Search results

This study aims to identify and evaluate the key strategies to promote the implementation of automation techniques with reference to the Nigerian construction industry.

Pragmatic philosophical thinking using a mixed-method approach (a combination of qualitative and quantitative) was adopted for this study. The qualitative strand of this research was achieved using a Delphi technique while a well-structured questionnaire conducted among 191 construction professionals was adopted to attain the quantitative strand. Obtained data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean item scores, Kruskal–Wallis H test and exploratory factor analysis (FA).

Results revealed that the “provision of funding and subsidies for automation techniques” “mandatory automation policies and regulations,” “creating incentives for adoption,” “formulation of programs to promote awareness” and “deploying gamification to boost employee performance” were the top five strategies to promote the adoption of automation techniques. FA revealed four principal clusters, namely, awareness and publicity programs, government regulations and standards, provision of education and training and awards and recognition.

This study provided a solid theoretical and empirical foundation that can be useful to construction industry stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers and the government in mapping out strategies to promote the incorporation and deployment of automation and robotics in the construction industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first in developing countries and Nigeria to establish an ordered grouping structure of the strategies to promote the adoption of automation techniques.

Digital technologies (DTs) have the potential to revolutionize various aspects of heavy engineering projects by providing innovative solutions to traditional challenges. Therefore, this study explores and identifies critical areas for implementing DTs in heavy engineering projects in Lagos State, Nigeria, to increase productivity, reduce costs and enhance project delivery.

A quantitative research approach informed the formulation of a structured questionnaire, which was then disseminated to construction professionals. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The relative importance index (RII) was employed to rank the significance of each application area. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) then grouped the various application areas for DTs before fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to evaluate the significance of the identified key categories.

Based on the RII, the top five significant application areas identified were project management, cost estimation and budgeting, quality assurance and control, risk management and mitigation and construction site management. These areas were further grouped into three clusters: pre-construction phase, construction phase and post-construction phase.

A majority of existing studies have been focused on regular construction projects, with limited research addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within heavy engineering projects. This study fills this gap by specifically examining the implementation of DTs in heavy engineering projects, offering sector-specific insights that are distinct from those in regular construction.

In developing countries, informal construction artisans are vital to economic growth. Governments encourage enrolment into micro health insurance schemes to sustain artisans’ well-being and achieve universal health coverage. The peculiarity associated with the informal construction artisans may hinder the scheme enrolment, particularly in Nigeria. It may threaten to improve achieving sustainable development goal 3 (good health and well-being). This study investigated the level of awareness and causes and suggested measures to improve micro health insurance policy enrolment for construction artisans in the informal sector and, by extension, improve the achievement of Goal 3.

This study adopted face-to-face interviews to collect data in Lagos and Benin City, Nigeria. The researchers engaged 40 participants and achieved saturation at the 35th participant. The researchers manually analysed the collected data and reported the findings using the thematic approach.

Results showed low enrolment of informal sector construction artisans into micro health insurance schemes and identified the contributory factors. This includes poor awareness and poor funding of micro health insurance schemes, lax expertise and understanding of the micro insurance market space, extreme poverty, poor medical services, uneducated clients/customers/consumers, etc.

As part of the study’s implications, it recommends that the government invest more in social health for the informal sector’s low-income earners to enhance accomplishing universal health coverage and, by extension, improve achieving Goal 3. This study may stir policymakers to call for a review of the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 with implementable and enforceable clauses to reduce uninsured informal sector construction artisans.

Studies have shown that research is a global innovation’s “engine room.” Therefore, young adult-built environment researchers (YABER), especially in developing countries, need research upskilling and reskilling training for better-integrated outcomes. Evidence shows that research training can improve YABER competencies and proficiencies. In Nigeria, YABER may have had some challenges in training needs. There is a lack of extant literature about the issues facing Nigeria’s YABER upskilling and reskilling training needs. Thus, this study investigated the perceived problems facing YABER and proffered measures to improve their training needs in Nigeria.

The researchers used participants from Edo State, Abuja and Lagos State, Nigeria. This study adopted a qualitative research approach. The researchers accomplished saturation after 40 virtual interviews and adopted a thematic analysis for the primary data.

The research shows that the built environment research refines current and creates new knowledge. The built environment researchers (trainers and trainees) need training but face challenges. Findings clustered measures to improve quality research publications in the built environment through YABER training into government/regulatory agencies-related, higher education institutions-related and researcher-related measures.

