Lovelin Ifeoma Obi, Mohammed Arif, Steve Michael Lamb and Ilnaz Ashayeri
The United Kingdom (UK) construction sector is transforming with increasing confidence in offsite construction (OSC) solutions following its accrued benefits. To sustain this…
Abstract
Purpose
The United Kingdom (UK) construction sector is transforming with increasing confidence in offsite construction (OSC) solutions following its accrued benefits. To sustain this momentum, exploring viable strategies to promote successful OSC implementation is a top priority. This paper aims to identify and establish interrelationships and logical dependencies of critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing OSC on building projects in the UK.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilised a qualitative research approach. Following a critical review of extant literature, brainstorming and focus group sessions were carried out with OSC experts in the UK construction industry to identify and contextualise CSFs for OSC implementation. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and matrix impact cross-reference multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC) were used to analyse and model the interrelationships between the contextualised CSFs.
Findings
The study identified eighteen CSFs for implementing OSC on projects in the UK positioned on seven hierarchical levels and clustered into dependent, linkage and independent factors. The top five CSFs established were client commitment, top management support, adequate OSC knowledge and experience, flexible leadership and flexible business models. These were located at the base of the ISM model, possessing the highest driving powers in facilitating the successful implementation of OSC on projects.
Originality/value
This study established a hierarchical interrelationship and the importance of the CSFs influencing the successful implementation of OSC. This would assist OSC clients and project teams in identifying and prioritising particular areas for strategic actions, which offer advantages in pursuing successful OSC project outcomes in the UK. Previous research on OSC implementation in the UK had not examined CSFs' interrelationships.
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Sukhwant Kaur Sagar, Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin, Mohammed Arif, Amit Kaushik and Rubina Islam
This study aims to focus on model development to analyse key factors affecting trust in virtual project teams (VPTs).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to focus on model development to analyse key factors affecting trust in virtual project teams (VPTs).
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was conducted on construction professionals participating in virtual teams. Structural equation modelling technique was performed to establish the effect of relevant factors on trust-building in VPTs.
Findings
Team performance is highly affected by the trust among the team members. Trust building can be enhanced by improving the quality of team communication, organisation culture, team bonding and team members’ characteristics.
Originality/value
The model developed in this study would benefit team productivity and team members’ learning in VPTs.
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Beatrice Audifasi Nyallu, Xiaopeng Deng and Melckzedeck Michael Mgimba
Knowledge loss (KL) is still an unfortunate fact, causing many challenges, including poor organisational performance, despite prior efforts to investigate knowledge retention…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge loss (KL) is still an unfortunate fact, causing many challenges, including poor organisational performance, despite prior efforts to investigate knowledge retention methods. Therefore, this study identifies early approaches to combat KL and poor organisational performance, shifting focus on employee personality traits.
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded on the social exchange theory (SET) cross-section data from 400 Chinese construction knowledge employees were used to investigate the role of internal work locus of control (IWLC) on job rotation (JR), KL and organisational performance. The data were analysed through IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and SmartPLS 4 software.
Findings
The results demonstrated that IWLC minimises KL and positively influences JR. Then, JR negatively influences KL and decreases in organisational performance. The negative mediating effect of JR in the relationship between IWLC, KL and decreased organisational performance were also found. Finally, KL proved to positively influence a decrease in organisational performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the new understanding of individual behaviour and its influence on organisational outcome variables. Specifically, for ultimate KL prevention and organisational performance improvement, an organisation should understand its employees' behaviours to establish progressive collective learning and knowledge sharing.
Practical implications
This study contributes to the new understanding of individual behaviour and its influence on organisational outcome variables. Specifically, for ultimate KL prevention and organisational performance improvement, an organisation should understand its employees’ behaviours to establish progressive collective learning and knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
This study is the first attempt to explore the influence of personality traits in the early minimisation of KL, particularly the role of IWLC and JR in combating KL and improving organisational performance.
