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Article
Publication date: 22 January 2024

Heba Al Kailani, Ghaleb J. Sweis, Farouq Sammour, Wasan Omar Maaitah, Rateb J. Sweis and Mohammad Alkailani

The process of predicting construction costs and forecasting price fluctuations is a significant and challenging undertaking for project managers. This study aims to develop a…

Abstract

Purpose

The process of predicting construction costs and forecasting price fluctuations is a significant and challenging undertaking for project managers. This study aims to develop a construction cost index (CCI) for Jordan’s construction industry using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and predict future CCI values using traditional and machine learning (ML) techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

The most influential cost items were selected by conducting a literature review and confirmatory expert interviews. The cost items’ weights were calculated using FAHP to develop the CCI formula.

Findings

The results showed that the random forest model had the lowest mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 1.09%, followed by Extreme Gradient Boosting and K-nearest neighbours with MAPEs of 1.41% and 1.46%, respectively.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study lies within the use of FAHP to address the ambiguity of the impact of various cost items on CCI. The developed CCI equation and ML models are expected to significantly benefit construction managers, investors and policymakers in making informed decisions by enhancing their understanding of cost trends in the construction industry.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 May 2023

Renato Silva Nicoletti, Tawan Oliveira, Alex Sander Clemente de Souza and Silvana De Nardin

In the analysis of structures in a fire situation by simplified and analytical methods, one assumption is that the fire resistance time is greater than or equal to the required…

Abstract

Purpose

In the analysis of structures in a fire situation by simplified and analytical methods, one assumption is that the fire resistance time is greater than or equal to the required fire resistance time. Among the methodologies involving the fire resistance time, the most used is the tabular method, which associates fire resistance time values to structural elements based on minimum dimensions of the cross section. The tabular method is widely accepted by the technical-scientific community due to the fact that it is safe and practical. However, its main criticism is that it results in lower fire resistance times than advanced thermal and thermostructural analysis methods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fire resistance time of reinforced concrete beams and compare it with the required fire resistance time recommended by the tabular method of NBR 15200 (ABNT, 2012).

Design/methodology/approach

The fire resistance time and required fire resistance time of reinforced concrete beams were evaluated using, respectively, numerical models developed based on the finite element method and the tabular method of NBR 15200 (ABNT, 2012). The influence of the following parameters was investigated: longitudinal reinforcement cover, characteristic compressive strength of concrete, beam height, longitudinal reinforcement area and arrangement of steel bars.

Findings

Among the evaluated parameters, the covering of the longitudinal reinforcement proved to be more relevant for the fire resistance time, justifying that the tabular method of NBR 15200 (ABNT, 2012) being strongly and directly influenced by this parameter. In turn, more resistant concretes, higher beams and higher steel grades have lower fire resistance time values. This is because beams in these conditions have greater resistance capacity at room temperature and, consequently, are subject to external stresses of greater magnitude. In some cases, the fire resistance time was even lower than the required fire resistance time prescribed by NBR 15200 (ABNT, 2012). Both the fire resistance time and the required fire resistance time were not influenced by the arrangement of the longitudinal reinforcements.

Originality/value

The present paper innovates by demonstrating the influence of other important design variables on the required fire resistance time of the NBR 15200 (ABNT, 2012). Among several conclusions, it was found that the load level to which the structural elements are subjected considerably affects their fire resistance time. For this reason, it was recommended that the methods for calculating the required fire resistance time consider the load level. In addition, the article quantifies the security degree of the tabular method and exposes some situations for which the tabular method proved to be unsafe. Moreover, in all the models analyzed, the relationship between the span and the vertical deflection associated with the failure of the beams in a fire situation was determined. With this, a span over average deflection relationship was presented in which beams in fire situations fail.

Details

Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-2317

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2022

Murat Cevikbas, Ozan Okudan and Zeynep Işık

The purpose of this paper is to propose a disruption claim management (DCM) life cycle and a risk management framework to provide comprehensive guidance to construction…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a disruption claim management (DCM) life cycle and a risk management framework to provide comprehensive guidance to construction practitioners for facilitating effective and efficient DCM.

