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Article
Publication date: 3 April 2009

Tayyab Maqsood and Andrew D. Finegan

This paper aims to summarise a Doctor of Philosophy research study. The purpose is to provide a summary of the scope, literature review, main issues raised in the thesis, the…

2364

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to summarise a Doctor of Philosophy research study. The purpose is to provide a summary of the scope, literature review, main issues raised in the thesis, the application of a two phase action research methodology, key research findings and potential areas for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The research investigates the role of knowledge management (KM) in supporting innovation and learning in the construction industry. The research is carried out in two phases. Phase 1 employs a grounded theory methodology to develop and map out the current state of knowledge‐related activities being undertaken in two leading Australian construction organisations. This is developed into a model that shows that the segregation between three crucial components – people, process and technology – of an organisation is required to successfully carry out construction work. Phase 2 utilises soft system methodology (SSM) as a KM tool to identify the gap between organisations' internal and external knowledge sources. This gap is significant as it restricts the pull of knowledge from external knowledge sources.

Findings

This investigation provides a model to achieve KM initiatives through adoption of SSM. This results in an improvement in the integration of people, process and technology within an organisation, an increase in the capacity of the organisation to pull external knowledge, and thereby improve its own internal knowledge bank. All these improvements help an organisation to transform itself into a learning organisation that can continually adapt and innovate.

Practical implications

KM research is relatively new in the construction industry. This research has significantly added to the existing body of knowledge in the domain of KM by effectively linking KM with innovation and learning. This provides a strong case for employing KM in order to make innovation a regular phenomenon within the construction industry and encouraging organisations to transform themselves into learning organisations.

Originality/value

This paper provides practitioners with an insight into how KM can be applied in project management (PM)‐oriented organisations. Also the research explores an identified gap between PM research and practice, and argues that industry needs to effectively work in collaboration with knowledge sources found in academia. The paper also demonstrates that SSM can be used to create artefacts of knowledge.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 February 2024

Lerato Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Douglas Aghimien

The current era of the fourth industrial revolution has attracted significant research on the use of digital technologies in improving construction project delivery. However, less…

Abstract

The current era of the fourth industrial revolution has attracted significant research on the use of digital technologies in improving construction project delivery. However, less emphasis has been placed on how these digital tools will influence the management of the construction workforce. To this end, using a review of existing works, this chapter explores the fourth industrial revolution and its associated technologies that can positively impact the management of the construction workforce when implemented. Also, the possible challenges that might truncate the successful deployment of digital technologies for effective workforce management were explored. The chapter submitted that implementing workforce management-specific digital platforms and other digital technologies designed for project delivery can aid effective workforce management within construction organisations. Technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, big data analytics, robotics and automation, and artificial intelligence, among others, offer significant benefits to the effective workforce management of construction organisations. However, several challenges, such as resistance to change due to fear of job loss, cost of investment in digital tools, organisational structure and culture, must be carefully considered as they might affect the successful use of digital tools and by extension, impact the success of workforce management in the organisations.

Details

Construction Workforce Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-019-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2023

Minh Van Nguyen

This study aims to determine barriers to innovation and to develop a quantitative model for the barrier to innovation in Vietnamese construction organizations of different sizes.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine barriers to innovation and to develop a quantitative model for the barrier to innovation in Vietnamese construction organizations of different sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review and discussions with experienced practitioners were implemented to determine barriers to innovation in construction organizations. The rank-based non-parametric test analyzed collected data from a questionnaire survey to examine if there were significant differences between the three groups of organizations, including small, medium and large construction organizations. The fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) technique was employed to develop barrier indexes (BIs) for organizations of different sizes in Vietnam.

Findings

The findings showed 17 barriers to innovation which were categorized into four groups, including organizational, human resources, economic and market barriers. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences regarding barriers to innovation between small, medium and large construction organizations in Vietnam. The post hoc test highlighted barriers to innovation differently separated into two groups: SMEs and large construction organizations. The FSE analysis integrated the identified barriers into the comprehensive BIs for SMEs and large construction organizations. The FSE analysis illustrated that the organizational barrier is the most critical barrier for SMEs. On the other hand, the market barrier received the most significant attention in large construction organizations.

Originality/value

This research is one of the first integrated barriers to innovation into a comprehensive formulation. The indexes provide the decision-makers with a practical and reliable tool to evaluate barriers to innovation in construction organizations of different sizes.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2016

Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin and Christabel Man-Fong Ho

The existence of codes of ethics in most organizations does not seem to have reduced unethical behaviour especially in the construction organizations due to lack of effective…

2081

Abstract

Purpose

The existence of codes of ethics in most organizations does not seem to have reduced unethical behaviour especially in the construction organizations due to lack of effective ethics management such as embeddedness of ethical codes. The purpose of this paper is to bridge the current knowledge gap by highlighting the principal factors determining the embeddedness of codes of ethics in construction organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaires detailing 30 factors determining ethical code embeddedness were sent to professionals in construction organizations in Hong Kong. In total, 160 valid responses were analysed by mean score and exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

Based on the mean score, “protecting anyone who exposes alleged wrongdoing”, “managers acting as role models” and “giving code standards with explanation to new employees” are the three factors that ranked highest. From the results of factor analysis, six factors were extracted, including; process of code internalization, identification and remover of barriers, process of enacting value, process of accountability, process of coding and process of monitoring. These are processes that enable proper integration of codes of ethics within construction organization.