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Guodong Ni, Qi Zhou, Xinyue Miao, Miaomiao Niu, Yuzhuo Zheng, Yuanyuan Zhu and Guoxuan Ni
New generation of construction workers (NGCWs) who were born in the 1980s and later have gradually become the main workforce of Chinese construction industry. They may behave…
Abstract
Purpose
New generation of construction workers (NGCWs) who were born in the 1980s and later have gradually become the main workforce of Chinese construction industry. They may behave differently when dealing with knowledge-related activities due to divergent characteristics caused by generational discrepancy. To provide a theoretical foundation for construction companies and safety managers to improve safety management, this research explores the factors and paths impacting the NGCWs' ability to share their safety knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on literature review, main factors that influence the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs were identified. Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory and Interpretive Structural Modeling were applied to identify the hierarchical and contextual relations among the factors influencing the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs.
Findings
The results showed that sharing atmosphere ranked first in centrality and had a high degree of influence and being influenced, indicating itself an extremely important influencing factor of safety knowledge sharing of NGCWs. Six root influencing factors were identified, including individual characteristics, work pressure, sharing platform, incentive mechanism, leadership support and safety management system.
Research limitations/implications
The number of influencing factors of safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs identified in this study is limited, and the data obtained by the expert scoring method is subjective. In future studies, the model should be further developed and validated by incorporating experts from different fields to improve its integrity and applicability.
Practical implications
The influencing factors identified in this paper can provide a basis for construction companies and safety managers to improve productivity and safety management by taking relevant measures to promote safety knowledge sharing. The research contributes to the understanding knowledge management in the context of the emerging market. It helps to answer the question of how the market can maintain the economic growth success through effective knowledge management.
Originality/value
This paper investigates the influencing factors of NGCWs' safety knowledge sharing from the perspective of intergenerational differences, and the 13 influencing factor index system established expands the scope of research on factors influencing safety knowledge sharing among construction workers and fills the gap in safety knowledge sharing research on young construction workers. Furthermore, this paper establishes a multi-layer recursive structure model to clarify the influence path of the influencing factors and contributes to the understanding of safety knowledge sharing mechanism.
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Muhammad Sholihin and Arna Asna Annisa
This study aims to analyze the definition and contextual variations of homo islamicus in literature across disciplines, including beyond Islamic economics, and to explore their…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the definition and contextual variations of homo islamicus in literature across disciplines, including beyond Islamic economics, and to explore their implications for Islamic economic agents.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a machine learning-based text analysis approach, 61 articles will be examined to classify definitions and identify contextual clusters for homo islamicus.
Findings
This study reveals eight classifications of homo islamicus definitions and three distinct contexts. These findings suggest significant divergence between the concept of homo islamicus in Islamic economic tradition and its interpretation by non-Islamic scholars, attributable to underlying values and ideologies rather than methodological differences.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses solely on textual analysis of articles using the term “homo islamicus” across disciplines, precluding the formulation of epistemological and ontological frameworks. Future research could expand on these aspects.
Practical implications
By presenting diverse perspectives on homo islamicus, this paper facilitates a more comprehensive understanding among scholars of Islamic economics, aiding in the resolution of disagreements within the field.
Originality/value
This study introduces novel classifications of homo islamicus definitions and contextualizes them, providing insights into their implications for Islamic economic agents.
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Huy Minh Vo, Jyh-Bin Yang and Veerakumar Rangasamy
Construction projects commonly encounter complicated delay problems. Over the past few decades, numerous delay analysis methods (DAMs) have been developed. There is no consensus…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction projects commonly encounter complicated delay problems. Over the past few decades, numerous delay analysis methods (DAMs) have been developed. There is no consensus on whether existing DAMs effectively resolve delays, particularly in the case of complex concurrent delays. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to undertake a comprehensive and systematic literature review on concurrent delays, aiming to answer the following research question: Do existing delay analysis techniques deal with concurrent delays well?
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts a comprehensive review of concurrent delays by both bibliometric and systematic analysis of research publications published between 1982 and 2022 in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. For quantitative analysis, a bibliometric mapping tool, the VOSviewer, was employed to analyze 68 selected publications to explore the co-occurrence of keywords, co-authorship and direct citation. Additionally, we conducted a qualitative analysis to answer the targeted research question, identify academic knowledge gaps and explore potential research directions for solving the theoretical and practical problems of concurrent delays.
Findings
Concurrent delays are a critical aspect of delay claims. Despite DAMs developed by a limited number of research teams to tackle issues like concurrence, float consumption and the critical path in concurrent delay resolution, practitioners continue to face significant challenges. This study has successfully identified knowledge gaps in defining, identifying, analyzing and allocating liability for concurrent delays while offering promising directions for further research. These findings reveal the incompleteness of available DAMs for solving concurrent delays.