Design/methodology/approach

DCM life cycle was initially developed through a focus group discussion (FGD) with the participation of the construction practitioners who have diverse experiences about DCM. The life cycle is comprised of 6 phases and also includes proper reactions of the owners and contractors. Then, 42 risk factors that can impact the deliverables of DCM were identified through a literature review and an additional FGD session. This was then followed by a Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) which was performed to evaluate the importance of each risk factor in terms of the factor's impact on the success of DCM. Additionally, consistency analysis was performed to further maximize the reliability of the results.

Findings

Findings revealed that a proactive and systematic approach should be adopted and DCM practices should be initiated before any disruption event is triggered. Accordingly, the proposed framework recommends DCM practices to be initiated early in the contract development phase since compensation for the disruption might be recovered only to the extent that the contract permits. The contract-related risks were given top priority by the experts so that the results of the fuzzy AHP analysis also verified the significance of the contract development phase. Besides contract-related risks, risks related to insufficient site observation, ignorance of the project team, cognitive bias and conflict of interest were determined as the most significant DCM risks, needing an urgent and sophisticated risk response plan. Lastly, results suggested that “Site observation and record-keeping” is the most formidable phase since the phase's implementation on a continuous basis could create unforeseen organizational challenges such as mismanagement of project records, especially in the dynamic and turbulent environment of the construction projects.

Originality/value

Disruption – which is caused mostly by change – is inevitable in construction projects due to their sophisticated nature. DCM, therefore, becomes crucial to compensate losses of contractors and eliminate or diminish the prolonged dispute resolution process. Existing studies, however, do not provide a comprehensive theoretical basis for the DCM life cycle and DCM life cycle's potential risks so that DCM life cycle's promising benefits can hardly be materialized. Thus, developing a DCM life cycle and associating DCM life cycle with risk management, this study is highly believed to make a promising theoretical contribution to the DCM domain since this is one of the earliest attempts in the literature. Additionally, this research provides construction practitioners with an insight into the effective implementation of DCM practices in construction projects.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2024

Bighnesh Dash Mohapatra, Chandan Kumar Sahoo and Avinash Chopra

The purpose of this study is to explore and prioritize the factors that determine the social insurance contribution of unorganized workers.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore and prioritize the factors that determine the social insurance contribution of unorganized workers.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-stage procedure was adopted to recognize and prioritize factors influencing the social insurance participation of unorganized workers: first, crucial factors influencing unorganized workers’ contribution towards social insurance were identified by employing exploratory factor analysis, and in the second phase, the fuzzy analytical hierarchal process was applied to rank the specified criteria and then sub-criteria by assigning weights.

Findings

Four broad factors were identified, namely, economic, political, operational and socio-psychological, that significantly influence unorganized workers’ contribution towards social insurance. Later findings revealed that the prime influencer of unorganized workers’ contribution is employment contracts followed by average earnings, delivery of quality services, eligibility and accessibility.

Practical implications

The research findings are feasible as the basic propositions are based on real-world scenario. The identification and ranking of factors have the potential to be used as a checklist for policymakers when designing pension and social insurance for unorganized workers. If it is not possible to consider all, the criteria and sub-criteria assigned upper rank can be given priority to extend pension coverage for a large group of working poor.

Social implications

The key factors driving social insurance contributions have been highlighted by studying the stakeholders’ perceptions at a micro level. By comprehending the challenges, there is a possibility of covering a large section of the working poor into social insurance coverage.

Originality/value

This paper is believed to be one of its kinds to acknowledge a combination of factors that determine the contribution of unorganized workers to social insurance. This study is an empirical investigation to prioritize the essential drivers of social insurance participation by low-income cohorts in the context of emerging countries. The present approach of employing fuzzy logic has also very limited use in social insurance literature yet.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 5 February 2024

Sajia Ferdous

This chapter discusses work-life interface (WLI) issues for migrant-citizen older British women of South Asian heritage living in the UK. It shows how WLI issues are inevitably…

