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A perceived uniqueness of real estate (RE) projects has led to a view among RE practitioners that since no two RE projects are the same, they must all follow their own unique set of processes. Further, local exigencies often result in the very processes agreed at the beginning of every project being changed, thereby making projects unpredictable for delivery within time and budget, or to the standards of quality expected. Maintaining the need to follow pre-defined standard processes in RE operations, the purpose of this paper is to focus on two converging tracks: the first track studies available sector-level competitiveness frameworks appropriate for RE to formulate RE sector objectives; and the second track retains the process standardisation perspective to comprehensively identify a set of factors that influence the defined sector objectives.

The research methodology adopted comprises, respectively, for the two tracks, a focussed literature review and semi-structured interviews with 30 Indian RE sector practitioners working at levels of consequence, supported by qualitative interpretive analysis. As a sustained development requires all stakeholders to have their concerns addressed, this research leads to the formulation of four sector objectives, one for each stakeholder group identified. Furthermore, two sets of factors (inhibiting and enabling) are deduced from stakeholder interviews reinforced by secondary literature as those that would influence the realisation of the objectives from the standpoint of processes and their standardisation.

It is thought that factors identified here will inform actionable strategies for a transformation to the long-elusive process and standards-based delivery in the Indian RE sector. Such strategies will not only lead to the next spate of improvements from innovative processes and standards thereof but will also equip RE players with the wherewithal to successfully engage globally.

This work extends the earlier research to shift from a function to process orientation in RE and bridges research gaps in each of the tracks mentioned above: the articulation of RE sector objectives, and identification of factors influencing the objectives.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the process through which an organization develops organizational capabilities by tapping the technical skills and social skills of its employees in the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to deliver lean and green project outcomes. The resulting framework for BIM-based organizational capabilities development comprising of three hierarchical layers – technology, process and outcomes – is explained.

For this study, BIM has been identified as an enabler and a process for achieving lean and green outcomes on construction projects. Based on a detailed literature review, this paper identifies the organizational capabilities needed by the architecture, engineering and construction organizations to effectively implement BIM on construction projects. The study has been conducted through a sequential mixed-method approach involving semi-structured interviews, focus groups and qualitative comparative analyses.

It was discovered that to attain desired project outcomes, an organization needs to embrace an underlying BIM adoption culture not only within its project teams but also within the organization as a whole. The study also concluded that an integrated approach to BIM usage – connecting it with lean and green initiatives – on construction projects resulted in improved project outcomes, especially ones targeting lean and green aspects of improvements.

The proposed outline for BIM-based organizational capabilities will help the organizations focus on the “human factors” along with the technical factors while striving for successful usage within their organizations.

Using the organizational capabilities matrix, this paper highlights the importance of technical and social skill sets of an individual employee and their role in developing the organizational capabilities to gain the desired lean and green outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the factors that affect the performance of projects being implemented on the public-private partnership (PPP) framework, with specific reference to urban drinking water sector in India.

A listing of factors that have a bearing on project performance have been developed based on a review of the literature. Through a survey, seven factors that are relevant to the Indian context were determined. Interviews were then conducted across a cross-section of government agencies, financial institutions, development agencies, private sector entities and consultants to understand the relative importance of these attributes. The analytical hierarchy process was used to develop relative weights of these factors.

Ranking and relative weights of the factors in descending order are stakeholder consent and support for water PPP projects (22.1 percent), appropriate project structure (17.4 percent), availability of realistic baseline information (16.2 percent), reasonable water tariffs (13.9 percent), public sector capacity (13.0 percent), well-developed market (9.5 percent) and water sector regulator (7.9 percent). Differences in perceptions amongst various stakeholder groups were also found.

Water sector has not matured, and with the advent of newer formats of implementation models, there could be significant changes in the sector. As the number of projects available for study is limited, this exercise can be undertaken periodically and updated in relation to experiences in other infrastructure sectors.

This analysis provides inputs to policymakers and project proponents for structuring more sustainable urban drinking water PPP projects.

Indian infrastructure PPP market is attracting increased attention from researchers, though not much emphasis is being given to urban drinking water sector. This paper aims to contribute toward filling this research gap.

This paper aims to present factors affecting the Indian construction organisations in adopting off-site construction (OSC) methods.

An existing readiness maturity model has been used to assess three large organisations in different parts of India. A case study methodology has been adopted in this paper to highlight critical issues in OSC adoption in India.

