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DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributorDepartment of Building and Real Estateen_US
dc.creatorTse, Yee Fai Sheeta-
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/6888-
dc.languageEnglishen_US
dc.publisherHong Kong Polytechnic University-
dc.rightsAll rights reserveden_US
dc.titleDecision making under uncertainty : a study of heuristic bias in estimating in construction industryen_US
dcterms.abstractThe future is largely unknown and is hardly predictable. In the management of construction projects, surveyors, architects, engineers or other professionals, with imperfect information about all the circumstances, can only make estimates or forecasts under the condition of risk and uncertainties. The use of statistical calculations is non-realistic due to the harsh assumptions. To reduce the complex tasks of assessing probabilities and predicting values, rules of thumbs, which are also known as heuristics, are adopted to simplify judgmental operations. Although heuristics, in many situations, are effective strategies to guide our rational thinking, in certain cases, they lead to systematic errors and cognitive biases that may distort and ruin our choices. Psychologists have been studying these biases with lay people. A study that aimed at testing these biases experimentally in a specific context with individuals trained in the construction industry was carried out. The results of the study showed that some professionals working in the industry demonstrated certain types of errors and biases. The implications of the results are discussed. It is believed that if construction professionals gain an explicit and thorough understanding with the literature on biases and the details of the main findings, this should give potential for the production of improved information from estimates and forecasts.en_US
dcterms.extent78 leaves ; 30 cm.en_US
dcterms.isPartOfPolyU Electronic Thesesen_US
dcterms.issued2012en_US
dcterms.educationalLevelAll Masteren_US
dcterms.educationalLevelM.Sc.en_US
dcterms.LCSHConstruction industry -- Decision making.en_US
dcterms.LCSHConstruction industry -- Management.en_US
dcterms.LCSHDecision making.en_US
dcterms.LCSHHong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertationsen_US
dcterms.accessRightsrestricted accessen_US

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/6888