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1 – 10 of over 72000Khotso Dithebe, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Wellington Didibhuku Thwala and Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke
Minimal private participation for infrastructure development continues to affect developing economies like South Africa. This study aims to determine the perceived occurrence of…
Abstract
Purpose
Minimal private participation for infrastructure development continues to affect developing economies like South Africa. This study aims to determine the perceived occurrence of challenges delaying the delivery of water infrastructure assets and the role of both public and private financing for infrastructure development.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative approach was used, and questionnaires were administered to stakeholders that have participated in delivering water infrastructure assets in South Africa. Of the 96 returned questionnaires, 91 were usable, representing 61 per cent response rate. Data from the survey were analysed using descriptive and exploratory factor analyses. The reliability test represented a value of 0.945, indicating internal consistency.
Findings
Data analysis revealed that corruption, hostility, weak project structuring, high fiscal deficits by state government, cost recovery constraints, high credit risk for private financing and unreliable planning and procurement processes are major challenges delaying the delivery of water infrastructure assets. More so, municipal government remains the key custodian of water infrastructure delivery with limited support from private capital as a result of political administrative instability, legislation and policy uncertainty and inadequate risk-adjusted returns.
Originality/value
Emphasis should be made on eradicating corruption and non-transparent financial management to improve municipal creditworthiness and amending and implementing much improved legislation and foreign inclusion. Additionally, financial models to complement the existing mechanisms of financing water infrastructure projects should be sought and used. Complete eradication of infrastructure challenges envisages to reduce fiscal deficits, improve service delivery and enhance the competitiveness and productivity of the economy.
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Hemant Harishchandra Kore and Saroj Koul
The study identifies the challenges of developing the “electric vehicle (EV)” charging infrastructure in India, having an ambitious target of 30% EV adoption by 2030.
Abstract
Purpose
The study identifies the challenges of developing the “electric vehicle (EV)” charging infrastructure in India, having an ambitious target of 30% EV adoption by 2030.
Design/methodology/approach
First, a systematic literature review determined EV adoption and challenges in the EV charging infrastructure development globally and specifically in India. Secondly, a focussed group study in which 10 domain experts were consulted to identify additional challenges in India's EV adoption involving EV charging infrastructure.
Findings
Accordingly, 11 significant challenges of EV charging infrastructure development in India have been identified–seven through the comparative analysis of the literature review and four from the focussed group study. Secondary data provides insight into the situation around developed countries and in developing countries, specifically in India. Finally, the Government of India's measures and priorities to facilitate such a development are emphasised.
Research limitations/implications
The study can help policymakers/researchers understand the gaps and align measures to address the challenges. A focussed group study may have its limitations due to the perception of the experts.
Originality/value
The systematic literature review of 43 articles using comparative analysis and subsequently a focussed group study of experts to verify and add challenges has made the study unique.
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Johanna Maria Liljeroos-Cork and Kaisu Laitinen
Infrastructure forms a basis for the operations and sustainability of the modern society. This paper aims to recognize value creation from the infrastructure procurement ecosystem…
Abstract
Purpose
Infrastructure forms a basis for the operations and sustainability of the modern society. This paper aims to recognize value creation from the infrastructure procurement ecosystem perspective to achieve those goals. The pursuit of enhancing value creation involves an examination of infrastructure procurement challenges, boundaries as well as boundary spanners that facilitate effective knowledge transfer and interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The qualitative study is based on content analysis of 25 thematic interviews. Data was transcribed and coded via Atlas.ti software.
Findings
Infrastructure procurement value creation challenges appear complex and related to boundaries that hamper collaboration, coordination and knowledge sharing. Our results show that these boundaries locate within and between different levels of procurement ecosystem. Therefore, value creation in infrastructure procurement requires boundary spanners for leveraging knowledge sharing and interaction. Artifacts, discussion, processes and brokers as identified boundary spanners are strongly nested and interrelated in the industry. Special attention should be given to supporting individuals to act as brokers, since they play the key roles in trust building, culture steering and usage of other boundary spanners.
Social implications
Promoting value creation in infrastructure procurement helps to achieve socio-economic development goals.
Originality/value
This study offers a unique perspective on value creation in the context of infrastructure by adopting an ecosystem lens and examining boundary crossing mechanisms. The results support future development of collaboration and knowledge sharing practices fostering procurement productivity.
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Danielle A. Tucker, Jane Hendy and James Barlow
As management innovations become more complex, infrastructure needs to change in order to accommodate new work practices. Different challenges are associated with work practice…
Abstract
Purpose
As management innovations become more complex, infrastructure needs to change in order to accommodate new work practices. Different challenges are associated with work practice redesign and infrastructure change however; combining these presents a dual challenge and additional challenges associated with this interaction. The purpose of this paper is to ask: what are the challenges which arise from work practice redesign, infrastructure change and simultaneously attempting both in a single transformation?
