Management Science Assignment

SCHOOL OFARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING (HONOURS)
MANAGEMENT SCIENCE QSB2413
GROUP ASSIGNMENT REPORT
ADELE LU KHAI SYN 0323151
EE HUI TENG 0322548
LEONG LI JING 0323628
LEW QUO MING 0322884
LOH MUN TONG 0323680
TAM ZHAO WEI 0322587
YEAP PHAY SHIAN 0322243
SEMESTER: SEM 3 (MARCH 2017)
LECTURER: MS TAY SHIR MEN
SUBMISSION DATE: 6th
July 2017

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TABLE OF CONTENT
ITEM CONTENT PAGES
TASK 1 1. COMPANY BACKGROUND
2. SHORT-TERM, MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOAL
3. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
4. VALUE STATEMENT
5. STRATEGIC PLANNING
6. SWOT ANALYSIS
7. ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
4-19
TASK 2 1. IN-TRAY EXERCISES
2. INDIVIDUAL PHYSICAL INTERVIEW
3. GROUP ASSESSMENT
20-37
TASK 3 1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT USED
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE/SATISFACTION
3. BUSINESS NETWORKING
38-41

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Name of Business: BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd.
Nature of Business: Construction Company
Capital: 1 million Ringgit Malaysia
Location: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Vision
To be a diverse construction company that will grow to be recognized as the company of choice
for building things that matter.
Mission
Our pledge is to provide preeminent construction, technical and management services and to gain
customer’s trust through exceptional performance while providing quality employment and
career growth opportunities for the company’s team members.

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TASK 1
Company Background
BSBH is a construction company located at Petaling Jaya, Malaysia with RM1 million as capital.
This company was founded on March 2017. It aims to provide the best construction, technical
and management services in the construction industry in Malaysia to gain customer’s trust
through exceptional performance. The vision of this company is to be a diverse construction
company that will grow to be recognized as the company of choice for building things that
matter. The Meaning behind BSBH in English - Build Smart, Build High, in Malay - Bangunan
Sempurna, Bangunan Hebat and in Chinese - Bao San Bao Hai. Since we're a construction
company in Malaysia, our company name, BSBH is made up of the three main languages in our
country.
Short-Term Goals
- Receiving 1 minor housing development project and 1 minor infrastructure project
- Outreach coverage over 3 states of West Malaysia.
- Build friendly relationship with at least 5 subcontractors
- Receiving at least 75 percent positive customer feedback regarding the service provided
- Ensure there is positive cash flow by monthly budget review
Mid-Term Goals
- Receiving 3 major projects and 1 minor project; complete at least 2 major and 2 minor
projects.
- Outreach coverage over 5 states of West Malaysia.
- Company’s net worth of RM5 million
- Employees achieving 70% key performance indicator (KPI)

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Long-Term Goals
- To be a public listed company
- To achieve a total revenue of 1 billion
- Handle at least 2 projects from overseas.
- Employees achieving 90% key performance indicator (KPI)
Organisational Structure
Composite Organisation
In BSBH, we practice composite structure that involves all or combination of functional and
projectized organization types. This organisation type evolves based on the needs to have
different control structure at different levels of the organization.

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Project department
Project department is responsible for scheduling and managing for each project. The project
manager needs to decide the budget, assign employees and their duties to complete the job,
oversee the safety of workers. In addition, they also need to make sure the construction work can
be well completed according to the contract.
❖ Site Engineer
Site engineer acts as the main technical adviser on a construction site for subcontractors, crafts
people and operatives. The duties of a site engineer include:
● Setting out, levelling and surveying the site
● Checking plans, drawings and quantities for accuracy of calculations
● Ensuring that all materials used and work performed are as per specifications
● Overseeing the selection and requisition of materials and plant
● Agreeing a price for materials, and making cost-effective solutions and proposals for the
intended project
● Managing, monitoring and interpreting the contract design documents supplied by the
client or architect
● Liaising with any consultants, subcontractors, supervisors, planners, quantity surveyors
and the general workforce involved in the project
● Liaising with the local authority (where appropriate to the project) to ensure compliance
with local construction regulations and by-law.
● Liaising with clients and their representatives (architects, engineers and surveyors),
including attending regular meetings to keep them informed of progress
● Day-to-day management of the site, including supervising and monitoring the site labour
force and the work of any subcontractors
● Planning the work and efficiently organizing the plant and site facilities in order to meet
agreed deadline
● Overseeing quality control and health and safety matters on site;
● Preparing reports as required
● Resolving any unexpected technical difficulties and other problems that may arise

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❖ Quantity Surveyor
Quantity surveyors are responsible for the cost of any building project, from initial estimates,
right through to the final acquisition of materials. Surveying jobs and their associated roles are
varied, but focussed on providing clients value for money while adhering to the strict regulations
which govern every aspect of the construction industry.
The day to day responsibilities include roles inside the office, on the construction site or in
meetings with clients and other project personnel. While the very nature of construction work
ensures no two projects are ever the same, a typical work day might involve:
● Preparation of contracts, including details regarding quantities of required materials
● On-going cost analysis of maintenance and repair work
● Feasibility studies of client requests
● Analysing completed work and arranging payment to contractors
● Allocating upcoming work to contractors
Quantity surveyors may choose to specialize in a specific area of the construction industry and
focus on areas like property taxation, costing advice, maintenance of existing buildings and
application to funding sources. Site visits, assessments and projections for future work may be
needed.
❖ Civil Construction Supervisor
A civil construction supervisor monitors ongoing construction to ensure that the work is being
done correctly and the project stays on schedule. They also ensure that all equipment is working
properly. The duties of Civil Construction Supervisor include:
● Scheduling job schedule, which includes setting completion goals for subcontractors and
delivery dates for materials.
● Manage Construction Teams by visiting the work site daily and speak to managers,
workers and vendors to prevent miscommunication and resolve issues.
● Keep track of the progress of each project to ensure that it is not only meeting the
specifications of the architect, but that personnel are maintaining safe work practices and
following state and local guidelines concerning building projects.
● Monitor the use of employees, materials, funds and other resources to eliminate
wastefulness.

