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Full-Text Articles in Business

Profitability Analysis Of The Commons, Chloe E. Meyer Jun 2023

Profitability Analysis Of The Commons, Chloe E. Meyer

Construction Management

Given the current saturated housing market, prices of single-family dwellings have exponentially increased. Due to this housing crisis, alternative housing approaches need to be considered. One potential solution to increasing the supply of affordable housing units is a tiny house village community. Tiny house communities can carry with them a stigma of rundown looks and an RV park aesthetic, but they don't need to. Tiny house communities, at their best, can be thriving communities that are anchored in communal living, shared resources, and affordability.The Commons is a proposed tiny house village development that would be located on 1.6 acres. The …


Cutting Board Business Model, Austin W. Dasis Jun 2023

Cutting Board Business Model, Austin W. Dasis

Construction Management

This paper covers a business model and investment proposal for a cutting board business. The cutting board industry is a lucrative sector where there is room to grow as a business while being profitable. There are alot of factors that go into starting a business and making it successful. The student has put this together to be able to give it to a potential investor to demonstrate what he has done and what he plans on doing upon an investment. The student enjoys woodworking and wants to be able to start his own business but has minimal knowledge of what …


Parental And Family Leave In The California Construction Industry, Hailee Malins Mar 2023

Parental And Family Leave In The California Construction Industry, Hailee Malins

Construction Management

Struggles between work life balance often result in lower levels of job and life satisfaction, and higher rates of inefficiency and employee turnover, with varying impact on employees based on seniority, gender and parenthood. Policies such as paid parental leave have shown positive effects on work life balance, but there is a lack of information on leave policies within the American construction industry. Focusing on California, this research aimed to determine employee's understanding, use and acceptance of these leave policies. Using a survey, we gain a better understanding of these goals. Rates of confidence in knowledge of paternal and family …


Feasibility Of Funding Construction-Related Projects With Cryptocurrencies, Farbod Pourdehmobed Mar 2023

Feasibility Of Funding Construction-Related Projects With Cryptocurrencies, Farbod Pourdehmobed

Construction Management

The current method of acquiring funds for construction projects consists of loans and/or a board of investors. With the emergence of the cryptocurrency industry in the past five to ten years, an influx of cash has been inserted into the market and is simply being held captive by government regulations. With development and construction being an attractive investment for most anyone, these "crypto billionaires" are insistent on financing possible projects. The issue lies within the construction industry and the possibly outdated financial system and whether it is capable of adhering to certain requirements that come with the usage of crypto …


Site Development Feasibility Study, Andy A. Tenekjian Dec 2022

Site Development Feasibility Study, Andy A. Tenekjian

Construction Management

A feasibility study in the world of construction is deemed as a preliminary due diligence process in which key components of a project are addressed to determine if the project is viable or not. These components are related to time and money, and the end goal of a feasibility study is to determine if the initial investment of time and money is worth the amount of future financial return. What deems a project successful in the preliminary stage is up for interpretation. Each developer and investor have their own return on investment threshold in a multi-family project like the one …


The Effect Of Inflation And The Pandemic On A Southern California Solar Company: A Case Study, Adrian Avila Jun 2022

The Effect Of Inflation And The Pandemic On A Southern California Solar Company: A Case Study, Adrian Avila

Construction Management

Supply chain issues are causing panic in certain sectors of the economy particularly the solar sector. Solar energy already has problems that can affect its growth in the long term such as lack of government incentives, high cost, and energy curtailment. These problems are becoming more pronounced as the pandemic is prolonged. California is a state that has been encouraging the use of solar energy and has introduced incentives for its citizens to install solar. Because of this, solar companies in California may be able to more adequately circumvent issues and better excel economically than companies in other states. In …


Shabang Music Festival Seating, Carter L. Norton Jun 2022

Shabang Music Festival Seating, Carter L. Norton

Construction Management

This outlines the process of the building and installation of four shaded seating areas at the SHABANG Music Festival located at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo. This paper places an emphasis on the pre-construction elements of the building stage. SHABANG Music Group rented out a section of Laguna Lake Park to host a music festival designed to bring the San Luis Obispo community together. The goal of the project discussed was to build a raised VIP seating area facing the main stage on which music lovers could relax while still being able to enjoy an unobstructed view of …


