Ayodele Samuel Adegoke, Cyril Ayodele Ajayi, Timothy Tunde Oladokun and Timothy Oluwafemi Ayodele
Students are the hub of activities in an academic environment, and their satisfaction with the performance of educational facilities cannot be overemphasised. Therefore, this…
Abstract
Purpose
Students are the hub of activities in an academic environment, and their satisfaction with the performance of educational facilities cannot be overemphasised. Therefore, this study evaluated the post-occupation of students' halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria with a view to enhancing effective management of educational facilities.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 245 students who were selected using simple random sampling technique. The study adopted descriptive statistical tools such as mean, standard deviation and Relative Importance Index (RII); the inferential statistical tools adopted were independent-samples t-test and Kendall Tau's correlation.
Findings
The results revealed that both genders were fairly satisfied with physical attributes, indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and social factors; while the female students were also fairly satisfied with the supporting service, the male students were fairly dissatisfied. Also, supporting services and IEQ influenced the levels of satisfaction of both genders.
Practical implications
This study provides information which can help the management of the University and other comparative educational institutions in the proper management of students' halls of residence.
Originality/value
This study has provided insight into the satisfaction of student occupants with halls of residence based on gender differentiation.
Details
Keywords
Theophilus Olugbenga Babatunde and Cyril Ayodele Ajayi
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of information and communication technology (ICT) on real estate agency transactions with a view to determine its influence on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of information and communication technology (ICT) on real estate agency transactions with a view to determine its influence on the performance of estate agents.
Design/methodology/approach
A research approach in which questionnaire was administered to elicit relevant information from 220 practicing Estate Surveyors and Valuers surveyed in the course of the study. Data collected were analysed using mean ranking, relative influence index and analysis of variance.
Findings
The results showed that the use of ICT impacted positively on real estate agency transactions by promoting company’s brand thereby increasing the level of patronage. Consequently, the increased level of patronage signifies an increase in the level of income of the agents.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to social media applications otherwise referred to as ICT, which are used in real estate agency transactions. Further study on other ICT media and their effects on more areas of real estate practice in the developing economy may be required.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the few works on the impact of ICT on real estate agency transactions with particular reference to the social media networking especially in an emerging economy. Most of the previous studies conducted on ICT and real estate focussed only on internet use with respect to real estate agents and practices.
Details
Keywords
Timothy Oluwafemi Ayodele, Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu, Job Taiwo Gbadegesin, Theophilus Olugbenga Babatunde and Cyril Ayodele Ajayi
Coworking space had been a trajectory in the commercial space operation and management globally. Commercial coworking/tenancy space is confronted with an unexpected shift. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Coworking space had been a trajectory in the commercial space operation and management globally. Commercial coworking/tenancy space is confronted with an unexpected shift. This paper aims to examine the peculiarity and investment characteristics of flexible office space and the post-COVID implications on coworking office space practice and investment. This is with a view toward providing investors with an understanding of the dynamics underpinning flexible office space investment in the Nigerian emerging property market.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a qualitative research approach. Open-ended interview questions were used to solicit information from nine coworking space operators in the urban property market of Ibadan, Nigeria. The structured interview data were analyzed using Atlas.ti – a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software.
Findings
The findings show that the factors influencing demand for flexible office space in the study area include flexibility, affordability, cost-effectiveness, entrepreneurship motivations and opportunity for risk sharing. The results also revealed that coworkers are predominantly mobile individuals who require a workstation away from their homes or a traditional office setup. Management challenges include deficient infrastructure, low level of awareness, stealing and high cost of operations. The impact of COVID-19 includes a drop in patronage, rent refunds, changes in working pattern and job loss, restriction to online and remote operation, the extra cost of putting prevention measures in place, changes in tenancy contract and drops in return on investment.
Practical implications
This study has implications for investors in commercial space occupation and leases in comparable developing economies.
Originality/value
The novelty of this paper lies in its relevance with the emergent behavioral changes, orchestrated from the novel COVID-19, which compels reevaluation of workplace practices and investment for economic improvement, especially as it relates to commercial real estate investment.
Details
Keywords
Yewande Adewunmi, Cyril Ajayi and Olusegun Ogunba
The paper examined the factors influencing the role of estate surveyors in facilities management (FM).
Abstract
Purpose
The paper examined the factors influencing the role of estate surveyors in facilities management (FM).
Design/methodology/approach
The study administered questionnaires on 247 practicing estate surveyors within Lagos metropolis, Nigeria in 2006. These were selected through alphabetic systematic sampling of estate surveyors from the list of financial members with designations (2004/2005) of the Lagos state branch of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers. The survey achieved a total response rate of 85 percent. Statistical tools employed in analyzing data were relative importance indices and factor analysis.
Findings
The findings suggest that training in FM and type of business of the organisation managed by the estate surveyor were significant factors that influence surveyors' participation in areas of core competence in FM.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to time constraints, authors have only studied one location. No urban area can be representative of all cities in the country. Nevertheless, the results of the study should at least apply to the majority because most of the estate surveyors in Nigeria are based in Lagos.
Originality/value
The paper introduces an empirical approach to the discussion on role of estate surveyors in FM in Nigeria.
Details
Keywords
Christian Nedu Osakwe, Nikolina Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, Martin Mihajlov and Anita Ciunova-Shuleska
This study aims to facilitate the understanding of brand building among owners/managers of SMEs by highlighting the relationships among the multidimensionality of brand…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to facilitate the understanding of brand building among owners/managers of SMEs by highlighting the relationships among the multidimensionality of brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity.