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❖ Site Safety Supervisor
A site safety supervisor ensures that construction workers are following established policies and
safety regulations. Site safety supervisor work closely with Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). The responsibilities of site safety supervisor include:
● Inspect and rectifying any unsafe conditions at the construction site;
● Correcting any unsafe practices;
● Checking of sub-contractors’ work to ensure compliance with the Act and the
Regulations made thereunder are complied with
● Approves all subcontractor’s safety plans
● Verifies that injury logs and reports are completed and submitted to related government
agencies
● Verifies that all tools and equipment are adequate and safe for use.
● Promotes safe practices at the job site.
● Enforces safety guidelines.
● Trains and carries out drills and exercises on how to manage emergency situations.
● Conducts investigations of all accidents and near-misses.
● Reports to concerned authorities as requested or mandated by regulations.
● Conducts job hazard analyses.
● Establishes safety standards and policies as needed.
● Performs emergency response drills.
● Watches out for the safety of all workers and works to protect them from entering
hazardous situations.
● Responds to employees’ safety concerns.
● Arranges for OSHA mandated testing and/or evaluations of the workplace by external
agencies/consultants.

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Engineer Department
The engineer department is responsible for the planning of the construction project. This includes
conducting surveys, engaging in research, analyzing results, planning the construction and
supporting all technical issues during the project.
❖ Structural Engineer
Structural engineers design structures to withstand stresses and pressures imposed through
environmental conditions and human use. They ensure buildings and other structures do not
deflect, rotate, vibrate excessively or collapse and that they remain stable and secure throughout
their use. They also examine existing buildings and structures to test if they are structurally
sound and still fit for purpose. As a structural engineer, their responsibilities include:
● Analyse configurations of the basic structural components of a building or other
structure;
● Calculate the pressures, stresses and strains that each component, such as a beam or
lintel, will experience from other parts of the structure due to human use or
environmental pressures such as weather or earthquakes;
● Consider the strength of various materials, e.g. timber, concrete, steel and brick, to see
how their inclusion may necessitate a change of structural design;
● Liaise with other designers, including architects, to agree on safe designs and their fit
with the aesthetic concept of the construction;
● Examine structures at risk of collapse and advising how to improve their structural
integrity, such as recommending removal or repair of defective parts or rebuilding the
entire structure;
● Make drawings, specifications and computer models of structures for building
contractors;
● Work with geotechnical engineers to investigate ground conditions and analyse results of
soil sample and in-situ tests;
● Liaise with construction contractors to ensure that newly erected buildings are
structurally sound;
● Apply expert knowledge of the forces that act on various structures.

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❖ Cost Estimator
Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to estimate the time, money, materials, and
labor required to manufacture a product, construct a building, or provide a service. They
generally specialize in a particular industry or type of product. Cost estimators typically do the
following:
● Identify and quantify cost factors, such as production time, materials, and labor expenses
● Travel to jobsites to gather information on materials needed, labor required, and other
factors
● Read blueprints and technical documents in order to prepare estimates
● Collaborate with engineers, architects, clients, and contractors on estimates
● Consult with industry experts to discuss estimates and resolve issues
● Use computer software to calculate estimates
● Evaluate a product’s cost-effectiveness or profitability
● Recommend ways to make a product more cost effective or profitable
● Work with sales teams to prepare estimates and bids for clients
● Develop project plans for the duration of the project
❖ Planning Engineer
The Planning Engineer is required to have a better understanding of the scope of work and
strategic sequencing of the work in timely manner and in conjunction with the Project Manager
to ensure the project is completed timely, safely, and on budget.
● Study and understand the scope of work from the Drawings, BOQ and specs in order
to prepare the Program of Works.
● Generate Weekly, Monthly Progress Reports.
● Generate Executive Report for the management.
● Prepare cash flow
● Analyse time overrun and cost overrun
● To keep a track of the project and flag the concern during short falls.
● Prepare look ahead plan for the Execution team.
● Cross-functional coordination to ensure smooth running of the project.
● Earned Value Analysis and Management.

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● Notify the Client/Client’s representative in change of scope.
● Get Extension of time in case of reservation or entitlements.
● Forensic analysis.
● Maintain Risk Register in order to for-see the possibility of occurrence and take
corrective actions in conjunction with the Project Manager.

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Human Resource Department
Human resources (HR) is the company department charged with finding, screening, recruiting
and training job applicants, as well as administering employee-benefit programs. Generally, the
human resource department responsibilities include:
● Effectively managing and utilizing people.
● Tying performance appraisal and compensation to competencies.
● Developing competencies that enhance individual and organizational performance.
● Increasing the innovation, creativity and flexibility necessary to enhance competitiveness.
● Applying new approaches to work process design, succession planning, career
development and interorganizational mobility.
● Managing the implementation and integration of technology through improved staffing,
training and communication with employees.
Human Resources Department is further break down into 4 units which are as follow:
❖ Compensation and Benefits
They are responsible for payroll handling, leave management, claims, allowances and
reimbursements and interest rate subsidies.
❖ Staff Training and Development
They plan out all the trainings and development for the staff and studies sponsorship for
academic staff.
❖ Personnel
They are responsible in handling Human Resource planning, recruitment and selection, staff
replacement, staff performance appraisal, staff upgrading, staff transfer, relocation, and
secondment.
❖ Staff Relations
They deal with staff welfare such as Socso and funeral expenses, programmes such as annual
dinner and family day, uniforms and living quarters.

