Challenges in the Management of Public Works Department Interactions

Abstract

In the construction industry, Public Works Agencies provide the backbone for the maintenance and construction of the Nation's infrastructure. These Public Works Departments (PWD), State Highway Departments, and the Federal Highway Administration perform the vast majority of infrastructure project planning and management. In the course of performing their duties the PWD must coordinate with many different agencies and organizations. These organizations are from both the private and public sectors. The PWD Project Engineer or Project Manager, depending upon the title used the individual PWD, must interact with the various government agencies to obtain permits, grants, funding, project request, and prioritization of projects. Typically, the Project Engineer must also coordinate with the design consultants and construction contractors to complete the project cycle. As a result of these many interactions, debate, and disagreements will naturally occur. Conflict management can be a valuable concept for the Project Manager to increased awareness to potential conflicts and generation of different perspectives during the project management process. A Public Works Department can employ a host of interaction management tools to increase the effectiveness of the many interfaces. This report seeks to identify the various levels of interaction between a public works department and other participating agencies, as well as internal interaction and determine the many levels and causes of organizational conflict for a public agency. Finally, the development of new management techniques or the use of existing management tools to manage and resolve conflict was evaluated. Partnering is a very common interaction management tool used by both public and private sectors. other management tools include constructibility reviews and other organizational development concepts