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Article
Publication date: 3 November 2021

Tony Bush, Mofoluwake Fadare, Tamuka Chirimambowa, Emmanuel Enukorah, Daniel Musa, Hala Nur, Tatenda Nyawo and Maureen Shipota

The purpose of the paper is to report the findings of a synthesis of literature reviews and stakeholder interviews conducted in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to report the findings of a synthesis of literature reviews and stakeholder interviews conducted in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The synthesis provides an overview of instructional leadership policy and practice in these six countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports the findings of a systematic literature review, and participant interviews, in six sub-Sahara African countries. The research links to the British Council's initiative to develop instructional leadership in developing contexts, including the six countries featured in this submission.

Findings

The findings show diverse policy and practice of instructional leadership in these African contexts. Three have no explicit policies on this important leadership construct, while the others have relevant policy statements but limited evidence of instructional leadership practice.

Research limitations/implications

The research provides an overview of instructional leadership policy and practice in these six countries, but more school-based research is required to develop grounded evidence on whether and how this is practiced. The pandemic inhibited such school-based research in 2020. The study provides emerging evidence of the impact of instructional leadership on school and student outcomes, confirming what is known from international research.

Practical implications

Developing awareness of how instructional leadership can improve student learning, linked to appropriate training, could lead to more effective schools.

Social implications

The Sustainable Development Goals stress the importance of high quality education for economic and social development. Leadership is an important aspect of quality, and the research reported in this paper shows the potential for instructional leadership to enhance student learning.

Originality/value

This is the first cross-national study of instructional leadership in sub-Saharan Africa.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

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Article
Publication date: 8 February 2016

Dawa Dolma Bhutia, Yeka Zhimo, Ramen Kole and Jayanta Saha

The purpose of this paper was to determine the antifungal activities of different solvent extracts of common plants in vitro and in vivo against banana anthracnose fungus…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to determine the antifungal activities of different solvent extracts of common plants in vitro and in vivo against banana anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum musae (Berk & M.A. Curtis) Arx, and to investigate its effects on the pathogen and identify the bio active component(s).

Design/methodology/approach

Extracts were obtained from leaves, tender shoots, rhizomes, bulbs, seeds and fruits of 42 naturally growing plant species following hot sequential extraction. Preliminary screening of the solvent extracts was done based on the inhibition of radial mycelial growth of C. musae following poison food technique and conidial germination inhibition by cavity slide technique. The selected extracts were assessed for their effect on harvested banana in reducing anthracnose during storage. The active components in the bio-active fractions of plant extract were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy.

Findings

Methanol extracted a larger quantity of material (between 6.9 and 12.5 per cent) than hexane or chloroform, and all its extracts were active against the test pathogen with mycelial growth inhibition ranging from 13.70 to 88.89 per cent. Zingiber officinale rhizome extract as well as Polyalthia longifolia and Clerodendrum inerme leaf extracts exhibited more than 80 per cent inhibition of mycelial growth. Total inhibition of spore germination of C. musae was recorded in Z. officinale and P. longifolia extracts at 0.3 per cent w/v and 0.5 per cent w/v concentration, respectively, while only 68 per cent spore inhibition was recorded in C. inerme at 0.5 per cent w/v concentration. Of the three plant species, Z. officinale had the best antifungal activity (18.0 per cent disease incidence; 2.2 disease severity scale) when banana fruits were dipped in the extract at a concentration of 0.5 per cent w/v at 5 days of storage in ambient condition (80-82 per cent R.H., 27 ± 1°C). The bio-active compounds in the extract of Z. officinale were identified as alpha-curcumene and zingerone.

Originality/value

Based on the antifungal activity, plant extract of Z. officinale can be used as an effective alternative to chemicals in controlling anthracnose pathogen in harvested banana.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 46 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

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Article
Publication date: 2 May 2019

Daniel Amos, Zairul Nisham Musa and Cheong Peng Au-Yong

The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of facilities management (FM) performance measurement (PM) research within the past two decades to understand…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of facilities management (FM) performance measurement (PM) research within the past two decades to understand existing gaps in FM PM literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs a systematic approach to review papers in FM PM published from 1997 to 2017. The articles published in selected peer-reviewed international journals in the last 20 years were collected by conducting literature search in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The content of the papers were scrutinized to understand the gap in literature.

Findings

The review depicts a slow pace of FM PM research characterized by diverse and fragmented performance measures, whereas the existing PM frameworks are at the nascent stage.

Research limitations/implications

The judgments of the paper are based on the 54 papers selected for the critical review and analysis that should be treated as key issues in FM PM research agenda. The review also excludes energy management.

Originality/value

The paper identifies the gaps in the current PM literature in FM and set propositions for future research which is of utility and relevance to FM researchers more especially on the existing conceptual frameworks. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to conduct a review on FM PM in the extant literature.

