Prachi Vinod Ingle, Gangadhar Mahesh and Deepak M.D.
The construction industry is facing challenges because of performance shortfalls. Construction projects are highly complex, distinctive, fragmented and do not have…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is facing challenges because of performance shortfalls. Construction projects are highly complex, distinctive, fragmented and do not have well-established performance assessment models to evaluate their project success. The purpose of this paper is to assess the direction through determination of performance areas that would affect project performance in Indian construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey instrument was developed to gather data on the perception of industry professionals on these identified areas. Purposive sampling method was used to select respondents for the survey. These performance areas are ranked using relative importance index to ascertain a level of importance among the group. Factor analysis (FA) was conducted to identify the significant performance areas project performance. Further to identify the most influence performance areas on Indian construction projects, multiple regression analysis was carried out.
Findings
Findings indicated 28 significant performance areas. This shows the low level of adoption of good construction management practices in Indian construction projects. FA resulted in the areas being grouped to nine broad significant performance areas with 59.49% of the total variance, namely, quality, schedule, environment and stakeholder satisfactions, cost, productivity, safety, communication management, customer relations and finance. Multiple regression analysis revealed two pivotal factors “customer relations” and “schedule” that significantly influence project performance in Indian construction industry.
Originality/value
The outcome of the study will guide project stakeholders, who desire to improve project performance on construction projects, to prioritize their efforts. It also highlights performance areas of project management which required more focussed research in the context of Indian construction projects. The findings can be extended to the developing countries.
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Abraham Aboneh and Gangadhar Mahesh
Small and medium contractors (SMCs) play a significant role in socioeconomic development. Their strong links with other sectors of the economy have a multiplier effect on any…
Abstract
Purpose
Small and medium contractors (SMCs) play a significant role in socioeconomic development. Their strong links with other sectors of the economy have a multiplier effect on any country’s growth. However, the construction business, especially for SMCs, is not an easy business as several roadblocks affect their sustenance. This study aims to examine the factors affecting the sustainable competency of SMCs emerging from the business environment in which the Ethiopian construction industry (CI) operates.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review was conducted to identify 39 factors arising from five core sources (i.e. government policies, regulatory frameworks, industry networks, competitive bidding culture and construction technology and innovation). A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather industry stakeholders’ perceptions of the identified factors, and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Findings
Findings indicate 37 significant factors affecting sustainable competency arising from five sources, and the top factors from their respective sources were unfavorable financial policy; unfavorable economic regulatory framework; lack of trust between parties in the industry; inability of SMCs to compete with bigger construction companies; and poor linkages between CI and research and development institutions. Furthermore, factor analysis identified 12 components, and the top ones were competition and uncertainties in the supply chain; unsuitable bidding environment; and ineffective industry networks.
Originality/value
The findings will contribute to the body of knowledge on the factors affecting the sustainable competency of SMCs in the Ethiopian CI. They also indicate priority areas of competitiveness improvement and have implications for decision-makers.
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The purpose of this paper is to identify the modes of digital content creation for digital libraries and discuss the associated copyright issues with the types of digital content.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the modes of digital content creation for digital libraries and discuss the associated copyright issues with the types of digital content.
Design/methodology/approach
Prevalent copyright laws in India in the context of digital content have been studied and issues related to specific types of digital content have been discussed.
Findings
In addition to two known types of digital content, namely born digital and turned digital, a third type, gained digital has been delineated. It is found that extant copyright laws, particularly in India, allow scope for forming opinions with regard to digital content thereby giving room for insecurity for digital content creators.
Research limitations/implications
Copyright laws in the context of World Intellectual Property Organization and India only have been discussed.
Practical implications
The paper will be useful to digital content creators and digital library managers/administrators to understand copyright issues relevant to the digital library.
Originality/value
The classification of digital libraries based on content as has been delineated in this paper is an original work and has reported for the first time. The linking of digital content with the copyright issues makes it useful.
