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This study focused on exploring the performance factors (PFs) that impact Infrastructure Sanitation Projects (ISSPs) in the construction sector. The aim was twofold: firstly, to identify these crucial PFs and secondly, to develop a robust performance model capable of effectively measuring and assessing the intricate interdependencies and correlations within ISSPs. By achieving these objectives, the study aimed to provide valuable insights into and tools for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of sanitation projects in the construction industry.

To achieve the study's aim, the methodology for identifying the PFs for ISSPs involved several steps: extensive literature review, interviews with Egyptian industry experts, a questionnaire survey targeting industry practitioners and an analysis using the Relative Importance Index (RII), Pareto principle and analytic network process (ANP). The RII ranked factor importance,  and Pareto identified the top 20% for ANP, which determined connections and interdependencies among these factors.

The literature review identified 36 PFs, and an additional 13 were uncovered during interviews. The highest-ranked PF is PF5, while PF19 is the lowest-ranked. Pareto principle selected 11 PFs, representing the top 20% of factors. The ANP model produced an application for measuring ISSP effectiveness, validated through two case studies. Application results were 92.25% and 91.48%, compared to actual results of 95.77% and 97.37%, indicating its effectiveness and accuracy, respectively.

This study addresses a significant knowledge gap by identifying the critical PFs that influence ISSPs within the construction industry. Subsequently, it constructs a novel performance model, resulting in the development of a practical computer application aimed at measuring and evaluating the performance of these projects.

This paper aims to explain the dynamics of the inner inter-variable functional relations of trade versus oppositely coterminous variables of interest rates as shadow rates of interest. Such an explanation of trade versus riba relations has not been covered in the literature on Islamic economics and finance. Furthermore, the consequences of understanding the trade vs riba rule in relation to the bank-saving function remains absent in the literature. This problem as an important one between trade-interest rate and bank-savings interrelationship is studied. An empirical explanation is given besides the analytical explanation. This paper therefore presents an original and substantive topic to study.

The avoidance of usury and financial interest have equivalent injunction in the Qur’an by the riba rule. To attain and implement the riba-avoidance rule, it is necessary to understand this rule in terms of its adverse relationship; and contrarily by the positively complementary interrelationship between trade, money, finance and the real economy under the impact of the riba rule. In explaining such inter-causal relationships, certain analytical matters stand out as key points. These are studied in the light of the Islamic methodological basis of the ontological law of participatory oneness as monotheistic unity of knowledge and its impact on the understanding of the trade versus riba and bank-savings rule.

First, bank-savings cause withdrawal of resource mobilization and thus rupture the positive complementarities between the purpose and objective of the Shari’ah (maqasid-as-shari’ah) variables. Second, to deeply understand the rule of establishing trade versus the practice of riba (financial interest) and the needed theory of complementary inter-variable relationships to enable the relationship of trade versus riba, it is fundamentally necessary to understand the Qur’anic epistemological premise of Tawhidi unity of knowledge as organic unity and its induction in the generality and details of the problems under study.

Such an explanation of trade versus riba relations with the instrument of bank-savings has not been covered in the literature on Islamic economics and finance. It is therefore an original and substantive issue to study.

This study aims to explore the nexus of equality and efficiency by considering public hospitals' development dynamics, capacity and technology indicators.

Data was collected from the Ministry of Health Public Hospital Almanacs from 2014 to 2017. The Gini index (GI) is used to estimate the inequality of distribution of hospital performance indicators. A bias-corrected efficiency analysis is calculated to obtain efficiency scores of public hospitals for the year 2017. A path analysis is then constructed to better identify patterns of causation among a set of development, equality and efficiency variables.

A redefined path model highlights that development dynamics, equality and efficiency are causally related and health technology (path coefficient = 0.57; t = 19.07; p < 0.01) and health services utilization (path coefficient = 0.24; t = 8; p < 0.01) effects public hospital efficiency. The final path model fit well (X²/df = 50.99/8 = 6; RMSEA = 0.089; NFI = 0.95; CFI = 0.96; GFI = 0.98; AGFI = 0.94). Study findings indicate high inequalities in distribution of health technologies (GI > 0.85), number of surgical operations (GI > 0.70) and number of inpatients (GI > 0.60) among public hospitals for the years 2014–2017.

