CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE DISSERTATION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE DISSERTATION


1.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the background for undertaking this research work and identifies the aim and objective of this dissertation. Furthermore, it also gives an overall introduction on the structure and organization of the dissertation.


1.2 BACKGROUND

Due to the Financial Tsunami last year, there is a serious slump in this two year. The economy of the world is become badly. The effect of this Financial Tsunami is serious than the outbreak of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. The confidences of many Hong Kong People have been ruined again. Most of sector, including the construction industry, of the Hong Kong economy was adversely affected. Many middle size companies and small size companies were closed down in the past few months. Beside that, some large company also face financial problem. Some of them are reduce the staff or to lay off employees. Under this situation, some Governments give a hand to the companies. Some Government put out some project to stimulate economic growth. They want to help the companies to pass through this bad economic environment. However, this way cannot to help all the companies. The companies should help by themselves.

In the view of HKIS (2009) which mentioned the Global Financial Crisis has the adverse effects for all people no matter you become a qualified surveyor or not. The qualified surveyor should not get a substantial pay rise. Job security is also to be a concern.

How could the company and people could through the Financial Tsunami? What the company and people should be done in this situation? Anything can be done by Quantity Surveyor to help the construction company to pass through this Global Financial Tsunami? It should have an efficient management system to lead employees to work. Make company earn more money to cover the cost of running company. For a construction company, good Quantity Surveyors can reach this objective. Quantity Surveyor is an important role for a construction company. A good and experienced Quantity Surveyor will make the company have more jobs and earn more money. However, a bad Quantity Surveyor will make the company lose the project and money. Lai (2000) recognized that non-traditional services could be provided by Quantity Surveying firms to make the economic declined settle.

Generally, project objectives are related to time, cost and quality. Originally, these three elements are equally important to the success of the project. However, due to the present declining economical situation, most clients’ point of view will only focus on cost as the most important criteria in selecting consultant for their project development. Thus, nearly all consultants are trying to earn more business by using lower and lower fee scale, which is the only way to obtain more project/ business for survival (Lau, 2003).

Quantity Surveyors will be employed by Clients, developers and contractors. Working in different area will have different roles and responsibilities. Different abilities of Quantity Surveyors are benefit to different employers. If the Quantity Surveys want to have their best job, they should learn more abilities and changing the roles and responsibilities.

The changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction company would be discussed in this proposal. The history and current of the roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction company would be mentioned. Information would be collected from practicing Quantity Surveyors and the top managers. The changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor in the building construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the analysis and establish the possible changing would be discussed.

A research will be investigating the relevant aspects mentioned above. The aim and objectives of the research will be as follow.


1.3 RESEARCH AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESES

The aim of research is an investigation into the changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors (“QS”) in the building sector of the Hong Kong construction industry.

There are some research objectives as following:
1) To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
2) To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
3) To collect information from practising Quantity Surveyors about Quantity Surveyors’ roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge.
4) To analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.
5) To draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction industry, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing.

The Hypotheses of this dissertation is “Quantity Surveyors must continue to extend and develop their repertoire in order to sustain the Hong Kong construction industry in this current global recession.”


1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The outline of research methodology as following:
1) To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. This will mean investigating what are the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. It will include the collection of literature from books, internet, magazines and journals. These resources will make me know more about the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. Literature review can provide a basic information and knowledge such as definition, background, theories, opinion and existing assessment methods adopted in the private and public sectors from the different finding, idea and data.


2) To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors for the construction industry. This will mean investigating what are the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. It will include the collection of literature from books, internet, magazines and journals. These resources will make me know more about the current of the of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry.

3) To collect information from practising Quantity Surveyors of their roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge. The purpose of this objective is to collect information from some practising Quantity Surveyors. The information will be collected by questionnaire survey. Questionnaires will be sent to Quantity Surveyors who work in the construction industry and employed by Government, developer, contractor, consultant, etc. for the survey purpose. Under this surveyor it is intended to investigate the comment and opinion of professions (Quantity Surveyors) in setting criteria in evaluating performance of Quantity Surveyors in order to achieve project objectives.

4) To analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction industry. The collected information by questionnaire survey from Quantity Surveyors will be analyzed by pie charts. And then the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors will be established. Data from the questionnaires are systematically extracted and displayed. Data and information from the questionnaires and other comment and finding are critically analysed in order to draw a objective conclusion.


5) To draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing. Roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company will be summarised. To identify how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful. At last, the possible changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction industry will be established.


1.5 RESTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS

To review the history of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the construction Industry will depend on the currency of the materials are research. The different authors may have different views and the information may be difficult to collect from Quantity Surveyors.

To review the current of the roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of the Quantity Surveyors for the construction Industry should depend on the currency of the materials are research. The different authors may have different views. The information will be continued to change from day to day.

The restraints and limitation of collect of information from practicing Quantity Surveyors of their roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge. The questionnaire survey may not have enough feed back from Quantity Surveyors.

The restraints and limitation of analyze the collected information to establish the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyors in the building construction industry are the objective is very dependent on information received.

The restraints and limitation of to draw conclusions on the changing roles, responsibilities, skills and knowledge of Quantity Surveyor in the construction company, how a Quantity Surveyor would become successful from the above analysis and establish the possible changing. This objective is very dependent on information received. It also depends on the mind of analyst. The possible changing is established by analyst.


1.6 CONTENTS OF THE DISSERTATION







1.7 CHAPTER SUMMARY