A mathematical model for sustainable optimization is presented. The sustainability parameters are linked to end-of-life considerations in product design and development. The…
Abstract
A mathematical model for sustainable optimization is presented. The sustainability parameters are linked to end-of-life considerations in product design and development. The sustainability considerations such as total embodied energy, eco-materials selection, CO2 emission, cost savings due to recycling and reuse including the water savings are presented for helical compression springs used in mattresses.
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Nasir Bedewi Siraj, Aminah Robinson Fayek and Mohamed M. G. Elbarkouky
Most decision-making problems in construction are complex and difficult to solve, as they involve multiple criteria and multiple decision makers in addition to subjective…
Abstract
Most decision-making problems in construction are complex and difficult to solve, as they involve multiple criteria and multiple decision makers in addition to subjective uncertainties, imprecisions and vagueness surrounding the decision-making process. In many instances, the decision-making process is based on linguistic terms rather than numerical values. Hence, structured fuzzy consensus-reaching processes and fuzzy aggregation methods are instrumental in multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) problems for capturing the point of view of a group of experts. This chapter outlines different fuzzy consensus-reaching processes and fuzzy aggregation methods. It presents the background of the basic theory and formulation of these processes and methods, as well as numerical examples that illustrate their theory and formulation. Application areas of fuzzy consensus reaching and fuzzy aggregation in the construction domain are identified, and an overview of previously developed frameworks for fuzzy consensus reaching and fuzzy aggregation is provided. Finally, areas for future work are presented that highlight emerging trends and the imminent needs of fuzzy consensus reaching and fuzzy aggregation in the construction domain.
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Kamalendra Kumar Tripathi and Kumar Neeraj Jha
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the success attributes and success factors of the construction organisations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the success attributes and success factors of the construction organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
The viewpoints of the experts engaged in Indian construction industry were used to apply factor analysis and fuzzy preference relation with the help of a questionnaire survey.
Findings
The findings indicate that project factor is the most important factor, whereas favourable market and marketing team is the least important factor. Among the success attributes, the availability of qualified staff is the most important attribute, and health and safety management plan is the least important attribute.
Research limitations/implications
Findings of this study are based on the viewpoint of the experts of construction organisations engaged in building projects in India.
Practical implications
The study can be used as a yardstick for the top management of construction organisations to manage their resources efficiently and to develop a strategy to be successful in this business.
Social implications
Indian construction industry provides direct and indirect employment to the people of India. Hence, the success of construction organisation will contribute to the development of the society and ultimately the nation.
Originality/value
In the earlier studies, researchers have used various statistical tools to identify and evaluate the alternatives for the success factors of construction organisations, but very few of them have tried to assign weights to those alternatives. The simple ranking of alternatives using various statistical analyses, such as mean and standard deviation, relative importance index, etc., is not much useful unless their relative weights are known. With the help of the present study, the authors have tried to overcome the shortcomings of the previous research works.
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Vigneshkumar Chellappa, Vasundhara Srivastava and Urmi Ravindra Salve
Construction workers’ health and safety (CWHS) research in India has not gained much attention among researchers. This study aims to review articles related to CWHS research in…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction workers’ health and safety (CWHS) research in India has not gained much attention among researchers. This study aims to review articles related to CWHS research in India using a science mapping approach.
Design/methodology/approach
A total number of 64 journal articles published between 2004 and 2019 were extracted from the Scopus database using keywords including “construction safety,” “occupational health,” “ergonomics in construction,” etc. VOSviewer software was used to examine the influential keywords, documents, sources and authors in the field of CWHS.
Findings
The study found that most of the current work focuses on safety management, safety climate, safety performance, musculoskeletal disorders and behavior-based safety. The result indicates no theoretical basis for the theories and learning methods for the existing studies.
Practical implications
The findings open up a research gap that researchers explore to enhance workers’ health and safety within the Indian construction environment.
Originality/value
The paper is the first article to provide a better understanding of current research in the field of CWHS in India by analyzing its growth through the science mapping approach.
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Satish Kumar Viswanathan and Kumar Neeraj Jha
A number of previous studies have investigated international construction project risks and have proposed risk mitigation measures without examining their interdependence. The…
Abstract
Purpose
A number of previous studies have investigated international construction project risks and have proposed risk mitigation measures without examining their interdependence. The purpose of the current study is to identify the influence of various risk mitigation measures on macro-level risk factors in the international marketplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors initially identified 26 risk variables and nine risk mitigation measures through a literature review, which were then verified for their pertinence to international projects by three experts. Subsequently, 105 questionnaire survey responses were collected and analysed using factor analysis and structural equation modelling to test the interrelations between the risk variables and mitigation measures.
