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Article
Publication date: 4 September 2019

Syed Putra Syed Abu Bakar, Mastura Jaafar and Masitah Muhibudin

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of entrepreneurial learning on the performance of Malaysian private housing developers. Although the extant literature on…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of entrepreneurial learning on the performance of Malaysian private housing developers. Although the extant literature on learning epistemology is quite voluminous, the focus within the housing entrepreneurship remains limited. With this lacuna, the investigation on the perceptions of learning propensity among residential developers is deemed timely.

Design/methodology/approach

Using snowball sampling, interviews were conducted with ten perceived successful private housing developers in Malaysia to understand the antecedents and consequences of entrepreneurial learning in steering their business toward excellence.

Findings

The research outcomes revealed that all the interviewed respondents concurred with the importance of entrepreneurial learning within the organization to strive for business success. The interviewed housing developers highlighted the significance of learning interest in their daily works to achieve business competitiveness and gain competitive edge against rivals. Through continuous learning, positive ideas and ethos could be instilled within the uncertain business environment.

Research limitations/implications

From an empirical standpoint, the sample was limited to private housing developers in one country. This limits the scope of generalization. Further studies, comparing between public and private developers in multiple contexts should be undertaken. Besides that, the research is based on a relatively small sample of ten respondents and the use of snowball sampling may have meant that the respondents would only tend to present a particular view of the industry.

Practical implications

The results raise interesting impacts on business success for scholars and entrepreneurs to ponder upon. The research contributes new knowledge about the effects of entrepreneurial learning toward the competitiveness of housing developers, by looking at the whole aspects of development process. A better understanding on how business knowledge could be retrieved from the perspectives of Malaysian housing developers is posited to be pragmatically employed.

Originality/value

Concomitantly with the above proposition, the study offers a novel insight into learning capabilities of Malaysian private housing developers that may be useful for global references. Understanding firm’s resources and capabilities is emergent that warrants further clarifications on entrepreneurial learning within housing development firms. The paper successfully illuminates comprehensive issues that have responded to this shortfall.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 18 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2019

Chee Wei Cheah

This study examines the institutional setting and decision-making structures among key industry actors in the Malaysian housing industry, using the IMP network approach and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the institutional setting and decision-making structures among key industry actors in the Malaysian housing industry, using the IMP network approach and institutional theory as theoretical lenses. The purpose of this study is to uncover the role of NGOs, housing developers and the government at a collective level within a highly regulated housing market. This study uses “relationships” as the unit of analysis, focusing on triadic interactions of NGOs, housing developers and the government.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies the qualitative case-study-research approach, using 20 in-depth interviews from the purposefully selected industry actors within the housing market, online observations and documents.

Findings

The findings suggest that NGOs play an influential role in housing-industry interactions and outcomes. In particular, the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association can influence the members’ decisions through supportive and disruptive actions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to our understanding of how NGOs interact with their regulator and housing developers and how these three parties co-evolve and respond to institutional demands in a housing market that is bound by a highly restricted housing policy. By understanding how actors interact within a network and how it affects each other’s decision, it may assist policymakers in formulating policies that can improve market efficiency. It also aids businesses in formulating their collective strategies.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2015

Jerker Lessing and Staffan Brege

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse the business model of product-oriented house-building companies and, hence, bridging the gap of knowledge on this topic…

1151

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse the business model of product-oriented house-building companies and, hence, bridging the gap of knowledge on this topic. Product-orientation implies an alternative approach to house-building, requiring new knowledge about business models and its characteristics. The balance and fit between the main business model dimensions is specifically focused on to emphasise the importance of a holistic approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a case study with two leading Swedish, product-oriented house-building companies. Semi-structured interviews with company executives, document studies, site and factory visits, along with seminars at the companies are the main data sources. Theories on business models and product orientation form the theoretical foundation for the study.

Findings

The case studies describe two successful companies that used end-customer knowledge to identify a target segment, develop an offering and sequentially increase control over the production and supply chain, with limited investments. This indicates that a market-based outside-in perspective is a successful approach to establish viable house-building concepts with a balance between the business model’s dimensions.

Practical implications

The knowledge brought forward in this study is beneficial for practitioners that can learn about product-oriented house-building and how this must be reflected in the company’s business model to be successfully applied.