This paper presents three case studies and concludes the Indian construction sectors readiness to adopt the OSC methods. Through the case studies, different issues related to the adoption of OSC have been identified and highlighted for the Indian construction sector. Although the three companies are large, there are several small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) operating in India's construction sector, and future research shall be needed to review these SMEs.

This research study is broadly focused on developing and assessing an OSC readiness framework for Indian construction organisations. The research scope and the population for data collection are limited to large construction organisations in India only.

The proposed OSC readiness maturity model guides construction practitioners in India through a structured process to assess their OSC readiness in the market. This assessment enables them to evaluate and benchmark their processes through the strategic and operational phases. This research will add to the existing knowledge of OSC in India by mapping issues relevant to India's construction industry. The research has provided background on the status of OSC, the drivers and barriers affecting the implementation of OSC techniques in the Indian construction industry.

Through the three case studies, several factors related to the implementation of OSC methods have been identified and highlighted within the Indian construction sector. Although the model has been applied to the Indian construction sector, it can easily be modified to fit into other areas and similar dynamics and business conditions.

This paper aims to present an off-site construction (OSC) readiness maturity model for assessing the readiness of offsite construction companies in the Indian construction sector.

The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage consisted of a detailed literature review to document 17 different variables affecting the OSC adoption in India. In Stage 2, 15 semi-structured interviews were carried out where the participants were asked to refine those variables for the Indian context and define what would be different levels of attainment. In the third stage, another set of 5 semi-structure interviews was performed to validate the maturity levels and definitions.

A three-level OSC readiness maturity model is presented for discussion. This describes 17 variables at different levels of maturity.

The proposed OSC readiness maturity model guides construction practitioners in India through a structured process to enable them to assess their OSC readiness in the market. This assessment enables them to evaluate and benchmark their processes through the strategic and operational phases. The maturity model also identifies the areas of concern and the scope for further development or change to secure the optimal advantage of OSC methods.

The research produced a model to assess the readiness of OSC adoption in the Indian construction sector. Although the model has been applied to the Indian construction sector, it can easily be modified to accommodate other OSM contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to compare construction costs between nations, which is an important part of international economic statistics. Methods employed for these comparisons to date have yielded questionable results. The paper presents a summary of the problem and the results of proof‐of‐concept testing for a new method.

Prices were estimated for a simple basket of two construction components using cost‐estimating guides for several nations. Both developed and developing nations were included. The prices were obtained for the components installed in the field, including labor, equipment, and materials. Purchasing power parities (PPPs) were calculated from the baskets.

The results indicate that the basket of construction components approach provides construction sector results much more in keeping with the overall consumption PPPs for the countries tested. This result suggests that the values obtained from this method provide a reasonable measure of construction price differentials. The method also requires substantially fewer resources than previous project‐based approaches.

Because the construction sector represents a significant fraction of global economic activity, it is important to incorporate this sector into the overall process accurately. The construction sector is difficult to compare, but ironically is often a large share of economic activity in developing countries, where comparison is most important. This paper presents a potential solution to a vexing problem in construction econometrics.

Today, construction sector of most emerging economies, including India, is witnessing sharp growth prospects on the one hand and pressure to effectively and efficiently contribute to the national development on the other. The Indian construction industry is one of the major stimulants of the economic and social growth of the nation. However, the sector is confronted by numerous issues, thereby reducing its efficacy and unhindered growth prospects. The purpose of this paper is to extract various industry impediments and suggest a prioritized listing of challenges faced by the industry using the Grand Challenges Approach (GCA).

Motivated by the GCA this study uses the Delphi process for consensus building in the expert panel, comprising of 39 professionals from across various industry stakeholders. A qualitative round was first used to acquire views on the challenges. Consequently two quantitative Delphi rounds were conducted to extract Top-10 Challenges for the industry based on two aspects – priority and impact. A wider industry survey was also carried out, which served as an unscientific validation of the Delphi Study.

Grand Challenges facing the Indian construction sector were identified. Addressing these challenges at the national level has the potential of transforming the industry to highly efficient, quality cantered and bullish industry capable of delivering successfully.

The GCA, used extensively by the health sector internationally, is used for the Indian construction industry in a novel way to set an agenda for enhancing its operational efficiency.

