U.T.G. Perera, Richard Haigh and Dilanthi Amaratunga
This study aims to identify the key barriers and enablers within a developing country context (Sri Lanka) to tackle the public health impacts during road construction projects…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the key barriers and enablers within a developing country context (Sri Lanka) to tackle the public health impacts during road construction projects. The current impact assessment process of the country and the better ways of integrating public health impacts into the road construction projects are discussed in this study.
Design/methodology/approach
The first phase of empirical investigations on barriers and enablers to address public health impacts during road construction projects was conducted via expert interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 academic and industry experts with at least two years of experience in road construction, public health and environmental management. Data collection for the case studies followed the initial expert interview guidelines to identify the barriers and enablers to integrating public health impacts and vulnerabilities during road construction projects. Multiple case studies were selected to better understand the barriers and enablers in Sri Lanka to consider public health during road construction projects. Four road construction projects in Sri Lanka were selected as the cases for this research.
Findings
This study identified four main categories of barriers and enablers, including knowledge, partnerships, management and the appraisal process. Research findings show that partnership, resource and management-related barriers are the most perceived issues in tackling public health in Sri Lankan road projects. Among them, the lack of institutional collaboration and funds and resources were frequently expressed as the main barriers to addressing public health during road construction projects. These findings provided lessons on the governance and policy framework regarding integrating public health impacts into road construction projects, including the potential to integrate health into other forms of impact assessment of road constructions, such as EIAs and SIAs.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to four case studies in Sri Lanka. The empirical evidence is limited to the expert’s opinion on a particular subject. Public health data was not gathered or analysed in this research.
Practical implications
These findings provided lessons on the governance and policy framework regarding integrating public health impacts into road construction projects, including the potential to integrate health into other forms of impact assessment of road constructions, such as EIAs and SIAs. They can also aid decision-makers and project managers in more comprehensive impact assessment and monitoring during road construction activities while mitigating public health impacts.
Originality/value
A lack of empirical evidence in the public health impacts and vulnerability literature in road construction and a shortage of public health impact assessment in the current EIA process in the global and Sri Lankan context highlighted the need for public health-related research in road construction projects. This study contributes to the theory by identifying key barriers and enablers during the construction process of road projects to tackle public health impacts.
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Shavindree Chrishani Nissanka, Chamindi Ishara Malalgoda, Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haigh
There is an urgent need to translate climate change awareness into tangible climate adaptation strategies. The built environment is identified as one of the kick-off points in…
Abstract
Purpose
There is an urgent need to translate climate change awareness into tangible climate adaptation strategies. The built environment is identified as one of the kick-off points in making climate change adaptation as the built environment shares a dual-way relationship. While the built environment largely contributes to the climate change-triggering factors, it also becomes highly vulnerable in the face of climate change impacts. Tied up with the interconnectedness of the built environment processes and associated systems, the involvement of numerous stakeholders from different spectrums creates the need for a holistic and multi-stakeholder approach in developing climate response strategies for the built environment. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the roles and responsibilities of the different built environment stakeholders in climate change adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study consisted of a scoping review at the initial stage, contextualising studies based on secondary data, and semi-structured expert interviews in five different countries: the UK, Sweden, Malta, Spain and Sri Lanka. The paper summarises the findings of the individual country-level desk studies and 65 built environment stakeholder interviews representing national and local governments, communities, academia and research organisations, civil organisations, professional bodies and the private sector. The findings were validated through focus group discussions in two stakeholder seminars.
Findings
The findings summarised a set of key roles and sub-roles for each stakeholder category, considering the current status and needs. The national governments need to set a long-term vision, enabling multi-sector interventions while promoting investment and innovation in climate change adaptation. The local governments overlook local adaptation plans, while the community is responsible for decarbonising operations and practising adaptation at the local level. Civil organisations and professional bodies are the voice of the community, linking policy and practice. Academia and research are responsible for nurturing skills and new knowledge, and the private sector must contribute by adopting climate resilience into their business portfolio and corporate social responsibility.
Research limitations/implications
This research is part of an Europe-Union-funded research project, Built Environment leArning for Climate Adaptation (BEACON), which aims to develop skills and competencies of the built environment professionals so that they will be adequately equipped to handle the adaptation process of the built environment needs to adapt in facing the climate change impacts.
