Search results

1 – 10 of 12
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Edoghogho Ogbeifun, Charles Mbohwa and Jan-Harm C. Pretorius

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of effective communication and the use of customer-friendly periodic report as tools for managing cordial relationship between…

3617

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of effective communication and the use of customer-friendly periodic report as tools for managing cordial relationship between facilities management (FM) operatives and their customers. FM functions require effective management of the relationships between the customers, workplace interface and support facilities, to facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the organisation. This suggests that FM operatives should continuously marry their performance priorities with the customers’ priorities and perception; otherwise, the FM operatives may be toiling without objective recognition of service or achieve improved customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study method of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected using the combination of in-depth interviews and evaluation of FM’s periodic reports from two universities in South Africa.

Findings

The FM units in both universities have a suitable operational system and use a modern computer-aided FM tool. However, the units have not been able to manage relationships with customers, largely because they have not been able to “deliver on promise” and have not learnt to use the soft skills of effective communication. The quality of the periodic reports from the units does not provide sufficient educative information for the end-users; the structure is not stakeholders-friendly.

Originality/value

The paper identifies that though FM units spend considerable time in the development, maintenance and effective running of support facilities, they pay little attention to documentation, reporting and use of the soft skills of effective communication, which are necessary ingredients for improved customer relationships.

Details

Facilities, vol. 34 no. 13/14
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 10 July 2017

Edoghogho Ogbeifun, Charles Mbohwa and Jan-Harm C. Pretorius

There are latent fears that in a Delphi exercise, the opinions of participants might be impaired due to the proximity of other participants. However, the thoughtful selection of…

535

Abstract

Purpose

There are latent fears that in a Delphi exercise, the opinions of participants might be impaired due to the proximity of other participants. However, the thoughtful selection of participants and effective communication during the process can guarantee the independence of the participants’ opinions. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The single site case study method was adopted and the participants for the Delphi exercise were chosen from the strategic and tactical levels of leadership. The professional, positional experience and responsibilities of the participants guaranteed the quality of their opinions.

Findings

Although some of the facilities management participants are from the same division, the data collected demonstrate the opinions of independent minds, thus guaranteeing that consensus was achieved without complicity.

Originality/value

The research shows that it is possible to achieve consensus of opinion in a Delphi exercise without complicity, even when the participants know each other. This can be achieved through the painstaking selection of appropriate participants, the skills of the research coordinator and transparent communication between the rounds and in the final report.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 66 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 July 2024

Michael Chuba Okika, Andre Vermeulen and Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius

This study aims to comprehensively identify supply chain risks and their causes, the factors influencing supply chain management and techniques to successfully mitigate and…

1184

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to comprehensively identify supply chain risks and their causes, the factors influencing supply chain management and techniques to successfully mitigate and control supply chain risks in construction projects. This study developed a comprehensive framework showing various supply chain risks and how these risks that influence project execution are systematically identified and managed for the overall construction project success.

Design/methodology/approach

The research conducted was characterised by its descriptive, exploratory and quantitative nature. The collection of quantitative data was conducted by means of structured online questionnaires. The sample consisted of 205 construction project professionals who were selected randomly. This group included individuals with various roles in the construction industry, such as project managers, civil/structural engineers mechanical engineers, risk managers, architects, quantity surveyors, electrical engineers, construction managers, health, safety and environment managers, estate managers and other professionals. All participants were actively involved in construction projects located in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The data was analysed, using descriptive statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability assessment and calculations of frequencies and percentages.

Findings

The result showed that predictable delivery, funding schedule, inventories, balanced demands, production capabilities, timely procurement, construction supply chain management coordination, delivery reliability, the proximity of suppliers, identification of supply chain risks in the conceptualisation stage of a project, identification of supply chain risks in the planning stage of a project, identification of supply chain risks in the execution stage and the reconciliation of material flows of the subcontractors with the contractors were identified as the key factors that influenced the construction supply chain management the most. The result also showed that subcontractor’s negative attitudes towards supply chain management, procurement delays, imbalanced demands, clients’ negative attitudes towards other project stakeholders, unpredictable delivery reliability, disorganised construction supply chain management approach, delayed funding, low delivery reliability, poor inventories, poor construction supply chain co-ordination, suppliers’ negative attitudes towards supply chain management and when the material flows of the subcontractors with the contractors are not reconciled were identified as the factors that have the greatest impacts on construction supply chain risks management.

