Skillsets of Top-Performing Specialty Field Leaders: A Study of Site Superintendents, General Foremen, and Crew Leaders in the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Trades

Tolulope Ibilola Ogundare; Rebecca Kassa; Omar Maali; Brian Lines; Jake Smithwick; Kenneth Timothy Sullivan

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Construction Engineering Division (CONST) Technical Session 5
Tagged Division: Construction Engineering Division (CONST)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44226
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/44226
Download Count: 279

PhD Student in the department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas. Specializing in Construction Engineering and Management.

visit author page

biography

Omar Maali City of Lawrence, Kansas orcid.org/0000-0003-2946-2025

visit author page

Omar Maali, Ph.D., PE., PMP., is a Senior Project Engineer at the City of Lawrence, Kansas. He has a PhD in the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering department from the School of Engineering at The University of Kansas. He specializes in construction engineering and management. He is a certified project manager professional (PMP) by PMI. His research uses an interdisciplinary approach in the following areas; organizational change management, workforce development, and alternative procurement and project delivery methods. Dr. Maali has extensive experience in assisting organizations in implementing alternative project delivery methods, including IPD, CMAR, and PPP. Also, he has international construction experience in oil & gas projects and vertical construction projects.

visit author page

author page

Brian Lines University of Kansas orcid.org/0000-0002-7998-1053

biography

Jake Smithwick University of North Carolina, Charlotte orcid.org/0000-0002-6260-3670

visit author page

Dr. Jake Smithwick is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His research focuses on organizational performance benchmarking within facility management, construction, and business services. His industry experience include

visit author page

author page

Kenneth Timothy Sullivan Arizona State University

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Time, cost, quality, safety, and client satisfaction are among the metrics that have been used over time to measure project performance in the construction industry. Most of these performance indicators are task/result-oriented which depend on the contribution and competence of construction workers and professionals. Nevertheless, the construction industry faces a labor gap due to the scarcity of skilled workforce and aging workers. Adequate measures must be put in place to meet the demands of the construction industry. Talent development and retention can be leveraged to ensure access to the skills needed for better project performance and improved productivity of the sector at large. Hence, the aim of this paper is to recognize distinctive skill sets associated with top-performing workers. This study utilized performance data based on the supervisor’s rating of 88 field leaders working for Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors to identify performance characteristics peculiar to top performers. In this study, a field leader functions as a liaison between a construction project manager and a construction crew to ensure the assigned tasks are executed, and such a person may be a foreman, superintendent, or field executive. Using Principal Component Analysis, a single performance construct was developed from 22 performance criteria to assess the performance and grouping of the field leaders into two categories. From the analysis, 15% of the respondents were identified to be top-performing field leaders (FLs). An Independent sample t-test was carried out to determine the mean difference and statistical differences between the two groups based on the performance criteria. The top-performing field leaders outclassed the other field leaders in Performance criteria related to technical, leadership and communication, and overall job performance skills. The findings of this study can be used to devise strategic talent development initiatives and training targeted towards the development of traits associated with top performers in potential high-performing workers for better results.

Citation
Format

Ogundare, T. I., & Kassa, R., & Maali, O., & Lines, B., & Smithwick, J., & Sullivan, K. T. (2023, June), Skillsets of Top-Performing Specialty Field Leaders: A Study of Site Superintendents, General Foremen, and Crew Leaders in the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Trades Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44226

TY - CPAPER
AB - Time, cost, quality, safety, and client satisfaction are among the metrics that have been used over time to measure project performance in the construction industry. Most of these performance indicators are task/result-oriented which depend on the contribution and competence of construction workers and professionals. Nevertheless, the construction industry faces a labor gap due to the scarcity of skilled workforce and aging workers. Adequate measures must be put in place to meet the demands of the construction industry. Talent development and retention can be leveraged to ensure access to the skills needed for better project performance and improved productivity of the sector at large. Hence, the aim of this paper is to recognize distinctive skill sets associated with top-performing workers. This study utilized performance data based on the supervisor’s rating of 88 field leaders working for Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors to identify performance characteristics peculiar to top performers. In this study, a field leader functions as a liaison between a construction project manager and a construction crew to ensure the assigned tasks are executed, and such a person may be a foreman, superintendent, or field executive. Using Principal Component Analysis, a single performance construct was developed from 22 performance criteria to assess the performance and grouping of the field leaders into two categories. From the analysis, 15% of the respondents were identified to be top-performing field leaders (FLs). An Independent sample t-test was carried out to determine the mean difference and statistical differences between the two groups based on the performance criteria. The top-performing field leaders outclassed the other field leaders in Performance criteria related to technical, leadership and communication, and overall job performance skills. The findings of this study can be used to devise strategic talent development initiatives and training targeted towards the development of traits associated with top performers in potential high-performing workers for better results.
AU - Tolulope Ibilola Ogundare
AU - Rebecca Kassa
AU - Omar Maali
AU - Brian Lines
AU - Jake Smithwick
AU - Kenneth Timothy Sullivan
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Skillsets of Top-Performing Specialty Field Leaders: A Study of Site Superintendents, General Foremen, and Crew Leaders in the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Trades
UR - https://peer.asee.org/44226
DO - 10.18260/1-2--44226
ER -