Antonin Pavard, Nathalia de Paula and Erik Poirier
Numerous studies have examined building information modeling (BIM) adoption in the built asset industry to understand its components, requirements and dynamics of this process…
Abstract
Purpose
Numerous studies have examined building information modeling (BIM) adoption in the built asset industry to understand its components, requirements and dynamics of this process. Further research is needed to follow this process, particularly considering emerging practices and technologies. This paper aims to characterize and evaluate the competency profiles underlying the BIM adoption and implementation process across distinct fields within the built asset industry, namely, owners, architecture, engineering, manufacturing, general and specialty contractors.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quantitative approach, six fields of activity and 136 competencies were related based on data from 368 organizations. This approach, which includes univariate and bivariate methods (profiles and Chi2-test), enables the delineation and comparison of competency profiles underlying BIM adoption across fields of activity.
Findings
In all fields of activity, notable progress is observed in management and operational competencies, while administration, research and development (R&D) and implementation are progressing slowly. Sixty-two competencies are correlated significantly with fields of activity. Of note is the expertise of certain competencies in fields of activity (architecture excels in managerial, functional, technological, implementation and R&D competencies; engineering in administrative and normative competencies). Conversely, some fields of activity notably fall behind in most competencies, such as general and specialty contractors.
Originality/value
By examining the competencies development, this research identifies the key areas in which organizations in various fields of activity should invest to improve their BIM adoption. These findings can guide competency enhancement efforts in the built asset industry.
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Rhoda Ansah Quaigrain and Mohamed Hassan Issa
A review of the literature revealed a lack of coherent frameworks for implementing disability management, particularly within the construction industry. This study involved…
Abstract
Purpose
A review of the literature revealed a lack of coherent frameworks for implementing disability management, particularly within the construction industry. This study involved developing the construction disability management maturity model (CDM3) to assess the maturity of disability management (DM) practices in construction organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
In its current form, the model assessed twelve indicators using a series of questions representing relevant best practices for each indicator and five different maturity levels. An analytical hierarchical process was conducted using eight construction and DM experts to determine the weights of importance of these different indicators. The model was then applied to evaluate ten construction companies in Manitoba, Canada.
Findings
The results revealed that the indicators of “Return to Work”, “Disability and Injury Prevention”, and “Senior Management Support” practises were the most heavily weighted and, thus, the most important. Companies' DM performance was observed, on average, to be at the quantitatively managed level. “Senior Management Support” and “Disability Injury Prevention” practices were observed to be the most mature indicators on average, revealing a potential relationship between the most important and most mature indicators.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size of companies evaluated is a key limitation in that it does not permit for the generalisation of the results.
Practical implications
This study provided a framework for benchmarking the DM performance of construction organisations.
Originality/value
No similar maturity model has been developed to date to assess DM in construction, making the CDM3 the first of its kind to evaluate a construction organisation's existing DM practices against best practises.
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Bryan Franz, Tong Wang and Raja Raymond Issa
Construction managers face many work-related stressors induced by unrealistic schedule expectations, tight budgets, and long hours. Over time, these stressors can result in both…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction managers face many work-related stressors induced by unrealistic schedule expectations, tight budgets, and long hours. Over time, these stressors can result in both mental and physical exhaustion, a condition referred to as burnout. Early-career managers are a key worker demographic, as they represent the near-term future of the construction industry, yet they have a high risk for burnout. The purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of burnout in new construction managers, and to identify which individual or work-related factors are associated with feelings of burnout.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS), data from 146 early-career professionals (less than 10 years of experience) with construction management degrees in the USA were collected and analyzed using correlational and best subset regression techniques.
Findings
The results show that the early-career demographic in the USA experiences both the Emotional Exhaustion and Cynicism dimensions of burnout at comparable levels to prior studies with more mid-to-late career respondents. However, the Professional Efficacy dimension was significantly higher in early-career professionals than any other sample. No individual factors, such as gender, marital status, or number of children, were predictive of any dimension of burnout. Instead, only work-related factors including co-worker friendliness, opportunities for personal development and promotion, and the ability to control the work pacing were strongly associated with one or more dimensions of burnout.
Originality/value
This study is the first to explore burnout in the key early-career demographic for construction managers in the United States construction industry. This work provides evidence that organizational policies and culture have a greater efficacy in alleviating burnout in this demographic, when compared to the work–life balance of the individual.