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Financial Department
The financial department is responsible for management of the company’s cash flow and
ensuring there are sufficient funds available to meet the day to day payments.
❖ Accountant
Accountant provides financial information to management by researching and analyzing
accounting data and preparing reports. Accountant job duties includes:
● Prepares asset, liability, and capital account entries by compiling and analyzing account
information.
● Documents financial transactions by entering account information.
● Recommends financial actions by analyzing accounting options.
● Summarizes current financial status by collecting information; preparing balance sheet,
profit and loss statement, and other reports.
● Substantiates financial transactions by auditing documents.
● Maintains accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures.
● Guides accounting clerical staff by coordinating activities and answering questions.
● Reconciles financial discrepancies by collecting and analyzing account information.
● Secures financial information by completing database backups.
❖ Budget Manager
Budget Manager is responsible to develop BSBN construction’s budget and oversee its
implementation. They also require to review budget proposals and prepare financial documents
and reports. Their jobs and responsibilities includes:
● Design effective budget models for departments and the entire company
● Analyze financial information such as revenues, expenditures and cash management to
ensure all operations are within budget
● Present annual budgets to senior managers
● Forecast future budget needs
● Identify variances between actual and budgeted financial results at the end of each
reporting period

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● Suggest spending improvements that increase profits
● Review the company’s budget for compliance with legal regulations
● Ensure department managers meet budget submission deadlines
● Design and implement effective budgeting policies and procedures
Marketing Department
The marketing department is responsible for market research, marketing strategy, sales,
advertising, promotion, pricing, and public relations activities.
❖ Construction Marketing Director
Construction marketing director responsible to expand organizational opportunities through new
business partnerships. Their major responsibilities and duties includes:
● Collaborate with the executive team to identify growth strategies
● Develop, design, implement, and facilitate a marketing plan
● Execute the marketing plan
● Create brand recognition
● Strategize and administer the firm’s marketing budget
● Analyze and review the marketing program and report findings to team members
● Create and manage marketing templates for new business opportunities
● Take an active role in industry-specific organizations
● Develop and maximize industry connections to promote BSBN Construction and pursue
business opportunities in coordination with the BSBN team
❖ Promotion Team
● Advertising - Determine value and budget for advertising opportunities,
● Direct mail - Implement and manage direct mail program
● Tradeshows - Assess tradeshow opportunities and execute as the marketing program
dictates
● Networking - Actively promote Jorgenson Construction within the industry.

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● Public relations - Identify community and media relationship opportunities
● Special events - Coordinate and plan special event programs
❖ Collateral Development
● Brochure - Ensure brochure reinforces brand recognition and marketing strategy
● Database - Develop a shared customer relationship management process
● Website - Review, enhance, and maintain website content
● Social networking - Establish strategies that utilize social networking tactics consistent
with the BSBN Construction brand
Purchasing Department
Purchasing department’s main role is purchasing supplies and materials used in the projects and
company daily needs. They need to compare among different suppliers and finding the items
with correct prices and qualities.
❖ Purchasing Manager
Purchasing manager is responsible for sourcing equipment, goods and services and managing
vendors. Their responsibilities include:
● Develop, lead and execute purchasing strategies
● Track and report key functional metrics to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness
● Craft negotiation strategies and close deals with optimal terms
● Partner with stakeholders to ensure clear requirements documentation
● Forecast price and market trends to identify changes of balance in buyer-supplier power
● Perform cost and scenario analysis, and benchmarking
● Assess, manage and mitigate risks
● Seek and partner with reliable vendors and suppliers
● Determine quantity and timing of deliveries
● Monitor and forecast upcoming levels of demand

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Value Statement
S P I R I T
S - SAFETY
We are relentless in providing a safe working environment to keep people safe and minimize
injuries.
P - PROFESSIONALISM
We are proud of our professionalism and we have extensive knowledge in practicing what we do.
I - INTEGRITY
We are trustworthy and ethical in our relationship with our clients and partners.
R - RESPONSIBILITY
We are accountable for our actions and reliable for our services.
I - IDEAL
We pledge to bring your ideas to reality as we are your ideal construction company.
T - TEAMWORK
We encourage collaboration, recognize success and build long lasting relationship with one
another.

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Strategic Planning
1. Description of the construction business
At BSBH, we provide preeminent construction, technical and management services. Our owner
each have been in the construction industry for 10 years that has an working experience in all
types of building including low rise, high rise, bridges and many more.
2. Evaluating company current situation
In BSBH, we analyst last year's results and determine which of the products, markets, divisions
or business segments contributed the most revenue. Also review which ones were the most
profitable. Evaluate areas in which the company excelled and areas where it fell short of
achieving the expected results.
4. Identifying our construction business’ major competitors
UEM Group, YTL Corporation, IJM Corporation and Gamuda are the leading construction
company in Malaysia. They are the competitors for our company in terms of familiar of their
names in the industry, total assets and shareholders’ funds that are billions. To compete with
these competitors, our company uses strong project management skills, a diversified array of
projects and expertise we have to create trust for customer. In long term, we will eventually see
results that will increase our assets and shareholder fund.
5. The strategies that our construction business will use to capture and maintain our customers
Our company uses up to date technology such as Glodon software which is relatively new
software that has calculation accuracy which in return will save time and cost along providing
quality work. We also priorities our customer service and satisfaction to give the best we have by
treating our customer like how we want others to treat us. We do conduct every year customer
survey to make improvement to our business.