Social implications

The study brings forward knowledge about house-building business models that can contribute to increased house-building targeted on certain customer segments. This can be beneficial in terms of decreased costs and increased volumes of new-built, high-quality homes for a variety of customers on the market.

Originality/value

Business models for product-oriented house-building companies are a scarcely covered topic in previous research, and hence, this study provides knowledge of interest for both researchers and practitioners. The case studies reveal unique information of how two companies developed their successful concepts.

Details

Construction Innovation, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2006

Laetitia Radder and Yi Wang

This study aims to determine similarities and differences in business travellers' expectations and managers' perceptions of the service provided by guest houses.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine similarities and differences in business travellers' expectations and managers' perceptions of the service provided by guest houses.

Design/methodology/approach

Two questionnaires with seven‐point Likert scales were used to measure travellers' expectations of guest house service and managers' perceptions of these expectations. Data was analysed using Statistica Version 6.1 by employing factor analysis and ANOVA tests.

Findings

Business travellers deemed secure parking and the professionalism of staff as the most important attributes, while guest house managers thought it would be friendliness of front desk staff and efficient handling of complaints. Both groups indicated that cleanliness of rooms and services performed by staff adequately the first time, were of particular importance. The importance rating of the different service dimensions was not significantly influenced by the business travellers' gender, managerial position, nights of stay or by the guest house grading. Managers mostly overestimated guests' expectations.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of the study is the relatively small sample used (50 guest house managers and 300 business travellers within one city). Future research needs to examine a broader sample of guest house managers and could compare the expectations of different types of guests.

Practical implications

It is worth noting that guest house managers had overestimated the expectations of business travellers regarding the service provided. Management should focus on service dimensions important to guests and not those based on own opinions.

Originality/value

An understanding of business travellers' expectations could lead to their needs being more closely addressed and satisfaction levels being raised.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 18 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 July 2018

Syed Putra Syed Abu Bakar and Mastura Jaafar

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of land banking strategy and market analysis towards the performance of Malaysian housing developers.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of land banking strategy and market analysis towards the performance of Malaysian housing developers.

Design/methodology/approach

Through in-depth interviews, participants shared their opinions on success factors of housing development firms with a focus on land banking and market study. Content analysis was performed on the data, identifying the connection between both strategies and their superior performance.

Findings

The study presents interesting findings in that it lends support to the existing literature as such land banking and market analysis do affect the business competitiveness of housing developers. Albeit subjective in nature, the comments received from respondents are revelatory and have implications for the level of performance perceived by the organisations, as well as the experience of housing entrepreneurs in assembling the land bank and gauging the housing market.

Practical implications

Though not a substitute for quantitative problem solving, this piece of work serves as a corroborative evidence to improve the satisfaction of homebuyers, industry players and policymakers. The paper ends by recommending that the study be repeated in Malaysia, this time with the involvement of other stakeholders, to enrich the findings.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first research performed in the Malaysian context in which the strategies of private housing developers comprising land banking and market analysis were explored in relation to business success. Hence, the present study not only contributes to the existing property literature, but also makes an important contribution to the business performance and firm competitiveness in the lens of Malaysian entrepreneurs.

Details

Property Management, vol. 36 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 December 2018

Bjorn Berggren, Andreas Fili and Mats Wilhelmsson

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between housing markets and new firm formation in six different industries in all 284 municipalities in Sweden.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between housing markets and new firm formation in six different industries in all 284 municipalities in Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have used data from Statistics Sweden and The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth to develop a model to analyze the relationship between house prices and industry-specific new firm formation, with the interaction effect of financial infrastructure.

Findings

In the data, stable high house prices have no effect on entrepreneurship. However, a market with rising house prices has a positive effect on new firm formation, in retail, construction, business-to-business services and miscellaneous sectors, but produced no effect in either mining, agriculture and fishing or in manufacturing. The interaction between rising house prices and financial infrastructure does not change the positive effect on retail, business-to-business services and miscellaneous sectors, but within the construction industry, the positive effect on new firm formation disappears. In manufacturing, the authors observe the opposite – a positive effect, instead of no effect previously.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is to provide evidence of how house prices are associated with entrepreneurship in different industries, as well as analyzing how the interaction between house prices and financial infrastructure is associated with entrepreneurship. By separating observations in time, endogeneity is controlled and a causal relationship where higher house prices is postulated, which leads to an increase in entrepreneurial activity in different industries. By using a spatial Durbin model, the authors control for spatial dependency.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2004