Originality/value
The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to each category of the different stakeholders in effectively adapting the built environment to withstand the climate change consequences. Demarcation of each stakeholder’s roles and responsibilities separately facilitates collaboration and coordination between the different parties and provides a more holistic approach to climate change adaptation in the built environment.
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Tomo Kawane, Bismark Adu-Gyamfi and Rajib Shaw
The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled higher educational institutions to implement alternative educational strategies that rely heavily on internet accessibility and utilisation to…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled higher educational institutions to implement alternative educational strategies that rely heavily on internet accessibility and utilisation to monitor and evaluate students. This study aims to find certain indicators for planning and designing future courses of inclusive online education in the domain of disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Design/methodology/approach
The study reviews and analyses online teaching and learning experiences of DRR courses. It uses online surveys and interviews to derive the perspectives of selected students and educators in universities in Asia and the Pacific region.
Findings
Active engagement is considered to be achieved when students are active in chat boxes, through presentations, through assignments and when the video cameras of students are turned on. On the contrary, students perceive active engagement differently because they face emotional disturbances and health issues due to prolonged screen/digital device use, have inadequate information and communications technology infrastructure or have digital literacy deficiencies among others. The study finds that online courses have many sets of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, when they are balanced, they can improve DRR courses in the future.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on the outcome of interviews with 10 experienced educators in DRR courses as well as students from different schools taking courses in DRR education. However, the students are not necessarily taking the courses of the educators interviewed due to the inability of some educators to avail themselves and the challenge of contacting the students. This notwithstanding, the results of this study give a general overview of the situation to be considered in the planning and design of online and distance education.
Social implications
The results do not reflect the reaction of students and tutors of the same course. Future studies of collecting and analyzing the responses from the students and the educators with the same course could provide tailored solutions.
Originality/value
This study attempts to find solutions to bridging two different perspectives on teaching and learning. The results would be important to strengthening and designing future online courses.
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The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education (HE) represents a transformative shift in the way academic institutions operate and engage with students…
Abstract
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education (HE) represents a transformative shift in the way academic institutions operate and engage with students. This chapter explores the multifaceted impact of AI on HE, touching upon key themes that encapsulate this transformation. First, the chapter outlines the developments of AI in education. It discusses how adaptive learning systems make use of AI to personalise educational content to individual students and optimise their learning experiences. The discourse also explores AI-driven assessment tools that provide educators with data-driven insights into student performance, offering a more personalised and efficient approach to grading and feedback. Second, the chapter extends the discussion to AI in teacher administration, demonstrating how AI technologies streamline administrative tasks in HE. The text will examine the use of AI for enrolment and registration processes, reducing bottlenecks and enhancing efficiency, and AI’s role in student support services, where AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants offer timely and personalised guidance to students, improving their overall experience.
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Farzana Aman Tanima, Lee Moerman, Erin Jade Twyford, Sanja Pupovac and Mona Nikidehaghani
This paper illuminates our journey as accounting educators by exploring accounting as a technical, social and moral practice towards decolonising ourselves. It lays the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper illuminates our journey as accounting educators by exploring accounting as a technical, social and moral practice towards decolonising ourselves. It lays the foundations for decolonising the higher education curriculum and the consequences for addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper focuses on the potential to foster a space for praxis by adopting dialogism-in-action to understand our transformative learning through Jindaola [pronounced Jinda-o-la], a university-based Aboriginal knowledge program. A dialogic pedagogy provided the opportunity to create a meaningful space between us as academics, the Aboriginal Knowledge holder and mentor, the other groups in Jindaola and, ultimately, our accounting students. Since Jindaola privileged ‘our way’ as the pedagogical learning process, we adopt autoethnography to share and reflect on our experiences. Making creative artefacts formed the basis for building relationships, reciprocity and respect and represents our shared journey and collective account.
Findings
We reveal our journey of “holding to account” by analysing five aspects of our lives as critical accounting academics – the overarching conceptual framework, teaching, research, governance and our physical landscape. In doing so, we found that Aboriginal perspectives provide a radical positioning to the colonial legacies of accounting practice.
Originality/value
Our journey through Jindaola contemplates how connecting with Country and engaging with Aboriginal ways of knowing can assist educators in meaningfully addressing the SDGs. While not providing a panacea or prescription for what to do, we use ‘our way’ as a story of our commitment to transformative change.