Details

Property Management, vol. 37 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

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Article
Publication date: 21 April 2020

Daniel Amos, Zairul Nisham Musa and Cheong Peng Au-Yong

The purpose of this paper is to explore and establish key performance indicators that could be considered towards improving the delivery of waste management (WM) services in…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and establish key performance indicators that could be considered towards improving the delivery of waste management (WM) services in public hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was adopted for this study. This involved two phases of data collection and analysis. Specifically, interviews in selected case studies hospitals and a general questionnaire survey. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to model the relationships among the performance variables. An expanded balanced scorecard typology was used to categorize performance variables.

Findings

The results demonstrate that quality and internal business strategic indicators have a significant influence on WM performance. By implication, public hospital managers would be well advised to invest resources in improving internal business operations, learning and growths, as well as prioritizing finance in the process of managing healthcare waste.

Practical implications

The developed WM structural model can be used to identify performance indicators that can be incorporated into public hospitals’ WM strategy to improve performance leading to a decent healthcare environment.

Originality/value

The majority of studies have centered on the knowledge and practices of healthcare WM. This study extends the knowledge of healthcare WM literature from the perspective of FM performance measurement. The developed model of the study is invaluable to many developing countries that are faced with the challenge of improving WM practices.

Details

Facilities, vol. 38 no. 9/10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

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Article
Publication date: 19 November 2020

Daniel Amos, Cheong Peng Au-Yong and Zairul Nisham Musa

This paper aims to present a review of the current COVID-19 pandemic with particular emphasis on developing countries in Africa. It aims to demonstrate how facilities management…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a review of the current COVID-19 pandemic with particular emphasis on developing countries in Africa. It aims to demonstrate how facilities management (FM) services delivery in public hospitals can be improved for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper embraces a review of current literature on COVID-19 and FM together with credible media updates. The paper critically synthesizes knowledge on the pandemic to position a technical view on how FM can be improved in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges and realities to the health-care system of most African countries. Despite the significant efforts being made by various governments, there appears to be a lack of a coherent and strategic FM plan to fight the pandemic. To create the necessary antivirus built environment, actionable and timely FM interventions are needed.

Research limitations/implications

The report herein is case guarded, based on the prevailing data and information as at the time of writing the paper. Nevertheless, the recommendations from the paper are useful for a worse future trajectory of the pandemic.

Practical implications

Knowledge of the proposed interventions will inform and assist health-care facilities managers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

The paper presents the first step towards encapsulating knowledge on FM and the COVID-19 pandemic. It sets forth recommendations that are useful for most developing countries’ public hospitals’ FM practices in the fight against this global pandemic. The authors intend to follow-up with future empirical studies for more objective assessments of FM and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management , vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

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Article
Publication date: 28 May 2020

Daniel Amos, Cheong Peng Au-Yong and Zairul Nisham Musa

Key performance indicators (KPIs) help to monitor performance, thereby revealing the gap between planned and executed results relative to organizational objectives. The purpose of…

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Abstract

Purpose

Key performance indicators (KPIs) help to monitor performance, thereby revealing the gap between planned and executed results relative to organizational objectives. The purpose of this paper is to develop KPIs for performance measurement of facilities management (FM) services in public hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a comprehensive literature review of KPIs in FM, a set of KPIs were first selected. This was then subjected to content validation by experts. Thereafter a questionnaire survey was conducted to identify participants perception on the level of importance of the proposed KPIs. The main analytical tool used was SPSS factor analysis/principal component extraction.

Findings

Adapting an expanded balanced scorecard typology, the paper identifies 17 KPIs, which are useful for performance improvement of FM. The study also introduces new financial dimensions beyond the traditional cost and profit-centered metrics.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to three FM services. Although the results of the Kruskal–Wallis test shows no significant difference in the level of importance on more than 80% of the indicators, larger sample is required in future studies to examine indicator preference for the respective services. An empirical study to test the proposed indicators to measure FM performance could also be a next step.

Originality/value

The paper presents the first step to develop performance indicators, which are of relevance to FM performance measurement and could be utilized to improve performance. The indicators are largely generic and can easily be adapted by other FM service sectors for performance measurement.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 27 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

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Article
Publication date: 9 August 2021

Daniel Amos, Cheong Peng Au-Yong and Zairul Nisham Musa

With rising health-care costs and the financial constraints in most developing countries, prioritization of needs have become an issue of strategic importance in public hospitals…

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Abstract

Purpose

With rising health-care costs and the financial constraints in most developing countries, prioritization of needs have become an issue of strategic importance in public hospitals. As a result, there is the intense competition of scare resources between core health care and non-core facilities management (FM) services. Given that financial resources are needed to facilitate the smooth operation of the FM department, this paper aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of finance on the relationship between service quality and performance of hospital FM services.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a quantitative approach following a general questionnaire survey which was conducted on the research population. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationships between service quality and performance of hospital FM services.