Findings
The findings suggest that joint ventures with local partners is emerged as the most critical risk mitigation measure that influences the international projects, which are exposed to political, project and firm-specific risk factors. Further, it is worth noting that among the recognised risk mitigation measures in international projects, offering more local employment is the least critical mitigation measure in the international projects.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study are based on the macro-risk factors encountered by Indian construction firms in international projects, mostly from specific Asian and African regions. Thus, the opinions of construction firms from the developed countries might be different.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this study to existing knowledge is empirical evidence of the interrelationships between risk mitigation measures and risk factors that are portrayed as latent variables of different manifest risk variables. The generated model can assist construction firms in emphasising several risk mitigation methods, in order to reduce risk and enhance performance in international construction projects.
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Liping Li, Chuan Chen, Igor Martek and Guanghua Li
Given their interrelationship, international market selection (IMS) and entry mode selection (EMS) must be considered jointly if an optimal entry strategy is to be realized…
Abstract
Purpose
Given their interrelationship, international market selection (IMS) and entry mode selection (EMS) must be considered jointly if an optimal entry strategy is to be realized. However, researchers in the field of international construction have the tendency to consider IMS and EMS independently or sequentially. Therefore, this paper aims to explore a holistic framework that can accommodate IMS and EMS concurrently and test it using empirical data.
Design/methodology/approach
his study includes theoretical and empirical research. In theoretical part, an integrated decision model of IMS and EMS is proposed adopting literature review and theoretical derivation, then hypotheses are developed for the impact of decision-making factors. In the latter part, the IMS and EMS of 54 Chinese contractors in 67 countries were investigated, empirical data are collected according to hypotheses, an ordinal logistic regression model is established for statistics analysis. Finally, findings are drawn by comparing literature-based hypotheses with data-based analysis results.
Findings
Results show that empirical data fit theoretical model well. Findings are: IMS and EMS can be integrated into a holistic decision-making framework when be properly sequenced. When IMS and EMS are determined simultaneously, the decision can benefit from a sharing of common information. And the roles of at least 13 common factors are empirically demonstrated in this study.
Research limitations/implications
The integrated decision sequence proposed in this study is applicable for a specific market, and cannot compare multiple alternative markets directly. The decision-making factors identified in this paper do not cover the enterprise strategic objectives and some other factors. Empirical data and some theoretical assumptions are based on the international market entry strategy of Chinese contractors. Therefore, the conclusions may not be completely applicable to global contractors though have certain reference value.
Originality/value
Based on the idea of holistic decision-making of IMS and EMS, this study proposes an international market entry strategy (IMES) sequence and an explicit model for determinants, then tests them with empirical data. This paper provides a new idea to manage IMS and EMS concurrently, which can improve the efficiency of IMES decision-making and avoid missing optimal alternatives. This study paves the way for a practical model and provides reference for contractors' international market entry strategy.
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Abhilasha Panwar, Kamalendra Kumar Tripathi and Kumar Neeraj Jha
The purpose of this paper is to develop a qualitative framework for the selection of the most appropriate optimization algorithm for the multi-objective trade-off problem (MOTP…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a qualitative framework for the selection of the most appropriate optimization algorithm for the multi-objective trade-off problem (MOTP) in construction projects based on the predefined performance parameters.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 6 optimization algorithms and 13 performance parameters were identified through literature review. The experts were asked to indicate their preferences between each pair of optimization algorithms and performance parameters. A multi-criteria decision-making tool, namely, consistent fuzzy preference relation was applied to analyze the responses of the experts. The results from the analysis were applied to evaluate their relative weights which were used to provide a ranking to the algorithms.
Findings
This study provided a qualitative framework which can be used to identify the most appropriate optimization algorithm for the MOTP beforehand. The outcome suggested that non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA) was the most appropriate algorithm whereas linear programming was found to be the least appropriate for MOTPs.
Originality/value
The devised framework may provide a useful insight for the construction practitioners to choose an effective optimization algorithm tool for preparing an efficient project schedule aiming toward the desired optimal improvement in achieving the various objectives. Identification of the absolute best optimization algorithm is very difficult to attain due to various problems such as the inherent complexities and intricacies of the algorithm and different class of problems. However, the devised framework offers a primary insight into the selection of the most appropriate alternative among the available algorithms.
