RESEARCH ROUNDUP
Did You Know? IPI and Michigan State University have maintained a
Helping Aviation Research Take Off!
strategic partnership since 2014. This relationship has resulted in not only the current ACRP study, but other critical Partnering research papers including: •
Study in the Aviation Industry (2017) •
A Meta-analytic Synthesis of Partnering Literature in the AEC Industry (2015)
•
I
In-Depth Study of a Partnered Project: A Case
Barriers to Partnering in the AEC Industry (2014)
n May of 2017, The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP 08-02) selected a team of researchers lead by Sinem Mollaoglu-Scott, PhD. of Michigan State
stakeholder groups who can influence the delivery of a project.
University to conduct the first study of construction
Typical airfield construction projects must be coordinated with
Partnering focused in the Aviation sector. The $350,000
operations, security, police, as well as the tenants (i.e. United,
research project entitled “Integrating Collaborative Partnering
Alaska Airlines, Southwest, etc.). Terminal construction must
for Airport Projects” will be completed in Summer 2018.
be coordinated with the above groups as well as passengers,
Mollaoglu-Scott, the author of several IPI-funded research
concessionaires, and third-party organizations like Customs
projects (highlighted in the box at right), has become an expert in
and Border Protection and the Transportation Security
structured collaborative partnering and has gathered members
Administration. This complexity has made airport construction
of the IPI Aviation committee and an incredibly experienced
particularly prone to cost and schedule overages and, ultimately,
group of partnering researchers and aviation construction
construction claims.
leaders, including: Brian Polkinghorn, PhD (Salisbury University),
A Collaborative Effort – What is perhaps most exciting about
Douglas Gransberg, PhD (Gransberg & Associates, Inc.), Roddy
this research is that it has taken strategic partnerships to get it
Boggus (Suffolk), Duane Boreham (Q&D Construction), Joe Jackson
off the ground. For ACRP to fund the research question focused
(RS&H), Carla Lopez, PhD, (Del Puerto & Associates, LLC) and Kurt
on collaborative partnering, IPI staff and members spent two
Dettman (Strategic Ent. Technology Inc.).
years educating the aviation industry about the benefits of the
“Thanks to the industry leaders that continuously inspire us
structured approach to collaboration. Ultimately, the proposal
to change the status quo. The examples they set and support
that lead to ACRP 08-02 was co-sponsored by the IPI Aviation
they have provided for research have so far enabled us to
Committee and leadership from the Airport Consultant’s Council
look deeper into Collaborative Partnering and how it can truly
(https://www.acconline.org/) and Airports Council International-
integrate construction project teams,” Professor Moaglu-Scott
North America (http://www.aci-na.org/). Each of our
said. “With the scale of our new project and the strong make
organizations is eagerly awaiting the outcomes of the research
up of our team, we are very excited about potential impacts
and the new tools included in the Partnering Guide.
of this study in catalyzing the aviation industry’s adoption of integrative project delivery practices.”
Research Objectives – The objective of the research is
Keep an eye out, Dr. Mollaoglu-Scott and the ACRP research team will be presenting updates on their findings and opportunities at upcoming aviation conferences and at IPI
to develop a research-based guide that enables airports to
Collaboration 2018. To support IPI’s ongoing efforts to support
more quickly incorporate Collaborative Partnering into their
cutting-edge partnering research, please respond to research
construction projects. The guidance will highlight the benefits
surveys, sponsor Collaboration 2018 or an upcoming event, or
to partnering, the structure of the collaborative partnering
earmark a donation to the IPI Research Program. Learn more
process, measurement and benchmarks, lessons learned, and
by emailing IPI at ed@partneringinstitute.org or calling IPI at
will include best practices for engaging key airport stakeholders.
(925) 447-9100.
The guide will also include sample partnering specifications and other key partnering documents to help airports get a
Rob Reaugh, SIPI, OrgMetrics LLC
partnering program launched.
Rob Reaugh is an IPI Certified Partnering Facilitator
The long-term goal of the research is to make structured collaborative partnering the norm on federally-funded construction projects for airports of all sizes. Airport construction is exceedingly dynamic, due to the high number of 12
Partnering Magazine October–December 2017
and Vice President for OrgMetrics LLC. He is the Partnering Facilitator for the San Francisco Collaborative Partnering Steering Committee and works in aviation, transit, vertical building, heavy civil, mechanical and wastewater construction.
www.partneringinstitute.org