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Tirth Patel, Hirakraj Bapat and Daksh Patel
Despite global advancements, the Indian construction industry lags in adopting technologies like robots, artificial intelligence, drones, unmanned ground vehicles and Internet of…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite global advancements, the Indian construction industry lags in adopting technologies like robots, artificial intelligence, drones, unmanned ground vehicles and Internet of Things sensors due to various barriers. This reliance on traditional practices leads to persistent issues such as labour shortages, low productivity, safety risks, cost overruns and delays. Identifying and addressing these barriers is crucial for adopting advanced technologies. Hence, this study aims to identify and assess the influential barriers to construction automation and robotics (AaR) in India using a systematic approach.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review identified key barriers, including technological, financial, regulatory, environmental and organisational. A questionnaire survey was conducted among industry professionals, and the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique was used to evaluate the interrelationships and relative significance of these barriers.
Findings
The results of the study reveal the most critical cause barriers as “high initial cost”, “rigidity in organisational processes and procedures”, “interoperability”, “lack of competency” and “lack of standardisation”. These barriers subsequently influence the top two effect barriers such as “market uncertainty” and “ethical concerns”.
Practical implications
This research offers a systematic and quantitative assessment, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions and develop strategies to overcome barriers to AaR adoption, unlocking the transformative potential of AaR in India’s construction sector.
Originality/value
Despite potential benefits, the adoption of AaR in Indian construction remains limited due to various barriers. This study provides novel insights with the first comprehensive assessment of these barriers and their interrelationships.
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Raja R.A. Issa, Svetlana Olbina and Dino Zuppa
The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors found on US construction projects that are perceived by contractors to strengthen or weaken trust between contracting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors found on US construction projects that are perceived by contractors to strengthen or weaken trust between contracting stakeholders and to develop a framework for evaluating these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive framework containing a number of factors (54) that could impact trust on construction projects was first developed. A survey questionnaire was then developed and administered via phone to contractors selected from the Engineering News Record top 400 US construction companies. The survey findings were then used to develop a trust model and case studies were used to validate and revise the trust model.
Findings
A trust model is developed that helps large US contractors measure and improve trust with other stakeholders on their projects.
Practical implications
Large US contractors are now provided with a tool not previously available to help them measure and improve trust between the different contracting parties on construction projects which can help them decrease project time and costs, and improve project results.
Originality/value
The proposed trust model adds a number of different dimensions to the existing trust models found in the literature and as such improves the contractor’s ability to foster and enhance trust on a US construction project.
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Gilles Albeaino, Ricardo Eiris, Masoud Gheisari and Raja Raymond Issa
This study aims to explore DroneSim, a virtual reality (VR)-based flight training simulator, as an alternative for real-world drone-mediated building inspection training.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore DroneSim, a virtual reality (VR)-based flight training simulator, as an alternative for real-world drone-mediated building inspection training.
Design/methodology/approach
Construction, engineering and management students were asked to pilot drones in the VR-based DroneSim space and perform common flight operations and inspection tasks within the spatiotemporal context of a building construction project. Another student group was also recruited and asked to perform a similar building inspection task in real world. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)–Task Load Index (TLX) survey was used to assess students’ inflight workload demand under both Real and DroneSim conditions. Post-assessment questionnaires were also used to analyze students’ feedback regarding the usability and presence of DroneSim for drone building inspection training.
Findings
None of the NASA–TLX task load levels under Real and DroneSim conditions were highly rated by students, and both groups experienced comparable drone-building inspection training. Students perceived DroneSim positively and found the VR experience stimulating.
Originality/value
This study’s contribution is twofold: to better understand the development stages involved in the design of a VR-based drone flight training simulator, specifically for building inspection tasks; and to improve construction students’ drone operational and flight training skills by offering them the opportunity to enhance their drone navigation skills in a risk-free, repeatable yet realistic environment. Such contributions ultimately pave the way for better integration of drone-mediated building inspection training in construction education while meeting industry needs.
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Raido Puust, Irene Lill and Roode Liias
This study aims to initiate an investigation into the drop-out rate from building information modelling (BIM) courses.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to initiate an investigation into the drop-out rate from building information modelling (BIM) courses.
Design/Methodology/Approach
During 2017-2018, BIM courses (16 weeks) have been developed as active learning modules. Peer instruction was used to engage students and improve the overall student’s performance. Students’ activity data were captured and analysed based on study groups and suggested study module completion dates.
Findings
By mapping students’ activity data against suggested completion date at various assessment milestones revealed a possible degradation of motivation throughout the course which, in turn, may have been a possible cause of drop-out.
Research Limitations/Implications
This paper presents ongoing research and a preliminary understanding about peer instruction effectiveness in BIM-related subjects as high intensity courses. It investigates whether a student’s active participation can improve their motivation to acquire a subject’s learning outcomes and reduce the drop-out.
