Management of Rebuilding Dilapidated Schools Using IBS in Malaysia

This report examines the critical success factors for managing the rebuilding of dilapidated schools in Malaysia using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) method. The introduction highlights the challenges of managing such projects, emphasizing the need for research due to on-site work, assessment of existing structures, and fewer case studies compared to new projects. The report contrasts the IBS method with conventional methods, emphasizing its efficiency and shorter execution time. It identifies key causal conditions, including the need for upgraded schools and conducive learning environments. The core of the report focuses on critical success factors, categorized into managerial skills and management techniques. Managerial skills include good working collaboration, effective communication, a competent project team, strong commitment, and sturdy key decisions. Management techniques encompass meticulous project planning, setting S.M.A.R.T. targets, a reliable ICT support system, and close project monitoring. The report concludes by defining successful project outcomes (completion on schedule and within budget) and the factors that can lead to project failure, such as poor planning, communication, and monitoring. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the factors that influence the success of school rebuilding projects in Malaysia using the IBS method.

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 1
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF REBUILDING
DILAPIDATED SCHOOLS PROJECTS USING THE INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING
SYSTEM METHOD IN MALAYSIA
By (Name)
Course
Professor’s name
University name
City, State
Date of submission

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 2
Introduction
Project managers perceive the management of rebuilding dilapidated schools more
challenging as compared to an entirely new project. There will be a need for more research
because most of the work needed to be done will be on site (Hassim, Jaafar and Sazalli 2009).
Assessing what needs to be changed and what needs to be maintained. The managers have to
consider the professionals needed as opposed to a new project where the professionals
required is common to all new projects. There might be fewer case studies for projects of
rebuilding dilapidated schools.
The industrialized building system method is a better choice of construction method
as compared to the conventional method. This is because the industrialized building system is
much less complex and takes a shorter time to execute compared to the conventional method
(Nawi et al. 2014).
The critical success factors in the industrialized building system contribute positively
to the management of the rebuilding of dilapidated schools in Malaysia. These factors when
implemented during the process of project implementation, the project is likely to have a
successful completion.
The Implementation of Industrialised Building System Method
Causal conditions
Many schools are in conditions that need upgrading. There is a need for a conducive
environment in which learning, as well as teaching, can take place. There should be good
infrastructure to support excellent performance from the students.
Phenomena
In order to plan for the rebuilding of these dilapidated schools in Malaysia, the management
should take into consideration the type of school building as well as the size of the project.

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 3
Strategy, Interaction, Actions
Critical success factors
The critical success factors of industrialized building system method that can be used to
ensure successful management of the rebuilding of dilapidated schools projects can be
grouped into two; managerial skill and management technique (Kamar and Anuar 2011).
The managerial skills include; good working collaboration, effective communication channel,
a competent project team, strong commitment, and sturdy key decision.
Good Working Collaboration
Collaboration is about the involvement of all the members of the project team in working
together towards the achievement of the project goal. A working collaboration between the
team members helps to ensure that the problems that come up due to complex interfacing
between systems are solved faster (Nawi, Lee and Nor 2011). This makes sure that the
processes of manufacturing materials are efficient both at the site and outside site, for
prefabricated materials. Involvement of all the members of the project team in all the stages
of design, ensures that the opinions of the team members are considered so that the design
does not limit them at any point (Wi et al. 2009). This involvement also ensures that every
team member inputs their ideas into work to come up with the best possible solutions.
Effectual Communication
An effective way of communication should be developed to enable information to flow in the
chain of supply. This makes it possible to address issues that come up during scheduling of
work throughout the process of the project implementation. Effective communication
involves the downward flow of information from the management to the laborers at the
bottom of the chain of command. It also includes the upward flow of information to the
professionals at the top of the chain of command (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). This ensures

