Construction management has a long history, with origins tracing back thousands of years to ancient civilizations. Large-scale, monumental building projects like the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China required organized allocation of labor, material resources, time, and cost expenditure to be successfully completed. This laid the early foundations for what would evolve into modern formalized construction management.

Historical Development of Construction Management

During ancient time periods spanning back over five millennia, civilizations undertook the construction of large-scale building projects. These projects served several important practical functions for the societies of the era. Core pragmatic functions included:

• Enabling defensive fortification capabilities.
• Providing essential communal shelters and gathering spaces for growing populations.
• Demonstrating regional political power and authority.
• Paying reverent homage to deities or historically impactful figures in predominant religious traditions.

The monumental mega-structures were built through the extensive utilization of abundant brute manual labor forces. These labor forces were conscripted from peasant and slave populations. Additionally, simple, manually operated tools and machines powered by human and animal energy sources were employed.

There were also remarkable feats of structural engineering design and large-scale project management. This was considering the technological limitations of the ancient periods. Artisan builders and architectural engineers applied rudimentary mathematical and geometric principles. This application assisted in design proportioning, structural alignment, load-bearing calculations, and basic surveying of project sites. 

Current Industry Practices and Methodologies

Progressing to the Middle Ages and beyond, guilds and master builder systems brought more specialization to construction trades. Advancements in materials and engineering allowed for more complex buildings. By the 19th century, some standardization of construction practices emerged. Professional societies created structures for accrediting and regulating architects and engineers. As building projects became larger in scale, managing the various components became increasingly complex.

Into the 20th century, deliberate efforts to .. read more at https://neeljym.com/the-evolution-of-construction-management/

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