Research limitations/implications

For future research, it is recommended to incorporate fourth industrial revolution) such as machine learning prediction models and algorithms, Artificial intelligence and blockchain to identify and manage supply chain, supply chain risks and project stakeholders involved in supply chain in construction projects. Green construction or sustainable construction was not fully covered in this study. The findings will be beneficial for sustainable construction projects in developing countries for sustainability, although it did not extensively cover green buildings and related risks.

Practical implications

Supply chain risk is one of the major challenges facing the construction industry because construction projects are complex by nature involving a lot of activities and participants with different responsibilities and tasks therefore it is highly recommended to implement the proposed frameworks in this paper from the conceptualisation stage to the execution stage, carefully identifying parties involved in supply chain, supply chain management, stakeholders, tasks, activities, responsibilities and supply chain risks generated as a result of the interactions between stakeholders involved in supply chain management and coordination to realise project objectives. The findings will be a foundation for identifying and managing supply risks in sustainable buildings in developing countries.

Social implications

Supply chain management is crucial in every enterprise. Managing supply chain risks is a major aspect of risk and disaster management and this implies that supply chain excellence is achievable by building communication, trust and mutual objectives, no blame culture, performance measurement, constant improvement and partnering.

Originality/value

The implementation of construction supply chain risk management framework involves assessing the impacts of these supply chain risks on the objectives of construction projects with respect to time, cost, safety, health, environment, stakeholders, financial performance, client satisfaction and quality.

Details

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction , vol. 30 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-4387

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 2 December 2022

Makungu Meriot Chavalala, Surajit Bag, Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius and Muhammad Sabbir Rahman

The cold supply chain industry is still emerging and digital transformation is in the nascent stage in this industry. This paper argues that there are various barriers to…

1149

Abstract

Purpose

The cold supply chain industry is still emerging and digital transformation is in the nascent stage in this industry. This paper argues that there are various barriers to implementing blockchain technology in the cold supply chain and aims to develop and validate a model for overcoming key barriers to implementing blockchain technology in the cold supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The adoption of blockchain technology was proposed through interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and further it is validated using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

In this study, ten key barriers to implementing blockchain technology in the cold supply chain were identified, modelled and analysed. Poor leadership style of top management was found to be the most important barriers to implementing blockchain technology in the cold supply chain. The results of SEM indicate that all the paths are supported. The findings showcase the barriers responsible for the lack of blockchain technology infrastructure that ultimately impacts the cold supply chains.

Practical implications

This study highlights the fact that the fate of blockchain technology infrastructure development depends on the leadership style of top management. Demonstrating good leadership style by top management can help overcome the barriers. A good leader pulls the entire team instead of pushing the team. A good leader can guide the entire team to improve IT governance, financial investment, digital footprint, digital readiness, skills and collaboration with service providers to implement blockchain technology. Not only that, a good leader provides mental strength to the team and helps overcome the fear of implementing blockchain in the cold supply chain. A good leader demonstrates good administrative skills and focus on security and privacy policies.

Originality/value

This is a novel contribution towards analysing the key barriers to implementing blockchain technology in the South African cold supply chain using the integrated ISM–MICMAC and SEM approach.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 37 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 16 July 2020

Surajit Bag and Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius

The digital revolution has brought many challenges and opportunities for the manufacturing firms. The impact of Industry 4.0 technology adoption on sustainable manufacturing and…

7603

Abstract

Purpose

The digital revolution has brought many challenges and opportunities for the manufacturing firms. The impact of Industry 4.0 technology adoption on sustainable manufacturing and circular economy has been under-researched. This paper aims to review the latest articles in the area of Industry 4.0, sustainable manufacturing and circular economy and further developed a research framework showing key paths.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research is performed in two stages. In the first stage, a review of the extant literature is performed to identify the barriers, drivers, challenges and opportunities. In the second stage, a research framework is proposed to integrate Industry 4.0 technology (big data analytics powered artificial intelligence) adoption, sustainable manufacturing and circular economy capabilities.

