Leveraging Culture and Behavior to Drive AWP Success

The significant role of organizational culture in the success of AWP projects has been acknowledged for a long time; however, there is a lack of a tangible tool for measuring culture. RT-405 has ventured to define four cultural dimensions that are relevant to AWP projects: leadership (the ability to guide and influence the team toward project goals), coordination (efficient collaboration and communication), value (shared beliefs and principles), and norm (established standards and expectations). These dimensions were broken down into 17 measurable items using a five-point behavior anchor scale (BARS). Validation of this tool through 142 construction professionals has proven that we can measure culture and predict outcomes based on “why” and “how” people do their work. Additionally, it has been found that culture shapes project performance and the degree of AWP adoption. Furthermore, certain project characteristics affect the shaping of project culture. Throughout a two-year journey, RT-405 has defined that culture is real, measurable, and understandable within the construction domain and from an AWP perspective. It can be leveraged through leadership and teamwork. Begin to utilize BARS to define where you are, where you want to improve, and how to achieve project success and team winning.