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6. Create revenue, cost and profit forecast
Monthly spreadsheet with revenues and costs, and the results of bottom line profit will be create
in BSBH. We determine the cost of implementing each strategy. Forecast the revenue that will
be generated through our marketing strategies. Then we will review our net profit margin, net
profit divided by total revenue to see if it is in line with averages for our industry.
7. Create an executive summary for our construction business
We will then provide a collective description of the ownership experience and what they bring to
the company’s potential success which includes a brief review of our business’ strengths, our
target market and our marketing strategies.
SWOT Analysis

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Organizational Culture
In our company, we seek to promote our employees to embody our company values and build a
strong relationship between each other in the company. As we want to develop our employees to
feel safe and comfortable with their working environment as we believe by using this method,
employees would be more productive and efficient with their work.
To accomplish this, we first start off with the comfort of the employee by rectifying the
surrounding environment. Our company utilize the open space concept by removing restricted
cubicles to obtain open spaces for the employee to communicate and socialise. This allows the
employees to be more interactive with other employees around the office and encourages more
group discussion with one and another. Aside from that, our company also prepares weekly team
night by having the employees hang out and interact with other departments. Through these
activities, the employees would be able to know their colleagues more and break their barrier
with each other, indirectly enhancing their efficiency and transparency between each other.
At the same time, our company also focuses on the performance and efficiency of each of our
employee. To achieve this, we will provide awards and achievement based on group
achievements rather than individual achievement since our company is promoting strong team
relationship. This would encourage the employees to be more cooperative and be highly
achievement driven hence, improving productivity.
All this method leads to our company being able to adopt the open concept as we aim to flatten
the organizational structure, while promoting strong communication between each department.
Making it easier for employees to approach each other and allowing employees to monitor
other’s progress. This facilitates communication between each other and allowing information to
be transmitted effectively and efficiently.

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TASK 2
Job Description of Management Trainees
Managerial skills are gained and developed from experience. Every company needs good
managers in their team. However, the lack of manager-material causes the company difficult to
find qualified personnel to fill in the role. To address this, many companies start to train
management trainees. A management trainee is an individual who undergoes training for
promotion in management positions by gaining knowledge and experience required. The roles
and responsibilities of a management trainee are listed as below:
● Assists senior staff members with a wide variety of construction-related tasks
● Frees up senior staff to handle more complex tasks
● Handle everything from administrative and secretarial tasks to more advanced
management responsibilities
● Administrative and secretarial tasks such as prepare and review contracts, update project
budget, draft letters and correspondence, attends meetings and tasks detailed notes, basic
filling and office organization
● Basic management tasks such as ordering materials, scheduling contractors, act as a
mediator when problems arise between two or more trades, find the best solutions for
issues
● Technical tasks such as monitoring progress, helping contractors stick to a planned
schedule, oversee quality control, comparing work to written drawings
● Hands-on tasks such as assisting with building process and installation, or plumbing and
mechanical works.

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Why BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd. wants to hire 3 management trainees?
BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd. will be expanded in future to become a bigger company and
handle more construction projects. Hence, our company require more manpower to operate and
manage the tasks. To be prepared for the future, our company planned to train 3 management
trainees. The management trainees that hired will be the manager in the future. To train the
management trainees, the company must first select suitable candidates which fulfilled the
requirements and criteria. Our company target for external recruitment where there will be wider
choices to choose the employees that fulfilled the selection criteria. To hire the 3 management
trainees, there are few selection criteria that they need to fulfil as well as interview activities.
There are several types of interview activities designed to test the interviewees’ knowledge,
personality, attitude, skills, performance and ability to select the right person to do the right job.
Selection Criteria of Management Trainees
1. Responsible
2. Trustworthy
3. Accountable and can be relied on
4. Have a good sense of knowledge and experience in the construction industry
5. Team Player / Teamwork
6. Problem Solving Skills
7. Takes initiative
8. Willing to learn
9. Respectful towards co-workers and employers in the company
10. Creative
11. Interacts with others in a positive manner

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Interview Activity 1: In-Tray Exercise
Introduction to In-Tray Exercise
In-tray exercise is a business simulation that is used as part of an assessment where the
interviewee plays the role as a member or staff who has to deal with the daily tasks of the
company. A selection of documents like letters, emails and reports in the form of papers or
electronic format will be given to the interviewee. These documents are the first thing that a
working staff might find in their in-tray or email inbox daily. Hence, it is important to determine
the priorities among all documents before reporting to the top managements. In order to do so,
the interviewee has to read through each item and allocate the priorities before taking any
actions. After the allocation of priorities, the interviewee can then proceed to the next task
according to the priority list.
The in-tray exercises are designed to allow the employers to assess the employees or
interviewees in aspect of their key competencies which can affect their work performances. For
instance, the employer might want to assess on an employee’s delegation skills, the readiness to
share problems with others, the working independency, the affinity or aversion to procedures. In
general, in order to nail an in-tray exercise, the employee or interviewee will have to demonstrate
the level of knowledge appropriate to the job, display the skills necessary for the job and to show
good and positive attitudes that best fit the given role. In short, this in-tray exercise is designed to
assess the KSAs which are Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. The KSAs are well known in the
recruitment industry and is commonly used by employers to clearly identify prerequisites for a
job.