Findings

This research extends the knowledge base by providing a detailed review of Industry 4.0, sustainable manufacturing, and circular economy and proposes a research framework by integrating these three contemporary concepts in the context of supply chain management. Through an exploration of this integrative research framework, the authors propose a future research agenda and seven research propositions.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to understand the interplay between institutional pressures, tangible resources and human skills for Industry 4.0 technology (big data analytics powered artificial intelligence) adoption. Industry 4.0 technology (big data analytics powered artificial intelligence) adoption can positively influence sustainable manufacturing and circular economy capabilities. Managers must also put more attention to sustainable manufacturing to develop circular economic capabilities.

Social implications

Factory workers and the local communities generally suffer from various adverse effects resulting from the traditional manufacturing process. The quality of the environment is deteriorating to such an extent that people even staying miles away from the factory are also affected due to environmental pollution that is generated from factory operations. Hence, sustainable manufacturing is the only choice left to manufacturers that can help in the transition to a circular economy. The research framework can help firms to enhance circular economy capabilities.

Originality/value

This review paper contains the most updated work on Industry 4.0, sustainable manufacturing and circular economy. It also proposes a research framework to integrate these three concepts.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Edoghogho Ogbeifun, Charles Mbohwa and Jan-Harm Christiaan Pretorius

All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects…

388

Abstract

Purpose

All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects due to age, usage, and other factors, requires extensive maintenance activities known as renovation. The data used for a typical renovation plan can be collected using the condition assessment (CA) tool which depends on physical inspection of the defects or through a facility condition index which hinges on harnessing and analyzing the information in the operational history of the facility. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of a typical renovation plan using both tools.

Design/methodology/approach

The single case study of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected through the principle of semi-structured questionnaire complemented with interviews and document analysis. The documents include periodic operational reports and a CA report used for planned renovation exercise of the Facilities Management (FM) Unit in a higher education institution in South Africa.

Findings

The findings revealed that although the FM Unit produces periodic reports, but there was no evidence of detailed analysis of the reports. Therefore, the programmed renovation exercises are based purely on the information from a CA.

Research limitations/implications

This research is a single site case study of qualitative research; the data collected are limited and not sufficient for generalization of the results. Furthermore, the lack of record of the analysis of the operational history in the periodic reports negatively affected the computation of facilities condition index (FCI). Thus it was not possible to demonstrate the strength of FCI over CA from empirical information.

Originality/value

The quality of a typical renovation plan is influenced by the tool used for data collection. Although the CA tool is commonly used, experience shows that the renovation exercise developed from such records is prone to many execution setbacks, such as frequent scope changes and the associated cost and time overruns. These setbacks can be minimized if the FCI is used as the tool for data collection.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 18 July 2022

Gautam Srivastava, Surajit Bag, Muhammad Sabbir Rahman, Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius and Mohammad Osman Gani

The negative influence of gamification on online communities has received little attention in the available literature. The study examines the adverse effects of gamification…

1331

Abstract

Purpose

The negative influence of gamification on online communities has received little attention in the available literature. The study examines the adverse effects of gamification during engaging in online communities.

Design/methodology/approach

Gap-spotting methods were used to develop the research questions, followed by model development using the social exchange and social-network theories. Data were collected from 429 samples. The study applied partial least squares structural equation modeling to test the research hypotheses followed by ANN application.

Findings

The study identified five factors related to gamification that have a significant adverse effect on the mental and emotional well-being of the users. Furthermore, the results of PLS-SEM were then compared through an artificial neural network (ANN) analytic process, revealing consistency for the model. This research presents a theoretical contribution by providing critical insights into online gamers' mental and emotional health. It implies that gamification can even bring mental and emotional disturbance. The resulting situation might lead to undesirable social consequences.

Practical implications

The result highlights the managerial and social relevance from the perspective of a developing country. As respondents are becoming more engrossed in online gaming, managers and decision-makers need to take preventive measures to overcome the dark side of online gaming.