Design/methodology/approach
The authors present a longitudinal study of three hospitals in three different countries (UK, USA and Canada) transforming both their infrastructure and work practices. Data consists of 155 ethnographic interviews complemented by 205 documents and 36 hours of observations collected over two phases for each case study.
Findings
This paper identifies that work practice redesign challenges the cognitive load of organizational members whilst infrastructure change challenges the project management and structure of the organization. Simultaneous transformation represents a disconnect between the two aspects of change resulting in a failure to understand the relationship between work and design.
Practical implications
These challenges suggest that organizations need to make a distinction between the two aspects of transformation and understand the unique tensions of simultaneously tackling these dual challenges. They must ensure that they have adequate skills and resources with which to build this distinction into their change planning.
Originality/value
This paper unpacks two different aspects of complex change and considers the neglected challenges associated with modern change management objectives.
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Khotso Dithebe, Clinton Aigbavboa and Didi Wellington Thwala
Targets set out by state institutions, with respect to supplying water to deprived communities, seem to be idealistic and not realistic. Study envisioned to assess challenges of…
Abstract
Purpose
Targets set out by state institutions, with respect to supplying water to deprived communities, seem to be idealistic and not realistic. Study envisioned to assess challenges of financing water infrastructure projects, and determines the role of the state towards infrastructure development by holistically planning and engaging with the private sector.
Design/Methodology/Approach
The study adopted a quantitative approach, whereby a questionnaire survey was conducted among different stakeholders involved in water infrastructure projects in South Africa. Data gathered were analysed using percentages, mean item score and standard deviation.
Findings
The study revealed that most challenges affecting the success of the financing of water infrastructure projects in South Africa are corruption, hostility towards private participation, cost recovery constraints, high fiscal deficits by state government, unreliable planning and procurement processes, and a rapid increasing number of municipalities that lack technical and administrative capacity to plan implement, operate and maintain water assets.
Research Limitations/Implications
This research paper investigates projects’ financing challenges with a broad inspection on the role of the public sector. The apparent role of the international structures such as OECD, IMF and World Bank had no influence in the study. From the findings, it is clear that the central government and state institutions lack the necessary resources to accelerate infrastructure development, water infrastructure in particular. The study, thus, recommends a complete expansion and development of state capacity as well as improved collaborations with the private sector to drive the success delivery of services to the public.
Originality/Value
Improved and flexible regulations and legislative guidelines are required to ensure that both sectors fulfil their side of the bargain, with an ultimate goal of meeting the predetermined targets of supplying adequate water to the deprived communities.
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This study aims to understand the challenges of 5G deployment in India from the perspectives of telecom operators. These challenges are also mapped to different contexts within…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand the challenges of 5G deployment in India from the perspectives of telecom operators. These challenges are also mapped to different contexts within the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE) framework.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews of employees working in telecom companies in India. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the qualitative data.
Findings
The author has identified nine challenges that are categorized under three dimensions of the TOE framework. Specifically, the findings indicate three technological challenges: hardware/device challenges, security concerns and limited use cases; two organization challenges: financial challenges and lack of skilled workforce; and four environmental challenges: inadequate infrastructure, regulatory and administrative challenges, consumers’ attitudes and competitive market conditions.
Practical implications
The results of this study would help understand the key factors that can act as barriers to the 5G rollout in India. Based on the findings of the study, the government and regulatory bodies could design conducive policies and regulatory frameworks to successfully deploy 5G in India.
Originality/value
The study is one of the very few studies to empirically examine the telecom operators’ perspectives on the challenges of 5G deployment in India. The study contributes to the TOE framework as its application in the context of identifying barriers to 5G deployment is probably for the first time.
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Daan Schraven, Andreas Hartmann and Geert Dewulf
The aim of this research is to better understand the decisions in infrastructure asset management at public agencies and the challenges of these agencies to improve the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this research is to better understand the decisions in infrastructure asset management at public agencies and the challenges of these agencies to improve the effectiveness of their decision making.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a literature review on asset management at public agencies, a case study was used to investigate the decision making of a provincial agency in The Netherlands. A total of 12 semi‐structured interviews with employees of the agency were conducted, amended by an analysis of policy documents, maintenance contracts, inspection reports, and planning documents.
Findings
The research revealed that key challenges to achieving effective infrastructure asset management are: the establishment of alignment between infrastructure objectives, situation and intervention; the formulation of infrastructure objectives; and the management of multiple actors with different interests.
Practical implications
Public agencies should pay more attention to clearly defined infrastructure objectives which are consistent with the agencies' strategic policy goals and interests of multiple stakeholders. That also includes that public agents need to develop new skills and knowledge to cope with the various challenges of effective infrastructure asset management.
Originality/value
The research clustered decisions in infrastructure management into three decision areas and showed that effectiveness of the decision making is constituted through the interrelationship of these areas and depends on clearly defined objectives.