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In-Tray Items
The number of in-tray items that an employee or interviewee might get usually ranges between
ten to thirty items depending on the time and document types given. Besides documents like
memos, letters, emails and reports, one will also be given a description of roles and
responsibilities in a fictional organisation. Information such as the fictional organisation’s aims
and objectives, organisational chart, the problems faced; a list of key employees, the information
regarding the key third party organisation and their relationship and also a calendar of future
events might also be provided to the employee or interviewee. An example of the in-tray items is
shown below.
Doc. Document Title
1 Organisational Chart of BSBH Construction Company
2 Manager Note
3 Customer Complaint Letter 1
4 Staff Opinion Survey Results
5 Email from Local Authority
6 Tender Drawing 1
7 BSBH Company Policies Documents
8 Memo from Operation Manager
9 Meeting Minutes
10 Project Commencement Procurement Schedule
11 Letter of Award
12 Sub-contractor Shortlist
Table : In-tray Items List

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In-Tray Exercise Assessment
There are many ways to assess the performance of an employee or interviewee in an in-tray
exercise. Two of the most common ways are through the response to questions in either multiple
choice format or in a writing format and a face-to-face interview with an assessor in which the
interviewee will have to explain and justify the actions and decisions made during the in-tray
exercise. A combination of these two methods are also commonly used. An example of the
assessment sheet is shown below.
Figure: Example of Written Assessment Sheets

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Benefits of In-Tray Exercise to the Employers
1. Allows employers to delegate roles more effectively and efficiently.
The in-tray exercise are designed to resemble the tasks that employees may encounter in their
daily work. The employers can design their own in-tray exercise according to their selection
criterions and the objectives of the organisation. Therefore, the in-tray exercise acts as a practical
assessment for the employers to better select employees that acquire the key competencies
needed by the organisation. As a result, the employers can get more information regarding that
particular employee which then helps them to better allocate tasks and jobs according to their
skills and abilities.
2. Allows employers to simulate working attitudes of the employees.
The in-tray exercise works similar to the role-playing games we have nowadays. This is because
the employee is given a specific roles in a fictional organisation and is asked to perform some
given tasks within a time limit. Through in-tray exercise, the employers can observe the
employees’ level of knowledge, skills, abilities and working attitude. A better observation in the
employees’ KSAs allows the employers to better predict their future job performance. This can
help the employers in selecting the best employees so that the vision and mission of the
organisation can be achieved easier.
3. Allows a better shortlist of interviewees according to their performance.
Interviewees nowadays acquire different types of skills and abilities. However, an organisation
does not need all of them. In fact, organisation only need particular skills and abilities to allow a
growth of the organisation. Hence, it is important to select employees with the needed skills and
abilities. By conducting in-tray exercise, the employers can have a better overview of each
interviewee not just by their resumes but hands-on practical work assessment. As all in-tray
exercises are unique according to different organisation, one cannot be fully prepared for it.
Hence, the interviewee must be able to perform great problem solving skill and critical thinking
skill in order to pass the in-tray exercise. In short, the in-tray exercise allows the best among the
interviewees to be selected.

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Key Competencies Assessment of In-Tray Exercise
1. Problems Solving Skills
An employee’s problem solving skills are needed to allow a smooth working process. This is
because an employee has to deal with different challenges and tasks daily. If an employee cannot
perform adequate problem solving skills, there will be a lot of work accumulated and hence
causing a delay of work.
2. Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills
It is important for an employee to be able to analyse problems using logical and critical thinking.
This is because the employers requires the piled up work to be summarised into straight-forward
information for better evaluation. Hence, additional problems have to be analysed and solved
critically so that the workload can be minimised.
3. Decision Making Skills
Decision making skills are very important to any organisation as it can promote the growth of a
company, it can also lead a company to its downfall. Employers are usually the one who make
all the bigger decisions. However, this doesn’t mean that employees don’t require these skills. It
is as important as the employers’ as the employees are the one who deals with the day-to-day
problems and hence decision making skills are required to allow effective and efficient working
process.
4. Communication Skills
An organisation must consists of more than one person to function. Hence, it is unavoidable to
work in teams and groups. Therefore, effective communication skills are needed in each and
every employees in order to avoid confusion and disputes. An employee has to perform good
communication skills when come to delegating tasks so that there won’t be any
misunderstanding regarding the job scope.

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Interview Activity 2: Physical Interview – Individual
In an employment context, an interview session is one of the basic activities needed to be carried
out when selecting potential employees. To hire the most suitable candidate as a future
employee, an interview must be conducted to act as a formal consultation for the purpose of
evaluating the qualifications of the candidate for a specific position. Questions are asked
throughout the interview to obtain the necessary information from the candidate and information
are exchanged to know more about one another and to evaluate the potential to establish a
professional working relationship.
Interviews are viewed as a useful tool in assessing qualifications and suitability of the candidate.
Before getting on board to the company, BSBH would like to test the waters during the job
interview. This is due to the fact that it offers BSBH valuable insight into the candidates’
personality and abilities and it also allows BSBH the chance to discern whether the candidates’
credentials and career goals match up with what the company seeks.
From the company’s side, the interview can act as an opportunity for the company to highlight
the positive aspects for the candidates if they manage to land a position in the company.
Moreover, the interview can lend a hand for the company in narrowing down the large volume of
applicants for the job by screening out the unsuitable candidates. Hence, BSBH designed a
number of interview questions to test certain criteria in order to hire the right employee for the
right position.
From the beginning itself, the interview session enables employers to obtain a great deal of
information based on the candidates’ appearance. A well-dressed employee would earn a good
first impression. Body language and posture are able to convey a message of its own. For
instance, slouching can display a lazy or uninterested demeanor whereas an erect posture can
interest and attentiveness. Based on first impressions, employers can sort between prospective
employees quickly.