Practical Implications
The peer instruction methodology that is used here is quite universal and can be successfully applied to various other subjects to increase the student’s involvement in the course.
Originality/Value
Results are drawn based on students’ involvement at the high intensity course and show the gradual increase of a learner’s motivation once they get continuous support from fellow learners and a teacher.
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Nowadays, designing environmentally compatible buildings with acceptable performance in terms of cost, materials, and energy efficiency is considered crucial for developing…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, designing environmentally compatible buildings with acceptable performance in terms of cost, materials, and energy efficiency is considered crucial for developing sustainable cities. This research aims to identify and rank the most influential factors in the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems in the smartification of green and sustainable buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
The present research is applied and descriptive. In this study, we identified the most influential factors in the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems through library studies and expert opinions. Data were collected using a questionnaire, and a combination of the one-sample t-test method with a 95% confidence level and the fuzzy VIKOR method was employed for analysis.
Findings
The results show that the most influential factors in the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems in the Smartification of green and sustainable buildings, in order, are: “Energy saving and consumption reduction,” “Increased productivity and efficiency,” “Life-cycle assessment (LCA),” “Eco-friendly design,” “Integration with IoT and other technologies.”
Originality/value
In this study, while addressing the intersection of BIM technology, green building principles, and smart building objectives to optimize the performance of buildings during their life cycle, the most influential factors in the use of this system were ranked based on the criteria of “impact level,” “importance level,” and “availability of necessary tools” for implementation in Kerman. Moreover, solutions for more effectively utilizing this system in the smartification of green and intelligent buildings were proposed.
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Zhu Huang, Chao Mao, Jun Wang and Abdul-Manan Sadick
The construction industry is the major sector in China but it has been exposed to a series of problems including low productivity and workforce shortage. However, construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is the major sector in China but it has been exposed to a series of problems including low productivity and workforce shortage. However, construction robots as an effective and sustainable approach to overcome the difficulties in construction industry have not been widely adopted. Few studies attempted to investigate on the adoption of construction robots in China. In order to fill this gap, this study aim to address the barriers to the adoption of construction robots in China.
Design/methodology/approach
Through literature review, semi-structured interview 24 factors hindering the adoption of construction robots are summarized. Next, a total of valid 150 questionnaires delivered to the 7 stakeholders were collected. Ranking analysis was used to identify 21 critical factors was determined by the mean score analysis and factor analysis extracted 21 critical factors into 5 clusters.
Findings
Results indicate that the “technological performance and management” cluster is the most dominant of the 5 clusters. The most important barrier is “Limited research and design input”, followed by “High purchase cost” and “Unstructured construction environment”. Construction robots are still under R&D have had limited field applications in the production and construction process.
Originality/value
The research findings provide a useful reference for different stakeholders to identify the critical factors appropriate strategies to promote the adoption of construction robots. Furthermore, this study provides recommendations to promote adoption of construction robots.
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Alex Aruldoss, Kellyann Berube Kowalski, Miranda Lakshmi Travis and Satyanarayana Parayitam
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between work–life balance (WLB) and job stress, job commitment and job satisfaction. Further, the role of work…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between work–life balance (WLB) and job stress, job commitment and job satisfaction. Further, the role of work environment and training and development as moderators in the relationship between WLB and its consequences is investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a structured survey instrument, this paper gathered data from 331 respondents working in a transportation company in southern part of India. After checking the psychometric properties of the structured survey instrument, the authors analyzed data using hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The hierarchical regression results indicated that WLB is (1) negatively related to job stress, (2) positively related to job satisfaction and (3) positively related to job commitment. The results also indicated that (1) job stress is negatively related to job satisfaction, and (2) job commitment is positively related to job satisfaction. The results also support that work environment is a moderator in the relationship between (1) WLB and job stress, and (2) WLB and job satisfaction. Results also documented that training and development is a moderator in the relationship between (1) job stress and job satisfaction, and (2) job commitment and job satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
Since the present research is based on self-report measures, the limitations of common method bias and social desirability are inherent. However, the authors have taken sufficient care to minimize these limitations. The research has implications for managers in work organizations.
Practical implications
This study contributes to both literature on human resource management and practicing managers. The study suggests that employers need to be aware of the importance of WLB and invest moneys into training and development programs. Results also suggest maintaining congenial work environment to help employees maintain balance between work and life.
Social implications
The study is expected to contribute to the welfare of the society in terms of identifying the consequences of WLB.
Originality/value
This study provides new insights about the consequences of WLB through moderating role of training and development and work environment. To the authors’ knowledge, this is a conceptual model developed and tested and first of its kind in India.