Study results highlight that, hospital managers should prioritize equal distribution of health technology and health services utilization indicators to better orchestrate equity-efficiency trade-off in their operations.

To survive high‐level management needs business intelligent information to efficiently manage corporate operations and support its decision making. Knowledge management (KM) is recognized as one of the most critical factors for obtaining organizational competitive advantage. A variety of factors determines significant success ingredients for successful implementation of KM in any organization. The primary challenge in KM initiation is how to integrate the above factors with organizational and personnel constraints and capabilities. This paper aims to develop a priority framework based on multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) to help organizations build awareness of the critical influential factors affecting successful implementation of KM.

To identify critical influential factors, the authors studied and reviewed relevant literature from numerous fields of study associated with the essential issues of KM projects implementation. These cover the factors that affect a KM implementation based on comprehensive analysis of KM literature from numerous research studies. Research methodology used in this study is based on a combination of other methodologies such as action research, group discussion, documentary study and questionnaire research. For this purpose a group of experienced managers were selected and discussion sessions were held to set objectives and road map the study. Finally group analysis hierarchy process (GAHP) was used to analyse questionnaires and prioritize influential factors.

The conceptual framework presents a roadmap for success of KM programs in the organizations. The paper identifies eight major aspects, 44 influential factors and a conceptual framework to assisting managers to design and implement a KM system in their organizations. The results show top management, executive management and culture have great impact on success of KM implementation among main aspects. The conceptual framework presents guidelines for success of KM implementation in organizations.

The result of this study not only validates theory with reality, but it also provides a reference for the academic as well as the business world. It is hoped that the factors proposed in this study help organizations to manage knowledge activities effectively and implement knowledge projects smoothly in order to maximize benefits from KM projects and returns from knowledge assets.

This study is the first to provide an integrated perspective of critical success factors in KM implementation in Khorasan Science and Technology Park (KSTP). It gives valuable guidelines for top managers and leaders to accomplish KM projects effectively.

This study aims to identify the counterproductive knowledge behavior (CKB) of volunteers in nonprofit organizations and its influencing factors, based on the theories of planned behavior and well-being.

An online survey was used to collect 496 valid responses. A structural equation model was constructed, and the relationships among the constructs were estimated via the maximum likelihood method. To analyze the direct and indirect effects, 2,000 bootstrapping runs were conducted. A Kruskal-Wallis test was also conducted to analyze the relationship between the variables.

A combination of organizational factors and individual attitudes and perceptions can be used to explain CKB. Insecurity about knowledge sharing had the greatest impact on CKB. A competitive organizational norm induced CKB while a knowledge-sharing organizational norm did not have a significant impact. Further, the more self-determined the volunteer activity was, the more the CKB was suppressed. However, well-being did not have a significant direct effect. Volunteers with high levels of well-being and self-determination had significantly lower levels of insecurity about knowledge sharing compared to those who did not.

Well-being arising from volunteering did not directly suppress CKB. To improve organizational efficiency by reducing CKB, nonprofit organization managers should provide intrinsically motivating tasks and interact with the volunteers.

There is a lack of empirical research on CKB in volunteer organizations; therefore, the authors propose a new approach to knowledge management in volunteer activities.

This research uses contingency theory and Venkatraman’s concept of moderating fit to explore how key project stakeholders (clients, consultants and suppliers) influence project performance from the perspective of small and medium contractors in the Jordanian construction industry.

An anonymous structured survey was performed comprising 200 key informants including senior project managers, construction managers, engineers and general managers working for small- and medium-sized contractors in the Jordanian construction industry. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data.

The results of this study show that consultant-related factors (quality of documentation produced, ability to communicate and technical competencies) are perceived to have the most significant direct effect on project performance, followed by client-related factors (payment promptness, decision certainty and documentation control) and supplier-related factors (supplier performance, defects control and logistics management).

The results contribute new theoretical, empirical and practical insights to existing construction project performance research by highlighting the key performance factors which need to be managed for each stakeholder group to ensure effective project performance from a small- and medium-sized contractor perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating effect of learning capacity in the relationship between the social media usage by the construction of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their business performance in Nigeria.

A quantitative survey technique was used to collect data from the owner/manager of construction SMEs in Nigeria. The partial least square structural equation modeling was used in the assessment of the measurement model and structural model to assess the validity and reliability of the measures and to evaluate the hypotheses proposed in the conceptual model.

