Human resource allocation to multiple projects based on members’ expertise, group heterogeneity and social cohesion

Ballesteros-Pérez, P., Phua, F. T. T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5736-5973 and Mora-Melià, D. (2019) Human resource allocation to multiple projects based on members’ expertise, group heterogeneity and social cohesion. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145 (2). ISSN 0733-9364 doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001612

Abstract/Summary

Project managers regularly allocate human resources to construction projects. This critical task is usually executed by fulfilling the minimum project staffing requirements normally based around the quantity and competence of project members. However, research has shown that team performance can increase by up to 10% and 18%, respectively, as a consequence of the group members’ heterogeneity and social cohesion. Also, there is currently no practical quantitative tool which incorporates these aspects to allow project managers to achieve this task efficiently and objectively. A new quantitative model for the effective allocation of human resources to multiple projects, which takes into account group heterogeneity and social cohesion is proposed. This model is easy to build, update and use in real project environments with the use of a spreadsheet and a basic optimization engine (e.g. Excel Solver). A case study is proposed and solved with a Genetic Algorithm to illustrate the model implementation. Finally, a validation example is provided to exemplify how group heterogeneity and social cohesion condition academic achievement in an academic setting.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/78762
Identification Number/DOI	10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001612
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of the Built Environment > Organisation, People and Technology group
Publisher	American Society of Civil Engineers
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