Research limitations/implications

While this study has provided useful information regarding ethical codes, the limitation is inherent in the population of the study in that, percentage representation of construction organizations in Hong Kong could not be presented. This was due to the sensitivity of ethics as perceived by construction practitioners. The authors, at the initial stage, sent invitation letters to several organizations inviting them to participate in the research but they all declined. Therefore, the data collection approach discussed earlier was adopted and the questionnaire was made strictly anonymous which made it difficult to classify organizations that are represented. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this paper will engineer a change in research direction and open up new discussion channels.

Originality/value

The results presented in this study provide sufficient evidence and useful pointers to clarify some misconceptions about factors determining code embeddedness. These findings help to clarify what the high-prioritized factors are, and could also be used as an assessment tool to evaluate performance of an organization regarding codes of ethics and thus help to identify areas requiring improvement.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2021

Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Douglas Omoregie Aghimien, Wellington Didibhuku Thwala and Moleboheng Ntebo Ngozwana

This paper aims to determine the responses of construction organisations to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown and the impact on the South African…

1670

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the responses of construction organisations to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown and the impact on the South African construction industry (SACI).

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a quantitative survey with responses sought from 825 contracting organisation’s representatives drawn from the database of the construction industry development board. The data gathered were analysed using percentage, mean item score and one-sample t-test. The reliability of the research instrument was also tested using the Cronbach alpha test.

Findings

Findings revealed that most construction organisations implemented a complete travel ban and halting all business operations on sites and offices in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. Furthermore, whilst most construction organisations envisage significant disruption in their project delivery, the problem of job losses was regarded as a short, medium and long-term impact of the pandemic. Loss of revenue, a decline in the economy and business interruption are also some of the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SACI.

Originality/value

The study’s findings give practical insights on the potential impact of the pandemic on the construction industry and the possible approach needed to help cushion the effect on the industry.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 July 2018

Kamalendra Kumar Tripathi and Kumar Neeraj Jha

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the success attributes and success factors of the construction organisations.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the success attributes and success factors of the construction organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The viewpoints of the experts engaged in Indian construction industry were used to apply factor analysis and fuzzy preference relation with the help of a questionnaire survey.

Findings

The findings indicate that project factor is the most important factor, whereas favourable market and marketing team is the least important factor. Among the success attributes, the availability of qualified staff is the most important attribute, and health and safety management plan is the least important attribute.

Research limitations/implications

Findings of this study are based on the viewpoint of the experts of construction organisations engaged in building projects in India.

Practical implications

The study can be used as a yardstick for the top management of construction organisations to manage their resources efficiently and to develop a strategy to be successful in this business.

Social implications

Indian construction industry provides direct and indirect employment to the people of India. Hence, the success of construction organisation will contribute to the development of the society and ultimately the nation.

Originality/value

In the earlier studies, researchers have used various statistical tools to identify and evaluate the alternatives for the success factors of construction organisations, but very few of them have tried to assign weights to those alternatives. The simple ranking of alternatives using various statistical analyses, such as mean and standard deviation, relative importance index, etc., is not much useful unless their relative weights are known. With the help of the present study, the authors have tried to overcome the shortcomings of the previous research works.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Luqman Oyekunle Oyewobi, Abimbola Olukemi Windapo and James Olabode Bamidele Rotimi

Literature suggests that there are sets of common variables that are capable of explaining organisational performance differentials. These variables are used to examine…

Abstract

Purpose

Literature suggests that there are sets of common variables that are capable of explaining organisational performance differentials. These variables are used to examine performance variance and its contribution to organisation profitability. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of large construction organisations’ performance in South Africa using a partial least squares path analytic method.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the interrelationship between a number of constructs, namely, organisational characteristics, resources/capabilities, competitive strategies, business environment and performance, using a questionnaire survey to obtain data from 72 large construction organisations in South Africa. Using a path analytic approach, the paper examines the relationship between the constructs discussed in the study.

Findings

The findings from the analysis of the data show that organisational characteristics do indeed influence the performance of organisations, and that the business environment is capable of moderating the relationship between competitive strategies and performance. The results, however, indicate that organisations that combine sustained organisational characteristics and strategy tend to experience high performance over those that do not.

Originality/value

The study findings have implications for management practice, as it could help managers of construction organisations to acknowledge the influence of organisational characteristics, unique resources/capabilities, competitive strategies and business environment as sources of competitive advantage. The study contributes to the current debate on the causes of performance differentials among large construction organisations.