Abstract

This chapter discusses work-life interface (WLI) issues for migrant-citizen older British women of South Asian heritage living in the UK. It shows how WLI issues are inevitably entangled with the active ageing agenda for the older workforce and that we need further attention from scholars exploring these issues across life courses to appreciate and understand how ageing across locations, times and contexts unveils unique aspects of WLI. The chapter discussion rethinks some of the existing constructs of WLI and introduces new ones to its periphery, including people’s social identities and the spatio-temporal nature of those identities. Such a rethinking process is supported by critical empirical evidence on the lived experiences of a group of older ethnic minority British women living in Greater Manchester, UK, who juggled between work and caring throughout their lives, and abruptly quit paid work due to unmanageable overlapping demands. The evidence indicates how migrant women from the global south struggle to navigate UK WLI norms/culture and their meanings, especially when irreconcilable differences exist between the community/family norms and the social norms in the host country. The chapter findings have implications for the future of an inclusive labor market as it recommends early planning, provisioning and addressing ageing migrants’ WLI issues to draw sustainable/inclusive future labor market policies.

Details

Work-Life Inclusion: Broadening Perspectives Across the Life-Course
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-219-8

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2024

Rong Zhu, Yaoyao Fu, Ao Wen and Jiaxin Zhao

This study aims to examine an emerging product–place co-branding marketing practice in China’s rural areas. The role of this practice in inclusive development is analyzed from the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine an emerging product–place co-branding marketing practice in China’s rural areas. The role of this practice in inclusive development is analyzed from the perspectives of value proposition innovation, market legitimacy, media coverage and brand value. Both research and practice indicate value proposition innovation to exert an important influence on brand value enhancement, but little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation.

Design/methodology/approach

A moderated mediation model is constructed to examine whether market legitimacy mediates the relationship between value proposition innovation and brand value. vWhether this mediating process is moderated by media coverage is also examined. The primary data are collected from semi-structured interviews and observations conducted with two common cases to develop proper scales for value proposition innovation and market legitimacy. The research includes 100 product–place co-brandings published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2019. Hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression and a Bootstrap model.

Findings

Value proposition innovation has a positive effect on brand value, and market legitimacy partially mediates this relationship. Media coverage positively moderates the relationship between value proposition innovation and market legitimacy, and positively moderates the mediating effect of market legitimacy; the higher the media coverage, the stronger the mediating effect of market legitimacy.

Research limitations/implications

Based on data availability and accessibility, the study sample focused on indicators from 100 brands in 2019. If the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs discloses consecutive annual information for other years, future studies could explore panel data to further test the study’s conclusions from a longitudinal perspective.

Originality/value

First, this paper adds to the emerging literature on product–place co-branding business models by examining the relationship between value proposition innovation and brand value. Second, this paper enriches institutional theory by including market legitimacy as a mediator between value proposition innovation and brand value. Third, this paper identifies the moderating role of media coverage, thus broadening the theoretical implications of institutional theory with respect to improving market legitimacy.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 September 2022

Junying Liu, Zhixiu Wang, Jiansheng Tang and Jingcong Song

While there is a general belief that a defective institutional environment will lead to higher compliance risk, the current state of knowledge about how the institutional…

Abstract

Purpose

While there is a general belief that a defective institutional environment will lead to higher compliance risk, the current state of knowledge about how the institutional environment affects enterprises' compliance is equivocal. This study aims to explore how does the host country's institutional environment affect the compliance risk perception of international engineering contractors and how to mitigate this impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This study empirically tests the impact of the institutional environment from the two dimensions of the institutional environment: legal completeness reflects whether the formal regulations are clear, detailed and comprehensive and legal effectiveness reflects whether rules and policies can be implemented effectively when the proper legal codes are provided. Based on 213 questionnaire data, this study uses partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and Smart PLS software to test the hypothesis.

Findings

This study finds a negative relationship between the host country's legal completeness (LC) or legal effectiveness (LE) and a contractor's compliance risk perception. Further, the results show potential absorptive capacity (PAC) and realized absorptive capacity (RAC) of a contractor are critical for mitigating the impact of low LC in the host country, but not when LE is low.

Practical implications

The findings will be useful for international engineering contractors to respond to the compliance risk of the host country, both in choices of overseas investment locations and compliance capacity building.