Vincent Gruis and Nico Nieboer

As a result of changes in housing policy in the 1980s and 1990s, social landlords in several European countries have to manage their stock in a more commercial way. They have to…

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Abstract

As a result of changes in housing policy in the 1980s and 1990s, social landlords in several European countries have to manage their stock in a more commercial way. They have to anticipate market developments and formulate a strategy for the development of their stock. This kind of asset management is referred to as “strategic housing management”. Being mainly a practitioners' business, and mostly of recent date, strategic housing management lacks a sound theoretical basis. Publications of “good” practice are scarce. This paper sets up a framework for strategic housing management of social landlords. The main question addressed is: “How can social landlords develop their asset management schemes in a strategic way?” From the theory on business planning and housing management, the paper defines strategic stock management and its characteristics. The paper uses Kotler's general model for strategic business planning and illustrates how this model can be applied to social landlords with various examples from The Netherlands and approaches from front‐runners among Dutch social landlords.

Details

Property Management, vol. 22 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2022

Elisabetta Marzano, Paolo Piselli and Roberta Rubinacci

The purpose of this paper is to provide a dating system for the Italian residential real estate market from 1927 to 2019 and investigate its interaction with credit and business

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a dating system for the Italian residential real estate market from 1927 to 2019 and investigate its interaction with credit and business cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

To detect the local turning point of the Italian residential real estate market, the authors apply the honeycomb cycle developed by Janssen et al. (1994) based on the joint analysis of house prices and the number of transactions. To this end, the authors use a unique historical reconstruction of house price levels by Baffigi and Piselli (2019) in addition to data on transactions.

Findings

This study confirms the validity of the honeycomb model for the last four decades of the Italian housing market. In addition, the results show that the severe downsizing of the housing market is largely associated with business and credit contraction, certainly contributing to exacerbating the severity of the recession. Finally, preliminary evidence suggests that whenever a price bubble occurs, it is coincident with the start of phase 2 of the honeycomb cycle.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that the honeycomb approach has been tested over such a long historical period and compared to the cyclic features of financial and real aggregates. In addition, even if the honeycomb cycle is not a model for detecting booms and busts in the housing market, the preliminary evidence might suggest a role for volume/transactions in detecting housing market bubbles.

Details

Journal of European Real Estate Research, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-9269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2011

Tetsuya Saigo, Seiji Sawada and Yositika Utida

Amidst growing concern about the sustainability of human society, architecture studies are focusing increasingly on the means to achieve sustainable buildings. While various…

Abstract

Amidst growing concern about the sustainability of human society, architecture studies are focusing increasingly on the means to achieve sustainable buildings. While various forward-looking studies are ongoing in this field, it is also important to realize that critical lessons may be learned from historical buildings that have withstood the test of time. Many traditional wooden buildings in Japan provide excellent examples of sustainable building design and production practices that are inherently flexible and therefore highly resistant to obsolescence. This paper first summarizes a recent lecture by Utida outlining his research into the flexibility and durability of modern buildings, which is based on comparisons with Japan's traditional wooden buildings.

It is based on the results of Open Building researches in Japan, especially works in Utida laboratory of Tokyo University (1970-1986) and in AIJ Open Building Sub Committee. This is followed by an overview of the flexibility and material/social lifespan of buildings, and of the developmental trends seen in builders' organizations. And lastly, the future direction of the Japanese detached housing industry is explored. Specifically, the paper traces the changes in the Japanese detached housing industry between 1970 and 2010, and shows how the industry has been shifting toward a sustainable business model. Problems arising from these changes and possible solutions are discussed with concrete examples, and one specific business model is singled out and defined as a promising solution.

Details

Open House International, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2009

Clayton D. Peoples

Power structure research examines core issues in the discipline of sociology; yet this important area of study is declining because of the conceptual, theoretical, and…

Abstract

Power structure research examines core issues in the discipline of sociology; yet this important area of study is declining because of the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological problems. In this paper, I address each of these problems and proposing solutions. I then test the validity of my proposed solutions by conducting empirical analyses examining how big business and labor political action committee (PAC) contributors influence U.S. House decision making. My findings vividly show significant big business influence on House decision making, but negligible labor influence. These findings carry considerable implications for power structure theorizing and research, and provide a solid foundation for future power structure work.

Details

Political Power and Social Theory
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-667-0

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