Empirical findings indicated a significant positive relationship between learning capacity and performance of SMEs. Similarly, the use of social media is significantly and positively associated to the business performance of SMEs. It has also been shown that learning capacity is a mediator of the relationship between social media and SME performance.

The data for the study is are all from a single industry and a related line of business, so it could be more interesting to include more companies across sectors or industries. The finding contributes to the ongoing debate on the effect of social media on business performance. It also defined the need for the owner/manager of SMEs to understand and appreciate the effect of social media through the organization's learning potential to gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

There are a number of theoretical and practical implications for academics and practitioners who are interested in further studies of organizational social media. The research presents a quantitative study on the effect of social media adoption on the organizational performance of the construction industry. This study confirms the mediating role of learning capability in the relationship between the use of social media and performance of SMEs operating in the construction industry.

This study empirically examined the relationship between social media adoption and the SMEs learning capability and business performance by evaluating a hypothesized conceptual framework to establish the relationships.

Many construction businesses are currently building and keeping social media pages for their enterprises to be visible to the public to improve their social interaction, promote business interest, build trust and relationships with their targeted audience on social media. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of social mediausage on performance of construction businesses (CBs) in Abuja, Nigeria.

This study used a quantitative research approach by identifying constructs that reveal three aspects of organisation’s physiognomies that impact the process of espousing, implementing and using technological innovations in conducting businesses. Well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 113 purposively sampled building materials’ merchant operating in Dei-Dei Market, Abuja, Nigeria. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling technique to establish the relationship among the constructs.

The results of this study indicated that technology has significant relationship with social media adoption, whereas social media adoption has a very strong positive impact on organisation’s performance (P < 0.001) with respect to improved customer relations and services and enhanced information accessibility.

This study has implications for CBs that wish to adopt social media to promote their businesses by presenting to them the opportunity to understand the impact of technology, environment and organisational potential in improving business performance. This study is cross-sectional in nature, and this calls for caution in interpreting the results.

This paper developed and tested a conceptual framework presented to understand the interrelationships amongst the constructs, which would be of great significance to business owners in developing their social interaction and promote business interest via social media. The outcome of this research is beneficial to researchers to further study how the different social media tools could help in influencing business decisions.

The production of sleeve grouting in prefabricated construction is routinely plagued by a variety of factors, and lack of mass data and complex environmental conditions over time make problems inevitable. Thus, a dynamic risk control system is a valuable support for the successful completion of the sleeve grouting process. This study aims to develop an entropy-based sleeve grouting risk dynamic control system.

First, static risk assessment was conducted through the structured interview survey using the entropy weight method, followed by a dynamic risk control technique, where indicators were simulated through system dynamics containing causal loop diagrams and stock-and-flow diagrams.

Finally, three types of risk control models, namely, “tortuous type”, “stable type” and “peak loop type”, were developed in the entropy-based sleeve grouting risk dynamic control system and simulated using system dynamics in a real case.

Compared to traditional sleeve grouting risk management, the developed system enabled dynamic control over time.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major challenges faced by Chinese international contractors (CICs) in the Malaysian construction industry.

An exploratory sequential mixed-methods research approach was adopted where following a detailed literature review and semi-structured interviews with local professionals, 20 prevalent challenges experienced by CICs are identified. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was used to elicit the views of 100 construction practitioners. Descriptive statistics were used to prioritise the challenges, while exploratory factor analysis was conducted to uncover the underlying factors.

The five most crucial challenges identified relate to: changes of regulation, cost control, contract clauses, language barrier and quality control. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four major underlying dimensions of these challenges, in connection to financial and government policy management, organisational performance management, supplier relationship management and cross-cultural management.

The challenges are considered primarily involving CICs in the context of Malaysia; further work can be extended to Western or other East Asian, such as Japanese and Korean, international contractors undertaking construction projects in Malaysia or selected developing countries around the region.

This study will benefit professionals involved with China-backed construction projects in countries sharing demographics and socio-economic characteristics akin to Malaysia. The outcome of the study is expected to facilitate project managers to devise proactive risk-mitigation measures to reduce the impact of these challenges and to improve project delivery.

The paper examined the challenges faced by CICs in the Malaysian context. This is a timely study, as China’s Belt and Road Initiative will provide considerable opportunities for Chinese companies in Malaysia.