Findings

The study highlights the relevance of service quality to improving FM performance and demonstrate the direct and indirect influence of finance to ensure quality FM services delivery to improve core health care outcomes in hospitals.

Practical implications

The result of this study should motivate hospital management to prioritize attention on FM in scare resources management in public hospitals to create and maintain a decent health-care environment for better health outcomes. Further, managerial commitment to facilitate employee training, empowerment, incentives, awards and compensation should be strengthened in the quest of ensuring quality services delivery.

Originality/value

The paper extends knowledge by mediating the influence of finance on the relationship between service quality and FM performance. Proposes a parsimonious financial mediation framework which can easily be adaptable to several developing countries health-care FM management.

Details

Facilities , vol. 40 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

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Article
Publication date: 25 June 2019

Ernest Kissi, Odoi Ansah Asare, Kofi Agyekum, Daniel Yamoah Agyemang and Musah Labaran

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the interaction effects among organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), work overload (WO) and employees’ performance in the Ghanaian…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the interaction effects among organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), work overload (WO) and employees’ performance in the Ghanaian construction industry, thus identifying the thin boundary between advocating OCB and avoiding WO in attempt to increase higher employee performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative research method, three hypotheses were tested. The views of 86 project teams were elicited using a structured questionnaire, and linear regression was utilized to validate the hypotheses.

Findings

The study proved that OCBs positively affect employee performance in the construction industry. The results implied that increased work load on employees do not increase their productivity levels, but adversely increase the unconsiderable effects of employees’ work lives. In addition, WO played the role of homologizing moderation in the relationship between OCB and employee performance.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that there is a considerable effect of WO on overall employee performance in the construction industry; thus, there is a need for stakeholders to address this issue for performance improvement.

Originality/value

The application and investigation of these issues have dominated the banking industry but lacked in the construction industry. The current study therefore provides useful insight into the interaction effects among organizational citizenship behavior, WO and employees’ performance in the Ghanaian construction industry.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 68 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

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Article
Publication date: 10 July 2017

Moosa Mohammed, Elsadig Musa Ahmed and R.N. Anantharaman

This study illustrates the intention to implement total quality management (TQM) applications in Oman’s Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The purpose of this paper is to examine the…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study illustrates the intention to implement total quality management (TQM) applications in Oman’s Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of TQM implementation on the MOJ’s work performance (WP).

Design/methodology/approach

The study modified the TQM efficiency model by including new variables that had been ignored by previous studies. As a result, 320 questionnaires have been collected, and the study employed partial least squares for primary data analysis to test the research model.

Findings

Customer focused performance is an important factor that has a direct relationship with WP. However, the findings guide the explanation that there are other factors of TQM that have a direct effect on WP, and this research is directed at future research to select more profound factors of TQM.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this study is that the analysis of the main study was based on the intention to implement TQM to replace the current management system’s practice at Oman’s MOJ.

Originality/value

This study is considered to be one of the significant studies related to the effect of testing intention to implement TQM on WP of Oman’s MOJ.

Details

World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-5961

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Book part
Publication date: 12 July 2021

Zulkiflee Ibrahim, Abu Bakar Fadzil, Amat Sairin Demun, Mazlin Jumain, Md Ridzuan Makhtar, Noraliani Alias, Nurfarhain Mohamed Rusli and Fenny Baseng

The Best Management Practices for Sustainable Urban Drainage System including On-Site Detention have been introduced in the Storm Water Management Manual for Malaysia. Flash…

Abstract

The Best Management Practices for Sustainable Urban Drainage System including On-Site Detention have been introduced in the Storm Water Management Manual for Malaysia. Flash floods are becoming frequent in the urbanised areas in this country. Inefficient drainage system has been highlighted as one of the factors. Urban drains were reported incapable of coping with the unexpected heavy rainfall. Concrete drains are favourable in construction industry for economic reasons. An experimental research was conducted out to investigate the effectiveness of infiltration integration with drainage system to reduce flash flood. This laboratory research was conducted in the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Experiments were performed for selected drainage bed slopes and focussed on several spacing between precast drain sections along the system. The total and infiltrated flow rates, water surface and velocity profiles were examined. The results showed that drain flow rates were reduced by 60.9%–89.6% when the spacing between drain sections were enlarged. Meanwhile, the flow depths in drain sections were dropped by 48.2%–68.9%, and the water velocity was lowered up to 49% as the spacing between drain sections were increased. The study found that the drainage bed slope also influenced the performance of the infiltrated concrete drainage system.

Details

Water Management and Sustainability in Asia
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-114-3

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