Use Of Industrialized Construction Within Mechanical Contractors Association Of America, Nathan M. Yi Jun 2022

Use Of Industrialized Construction Within Mechanical Contractors Association Of America, Nathan M. Yi

Construction Management

It is a constant battle in the construction industry to improve productivity and efficiency while keeping the cost and schedule as low as possible. This can be made possible through the use of industrialized construction strategies such as, prefabrication, building information modeling (BIM), and automation. In this study, the main purpose of this survey was to collect information about MCAA firms’ knowledge of industrialized construction strategies, their use of them in the past, and their willingness to use them in the future. It also aims to explore the use of industrialized construction and its viability as a path for mechanical …


Caed Hasslein Student Competition, Greta R. Stout Jun 2022

Caed Hasslein Student Competition, Greta R. Stout

Construction Management

This paper outlines the development of the first CAED Hasslein Student Competition at Cal Poly, SLO. The College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Cal Poly, SLO has not yet been successful in creating a platform to engage students of all five majors to collaborate in an educational atmosphere. This project aims to challenge students to work in teams made up of all five disciplines in a Request for Proposal-style competition. This paper focuses on how the idea of this competition came to be and the steps that were taken to successfully write the competition problem statement. These steps included …


Precast Concrete Manufacturing Business Plan, John F. Will Jr. May 2022

Precast Concrete Manufacturing Business Plan, John F. Will Jr.

Construction Management

The Central Coast of California has been under development since the Great Recession of 2008. Throughout this development, there has been an exceedingly high demand for precast concrete products, specifically in the civil sector of the construction industry. These products are being utilized by more and more by contractors around the world. This demand has emerged from the lack of concrete product manufacturers in this region of California. This project introduces a business plan for a new precast concrete product manufacturer by the name of J.W. Concrete Products LLC. The objective of this business plan is to reflect the benefits …


Construction Management Students Using Technology In The Field, Anthony D. Bongi Mar 2022

Construction Management Students Using Technology In The Field, Anthony D. Bongi

Construction Management

This research paper examines the affect technology has had on the desire for college graduates to pursue a career in the field. The idea of college graduates entering directly into a field leadership position was contemplated and discussed. Historically, soft skills such as leadership and communication have been the predominate attributes of any worker expected to run construction in the field. While the importance of these skills hasn’t changed, the importance of technological skills has increased to be considered alongside soft skills. Through an anonymous survey of industry professionals with 10+ years of experience as well as interviews of two …


Sustainability In Commercial Office Buildings, Jack Cullen Dec 2021

Sustainability In Commercial Office Buildings, Jack Cullen

Construction Management

Sustainability in the construction of commercial structures has been expanding through the recent years, largely in part due to the increasing ambitions to maintain a green and healthy planet. Regulations for including sustainable features in new or renovated commercial buildings have been growing throughout the country. In fact, many prospective buyers and lessees are even adding sustainable features to the list of what they look for in a potential place to buy or rent. This report will explore whether or not a building’s sustainable aspects appeal to buyers and lessees of commercial buildings, and if these sustainable aspects contribute to …


Modular Interior Partitions In Commercial Housing: A Case Study, Adam David Meleo Dec 2021

Modular Interior Partitions In Commercial Housing: A Case Study, Adam David Meleo

Construction Management

The ability to modify an interior space with ease and reasonable cost is beneficial to designers, owners, and end-users. Modular interiors are not a new concept. Modular interior partitions can come in the form of Japanese Shoji screens, as well as folding walls that would be found in a convention center. While not new in concept, the market for products that allow partitioning an interior space with ease appears to be growing with the introduction of innovative products and solutions. This paper will focus on two student housing projects in San Luis Obispo, California, with regards to their design and …


