Self, Other and Social Contexts
Post Module Assignment
Ph.D (MOTI)
Eskom Project Management Program (2008)
MODULE 1: SELF, OTHER AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS
Compiled by
Kavitha Prag
11 March 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction 1
2 SELF, LEARNING STYLES AND REFRAMING 1
2.1 Kolb Learning Styles 2
3 Context of Learning in The Cost Engineering Department 7
4 Learning Styles within the Cost Engineering Department 8
5 The Development Plan 10
5.1 The Expert 10
5.2 The Novice 10
6 conclusion 11
7 References 11
1 INTRODUCTION
Eskom last built power stations more than twenty years ago and much of the estimating experience and data was lost in the decades where the company had an operational focus. This coupled with the shortage in the construction industry of suitably experienced cost engineers and estimators has made it difficult for the author to build up the organisational capacity within this functional area. In addition expert resources that have chosen to remain in the field and in the organisation are an ageing workforce approaching retirement.
The general skills shortage both locally and abroad, has led to a strategic choice to bring in newly graduated novice cost engineers and develop the capacity for future projects. The caveat here though being the shortage of skilled mentors whose time is already being fully utilised to run the current projects. Thus, there exists two extremes, highly experienced but ageing experts and novices with no experience. The lack of the middle ground threatens the sustainability of the function. How then do the novices graduates get developed to an appropriate level in order to fast track succession planning.
This essay endeavours to explore the various aspects of learning styles, experiential learning and its implications for learning and development on the estimating aspects of the build program within Eskom. The key outcome will be a development plan for both experts and trainees coming into the organisation so as to ensure
Ph.D (MOTI)
Eskom Project Management Program (2008)
MODULE 1: SELF, OTHER AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS
Compiled by
Kavitha Prag
11 March 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction 1
2 SELF, LEARNING STYLES AND REFRAMING 1
2.1 Kolb Learning Styles 2
3 Context of Learning in The Cost Engineering Department 7
4 Learning Styles within the Cost Engineering Department 8
5 The Development Plan 10
5.1 The Expert 10
5.2 The Novice 10
6 conclusion 11
7 References 11
1 INTRODUCTION
Eskom last built power stations more than twenty years ago and much of the estimating experience and data was lost in the decades where the company had an operational focus. This coupled with the shortage in the construction industry of suitably experienced cost engineers and estimators has made it difficult for the author to build up the organisational capacity within this functional area. In addition expert resources that have chosen to remain in the field and in the organisation are an ageing workforce approaching retirement.
The general skills shortage both locally and abroad, has led to a strategic choice to bring in newly graduated novice cost engineers and develop the capacity for future projects. The caveat here though being the shortage of skilled mentors whose time is already being fully utilised to run the current projects. Thus, there exists two extremes, highly experienced but ageing experts and novices with no experience. The lack of the middle ground threatens the sustainability of the function. How then do the novices graduates get developed to an appropriate level in order to fast track succession planning.
This essay endeavours to explore the various aspects of learning styles, experiential learning and its implications for learning and development on the estimating aspects of the build program within Eskom. The key outcome will be a development plan for both experts and trainees coming into the organisation so as to ensure
References: The following brief observations can be made. 1. the preferred learning style for the experts, by Kolb 's (1979) learning style inventory, is that of the Converger Kolb, D. A. & Fry, R. (1975). Towards an applied theory of experiential learning. In Cooper, C. Morrison, N. (1984) The accuracy of quantity surveyors cost estimating, Construction Management and Economics, 2, 57-75. Morrison, N. and Stevens, S. (1980) Cost planning in theory and practice: a construction cost data base, Chartered Quantity Surveyor, 2 (June), 313--15. Willis, c.J. and Ashworth, A. (1987) Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, 9th edn. Collins, London. Flanagan, R. and Norman, G. (1983) The accuracy and monitoring of quantity surveyors ' price forecasting for building work, Construction Management and Economics, 1, 157-180. Ashworth, A. and Skitmore, R.M. (1983) Accuracy m Estimating. CIOB Occasional Paper 27, Englemere. Skitmore, R.M. and Tan, S.H. (1988) Factors affecting accuracy of engineer 's estimates, In Transactions 10th International Cost Engineering Congress, Paper B3, New York. Ogunlana, S.O. (1991) Learning from experience in design cost estimating, Construction Management and Economics, 9, 133-150. ARMSTRONG, STEVEN J., and ANIS MAHMUD. 2004. "THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING STYLES ON THE CREATION OF ACTIONABLE KNOWLEDGE IN PUBLIC SECTOR