Paper Summary:

The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of organizational culture. Specifically, it examines the role and responsibilities of leaders in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture in a general construction company. The paper states that management and leadership are often far different aspects of an organization, and true leadership is often lacking in many general construction companies due to constraints within the organization, size, structure, and the nature of contracting.

From the Paper:

"In a general construction organization, most projects must be completed on time, and so, time is one of the key issues managers must address. A true leader has the ability to establish completion timeframes that meet the needs of the organization and the sub-contractors, and then establishes a workplace environment that assures these goals will be met. There are certainly obstructions to this timeframe, from weather to subs who do not show up or complete their work on time, inspectors who do not inspect items in a timely fashion, and suppliers who do not deliver necessary supplies on time. A true leader anticipates these obstructions, builds some time into the timeline for them, and learns how to work around them while still motivating his crew to complete the project on time. Indeed, in effect the project manager is creating a "vision" of the completed project, and sharing that vision with all those working on the project. Thus, in some organizations, project managers can indeed be leaders, while in others, those in top management may function as leaders while project managers take on more management roles. In addition, new construction techniques and challenges, such as building at night, in foreign countries, and with a more diversified workforce, are also challenges the modern construction leader must face, both in the office and in the field."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Brewster, M. (2007). UPS: From local startup to global titan. Retrieved from the Business Week Web site: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2007/sb20070627_827624.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+stories 5 July 2007.
• Karr, A. (2007). Danger: More night roadwork ahead. Retrieved from the Wall Street Journal Web site: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118360072293157775-search.html?KEYWORDS=construction&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month 5 July 2007.
• Lam, E. W., Chan, A. P., & Chan, D. W. (2006). Lessons from managing design-build construction projects in Hong Kong. Architectural Science Review, 49(2), 133+.
• Malhotra, D., & Murnighan, J. K. (2002). The effects of contracts on interpersonal trust. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(3), 534+.

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