Outsourcing Vdc Workflows, Kyle K. Bresnahan Jun 2021

Outsourcing Vdc Workflows, Kyle K. Bresnahan

Construction Management

In an increasingly demanding world for infrastructure, technological methods have been found to assist construction project's. As innovative construction methods are constantly increasing, so is the demand for technological needs within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. To ensure technological adoption, many countries have started to mandate higher levels of building information modeling (BIM) documentation beyond the 2D construction documents traditionally required throughout construction review and permitting. Some companies have capitalized on this change to the extent of making BIM their primary business. These companies focus solely on virtual design and construction (VDC) and determine whether clients lacking this …


How Green Buildings Effect Both Price And Desire In The Real Estate Housing Market, Bryson Lino Mar 2021

How Green Buildings Effect Both Price And Desire In The Real Estate Housing Market, Bryson Lino

Construction Management

There has been a recent emphasis on green building certification. Unlike other conventional building approaches, green building has emerged as a sustainable way of building in the real estate housing market. As a result of the green building revolution, the real estate developers have been prompted to acknowledge the essence of environmental and social factors on the investment properties’ value. It is through such a paradigm shift that the green building has redefined the real estate business. Given that climate change has emerged as a major global issue, interventions have been made to avert the emission of high levels of …


A Case Study On The Capacity And Competitiveness Of Small-Sized Contractors On The Central Coast Of California, Lev S. Garcia Mar 2021

A Case Study On The Capacity And Competitiveness Of Small-Sized Contractors On The Central Coast Of California, Lev S. Garcia

Construction Management

The market conditions in which small-sized construction firms in California compete can be significantly influenced by the regional location of their projects. This research paper reviews a qualitative case study executed through semi-structured interviews with two construction firms on the Central Coast of California. Through gaining the perspectives of two companies, one that recently grew into a medium sized company and one that is small-sized, this case study aims to identify market characteristics that influence small-sized companies’ abilities to compete on the Central Coast. The case study indicates that competition between existing companies, the threat of new arrivals, the cost …


Net-Zero Homes, The Homes Of The Future, Primo Guseppi Facchini Mar 2021

Net-Zero Homes, The Homes Of The Future, Primo Guseppi Facchini

Construction Management

Net-Zero homes are the homes of the future (Holmes, 2018). What makes Net-zero homes unique is they rely on solar power, opposed to all standard housing that relies on the power grid. These homes use solar instead of other forms of energy generating technology because it is more affordable and better for the environment. California has blazed the trail for the rest of the United States and the world to follow with their Net-Zero housing proposition. Starting January 2020 California will require all residential buildings to be net-zero homes. Net-Zero homes are important because it is no secret that our …


Feasibility Of Collaborative Alliance Association For Non-Competitive Small Business Contractors, Brody Allen Gill Dec 2019

Feasibility Of Collaborative Alliance Association For Non-Competitive Small Business Contractors, Brody Allen Gill

Construction Management

Small business construction contracting firms around the country struggle with growing their business successfully. This is a result of unknown results from new business practices and few resources to initiate programs that can improve productivity and efficiency. A simple solution could give small business construction contractors the opportunity to share ideas, compare company analytics and promote professional networking in a non-competitive, collaborative alliance. The goal of this project is to determine if a collaborative alliance association using data benchmarking would be an effective solution for non-competitive small business contractors to grow their businesses. Thereafter being proven effective, is such an …


Interdisciplinary Student Competition For California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, Forest G. Gobble Dec 2019

Interdisciplinary Student Competition For California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, Forest G. Gobble

Construction Management

Cal Poly has a reputation for producing some of the best qualified graduates in their respective fields of study. While this is very important, curricular activities involving collaboration between students within the same college are limited (excluding same major). Beyond that, collaboration opportunities across colleges are even more rare. When graduates enter the workforce, many are thrust into highly collaborative environments across various disciplines. Industry professionals have shown a strong desire for young people who have had exposure to realistic problems and experience working with other professions outside of their own field of expertise. The question needing answering is, would …


The Need For A Real Estate Development Capstone Course, Will Robert Kieckhefer Dec 2019