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 4
vital information reaches all the team members hence successful completion of tasks.
Effective communication also makes sure the management gets notified about the challenges
and problems encountered during the process of work. The managers are therefore able to
intervene in time.
Competent Project Team
The professionals leading or forming a project team should be very competent in their areas
of work. Competency comes from having a lot of experience in a particular field and having
the professional knowledge and skill. The manager should have a team with members who
have worked in projects related to rebuilding dilapidated schools or even rebuilding
dilapidated buildings in general.
Having competent team also saves on time as they all have the skills needed for the work
hence minimal or no supervision is required at all.
Strong Commitment
The managers should be fully committed to the success of the project. The project team
should also be comprised of individuals who are and who will remain committed to the
successful completion of the project. The project team members should be individuals who
are ready to do anything within their capabilities to ensure that the tasks expected of them are
completed and within a specified time.
Sturdy Key Decision
The project manager has to make key decisions. For example, when a project is to start, the
duration, choosing the project team members and even deciding when these members are to
meet. The manager should be able to make clear decisions and take his ground about the
decisions made. The manager should make sure that these decisions are followed. The
manager should also be able to make decisions in time, for example in case of a problem. The

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 5
manager should not leave anything to chance. This is important for the success of the
rebuilding of dilapidated schools project.
The management techniques include; meticulous project planning, setting S.M.A.R.T project
target, Reliable ICT support system, and close project monitoring.
Meticulous Project Planning
Thoroughly scheduling and planning for the whole project activities before commencement
of project implementation is very crucial in order to address issues like scope of project,
coordination, planning for good performance to ensure a smooth operation during
implementation.
A project that is planned to the least details can easily be understood even if it is a complex
project. The detailed planning can drive the project to a successful completion (Munier 2013).
The managers plan for all the tasks and also prepare the time schedule in which these tasks
are to be completed. A good plan enables every project team member to know what is
expected of them.
Setting S.M.A.R.T Project target
All projects have their targets in relation to time and the output. SMART targets are often
described as targets that are achievable, time-bound, relevant, measurable and specific
(Lateef 2009).
The project target should be very specific. It should answer the questions why, what, where,
when and how.
The target should allow for a measure of progress. The target should also be attainable
considering the resources that are available and the challenges on site.
The target should be relevant to what is expected of the project. The target should also have
clearly specified deadlines for every task to be carried out.

Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 6
Reliable ICT Support System
ICT is an important tool that can be relied on for support in improving areas like comparison
of costs, tendering, monitoring of work progress and distribution (Mehta, Hall and Byrd
2014).
ICT allows for faster sharing of important information between the team members as well as
the team and the management. This is especially important where the projects are in different
geographical areas. For example in the industrialized building system, the prefabricated
materials need to be transported to the site, therefore communication is needed. ICT
facilitates this communication.
A good ICT system also helps the managers to have an easier time while monitoring the
progress of the work.
Close Project Monitoring
For a project to be successful there should be thorough monitoring of the project. Close
project monitoring is done from the beginning to the end of the project (Turner 2014). Project
monitoring is important for checking whether the project is going on as planned for. Project
monitoring also enables the project managers to find out if there are problems encountered
during the process of the project implementation.
The manager is able to measure the performance of the individuals. This enables the manager
to know if the project will be successfully completed within the stipulated budget. This can
also show whether the planned timelines will be realized.
All this prompts the manager to make changes accordingly. The manager draws a plan to
solve the deviations that are realized after monitoring. The changes should be in such a way
that they do not affect the overall plan to a large extent.

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Successful Rebuilding of Dilapidated Schools
Output
Successful rebuilding of dilapidated schools project is realized when the project is completed
according to schedule. The project should also be completed within the estimated cost. The
factors that could lead to failure of completion of the project in time and within cost include;
expectations that are unrealistic, lack of detailed planning for the project, poor
communication among the members, lack of monitoring of the project and poor management
of risks (Kamar, Alshawi and Hamid 2009). When all these factors are dealt with, the project
has a higher possibility of being successful.

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References
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building system (IBS): The case of Malaysia. In Proceedings of the BuHu 9th International
Postgraduate Research Conference (IPGRC), Salford, UK (pp. 29-30).
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
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Munier, N., 2013. Project Planning and Scheduling. In Project Management for
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Industrialised Building System, Malaysia 9
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