Originality/value

This study reveals the impact of the host country's institutional environment on the compliance risk perception of international contractors, and provides theoretical guidance for how to alleviate the compliance barriers brought by the host country's institutional environment to international engineering contractors.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 November 2023

Sepehr Ghazinoory, Meysam Shirkhodaie and Mercedeh Pahlavanian

Fintechs are expected to develop rapidly as technologies that help improve the efficiency of the traditional financial system, but an examination of fintech subbranches shows…

Abstract

Purpose

Fintechs are expected to develop rapidly as technologies that help improve the efficiency of the traditional financial system, but an examination of fintech subbranches shows different behaviors. In some sub-branches, the transition has been accompanied by a higher speed and more success, but in some other sub-branches, the opposite has been observed. The difference in the development of fintech sub-branches and its reasons have been paid less attention. Therefore, this article aims to identify the factors affecting the transition.

Design/methodology/approach

The use of new technologies in financial services at the international level has led to the provision of fast, customized and economical services, and the fact that these services are welcomed by the users has created opportunities for fintech's transition. This qualitative research follows the socio-technical phenomenon of fintech transition through narrative research. For its formulation, the transition process of fintech sub-branches was analyzed based on the multi-level analytical framework and Geels et al.’s transition path theory.

Findings

Transition is a change from one socio-technical regime to another. The findings of the research showed that these changes are influenced by the following factors: provision of infrastructure, the support of industry incumbents from innovative financial services, policy-making, citizen's welcoming, improving the knowledge and expertise of actors, legal adjustments as well as provision of innovative services.

Originality/value

The fintech transition has a special nature because the speed of developments in fintech is high and there is a series of innovations that are continuously replaced by subsequent innovations. Existing models have often focused on the long-term transition of a technology. This article presents a new approach for the analysis of changes in the short term in such a way that, based on the position of the actors in favor of or against the technological changes and institutional changes of the transition, it has analyzed and identified the factors affecting the transition. By focusing on these factors, policymakers can direct the way of fintech transition and help accelerate and facilitate fintech transition.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 August 2023

Takawira Munyaradzi Ndofirepi

This study aims to examine the degree to which a selection of home country factors affects the proclivity of firms to internationalise. The study also proposes and tests a…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the degree to which a selection of home country factors affects the proclivity of firms to internationalise. The study also proposes and tests a conceptual model that fuses institutional and resource-based theories to improve our understanding of firm internationalisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses cross-sectional, national-level secondary data from the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute and World Economic Forum data sets on global entrepreneurship and competitiveness indices for 137 countries. The data is analysed using correlation and hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that national income, institutions, trade openness and availability of risk capital positively influenced firm internationalisation, while home-country networking had an inverse effect. However, home country infrastructure had no statistically significant effect on firm internationalisation.

Research limitations/implications

The findings highlight the importance of considering home country attributes in understanding the internationalisation of firms.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence of the role of local factors on the internationalisation of entrepreneurial ventures. It also tests a novel conceptual model that integrates institutional and resource-based theories to explain the nuances of the internationalisation of business ventures globally.

Details

Review of International Business and Strategy, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-6014

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2023

Chia-Chang Huang, Ching-Jung Chung, Yi-Ting Wu, Po-Ting Hsu, Jen-Feng Liang, Ying-Ying Yang and Jie Chi Yang

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly publications.

Design/methodology/approach

The data on full-text electronic journal access, participants of library training courses and scholarly publications were exported from a digital medical library database during 2017–2021. In addition, electronic journal access and library training courses were divided into high-level and low-level groups, while scholarly publications were divided into physician and non-physician groups.

Findings

The scholarly publications had a positive correlation to library training courses and electronic journal access. Furthermore, scholarly publications showed a significant difference between the high-level and low-level electronic journal access groups but not between the high-level and low-level library training course groups. Scholarly publications and electronic journal access had positive correlations for both the physician and non-physician groups. Scholarly publications and library training courses, and electronic journal access and library training courses had positive correlations only in the non-physician group.

Practical implications

The importance of electronic journal access for scholarly publications is suggested based on the findings of the present study. The training courses held by the medical library had a positive effect on scholarly publications for the non-physician group.

Originality/value

The current study provides insights relevant to the electronic journal access of library-supported scholarly publications among medical departments. These results can serve as a reference for medical library development planning and decision-making in the future.

Details

The Electronic Library , vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

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