28
As the employers are interviewing an applicant, the candidates’ personalities will then show.
Opportunity is created for the candidates to show the company their potential and capabilities.
Throughout the interview session, several criteria can be tested, that are personality, attitude,
knowledge and problem solving skills.
From the employer’s perspective, they would want to find out whether the candidates:
Have the expertise needed
Have the willingness to learn and adapt
Can handle criticism well
Can get the job done effective and efficiently
Are aware and hones about their own future goals
Are motivated and eager to work

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Interview Questions
1. “Can you please tell me about yourself?”
A common question asked at the start of the interview to break the ice between the interviewer
and candidate to make the candidate feel more comfortable during the interview process. Some
candidates would state their background and life story but the true purpose of this question is to
allow the candidates to present themselves in the best possible manner. The candidate should
showcase some of their best accomplishments and past experiences to show that he/she is the
ideal employee for the company. Concise and compelling answers would show how the
candidate can fit into the company.
2. “What do you know about our company?”
This aims to test whether the candidates have done their research beforehand about the company
they applied for. A thoroughly done research shows that the candidate is concern about where
he/she will be working in. By knowing basic information about the company such as the
company’s mission, the interviewer can seek out candidates that can most effectively discuss the
organization’s work and its impact. In addition, having the candidate to be able to think about
concrete ways the company’s mission relates to their passion and experiences would definitely
impress the interviewers.
3. “Why do you want this job?”
The purpose of this question is to identify whether the candidates are passionate and whether
they express enthusiasm about the work. It shows that the candidate is genuine about really
wanting to be part of the company to make great contributions. The candidates can sell
themselves by aligning their skills and experience with the role of the company to show that they
are fit for the job.
4. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
With specific set of strengths and skills that the company is looking for, this is crucial to ensure
that the suitable candidate is hired to put their strengths to good use for the company. Further
elaboration and clarification are needed to support the strengths that a candidate have. Discussing

30
about the attributes that will qualify one candidate for the specific position will set him/her apart
from the others. This question enables the company to search for specific strengths that can
match with the company’s needs. The closer a match a candidate is, the more likely he/she will
get a job offer. Besides that, strengths also come with weaknesses. Discussing non-essential
skills towards the job as a weakness is acceptable. For candidates that mentioned about them
trying to improve on their weakness, it shows that they are trying to work on their personal
development and they are not afraid to accept their weaknesses. Another option that good
potential candidates can give is turning the negative weakness into a positive. For instance, a
sense of urgency to get projects completed or wanting to triple-check every item in a spreadsheet
can be turned into a strength. This shows that the candidate will make sure that the project is
done on time and the work done will be close to perfect. As the saying goes, “Build on your
strengths, work on your weaknesses.”
5. Why do you think we should hire you?
Once again, this question gives the candidates another opportunity to promote themselves and to
unleash their potentials. They can take this chance to show their competitive advantage to the job
that they applied for. Since there are a number of candidates who are equally qualified for this
position, the company wishes to seek for the most competent employee so that the company can
be one step closer to achieving the stated goals and mission. This is possible whereby the
suitable candidate is able to lead the employees towards that direction. The candidates should
cover the fact that not only they can do the work, they can also deliver great results and also the
candidates can really fit in with the team and culture. All of these will show that the candidate is
one of the company’s top choices.
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
The company would like to see how ambitious the candidate is as well as to see how realistic the
goals are. The goal may be something very huge and unattainable but it takes a lot more time for
it to be achieved. As an interviewer, we would like to know the candidate’s realistic growth
strategy and their goals in the role of the job position they apply. It can determine whether their
goals matched with the needs of the company. Moreover, we would like to find out how the
candidate can incorporate their strengths and skills to attaining their goals and which areas are

31
needed to be improved for their own personal development. Take for example, if a candidate
wishes to apply for the role of a project manager, the candidate should show how they would
apply their management skills in order to control the quality of a construction project.
7. What is your greatest accomplishment?
This is another opportunity for the candidates to share their most impressive experience.
Sometimes the candidates get held back and waste this opportunity because they are not
comfortable sharing their accomplishment as they fear that it might come off as being boastful.
In that case, it shows whether the candidate has done their research and come prepared for the
interview or not. The interviewer really wants to know what sets the candidates apart from other
qualified candidates, to get a better sense of what they have done and what they value. Sharing
their greatest accomplishment with specific details would allow the interviewer to analyse their
soft skills such as organizational skills, problem solving skills and the ability to work under
pressure.
8. What challenges are you looking for in this position?
This question tests the candidate’s critical thinking and problem solving skills. It shows the
eagerness within the candidate to go up front to the challenge and do their very best to conquer
the obstacles. The candidates should be well aware that challenges are part of the job scope and
they have to face it. The interviewer would like to know how the candidate would react to such
situation if any challenges occur and how they are going to resolve it. Candidates may state that
they are motivated by challenges, have the ability to effectively meet challenges, and have the
flexibility and skills necessary to handle a challenging job. This shows that the candidate is able
to think optimistically and turn a negative into a positive.
9. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've faced at work, and how you dealt with it.
The question is asked in order to gain insight of the candidate’s behavior, interpersonal skills,
and your overall ability to manage conflict. A question such as this is known as a behavioral
question, in order to see how candidates may interact with other individuals at a professional
level. The simplest way to answer about conflict is the STAR technique. The STAR acronym
stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. Interviewers would want candidates to describe a

32
challenging situation in which the candidate may have faced (Situation). Secondly, an
interviewer wants to understand the task accomplished (Task), and the action taken to carry out
the task (Action). Lastly, the interviewer wants to hear how the challenging situation is
overcome, in addition to the results of the conflict. (Results).
10. Do you have any questions for us?
This question is asked at the end of the interview and it is usually a chance for the candidates to
impress the interviewer. Giving answers such as “No, I have already got all my answers.” would
demonstrate that the candidate is not interested or can’t be bothered to do research about the
company. Generally, interviewers would gauge whether the candidate is informed, interested and
engaged. This is the time when the candidate can leave the interviewer with a feeling that he/she
is someone who is exactly the bright, resourceful, energetic person they want to add to the
company. The ones who leave the best impression are the ones that interviewers would
remember the most.