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Lerato Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Douglas Aghimien
In the quest for better construction workforce management, this chapter explored the background of workforce management and related theories, models, and practices. Through a…
Abstract
In the quest for better construction workforce management, this chapter explored the background of workforce management and related theories, models, and practices. Through a review, the chapter provided meaning to the concept of construction and workforce management. The chapter concluded that while the construction industry worldwide is important to the economic growth of the countries where it operates, the industry’s management of its workforce is challenged by several problems. These problems include the nature of the industry, skill shortage, unhealthy working environment, and poor image of the industry, among others. Also, while the construction industry is rich in diversity, this has been a major source of problems for workforce management. The chapter further revealed that to improve workforce management and attain better-performing construction organisations, careful recruitment, effective training, providing a safe working environment, putting policies to promote diversity, and ensuring innovativeness, among others, are essential.
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Lerato Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Douglas Aghimien
The current era of the fourth industrial revolution has attracted significant research on the use of digital technologies in improving construction project delivery. However, less…
Abstract
The current era of the fourth industrial revolution has attracted significant research on the use of digital technologies in improving construction project delivery. However, less emphasis has been placed on how these digital tools will influence the management of the construction workforce. To this end, using a review of existing works, this chapter explores the fourth industrial revolution and its associated technologies that can positively impact the management of the construction workforce when implemented. Also, the possible challenges that might truncate the successful deployment of digital technologies for effective workforce management were explored. The chapter submitted that implementing workforce management-specific digital platforms and other digital technologies designed for project delivery can aid effective workforce management within construction organisations. Technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, big data analytics, robotics and automation, and artificial intelligence, among others, offer significant benefits to the effective workforce management of construction organisations. However, several challenges, such as resistance to change due to fear of job loss, cost of investment in digital tools, organisational structure and culture, must be carefully considered as they might affect the successful use of digital tools and by extension, impact the success of workforce management in the organisations.
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Desalegn Girma Mengistu, Daniel Alemayehu Ashene and Handebo Ayele Halabo
The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and potential improvement mechanisms for the development of technology and innovation in the Ethiopian construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and potential improvement mechanisms for the development of technology and innovation in the Ethiopian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were adopted. While a structured questionnaire was used for the quantitative data collection, semi-structured interview was used for qualitative data collection. In analyzing the quantitative data, mean score was used to rank the variables and factor analysis was conducted to identify the underlying dimensions of the research constructs. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically focusing on specific objectives of the study; the challenges and improvement mechanisms of technology and innovation development.
Findings
The findings indicate that the major challenges are nature of the industry and lack of awareness, weak capacity of companies and the regulatory instruments, inadequate tender duration and poor monitoring and controlling practice. The suggested improvement mechanisms are effective coordination of the process and awareness creation, promoting technology and innovation in the procurement process and technology and innovation consideration in construction project registration.
Originality/value
Effectiveness of construction industry improvement programmes is affected by inappropriateness of the adopted implementation mechanisms. Understanding the operating environment; the enablers and potential barriers, is important for the success of any envisioned improvement programme. The improvement framework proposed by this study indicates the potential intervention areas and improvement mechanisms to effectively induce and enhance technology and innovation development in the construction industry. Major pillars of the improvement framework are improving regulatory framework, raising awareness and stakeholder engagement and continual monitoring and controlling of the practice.
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The construction projects tends to perform poorly. Non-integration of buildability into the project procurement process is one of the reasons for the observed poor performance. To…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction projects tends to perform poorly. Non-integration of buildability into the project procurement process is one of the reasons for the observed poor performance. To address this issue and close the gap in the existing knowledge, this paper proposes buildability-led procurement (BLP), a new procurement method for future construction projects in view to enhance buildability of complex private and public projects delivery as well as improving both organisation and project performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts qualitative research approach and uses an integrated literature review method to synthesise literature from diverse domain so as to propose a five-stage BLP plan for implementation in construction industry.
Findings
Based on the information gleaned from the literature review, a BLP model was conceptualised. Adoption of the BLP model would lead to significant improvement in project outcomes. The model’s main innovation lies in the possibility of providing an optimised design solution for the project at the design stage.
Originality/value
This study proposed an innovative procurement method with practical plan for implementation and the possibility for improved project performance in the construction industry. BLP model implementation may lead to reduced waste, rework and removal of obstacles experienced during the construction phase. The proposed model marks a new strategy in procurement which enables the delivery of best quality project within a reasonable and justifiable cost and time in complex private and public projects. Hence, it makes a valuable contribution towards the buildability enhancement of complex projects as well as organisation and project performance improvement.