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K.N. Jha and C.T. Chockalingam
The purpose of this paper is to enable construction project team members to understand the factors that they must closely monitor to complete projects with a desired quality and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to enable construction project team members to understand the factors that they must closely monitor to complete projects with a desired quality and also to predict quality performance during the course of a project. With quality being one of the prime concerns of clients in their construction projects, there is a definite need to monitor its performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study discussed here is an extension of past research in which 55 project performance attributes were identified based on expert's opinion and literature survey which after analysis resulted in 20 factors (11 success and nine failure). The results of the second stage questionnaire survey conducted have been used to develop the quality performance prediction model based on artificial neural networks (ANN).
Findings
The analyses of the responses led to the conclusion that factors such as project manager's competence, monitoring and feedback by project participants, commitment of all project participants, good coordination between project participants and availability of trained resources significantly affect the quality performance criterion. The best prediction model was found to be a 5‐5‐1 feed forward neural network based on back propagation algorithm with a mean absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) of 8.044 percent.
Practical implications
Project professionals can concentrate on certain factors instead of handling all the factors at the same time to achieve the desired quality performance. Also the study may be helpful for the project manager and his/her team to predict the quality performance of the project during its course.
Originality/value
The present study resulted in a model to predict the quality performance based on the factors identified as critical using ANN. With the control of the identified critical factors and usage of the prediction model, the desired quality performance can be achieved in construction projects.
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Tagreed Ali and Piyush Maheshwari
Blockchain technology, renowned for its decentralization, security, reliability, and data integrity, has the potential to revolutionize businesses globally. However, its full…
Abstract
Blockchain technology, renowned for its decentralization, security, reliability, and data integrity, has the potential to revolutionize businesses globally. However, its full potential remains unrealized due to adoption barriers, necessitating further studies to address these challenges. Identifying these barriers is crucial for businesses and practitioners to effectively tackle them. This systematic review analyzed 70 eligible studies out of 1944 gathered from various databases to understand and identify common blockchain adoption barriers. The Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework was the most popular theory used in these studies. Despite differences in variable definitions, financial constraints, lack of stakeholder collaboration and coordination, and social influences like resistance to change and negative perceptions emerged as the top three barriers. The supply chain domain had the highest number of studies on blockchain adoption. Notably, there was a significant increase in studies addressing blockchain adoption in 2023, comprising 34.2% of the total reviewed studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of identified barriers, serving as a valuable foundation for future research. Understanding these challenges allows researchers to design targeted studies aimed at developing solutions, strategies, and innovations to overcome obstacles hindering blockchain adoption.
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Abid Hasan and Kumar Neeraj Jha
Delays in construction projects can be very expensive due to their adverse effects on project cost and profit margin. To overcome this problem, clients in the construction…
Abstract
Purpose
Delays in construction projects can be very expensive due to their adverse effects on project cost and profit margin. To overcome this problem, clients in the construction industry sometimes use schedule incentive/disincentive (I/D) contracting strategy. However, previous studies have shown that inadequate understanding and wrong implementation of schedule I/D provisions could result in unintended results. Moreover, the use of the I/D contracting method is in its initial stages in many countries such as India. The purpose of this paper is to identify various factors that are essential for schedule I/D success in construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was conducted among experienced professionals (clients, contractors and consultants) from across the Indian construction industry.
Findings
Top success factors related to clients in the descending order of their importance are: realistic targets; detailed guidelines for I/D implementation; close coordination with other stakeholders; correct estimation of I/D duration and amount; and imposing disincentives after due consideration. Meanwhile, factors related to contractor organisations are: continuous monitoring and control; thorough understanding of schedule I/D targets; specific considerations in appointing senior project personnel; effective communication; and proper labour management.
Research limitations/implications
This empirical research was conducted in the Indian construction industry. Similar studies from developed construction markets may provide more insights into the successful use of schedule I/D provisions in construction projects.
Practical implications
The uptake of these recommendations is likely to increase the success of schedule I/D provisions in construction projects, especially in developing countries where the use of I/D contracting strategy is not very popular.
Originality/value
This research highlights the specific roles of both clients and contractors in the success of schedule I/D projects in developing countries such as India.