Details

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-4387

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Luqman Oyekunle Oyewobi, Abimbola Windapo and James Olabode Bamidele Rotimi

The decision-making styles and strategies of organisations play significant roles in their competitive advantage and the achievement of superior performance. The purpose of this…

2363

Abstract

Purpose

The decision-making styles and strategies of organisations play significant roles in their competitive advantage and the achievement of superior performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of decision-making styles on the strength of the relationship between competitive strategy and organisational performance among large construction organisations based in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focuses on large construction organisations in South Africa using a questionnaire survey to elicit information. The sample consists of 72 large construction organisations, and the measures of decision-making styles, competitive strategies and organisational performance used for the instrument utilised to elicit information were derived from the literature. Descriptive, parametric and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the effect of decision-making styles and competitive strategies on the organisations’ performance.

Findings

The results of the study show that organisations utilize all types of decision-making styles, but the most significantly adopted styles are analytical and directive. The study found that decision-making styles influence organisational performance through competitive strategies.

Research limitations/implications

The research considered large construction organisations based in South Africa and operating in three provinces, where almost 75 per cent of all public projects are being implemented. The findings can be generalised to other large construction organisations functioning within the South African industry, because most of the organisations surveyed operate nationally. However, the findings may not be generalizable to the entire industry. Small and medium-sized organisations vary in terms of structure in relation to large organisations; hence, their decision-making styles may be different.

Practical implications

The study makes explicit the need to consider the role of different decision-making styles being practiced within organisations and how their moderating effect influences organisational performance beyond rational processes. A better understanding of this will enable organisations to achieve the total commitment of their staff to achieve superior performance.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature and body of knowledge on the strategic management of organisations. It underpins the assertion that decision-making styles and competitive strategies can influence organisational performance, and this is validated within the construction industry. Knowledge of the relationships between the variables measured in this paper will be beneficial to both owners and managers of construction organisations, because they provide the necessary information on how strategic decision-making styles influence the strategy adopted and, in turn, the organisational performance.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 February 2024

Lerato Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Douglas Aghimien

This chapter gives the conclusion of the book. The chapter draws from the discussion from previous chapters to make logical conclusions and recommendations. The chapter concludes…

Abstract

This chapter gives the conclusion of the book. The chapter draws from the discussion from previous chapters to make logical conclusions and recommendations. The chapter concludes that construction industries are failing to imbibe workforce management practices, resulting in high employee turnover, dissatisfaction among existing workers and ultimately, low productivity of workers and organisations. It was also noted that the fourth industrial revolution offers emerging technologies that, when adopted within construction organisations, can help improve how organisations deliver their projects and manage their workers. Therefore, implementing a construction workforce management model that recognises the impact of digital tools is crucial for organisations seeking to get the optimum productivity out of their workers. Thus, this book’s conceptualised construction workforce management model can be a valuable tool for construction organisations. Also, more credibility is given to the model’s structure by exploring the conceptualised model through experts’ opinions.

Details

Construction Workforce Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-019-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 November 2011

Oluwole Alfred Olatunji

The popularity of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has improved tremendously in recent years. The business sense it makes to construction small to medium‐sized (SME…

3285

Abstract

Purpose

The popularity of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has improved tremendously in recent years. The business sense it makes to construction small to medium‐sized (SME) organizations has also become vitally important, especially when the deliverables of BIM potentials are becoming more explicit than they were several years ago. Moreover, there is adequate evidence to suggest that an early adoption of BIM by construction SME organizations could mean marked sustainable business advantage to them. The purpose of this paper is to initiate a long‐term study on how BIM triggers market improvements in the Australian construction industry, to establish the specific impact of these on construction industry's contribution to Australian economy, also to develop a simple model on the cost of implementing BIM in a typical construction SME.

Design/methodology/approach

This research relies on evidence from literature to identify different operational models of construction organizations, namely; matrix, divisional, functional and networked business models. A definite approach was taken to articulate some contributory concepts and rationales which drive organizational response to technological changes across the identified four categories of organization structure models. Focus group discussion was the primary research method for this study, while additional data were collected from public sources. Respondents and data were sourced from two firms selected from each type of organization model. In the end, 24 industry practitioners from a range of Australian construction SME businesses that provide software and technical support services, consultancy and contracting services took part in the study.

Findings

Analysis of 32 sample cases revealed that BIM implementation costs were mostly defined by a range of cost variables, including software acquisition and technical support, hardware, training, services and implementation contingencies. On the average, software costs accounted for about 55 percent of total implementation costs. This particular cost descriptor was about five to seven times more than the cost of hardware (depending on the level of sophistication of operations, expected implementation outcomes and whether new hardware were used or existing installation were upgraded with BIM compliant drivers). The study also found that training cost was a third of software costs, while the average total cost of services, recruitment and contingencies, all added together, was about 5 percent of total implementation costs. In the end, a linear model was developed to predict the cost of BIM implementation in construction SMEs.

Originality/value

A preliminary version of this study has been presented in the 2010 edition of the International Conference on Information Technology in Construction (CIB W078). As a study in a new direction, it focuses on specific organization models and their unique responses to drivers of change. While other studies have looked into macro implementation of BIM, mostly without considering the peculiarity and dynamics of organization structure, this study has focused on construction SME businesses offering a wide range of services.

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