Design/methodology/approach
In addressing the research issue, the study uses responses from 158 domesticated SMEs in North Macedonia, afterwards relying on structural equation modeling to test the research propositions.
Findings
This study validates brand orientation as a multidimensional term that is underlined by brand artefacts, norms and values. This study also validates the assumptions that brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity are significantly related.
Research limitations/implications
While it is possible that our evidence base is limited to the context studied, the research findings nevertheless contribute primarily to the emergent scholarship on SMEs' brand building.
Practical implications
This study has practical consequences for SMEs' brand building. More specifically, it enriches the understanding of the interrelationships between brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity.
Originality/value
This study provides an advanced perspective of brand orientation as a complex phenomenon and further provides understanding of its relations to brand-building behavior and brand identity of the domesticated SMEs.
Details
Keywords
Rupali Singh, Pooja Sharma, Cyril Foropon and H.M. Belal
The authors have attempted to understand how big data and predictive analytics (BDPA) can help retain employees in the organization.
Abstract
Purpose
The authors have attempted to understand how big data and predictive analytics (BDPA) can help retain employees in the organization.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is grounded in the positivism philosophy. The authors have used a resource-based view (RBV) to develop their research hypotheses. The authors tested their research hypotheses using primary data gathered using a single-informant questionnaire. The authors obtained 254 usable responses. The authors performed the assumptions test, performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the validity of the proposed theoretical model, and further tested their research hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
The statistical result suggests that the various human resource management strategies play a significant role in improving retention under the mediating effect of the BDPA.
Research limitations/implications
The authors have grounded their study in the positivism philosophy. Moreover, the authors tested their hypotheses using single-informant cross-sectional data. Hence, the authors cannot ignore the effects of the common method bias on their research findings. Moreover, the research findings are based on a particular setting. Thus, the authors caution the readers that their findings must be examined in the light of their study limitations.
Practical implications
The study provided empirical findings based on survey data. Hence, the authors provide numerous guidelines to the practitioners that how the organization can invest in creating BDPA that helps analyze complex data to extract meaningful and relevant information. This information related to employee turnaround may guide top management to reduce the dissatisfaction level among the employees working in high-stress environments resulting from a high degree of uncertainty.
Social implications
The study helps understand the complex factors that affect the morale of the employee. In the high-paced environment, the employees are often exposed to various negative forces that affect their morale which further affect their productivity. Due to lack of awareness and adequate information, most of the employees and their issues are not dealt with effectively and efficiently by their line managers. Thus, the BDPA can help tackle the most complex problem of society in a significant way.
Originality/value
This study offers some useful contributions to the literature which attempts to unfold the complex nexus between human resource management, information management and strategy. The study contributes to the BDPA literature and how it helps in the retention of employees is one of the areas which still remains elusive to the academic community. Moreover, the managers are still skeptical about the application of BDPA in understanding human-related issues due to a lack of understanding of how and to what extent the employee-related information can be stored and processed. This study’s findings further open the new avenues of research that need to be tackled.
Details
Keywords
Luqman Oyekunle Oyewobi, Olufemi Seth Olorunyomi, Richard Ajayi Jimoh and James Olabode Bamidele Rotimi
Many construction businesses are currently building and keeping social media pages for their enterprises to be visible to the public to improve their social interaction, promote…
Abstract
Purpose
Many construction businesses are currently building and keeping social media pages for their enterprises to be visible to the public to improve their social interaction, promote business interest, build trust and relationships with their targeted audience on social media. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of social mediausage on performance of construction businesses (CBs) in Abuja, Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a quantitative research approach by identifying constructs that reveal three aspects of organisation’s physiognomies that impact the process of espousing, implementing and using technological innovations in conducting businesses. Well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 113 purposively sampled building materials’ merchant operating in Dei-Dei Market, Abuja, Nigeria. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling technique to establish the relationship among the constructs.
Findings
The results of this study indicated that technology has significant relationship with social media adoption, whereas social media adoption has a very strong positive impact on organisation’s performance (P < 0.001) with respect to improved customer relations and services and enhanced information accessibility.
Research limitations/implications
This study has implications for CBs that wish to adopt social media to promote their businesses by presenting to them the opportunity to understand the impact of technology, environment and organisational potential in improving business performance. This study is cross-sectional in nature, and this calls for caution in interpreting the results.
Originality/value
This paper developed and tested a conceptual framework presented to understand the interrelationships amongst the constructs, which would be of great significance to business owners in developing their social interaction and promote business interest via social media. The outcome of this research is beneficial to researchers to further study how the different social media tools could help in influencing business decisions.
Details
Keywords
Hanis Hazwani Ahmad and Adilah Azhari
This study explores the effects of the performance and corporate risk-taking behaviour of agricultural firms. Despite its importance in mitigating climate change, the agricultural…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the effects of the performance and corporate risk-taking behaviour of agricultural firms. Despite its importance in mitigating climate change, the agricultural sector also faces global competition, market liberalisation, rapid technological advances and the starter of stricter quality and safety procedures, all of which require firms to take greater risks.
Design/methodology/approach
This study explores this relationship by applying generalised least square (GLS), random effect methodologies (REM) and generalised method of moments (GMM).
Findings
The findings report a favourable relationship between firm performance and corporate risk-taking using a sample of firms from an emerging market.
Research limitations/implications
The effects of these results for management practice and recommendations for further research were examined.
Originality/value
While this empirical study used a sample focused on a single industry, most previous studies focused on multiple industries. The originality of this study is its analysis of how firm performance affects corporate risk-taking in the Malaysian agriculture sector.
Details
Keywords
Noureddine Benlagha and Wael Hemrit
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.
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Originality/value
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.