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Jacob Guerrero and Susanne Engström
By adopting the “hard” and “soft” project management (PM) approaches from the PM-literature, this paper aims to problematize the expected role of client organizations in driving…
Abstract
Purpose
By adopting the “hard” and “soft” project management (PM) approaches from the PM-literature, this paper aims to problematize the expected role of client organizations in driving innovation in the transport infrastructure sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Addressing a large public client in Sweden, a case study design was initially applied to provide in-depth insights and perspectives of client project managers’ views and experiences of managing projects expected to drive innovation. In this paper, the concepts of “hard” and “soft” are used to discuss empirical findings on challenges associated with adopting a PM-approach for driving innovation in projects. The empirical material consists of interview data, complemented with observations and archival data.
Findings
Findings reveal challenges associated with combining hard and soft approaches, frequently demonstrating difficulties in balancing short-term project expectations with the promotion of innovation. In line with the literature, project managers note that there is a need for soft approaches to promote development and drive innovation. Yet, findings reflect a situation in which operational success criteria predominate, whereas soft approaches are not sufficiently used to create the grounds required for fostering innovation.
Originality/value
Insights are provided into how PM-approaches may impact construction innovation in the infrastructure sector, demonstrating a need for further research on the challenges and implications of applying and combining hard and soft PM-approaches.
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This paper aims to provide strategies for individuals with limited work capacity (LWC) to build workplace friendships and foster inclusion, which can benefit their mental health.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide strategies for individuals with limited work capacity (LWC) to build workplace friendships and foster inclusion, which can benefit their mental health.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper integrates key theories such as social exchange theory and the similarity-attraction paradigm to analyze the dynamics of relationships. Practical tips grounded in the existing literature are outlined.
Findings
Effective communication, building trust, showing mutual respect and discovering common interests can facilitate friendship development for employees with LWC. Supportive organizational policies and culture are also critical.
Social implications
By building workplace bonds and inclusion, individuals with LWC may experience greater social support, more engagement and better mental well-being. This also helps to diminish stigma and marginalization.
Originality/value
This viewpoint provides practical guidance specifically designed for individuals with Limited Work Capacity (LWC) to overcome workplace obstacles and build social relationships. It addresses an existing gap in the interpersonal facets of disability inclusion.
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Aba Essanowa Afful, Joshua Ayarkwa, Godwin Kojo Kumi Acquah, Ama Antwi Darkwa Ossei Assibey and Dickson Osei-Asibey
The purpose of this study is to identify the capacity needs of building professionals to deliver environmentally sustainable buildings (ESBs) globally, from a unique systems…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify the capacity needs of building professionals to deliver environmentally sustainable buildings (ESBs) globally, from a unique systems approach. Through a review of extant literature, this study contributes to knowledge of the global delivery of ESBs by identifying research trends and gaps that can be tackled in future research, and current hotspots in capacity building (CB) research within the built environment (BE). The adopted systems approach to CB postulates that the construction industry is systemized in nature, and thus, CB solutions within the industry should be approached from a systems approach.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature search was conducted using the Scopus search engine, augmented by Google Scholar and Web of Science, to produce 54 relevant articles for analysis. The scientometric analysis was undertaken with the use of VOSViewer to better understand the broad literature on CB in the construction industry which would not have been possible with traditional data analysis. The content analysis allowed, for a systematic review of selected articles, to reveal key themes in this study.
Findings
Through a content analysis, four levels of CB were identified within the construction industry; individual level, organizational level, industry level and state level. Nine sub-capacities were subsumed under the four identified levels adopted from Potter and Brough (2004), including but not limited to Performance capacity, Workload capacity, Supervisory capacity, Industry Role capacity and Systems capacity. Under each sub-capacity, key questions were posed to aid identify the capacity needs of BE professionals. A framework for identifying capacity needs in the BE is proposed.
Practical implications
The findings of this study serve as a useful reference for practitioners and policymakers to assess their level of commitment to CB efforts for ESB delivery. The findings of this study have revealed that building the capacities of BE professionals to deliver ESBs should be addressed as part of a broader framework, interdependent on the other levels of CB in the systemic construction industry.
Originality/value
As a review study identifying capacity needs for BE professionals to deliver ESBs, this study enhances knowledge of CB within the construction industry.