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Nicholas Chileshe and Neema Kavishe
Implementation of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in African projects is inundated with a number of capacity building challenges which affects growth and project performance…
Abstract
Purpose
Implementation of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in African projects is inundated with a number of capacity building challenges which affects growth and project performance. Further, there is paucity of empirical studies on the strategies for overcoming these challenges. Therefore, this research addresses that knowledge gap by examining the human capacity building (HCB) strategies for improving PPP implementation in construction projects in developing countries, with a focus on Tanzania.
Design/methodology/approach
HCB strategies identified from the scoping review were administered to 81 handpicked Tanzanian practitioners attending PPP training course. To examine the differences in the perception of the identified HCB strategies, and the relationships between different pairs of the HCB strategies, the data were subjected descriptive statistics, parametric tests, Kendall’s concordance and Pearson correlational analysis, including group wise correlation analysis.
Findings
Based on the overall sample, “Engagement of stakeholders on capacity development”, “Organization of PPP seminars and training” and “Introduction of in-house training to Public institutions expected to undertake PPP projects” are the top ranked HCB strategies. “Development of study tours to stakeholders involved in PPP projects” is the least ranked. Significant differences between the sub-groups of “no PPP experience” and “some PPP experience” were evident for “Invitation of International experts to share experiences” and “Sharing of responsibilities” HCB strategies. The “no PPP experience” group rated both strategies higher than those with “some PPP experience”.
Practical implications
The identified HCB strategies can be used as a “road map” for the development of appropriate engagement strategies with various stakeholders for the successful implementation of PPP thereby, enhancing the performance of the construction firms.
Originality/value
Eight strategies have been identified from the literature and tested for the Tanzanian context. The uniqueness of Tanzanian PPP implementation context arising from varying cultural, organizational, political and economic conditions differentiates the priority of HCB strategies when compared to other contexts where these strategies were investigated. This is germane to the PPP research.
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Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Douglas Omoregie Aghimien, Wellington Didibhuku Thwala and Moleboheng Ntebo Ngozwana
This paper aims to determine the responses of construction organisations to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown and the impact on the South African…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine the responses of construction organisations to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown and the impact on the South African construction industry (SACI).
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative survey with responses sought from 825 contracting organisation’s representatives drawn from the database of the construction industry development board. The data gathered were analysed using percentage, mean item score and one-sample t-test. The reliability of the research instrument was also tested using the Cronbach alpha test.
Findings
Findings revealed that most construction organisations implemented a complete travel ban and halting all business operations on sites and offices in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. Furthermore, whilst most construction organisations envisage significant disruption in their project delivery, the problem of job losses was regarded as a short, medium and long-term impact of the pandemic. Loss of revenue, a decline in the economy and business interruption are also some of the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SACI.
Originality/value
The study’s findings give practical insights on the potential impact of the pandemic on the construction industry and the possible approach needed to help cushion the effect on the industry.
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Lerato Millicent Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Chimay J. Anumba and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
The South African construction industry (SACI) is a huge employer of labour as the industry depends mostly on human resources to carry out its activities. However, the industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The South African construction industry (SACI) is a huge employer of labour as the industry depends mostly on human resources to carry out its activities. However, the industry has also been noted for its poor workforce management and lack of attention to human resource management (HRM) issues. Therefore, this study aims to assess the challenges facing the effective management of the construction workforce in South Africa with a view to improving HRM activities in the industry and improve overall service delivery through an effectively managed workforce.
Design/methodology/approach
A pragmatic philosophical view using a mixed-method research design was adopted. The study’s qualitative strand was achieved through a Delphi, whilst the quantitative strand was achieved through a questionnaire survey. In addition, descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean item score, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were adopted for data analysis.
Findings
With high reliability, construct validity and model fit indices, the study found that for effective HRM to be attained within construction organisations, careful attention must be given to issues surrounding the nature of the industry, unhealthy working environment, employee-related issues, diversity and working condition in the industry.
Originality/value
Whilst several studies have been conducted on HRM, there is a lack of studies on the major challenges facing effective HRM in the SACI. The findings also offer future research studies a good theoretical platform to build upon.