33
Interview Activity 3: Group Assessment
After the interview activities of in-tray exercise and physical interview for individual, we as the
employers had the basic impression on the candidates. Hence, the group assessment will be the
key activity to determine the selection of candidates to be one of the management trainees of our
company by convert their planning into actions.
To fulfill selection criteria:
● Responsible
● Accountable and can be relied on
● Have good sense of knowledge and experience in the construction industry
● Team player / Teamwork
● Problem solving skills
● Take initiative
● Creative
● Interact with others in positive manner
What is group assessment?
Group assessment is an assessed discussion exercise that involves a small group of candidates.
Group assessment usually will be carried out as the last assessment and are similar in nature to a
panel interview. There are few types of group exercise, which included practical tasks,
discussion exercise and role-play exercise.
How the group assessment will be carried out?
Candidates will be separated into a small group of five or fewer person. The group will remain
the same until the end of the assessment. There will have a number of assessors involved in
group assessment. They will normally watch from the edge of the room, with each assessor
focusing on a specific candidate. There will be no definite right or wrong answer to this task
because the assessors are interested more in how the candidates work as a team. Group members
will be scored on their individual input, rather than the overall result for the group. Each of the
exercise will usually last 15 to 30 minutes.

34
1. Practical Tasks
Practical tasks is the most common form of group exercise. It usually use as the ice-breaker to
help the group to relax and to gel. The group will be given task that required problem solving
skills and teamwork ability. The tasks may be not related to the workplace but it aims to test the
team’s coordination and teamwork ability, as well as individual contribution.
The exercise claims to portray one’s personality traits and responses. It could also help the
assessors to see if the candidates could work effectively with people who have different
personalities.
2. Discussion Exercise
Discussion exercise involves the group sit together and discuss on the specific topic given that
are usually news-based. The nature of the topics can vary but usually are related to the
candidates. Candidates are required to discuss on the topic while the other candidates in the
group can give replies or opinions. As such, it can test whether the candidates’ information are
up to date.
Practical task given by BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd.:
In 15 minutes, you and your group are required to build a ‘marshmallow tower’ by using
stick spaghetti and marshmallow. Try to build the tallest tower with a marshmallow at the
top. Please make sure your group have sufficient time to complete the task given.
Discussion exercise given by BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd.:
In 20 minutes, you and your group are required to discuss on the topic given. Each of you
have 3 minutes to share any information regarding the topic. In the end of the discussion, the
group members are free to give opinion or replies on the discussion. Time given for
preparation will be 2 minutes.
Topic: Is there a preferred way of managing construction? Why?

35
Construction can be managed by designers, customers themselves, contractors, facilities
managers, independent project managers and independent construction managers. The company
have different interests in the process and would thus adopt different strategies corresponding to
the strengths and weaknesses of the employees. Hence, it is good to test the candidates on this
topic.
3. Role-play Exercise
Role-play exercise is the exercise that involve problem solving of a realistic construction case
scenario with certain challenges to overcome. The candidates in the group will be told to play
different roles to solve the problem together with their own roles.
The accessors have chance to see how the candidates would perform in a team instead of
answering scenario questions in the individual physical interview. With this exercise, the
accessors also can observe on how the candidates works in the group.
Role-play exercise given by BSBH Construction Sdn. Bhd.:
In 30 minutes, you and your group are required to solve the problem of the scenario given in
a team. Delegate roles and responsibilities for each candidates, and come out with a
solutions to the scenario given. Explain to the accessors of your group about your roles and
how are you going to contribute to the problem solving of the scenario.
Scenario: The client complains about the delay of the construction process. As the client
reached out on different departments, their deadline of tasks are not up to date. There must
be the problem of miscommunications between the departments. The project had delayed for
2 weeks from the schedule, you and your team have to think of a solution to reduce the
worsening of the situation.

36
4. Sharing session
At the end of the interview activities, the candidates are asked to have a sharing sessions on the
interview activities that they have go through. This session is conducted to conclude the
interview of the day.
Questions that can be asked after group assessment, during sharing sessions (if the candidates
do not know what to share about):
What made this team work successfully?
Who would you hire from your group? Why?
What was your personal contribution to the team's performance?
Why did this team struggle to accomplish the objective?
How did you deal with the stress created by meeting the challenges?
How would other team members describe you?
How would you describe yourself to other people?
What are your personal career goals and how does this job help you accomplish
those goals?
What unique skills, talents, or perspectives do you bring to this position?
What does the group assessment assess?
The group assessment typically assess the candidates’ behavior, personality and attitude in the
group, as well as the overall group performance. The key competencies are tested and fulfilled
are as followed:
Communication competency
- Effectiveness of the communication
- Build social networks and good interpersonal relations in the group
- The way of announcing information to the peoples

37
Planning and administration competency
- Able to delegate tasks and perform
- Able to gather information, analysis and problem solving
- Time management for the task given
Teamwork competency
- Able to accomplish task through small groups of people who are
collectively responsible
- Participate ad contribute to the team
- Able to work effectively in a team
Why group assessment out of so many other activities?
In this situation, group assessment is chosen by the company for the following reasons:
For high stress fast-paced careers because the employees must have the ability to
think fast on their feet, keep their cool and solve the problems
For the positions that require working in a team environment
For the situation where the company has a number of similar positions to fill so
that the company have more candidates to choose
Enable job mimicking where the employers able to view the candidates in an
environment that closely mimic the job environment of working in a team before the
candidates get the job
Provides comparison because group assessment allow for easier comparisons of
candidates compared to individual physical interview
Provide the best approach to the candidates because the individual physical
interview may not have strong connection, good fit, or vibe between particular interviewer
and interviewee