Implementing enterprise risk management (ERM) systems in construction firms of developing countries like India is critical for targeting strong risk management strategies that support their growth. It requires such firms to holistically understand the major barriers in terms of their definitions, relationships with one another and interdependencies. Thus, this study aims to identify, model and analyze the barriers to implementing ERM in construction firms using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

This study used a Delphi process to identify barriers to the implementation of ERM in Indian construction firms, ISM to model them and Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (MICMAC) to analyze their interrelationships.

The study’s results revealed that individual-level factors are the most important among the barriers present at the lowest level in the hierarchical model, whereas organizational commitment with the highest dependence power is present at the highest level in the hierarchical model.

Since the usage of ERM in the construction industry is highly culture-dependent and may have regional nuances, the data on ERM usage might accurately reflect the Indian construction industry but may not apply to other regions.

This study can be used to develop effective strategies to improve the implementation of ERM in construction firms in developing countries like India.

ERM is crucial for managing risks in Indian construction firms due to the high degree of complexity and uncertainty associated with construction projects coming from changes due to technological advancement, regulatory changes, changes in consumer preferences, global competition and other socioeconomic and political factors.

The study’s results will help researchers and practitioners working in the construction industry of developing countries like India to identify the challenges in adopting ERM systems. It will guide construction firms to appropriately develop risk management strategies for managing the inevitable risks in their complex project environments. This will help improve their contribution to the country’s economic development.

The emergence of Construction 4.0 technologies provides an impetus for radical change and rejuvenates the interest of stakeholders in addressing long-standing performance issues in the construction sector. However, construction firms struggle to implement Construction 4.0 technologies for performance measurement and improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual model of innovation management for implementing Construction 4.0 that guides and facilitates the strategic transformation of construction firms.

A conceptual model of innovation management is presented, and the findings are synthesised based on a literature review, 20 semi-structured interviews, two focus group discussions, three workshops, expert consultation and observations on three digitally-enabled projects. Data were inductively analysed using thematic analysis.

The analysis of empirical data revealed: (i) Four scenarios that could lead the industry to different futures, based on the extent of research and development, and the extent of integration/collaboration; (ii) Construction 4.0 capability stages for a sustained implementation route; (iii) Possible business model configurations derived from servitisation strategies; and (iv) Skills management challenges for organisations.

First, the empirical data was only collected in the UK with its unique industry context, which may limit the applicability of the results. Second, most of the research data comes from the private sector, without the views of public sector organisations. Third, the model needs to be further validated with specific data-driven use cases to address productivity and sustainability issues.

Successful Construction 4.0 transformation requires a concerted effort of stakeholders, including those in the supply chain, technology companies, innovation networks and government. Although a stakeholder’s action would depend on others’ actions, each stakeholder should undertake action that can influence the factors within their control (such as the extent of collaboration and investment) and the outcomes.

The conceptual model brings together and establishes the relationships between the scenarios, Construction 4.0 capability stages, business models and skills management. It provides the first step that guides the fuzzy front-end of Construction 4.0 implementation, underpins the transformation to the desired future and builds long-term innovation capabilities.

The purpose of this study is to examine how social media facilitates the process of customer engagement in quick service restaurants (QSRs). Customers characterized as transactional customers, loyal customers, delighted customers or fans, based on the degree of relational exchange and emotional bonds, are expected to vary in their propensity to engage in advocacy and co-create value.

Hypotheses linking the antecedents of customer engagement to advocacy are empirically investigated with data from the Twitter social media network for the top 50 US QSRs. Multiple regression analysis is carried out with proxies for advocacy as the dependent variable and connection effort, interaction effort, satisfaction, retention effort, calculative commitment and affective commitment as independent variables.

The results indicate that retention effort and calculative commitment of customers are the most important factors influencing advocacy. Efforts to retain customers using social media communication increase advocacy. Greater calculative commitment also increases advocacy. Affective commitment mediates the relationship between calculative commitment and advocacy.

Fostering retention and calculative commitment by using social media communication engenders loyalty and customers become advocates. Calculative commitment fosters affective commitment, turning customers into fans who are delighted as well as loyal, enhancing advocacy.

This study uniquely investigates the relationship between the antecedents of customer engagement and advocacy. It develops the theory and conducts an empirical analysis with actual social media network data for a specific industry where usage of the network is widely prevalent. It confirms that calculative commitment influences advocacy. Calculative commitment not only has a direct effect but also has an indirect effect through affective commitment on advocacy in the QSR context. Further, social media efforts by QSRs to retain customers encourage advocacy. Other customer engagement antecedents do not directly influence advocacy.