Originality/value

The present study shows that the dark side of gamification has some adverse effects on human mental and emotional health. The study's findings can be used to improve gamification strategies while engaging online communities.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 30 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 28 May 2021

Surajit Bag, Pavitra Dhamija, Jan Harm Christiaan Pretorius, Abdul Hannan Chowdhury and Mihalis Giannakis

The authors aim to investigate whether ability electronic human resource management (e-HRM) practices, opportunity enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM can…

2377

Abstract

Purpose

The authors aim to investigate whether ability electronic human resource management (e-HRM) practices, opportunity enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM can possibly lead to development of sustainable e-HRM systems. Finally, the authors also examined if sustainable e-HRM systems can enhance firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The model was developed using dynamic capability view perspective. The study tests theoretical model and presents findings by analysing data (partial least squares structural equation modelling method) gathered from 151 South African firms.

Findings

The findings indicate that ability enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM practices can result in development of sustainable e-HRM systems, and findings also indicate that sustainable e-HRM systems can improve firm performance.

Practical implications

Emphasis is required on ability enhancing e-HRM practices and motivation enhancing e-HRM practices to develop sustainable e-HRM systems. Once workforce understand the complete benefits of e-HRM, they will start using this system on a regular basis for activities including goal setting, and performance measurement. The development of sustainable e-HRM systems will improve firm performance especially from cost control and customer satisfaction perspective.

Originality/value

This study advances the conceptual debate in the e-HRM domain through the development and testing of theoretical model.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 43 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Harm-Jan Steenhuis and Leon Pretorius

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into whether additive manufacturing (AM) represents incremental, radical, disruptive innovation or an industrial revolution and its…

3882

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into whether additive manufacturing (AM) represents incremental, radical, disruptive innovation or an industrial revolution and its implications.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a desk research strategy. Data were collected through a variety of industry sources as well as academic publications.

Findings

It was found that AM represents different innovations in different settings, while it represents incremental innovation in one industry, it has led to radical changes in other industries. There are also indications that it has a disruptive nature and some of the developments appear to be of the industrial revolutionary type, i.e. they cause fundamental shifts in society. Some explanation for the observed differences can come from different performance objectives.

Research limitations/implications

The spread of AM has been limited due to initial intellectual property protection. That means that while illustrations and examples were found for the different types of innovations, the level in which AM will ultimately penetrate manufacturing industries and society overall is not (yet) known. This calls for continued research for instance to study, in-depth, the adoption characteristics of AM in very specific settings.

Practical implications

Manufacturing is undergoing many changes as a consequence of the AM innovation. Many manufacturing industries have already been impacted through incremental changes as well as radical changes to entire industry dynamics. Manufacturers are advised to carefully monitor the continuous innovations in the technological capabilities of AM and their competitive and strategic consequences for adoption decisions.

Social implications

AM has an impact on many aspects of society because it affects many industries and enables household manufacturing. It has also affected education, i.e. the current generation of students in terms of skill requirements, and leads to legal difficulties in terms of intellectual property.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of the AM innovation and the widespread implications for different manufacturing industries and society at large.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Harm-Jan Steenhuis and Leon Pretorius

The purpose of this paper is to explore what underlies the development of the consumer 3D printing industry and gain insight into future developments and its potentially…

3492

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore what underlies the development of the consumer 3D printing industry and gain insight into future developments and its potentially disruptive impact on the existing manufacturing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of approaches was followed. Initially a consumer 3D printer was purchased to gain first-hand experience as part of a practical research case study. Results were discussed with manufacturers and additional information was sought, and triangulated, via a survey and an exploratory bibliometric study.

Findings

Many characteristics are in place to identify consumer 3D printing as a potential disruptive technology for the manufacturing industry. For example, the cost of consumer 3D printing is lower than for traditional manufacturing. However, the current adoption rate is low and the user friendliness and technological capabilities need to improve.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation is the exploratory nature of the study which does not allow generalizations.

Practical implications

If developments and adoption patterns continue, then traditional manufacturing industries, distribution channels and the transportation sector may become threatened.

Social implications

Technological advances in consumer manufacturing can potentially threaten several economic sectors, which can lead to loss of jobs and affect budgets of states of countries that depend on sales tax.

Originality/value

One of the first studies to employ experiments in combination with other methods to gain insight into adoption patterns and the disruptive nature of consumer 3D printers specifically, rather than industrial 3D printers or new business models as a result of 3D printing technology.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 27 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

1 – 10 of 12
Per page
102050