The developed framework and thematic network analysis could be used to stimulate YABER training needs and, by extension, stir Nigeria’s higher education institutions regulatory agencies to upgrade requirements for academic staffers, especially published articles, to be compulsorily Scopus/Web of Sciences indexed for promotion exercise. This is the global best practice, and Nigerian scholars cannot be in isolation. It will form part of this study’s implication and revitalise UNSDG 4.

Research on the living conditions of slum dwellers in the inner cities of developing countries has received much attention. Nevertheless, there is little empirical research on the influence of personal attributes on the poor environmental condition of the slum area. This study aims to examine the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics and the physical condition of the slum environment in the inner city of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Data was collected through the use of questionnaire administration from a household survey of 491 slum dwellers. Systematic random sampling was used in the selection of the respondents. The study used descriptive, factor and multiple regression to analyse the data collected.

The study used descriptive, factor and multiple regression to analyse the data collected. The study reveals an interplay between various socio-economic factors and environmental conditions. The results show that out of ten (10) socio economic variables that were submitted in the regression model, only eight (8) of these variables such as income, household size, occupation, level of education, age, marital status, year of residency and nativity were significant.

The study concluded that despite the fact that the condition of the slum environment is a product of multiple interrelated factors, personal attributes also contribute to the poor environmental condition of the slum area. The study recommended that improving the socio-economic conditions of slum dwellers would lead to improved environmental conditions.

While innovative building materials (IBM) have emerged as a promising solution for addressing the global construction industry’s environmental, economic and social challenges, their adoption is plagued with increasing challenges in the Nigerian construction industry (NCI). To provide practical strategies to overcome the present IBM challenges in the NCI, the barriers that hinder its successful adoption need detailed investigation. Consequently, this study examines the barriers that affect the adoption of IBM for sustainable construction (SC) in the NCI.

A quantitative research approach was used to obtain primary data from 282 construction professionals, viz. architects, builders, engineers and quantity surveyors, via a closed-ended questionnaire survey. Data were analysed using a mean item score (descriptive analysis) and exploratory factor analysis (inferential analysis).

The study revealed the top five most significant barriers to IBM adoption in the NCI. These barriers include lack of awareness and knowledge, learning/training period, cost and economic viability, lack of qualified staff and lack of end-user involvement. Factor analysis revealed five components of barriers: resource and policy-related barriers, perception and cultural-related barriers, organisational-related barriers, awareness and market-related barriers and resistance and stakeholder engagement-related barriers.

The findings of this study have several practical implications for construction professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders in Nigeria. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and technical expertise to promote the adoption of IBM in the NCI. The study also recommends several practical strategies for overcoming the barriers to IBM adoption and promoting SC practices in Nigeria, such as fostering a positive perception of sustainable concepts, fostering stakeholder support and involvement and promoting a more conducive environment for adopting sustainable practices. The implication of this study transcends the local context, offering a model for other countries to consider, thereby contributing to a global shift towards sustainable construction practices.

The findings highlight the critical role of societal attitudes and awareness in adopting IBM, suggesting the need for educational and awareness programmes to shift public and organisational perception. This shows the importance of cultural change and societal readiness to embrace sustainable construction practices.

This study contributes significantly to knowledge of the barriers to adopting IBM for SC in NCI. Findings from the study will inform policymakers, industry professionals and other stakeholders about the key barriers that require attention and intervention, facilitating the initiatives to overcome these barriers effectively.

The study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19-related governments’ interventions on the volatility in stock returns in several Asian countries following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Using a battery of conditional volatility models, we first investigate the dynamic behavior of the stock return volatility for selected Asian stock markets during the pandemic period. Second, we wish to find out how these volatilities overlap with a wide range of governments’ interventions related to COVID-19 and whether a relationship can be established between two types of uncertainty and the volatility of the considered stock returns.

We confirm an asymmetric pattern in the volatility of selected Asian stock markets. In addition, the result shows that the effects of governments’ interventions vary significantly across countries. The “Containment and Health” and “Economic Support” indices appear to have a significant and negative impact on the volatility of the overwhelming majority of stock markets. Further, all Asian stock markets are experiencing a significant positive effect of “Stringency measures” on the return volatilities.

This research could have implications for investors and policymakers in terms of portfolio diversification to maintain active and gainful investment strategies during the pandemic crisis.