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Indrit Troshani and Nick Rowbottom
Information infrastructures can enable or constrain how companies pursue their visions of sustainability reporting and help address the urgent need to understand how corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
Information infrastructures can enable or constrain how companies pursue their visions of sustainability reporting and help address the urgent need to understand how corporate activity affects sustainability outcomes and how socio-ecological challenges affect corporate activity. The paper examines the relationship between sustainability reporting information infrastructures and sustainability reporting practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper mobilises a socio-technical perspective and the conception of infrastructure, the socio-technical arrangement of technical artifacts and social routines, to engage with a qualitative dataset comprised of interview and documentary evidence on the development and construction of sustainability reporting information.
Findings
The results detail how sustainability reporting information infrastructures are used by companies and depict the difficulties faced in generating reliable sustainability data. The findings illustrate the challenges and measures undertaken by entities to embed automation and integration, and to enhance sustainability data quality. The findings provide insight into how infrastructures constrain and support sustainability reporting practices.
Originality/value
The paper explains how infrastructures shape sustainability reporting practices, and how infrastructures are shaped by regulatory demands and costs. Companies have developed “uneven” infrastructures supporting legislative requirements, whilst infrastructures supporting non-legislative sustainability reporting remain underdeveloped. Consequently, infrastructures supporting specific legislation have developed along unitary pathways and are often poorly integrated with infrastructures supporting other sustainability reporting areas. Infrastructures developed around legislative requirements are not necessarily constrained by financial reporting norms and do not preclude specific sustainability reporting visions. On the contrary, due to regulation, infrastructure supporting disclosures that offer an “inside out” perspective on sustainability reporting is often comparatively well developed.
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Edson Mbedzi and Forget Mingiri Kapingura
Infrastructure deficiency and supply disruption challenges are quite common among developing economies. While Sub-Saharan Africa is not unique to these challenges, it is the…
Abstract
Purpose
Infrastructure deficiency and supply disruption challenges are quite common among developing economies. While Sub-Saharan Africa is not unique to these challenges, it is the extent of levels of infrastructure deficiency and disruptions that affect the level of performance of small businesses. Literature on the performance of small businesses suggests both infrastructure availability and disruptions affect the performance of small businesses, but the effects on informal enterprises that operate from locations where the supply of infrastructure is weak are less documented. The paper, therefore, investigates the effects of four types of infrastructure supply in two dimensions of availability and disruption levels on the performance of informal enterprises in 12 Sub-Saharan African countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses data from World Bank informal enterprises surveys based on a sample of 3 735 informal enterprises. The study uses the multiple analysis of variance method based on the World Bank's Informal Enterprise Surveys (IFS) country-level cross-sectional data collected between 2009 and 2019.
Findings
Results show infrastructure supply is quite low irrespective of the form of infrastructure. Infrastructure availability is associated with high supply disruptions. Infrastructure supply deficiency and disruption intensities are negatively associated with informal enterprises' performance. Finally, the effects of both infrastructure availability and supply disruptions are positively associated with informal enterprises' business activity levels.
Research limitations/implications
Due to data limitations, only four types of infrastructure are captured in the analysis. A wider variety of types of infrastructure could improve the analysis.
Originality/value
Given the deficiency level of infrastructure and its implications on informal enterprise development, therefore, policy interventions aiming at addressing informal enterprises' challenges should focus on improving infrastructure supply deficiencies and disruption challenges. This paper provides the link between infrastructure levels, infrastructure supply disruptions and performance of the informal enterprises which is an essential starting point for policy intervention in informal enterprise development.
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Odwa Mazele and Christopher Amoah
Infrastructure development and management form the central part of the government's commitment and responsibility to deliver essential services to the communities. However, much…
Abstract
Purpose
Infrastructure development and management form the central part of the government's commitment and responsibility to deliver essential services to the communities. However, much focus has been placed on the development aspect, with very little focus on the management and maintenance aspects, causing service delivery problems. This study explores the causes of poor management of immovable municipal infrastructure in South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted; thus, a sample of 15 participants consisting of senior municipal workers, local organizations and forums in Ngqushwa Municipality in Eastern Cape were identified and interviewed. The interview data were analyzed using thematic content analysis to determine the common themes and the frequencies.
Findings
The study's findings indicate numerous causes of poor municipal infrastructure management, including lack of funding, lack of capacity, poor planning and oversight, lack of By-laws, grant dependency and corruption. The municipality's failure to address these issues has resulted in increased service protests, destruction of public property, interruption of services and loss of confidence in municipal administrations.
Research limitations/implications
Although the study concentrated on one municipality, the findings may be applicable to other South African municipalities.
Practical implications
To provide efficient services for the inhabitants to curtail aggravated service delivery protests, there is an urgent need for the municipalities to institute effective measures to manage and maintain the infrastructure that serves the communities.
Originality/value
The study has identified the factors underpinning ineffective management of the municipalities' facilities and the resultant's effects. Thus, the findings will guide the government and the authorities on the infrastructural management strategies for effective service delivery.
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