Construction management: Implications for intermediate school district boards of education and administrators in Michigan

The purpose of this study was to examine in depth the role of the owner and the owner's representative during the design phase of a construction management project to determine if there was a change in the responsibility which they assumed when compared to similar roles in a traditional construction project. Further, if appropriate, to identify decision making areas for which inservice and preservice education of programs should be developed. The study was conducted as an expanded case study. It included three projects in which the construction management technique was employed and three projects in which the traditional construction technique was employed. All six projects were located in Michigan and were intermediate school district owned area vocational centers. The major conclusions of the study were: 1. The level of involvement of board representatives participating in construction management projects reflected a decrease when compared to the level of involvement of board representatives participating in traditional construction projects. 2. The level of involvement of board members participating in construction management projects reflected an increase when compared to the level of involvement of board members participating in traditional construction projects. 3. There is a positive relationship between the importance of the decision and the level of involvement of board representatives participating in construction management projects. 4. There is no relationship between the importance of the design decision and the level of involvement of board members participating in construction management project. 5. Board representatives involved in construction management projects had a higher level of involvement than board representatives participating in traditional construction projects in eighty percent of the design decisions which impacted mechanical and electrical design. 6. Board representatives involved in construction management projects had a higher level of involvement than board members participating in traditional construction projects in 83.3 percent of the design decisions which impacted mechanical and electrical design. 7. The study tended to support the implications which existed in the literature relative to the increased level of involvement of owner participating in a design phase of the construction management project. 8. Board representatives participating in traditional construction projects were perceived as having a higher level of competence in decision making than were board representatives involved in construction management projects. 9. Board members involved in traditional construction projects were perceived to have a higher level of competence in decision making than were board representatives involved in construction management projects. 10. The need to provide both preservice and inservice education programs for board representatives involved in construction management projects was identified. 11. The need to provide inservice education programs for board members involved in construction management projects was identified. 12. The need to provide both preservice and inservice education programs for board representatives involved in traditional construction projects was identified. 13. The need to provide inservice education programs for board members involved in traditional construction projects was identified.