Practical implications
The outcomes of this study are highly beneficial for practitioners and researchers. For practitioners, the discussions on the resolution process of concurrent delays in terms of identification, analysis and apportionment enable them to proactively address concurrent delays and lay the groundwork for preventing and resolving such issues in their construction projects. For researchers, five research directions, including advanced DAMs capable of solving concurrent delays, are proposed for reference.
Originality/value
Existing research on DAMs lacks comprehensive coverage of concurrent delays. Through a scientometric review, it is evident that current DAMs do not deal with concurrent delays well. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps and offers insights into potential directions for future research.
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Mariam Arif Karrani, Shaker Bani-Melhem, Faridahwati Mohd-Shamsudin, Muhammad Usman and Erhan Boğan
This study aims to utilize Relational Job Design (RJD) theory and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory to explore the impact of RJD, particularly its key components – job impact…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to utilize Relational Job Design (RJD) theory and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory to explore the impact of RJD, particularly its key components – job impact (JI) and job contact (JC) – on employees’ quiet quitting (QQ) behavior. It also investigates the role of work alienation (WA) as a mediator and examines whether inclusive leadership (IL) has a moderating effect on these proposed relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used paired dyadic surveys to gather data from 166 full-time employees and their immediate supervisors used in service organisations across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study’s moderated mediation model was tested using hierarchical regression and the PROCESS Macro in statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) v.26.
Findings
The results empirically support our hypotheses: RJD (JI and JC) significantly reduces employees’ feelings of WA, thereby decreasing the likelihood of engaging in QQ behaviours. As expected, the study also revealed that IL acts as a moderator by amplifying the detrimental effects of RJD (JI and JC) on feelings of alienation from one’s work, which in turn decreases the likelihood of engaging in QQ behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
This study fills a gap in understanding how relational work design and IL jointly influence unfavourable workplace attitudes and behaviours. It offers a foundation for future studies on QQ in diverse cultural and organisational contexts.
Practical implications
This study provides practical insights for organisations aiming to tackle employee quitting behaviours. Human resource (HR) professionals and leaders should focus on enhancing both JC and JI, while actively fostering IL. These actions are critical for significantly boosting employee engagement, fostering a more motivated and connected workforce and reduce QQ behaviours in the workplace.
Social implications
Although the data in this study were collected from an organisation with multiple branches across the country, the findings may still have limited generalisability to other organisations or industries. While this paper acknowledges this as a limitation, it also presents an opportunity for future research to explore QQ across diverse cultural and organisational contexts. Larger and more varied samples in future studies could provide deeper insights into the prevalence and drivers of QQ in different workplace environments.
Originality/value
This study explores the under-researched phenomenon of QQ, revealing how RJD can mitigate these behaviours. It uncovers new psychological mechanisms, offering actionable insights for management strategies to enhance employee commitment and reduce negative behaviours.
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Husna Jamaludin, Hengchao Zhang, Sharifah Nabilah Syed Salleh and Zakaria Lacheheb
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence people’s behaviour in paying zakat, explore their perceptions of the institutions, examine the factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence people’s behaviour in paying zakat, explore their perceptions of the institutions, examine the factors that influence their trust and analyse the impact of trust on their behaviour in paying zakat to the institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was distributed to 740 potential Zakat payers in the Federal Territory, Malaysia. In designing the questionnaire, a systematic literature review, focus group discussions and pilot study were conducted. Descriptive analysis and partial least squares structural equation model were used with SmartPLS software.
Findings
The result shows that trust, intention to pay zakat and age of the respondents have statistically significant impacts on people’s behaviour to pay zakat through institutions. Intention to pay zakat is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. In addition, the main common concerns expressed were lack of awareness of the importance of paying zakat, lack of transparency in zakat administration, especially in collection and distribution, and inefficiency in administration and distribution. Moreover, trust in the institutions could be established if the institution is able to fulfil its mission of collecting and distributing zakat to the entitled Asnaf and improve their welfare, as trust not only has a direct impact on people’s behaviour, but also strengthens people’s intention and influences their behaviour to pay zakat to the institutions.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses on a specific geographical area and zakat institution; hence, the study’s generalisability is limited. The use of self-reported and cross-sectional data may introduce bias and fail to capture the dynamic change of trust, intention and behaviour across time. The proposed solution of leveraging digital platforms may provide numerous hurdles and obstacles for adoption by the zakat institution.
