letters, emails, or joinery meetings. Explicitly determining

the interface of works for each subcontractor requires a deft listener and developed negotiation

skills. Conversely, Manager 02 has no interest in gaining and using power, claiming that he is not

working with the direct company workforce; however, he is more concerned about planning and

quality control.

Lastly, the project director (Manager 03), the head of the hierarchy, had a diversified interest. He

encounters various interests in all managerial aspects, such as financial, contractual, engineering,

progress, coordination, etc. Manager 03 declared that his daily routine was reviewing

correspondences, planning progress and meetings, and evaluating action plans. Consequently, a

dramatic expansion in his scope of work is induced. It was his passion for teamwork and team

building. In the end, nobody is perfect, but a team is. Thus, motivating others was a distinguished
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skill that he deftly manipulated. Furthermore, managing conflicts and leading change are the

concrete scope of the project director. In construction, field change comes from up to down. Thus,

enforcing reforms and leading change are big deals. Moreover, Manager 03 aims for harmony in

his team; harmony eases success, and with a stressful work environment, conflicts pop up. Here

comes the importance of his conflict management skills.

TABLE 01:Importance of various Management skills in TE.

MANAGER
MANAGEMENT SKILL MANAGER 02 MANAGER 03
01
Managing personal stress 4 3 4
Managing time 4 5 5
Facilitating group decision-making 4 4 4
Making private decisions 5 3 4
Recognizing, defining, and solving problems 5 5 5
Using verbal communication skills 2 5 5
Using written communication skills (reports, memos, etc.) 4 3 3
Delegating 5 3 4
Motivating others 3 5 5
Managing conflict 4 3 5
Interviewing 2 3 2
Gaining and using power 3 2 4
Orchestrating change 4 4 4
Appraising others’ performance 4 3 3
Setting goals 5 4 5
Listening 2 5 4
Disciplining 1 3 4
Empathizing 3 4 5
Team building 5 5 4
Conducting meetings 3 2 3
Negotiating 1 3 5
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PARAMOUNT MANAGERIAL SKILLS IN THE

From the above table, it can be inferred that the four skills highlighted above are the most common

among the three managers. Managers showed a profound interest in time management, and why

not? The project is on a competitive schedule that must be accomplished with no excuses.

Problem-solving has always been considered a vital skill for engineers and their scope of work.

Moreover, setting goals indirectly correlates with time management and planning. The

construction industry is a sequential endeavor, nurturing planning as a universal tool to achieve

targets. Consequently, all managers praised planning as a vital skill that induces healthy progress.

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY ENFORCING NATURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE

Our questionnaire included AI questions, praising the past, appreciating success, and expressing

positive stances. The aim was to create an overwhelming environment where managers could build

and nurture reforms. The description of a high-point experience question (Refer to Appendix 01)

was an unwind question answered with pride and less tension of criticism.

Again, managers answered from their unique scope of work. Manager 01, concerned with progress,

mentioned a progress success story in his previous project. Manager 01 successfully aligned the

project with the contractual schedule after a lapse. A self-confidence boost was induced from the

achievement, being sure that he could achieve the same in his recent project, and successfully, he

did. The Façade manager who proudly stated his precious accomplishment of the 200 TONS link

bridge lifted to floor 70 in the Sky View project (Dubai Downtown) is confident he can accomplish

façade works in his recent project similarly. Manager 03 is a humble manager who was satisfied

by saying, “Gaining Client's Trust.” Despite his restrained answer, he talks a lot.
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CONCLUSION:

The construction industry in the UAE is unique and stuffed with challenges. Managers in the realm

shall be equipped with the most suitable skills to cover their scope successfully. It is essential to

mention that, as in other industries, the pandemic affected construction, hassling managers to

implement extraordinary reforms to cope with the new situation. The latest reforms may reshape

the industry, which may lead to the creation of new values and skills to learn. However, Target

engineering management is vigilant about changes. With the high diversity in the final product,

TE can serve safely in one of the most competent construction societies worldwide.
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