Abstract
The management of construction is complex enough without changes (e.g. to design/specification/client requirements), yet it is a
familiar characteristic of in construction projects. To effectively manage change, project managers have to undertake detailed
planning; to integrate the work activities of consultants, subcontractors and suppliers. In this context, changes are unplanned disturbances
that (typically) interfere with the intended progression of work. Given this ’interference’, what are the consequences of
such disturbances on project performance and how can/do/should project managers deal with changes effectively? This paper
describes how changes (and their actions or effects otherwise known as dynamics) can impact the project management system.
Using a case study and the methodology of systems dynamics, the major factors influencing a project’s performance are observed.
The need for understanding of how particular dynamics can hinder the performance of a project management system are highlighted.
# 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Change; Project management; System dynamics; Dynamics; Rework; Variation