38
TASK 3
Competitive Advantage
Our competitive advantage is sustainable. Competitive advantages is a condition or circumstance
that puts a company in a favorable or superior business position. It allows a company to produce
a good or service at a lower price or in a more desirable fashion for customers. These conditions
allow the productive entity to generate more sales or superior margins than its competition.
1. Information Technology and Information Management used in our Company
In this modern era, Information technology plays a crucial role to any business as well as daily
needs. To compete and stand out against other competitors, our company utilize technology to
the fullest to be the very best against the other competitors such as using BIM software to assist
with our company’s construction planning phases. To gain the competitive advantage, we have
selected and use the best information technology and information management system to run our
organization.
a) Building Information Modelling (BIM)
There are a variety of information technology and information management systems in
the market and our company has decided to go with Building Information Modelling
(BIM) as our main information management system. BIM basically helps architects
design and model in 3D with layers of information about the individual elements that
compose a structure and how they work together in a system. This allows ease of
information sharing between each other to know where to work on.
The reason for choosing to use BIM in our company is mainly because it allows
understanding of the building operation easier and to make alterations or adjustment to
the design of the building faster with less cost. This in return creates efficiency and
speeds up the design process to prevent any additional expenses. Efficiency gain is one of
the main advantages of using BIM, it will gain through its ability to minimize project,
faster communication and coordination. Furthermore, BIM will catch problems before
they even happen. Instead of spending a ton of money trying to fix an unexpected

39
problem, this can eliminate the possibility of that problem ever even arising and saving
money.
b) Cubicost / Glodon
In addition of BIM, we decided to utilize Cubicost to further enhance the experience of
BIM with this software. Cubicost, initially called Glodon, is one of the few types of
software available in the market that is capable of using Building Information Modelling
(BIM) for taking off. Cubicost offers four types of individual BIM-based software
products, namely the Cubicost Takeoff for Architecture and Structure (TAS), Cubicost
Takeoff for Rebar (TRB), Cubicost Takeoff for Mechanical and Electrical (TME), and
Cubicost TBQ.
Reason for choosing it is due to functionality with it being able to use with BIM software.
It also consists of Built-in local measurement methods, which was provided by numerous
professionals form various countries. It has an automatic function in which it deducts
elements automatically based on the relations among elements in BIM model to ensure
there is calculation accuracy. It has support viewing calculation basis and expressions to
facilitate rapid result checking and less calculation errors. This in return would really help
our company save time and cost along with providing quality work.
c) IBM Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a
shared pool of configurable computing resources. It allows to set up what is essentially a
virtual office to give our company the flexibility of connecting to business anywhere and
anytime. Cloud computing is also a delivery model of computing services over the
internet. It enables real time development, deployment and delivery of broad range of
products, services and solutions. Accounts such as Gmail or Yahoo are examples of cloud
computing as it is the basic online format of cloud computing.

40
The IBM cloud computing is one of our company’s main information technology to use
as we believe that cloud computing can enhance efficiency and productivity in our
company. One of the benefits in moving to cloud computing is that it may reduce cost of
managing and maintain the IT systems in the company. Rather than purchasing overly
expensive systems and equipment, we can reduce additional cost by using the resources
in cloud computing service provider. The operating costs may be reduced due to the cost
of system upgrades, new hardware and software may be included in our contract. Aside
from that, we can adjust the flexibility of storage with changes per the situation.
Collaboration in a cloud environment gives our company the capability to communicate
and share information compare to the traditional method. The flexibility allows our
employees to be more flexible on their work practice such as able to access data
anywhere other than the office. Finally, the information put away in the cloud guarantees
it is backed up and ensured in a protected and safe area. Having the capacity to get to
your information again rapidly enable us to lead the resume work, minimising any
downtime and loss of profitability.
2. Customer Service/Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is a marketing term that measures how products or services supplied by a
company meet or surpass a customer's expectation. Customer satisfaction is important because it
provides marketers and business owners with a metric that they can use to manage and improve
their businesses.
Customer satisfaction is a leading indicator of consumer repurchase intentions and loyalty. If a
customer is satisfied with the experience provided, it creates loyalty towards the company and
are likely to come back again. Other than that, in a competitive marketplace where businesses
compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator. A customer will
choose a company that could satisfy him over another that provides the same product or services.
Satisfaction also plays a significant role in how much revenue a customer generates for the
business. Customers are willing to pay more to get service or product that can meet his
satisfaction. It adds value to the business and attracts more customers that are willing to spend
for its product. Lastly, an unhappy customer has the potential to ruin the business’s reputation.

41
An unsatisfied customer will not repurchase the service or product provided, thus, will affect
others to do the same too by sharing his bad experience with the business.
Our company aims to develop competitive advantage through good customer service and
customer satisfaction. To achieve that, we must treat our customers like bosses. For instance, we
thank all customers, go out of our way to help customers and keep our promises. Other than that,
a survey is conducted every year to measure customers’ satisfaction and to make improvements
for the business by taking customers’ feedbacks seriously.
3. Business Networking
Business networking is an effective low-cost marketing method for developing sales
opportunities and contacts, based on referrals and introductions - either face-to-face at meetings
and gatherings, or by other contact methods such as phone, email, and increasingly social and
business networking websites. It is the process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship
with other business people and potential clients and/or customers. The primary purpose of
business networking is to tell others about your business and hopefully turn them into customers.
The benefits of business networking are received new contacts and referrals, keep up with the
target market conditions, expanding knowledge and experience, and retain good relationship
with potential client and business partners.
To establish a good business network, we must be different and ambitious to show how we can
be better than other providers. We must always prioritise helping and giving to others ahead of
taking and receiving for ourselves. Other than that, we must also keep our integrity to build trust
and good reputation. Trust retains customers while good reputation attracts new customers.
Relevant groups and connections must be targeted. Relevance can be according to several things
such as geography, sector, academic, technical and social. Moreover, we will utilise the
connections made with previous partners and clients during our 10 years career. Therefore, we
believe that business networking could aid the success of our company by being our competitive
advantage against others.

42
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