The Need For A Real Estate Development Capstone Course, Will Robert Kieckhefer

Construction Management

Cal Poly has extremely well-known programs in Construction Management, Business, Engineering, and Architecture. All of these programs have contributed multiple leaders to the building industry every year yet have neglected to integrate the different disciplines that overlap within the industry. The research the author has collected to support the need for a real estate development capstone course included in-person interviews, online research, personal experience, and team surveys. The research concluded the need for a real estate development capstone course that would integrate students from the school of Business, Architecture, and Construction Management. In order to build a successful project, all …


Financial Feasibility Of Leed Certified Buildings For Developers And Investors, Erik P. Henriksen Jun 2019

Financial Feasibility Of Leed Certified Buildings For Developers And Investors, Erik P. Henriksen

Construction Management

This is a case study on a small to mid-size private equity firm that deals with real estate development as well as investment to find out the financial feasibility of LEED certified buildings in today’s building climate. Interviews with two investment analysts at this firm who are versed in LEED certification about how it is looked at in their company as well as the broader industry will give insights into the feasibility of developing or investing in environmentally friendly buildings. This impacts the real estate and construction industries due to the fact that developers and investors are often times a …


Effects Of Supplemental Bid Documentation, Alexis M. Bynum Jun 2019

Effects Of Supplemental Bid Documentation, Alexis M. Bynum

Construction Management

As the complexity of construction projects increases, more work is being subcontracted out by general contractors who oversee the construction of the project. Research suggests that a variety of factors are impacting subcontractors when putting together a bid. These factors were considered in determining a proposed solution for simplifying the bid process. This case study attempts to analyze the bidding process of construction projects in order to improve the accuracy of bids. Traditionally, bid documents include plans and specifications. This study analyzes the effects of adding a scope of work, as ascertained by the general contractor for each trade, to …


Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Studying Spanish And Construction In Tandem, Daniel Joseph Eide Jun 2019

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Studying Spanish And Construction In Tandem, Daniel Joseph Eide

Construction Management

Does Spanish bilingualism have measurable fiscal value in the U.S. construction industry? Studying and becoming proficient in Spanish is feasible, affordable, and can be accomplished at Cal Poly in conjunction with a Construction Management major. In a dynamic industry that values versatile employees, where communication is key to success, the capability of speaking Spanish is a substantial value-add in the workforce. Using qualitative and quantitative data analysis, it is concluded that individuals who possess English and Spanish-speaking abilities in the U.S. construction industry can expect a 3 percent wage premium when compared to English-only speakers. This study weighs the costs …


Quality Of Life Research For Cal Poly Construction Management Graduates In The Bay Area And Los Angeles County, Trevor Colbert Mar 2019

Quality Of Life Research For Cal Poly Construction Management Graduates In The Bay Area And Los Angeles County, Trevor Colbert

Construction Management

Construction Management Graduates from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate at an impeccable 97.5% per year. On average over 78% of graduates relocate to the Bay Area or Los Angeles County, but how are graduates basing their decision on where to relocate? Sociology professor, Mark Schneider, developed an accurate way to measure the satisfaction of residents within a given city. Through subjective and objective social indicators, Schneider is able to gauge total life satisfaction. Analyzing data from interviews with recent graduates, economic data from local, state and federal governments, and personal knowledge from living in each area – an immense …


Multi-Criteria Decision Modeling For Best Value Selections In Target Value Design Integrated Project Delivery, Brent Patrick Griffis Jun 2014

Multi-Criteria Decision Modeling For Best Value Selections In Target Value Design Integrated Project Delivery, Brent Patrick Griffis

Master's Theses

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) combined with Target Value Design (TVD) is a better way to deliver value for the client than traditional guaranteed maximum price (GMP) methods. With traditional GMP delivery methods, the interests of the parties are often at odds. The goal of IPD is to align all party interests in order to achieve a win-win scenario. Due to the aligning nature of IPD and the fact that each party’s success is dependent on achieving the project objectives as a whole; a non-biased, transparent, decision-making process is necessary in order to deliver the project objectives within the constraints of …