Originality/value
This study shows the significant role of trust in influencing people’s intentions and behaviour in supporting organisations. Therefore, it can serve as an indicator of the performance or success of a particular institution. Thus, there is a need to find strategies to gain people’s trust by improving their ability, integrity and benevolence in performing their tasks.
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Fathullah Asni, Mohamad Ihsan Zulkifli and Yusairi Yusli
This paper aims to examine the acceptance of Zakat institutions in Malaysia towards Micro Credit-Qard Hasan Financing through Zakat Fund (MCZF) for post-pandemic asnaf…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the acceptance of Zakat institutions in Malaysia towards Micro Credit-Qard Hasan Financing through Zakat Fund (MCZF) for post-pandemic asnaf entrepreneurs. The study is motivated by the declining trend in Zakat collection and the increasing number of asnaf individuals in the post-pandemic period. This necessitates alternative initiatives such as the MCZF scheme by Zakat institutions. However, the reception of the MCZF scheme in Malaysia is unfavourable, despite studies suggesting its suitability for Zakat institutions and asnaf entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative methodology involving library and field research as data collection methods. The library research encompasses reviewing relevant books, articles, statutes and circulars. In terms of the field study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five selected Zakat management officers from Zakat institutions and two proficient academics specialising in Shariah and Zakat management. The interview data generated several themes analysed using the content analysis method. Consequently, the snowball method was employed to determine the sample size of Zakat institutions, ensuring comprehensive coverage of their acceptance of the MCZF scheme.
Findings
The study’s findings reveal that three Zakat institutions accept the MCZF scheme for implementation, justifying it as a matter of differing opinions (khilaf) that allows room for ijtihad based on the current needs and well-being (maslahah). However, one of the Zakat institutions expresses unpreparedness to implement the scheme due to obstacles posed by an official fatwa. Additionally, the study demonstrates that two Zakat institutions reject the MCZF scheme, citing reasons such as the principle of direct ownership (tamlik) in giving Zakat funds, the prohibition specified by the official state fatwa, and the prevailing societal expectation of direct Zakat distribution without loans.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses solely on five Zakat institutions in Malaysia, all of which have specific fatwas concerning the MCZF scheme. Future research may explore Zakat institutions in other states. Furthermore, this study specifically concentrates on asnaf entrepreneurs. Hence, further research could investigate the applicability of the MCZF scheme for other asnaf groups, such as asnaf students.
Practical implications
This study examines the acceptance of Zakat institutions towards the MCZF scheme and the justifications provided by Zakat institutions for its implementation. The findings of this study can guide Zakat institutions in Malaysia in accepting and implementing the MCZF scheme. It can significantly impact these institutions by assisting asnaf entrepreneurs in securing capital and expanding their businesses.
Social implications
This study has substantial implications for society, particularly for asnaf entrepreneurs, as loans provided through Zakat funds can help boost their business capital. Consequently, this can elevate the asnaf group from being recipients of Zakat to becoming contributors. Furthermore, when Zakat funds are provided as debt to asnaf entrepreneurs, they can be motivated to grow their businesses since they commit to repaying the debt through instalments.
Originality/value
This study analyses the acceptance of the MCZF scheme by Zakat institutions in Malaysia as an alternative initiative to support asnaf entrepreneurs after the pandemic.
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Edgar Ramos, Melissa Andrea Chavez Grados, Kannan Govindan, Kiara Elizabeth Gamarra Gomez and Nagesh Gavirneni
This research aims to identify and model metrics and sub-metrics that enhance sustainable performance measurement in agri-food supply chains.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to identify and model metrics and sub-metrics that enhance sustainable performance measurement in agri-food supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
The study evaluates five key metrics and 18 sub-metrics critical to this industry, establishing interrelationships among them to ensure a successful sustainable performance measurement system. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory technique was employed, integrated with fuzzy theory and expert opinions.
Findings
The findings suggest that metrics like information technology and organizational productivity, alongside the sub-metric of information integration, significantly contribute to sustainable supply chain performance.
Originality/value
This study proposes a performance measurement system that enables organizations to achieve optimal performance levels through a sustainable supply chain (SCC) and supply chain agility (SCA) framework, supported by digital technologies.