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This paper reports on a pilot study of three major owners of and/or tenants in retail and office space in South Africa. The study sought to establish: whether or not long‐range strategic planning occurs; whether future space requirements are included in strategic planning; and whether the effects of technological development and e‐commerce on space are evaluated in long‐range strategic planning. The main conclusions are that short‐term strategic planning is well established, but that systematic long‐range planning around the effects of technology and e‐commerce on space is limited, in extent and scope.

In this chapter, the nature and extent of corruption in the construction industry is considered from a worldwide perspective, but particularly in the context of research conducted in South Africa. The definition of corruption is expanded to include conflict of interest and unethical conduct. Corruption in the construction industry is found to be universal and pervasive, occurring in all areas, at all stages, at all levels, and in all forms. A simple triangular model of corruption is replaced by a more complex four-dimensional risk-based model. The challenge for the construction industry, in combating corruption, will essentially require multilateral action in all four dimensions of the enhanced model: eliminating and reducing opportunities where possible; relieving the pressures to commit corrupt acts; rebutting the rationales and arguments used to excuse corruption; and substantially improving and innovating more forensic methods of detection. While the decision to engage in corruption is risk-based, particularly in terms of the capacity to evade detection; in essence corruption is a cultural and moral issue for society.

The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of completed case studies of two major multi‐channel grocery retailers in South Africa. The aim of the research was to establish the potential that online grocery retail has to undermine traditional retail by decreasing foot traffic and undermining rental income.

The growth of online shopping in the retail sector is a matter of concern for those involved in the development and management of shopping centres. Non‐probability convenience sampling was employed to interview shoppers in the five largest regional shopping centres in Cape Town tenanted by the two major grocery “e‐tailers” in South Africa.

The findings show that the online grocery market is an expanding market segment. Furthermore, diminished foot traffic is likely to affect the ability of smaller retailers to pay turnover rentals. Miller's revised rent model is adapted and used to illustrate the potential savings that may be generated by changing the rent models currently in use.

Future research into exactly what consumers buy online from food retailers needs to be undertaken in order to establish the maximum potential reduction in foot traffic attracted by food anchors.

It is concluded that the South African retail industry is heavily reliant on traditional retail centres and although the loss in rentals resulting from online grocery sales is not currently considerable, it does represent a potential future threat.

The paper speculates about the effects of growth in online buying on rental agreements in shopping centres. The paper would appeal to property investors, property developers and facilities managers.

The purpose of this paper is to report on the significance of the relationship between job satisfaction experienced by South African quantity surveyors and demographic factors, workplace characteristics, choice of career, and instances of harassment and discrimination at work.

Data were obtained via a web‐based national questionnaire survey of the registered quantity surveyors. The results were analysed in order to establish the degree of significance between perceived levels of job satisfaction and the identified factors.

Demographic factors found to have a significant relationship with job satisfaction are gender and race. Workplace characteristics such as feelings of personal satisfaction, recognition, the opportunity to undertake challenging work and non‐repetitive work, the degree of supervision, participation in decision making, and the opportunity for social interaction at work were found to be significantly associated with job satisfaction. Significant career choice factors include the fulfilment of career expectations, a willingness to choose the same career again, and a willingness to recommend the career to others. Discrimination on the basis of gender and religious affiliation were found to have a significant relationship with job satisfaction.

Little is known about the job satisfaction of design team professionals, particularly quantity surveyors. The findings provide indicators for managers of quantity surveying practices to facilitate improved job satisfaction amongst professional staff.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the resilient operational variables that impact the corporate performance of construction companies in the South African construction industry and to explore whether financial capacity can be used as a predictor of construction company performance in the context of the South African construction industry.

The operational variables of construction companies that impact their corporate performance were identified through an in-depth review of the extant literature. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques were used in identifying 185 building and civil engineering construction companies based in four provinces of South Africa and registered in Grades 2-6 of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) contractor grading register. The data used in the study were collected from this cohort of respondents through the use of structured questionnaires. At the end of the study period, 62 valid responses representing a response rate of 33.5 per cent were received. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between the financial capital and net assets of construction companies and their corporate performance in terms of turnover. The data collected did not support any significant relationship between other operating financial variables, such as Return on Capital Employed and profitability and financial performance.

A predictive model for predicting the financial performance of firms was developed from the data collected. The implication of this is that the more financial capital possessed by a construction company, the more the company’s financial performance in terms of turnover. The CIDB can use financial capacity as a measure when grading contractors, as a good number of contractors are not performing. The predictive model developed could be adopted by the CIDB as an instrument for predicting the corporate financial performance of construction companies that seek to be listed on their contractor grading register.

This research will be of significance to researchers and members of the research community in providing new knowledge as well as to contractors in enabling them to understand the importance of having financial capital. It is also of importance to the CIDB in their quest for contractor and construction industry development. Further research to validate the results obtained in this study using a larger sample size across more provinces of South Africa will form the basis of future studies.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection in the South African construction industry exceeds that of most other economic sectors. Voluntary counselling and testing is pivotal in combatting the spread of the disease. Little is known about the attitudinal fear of testing among construction workers, and the determinants thereof. The purpose of this paper is to address these shortcomings.

A conceptual integrated model of fear of testing is proposed. Demographic characteristics and behavioural and cognitive factors are posited to explain attitudinal fear of testing. Regression analysis and structural equation modelling are used to test the model, using data gathered from 512 site-based participants in a questionnaire survey.

Prejudice and lifestyle risk are the terminal predictors of fear of testing. Prejudice is determined by education level and HIV/AIDS transmission knowledge. Knowledge is predicted by education level and ethnicity. Lifestyle risk is determined by age, gender, harmful substance use, and knowledge. Harmful substance use is determined by age, gender, ethnicity, and employment type. The inter-relationship between knowledge about HIV/AIDS, prejudice towards HIV+ persons, and fear of testing is complex and nuanced.

Intervention strategies by firms should positively address attitudinal fear of testing. Employers should ensure that effective communication is established with workers. Interventions relating to harmful substance use by employees need particular attention. Awareness campaigns should be sensitive to ethnic and cultural values, and to inter-generational differences.

Harmful substance use and knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission are indirect predictors of fear of testing. Education and ethnicity are critical dimensions of knowledge. The complex inter-relationship between knowledge, prejudice, lifestyle risk, and fear of testing is highlighted, providing guidelines for intervention management.

This paper seeks to investigate the nature and extent of value management (VM) practice in the South African manufacturing industry. It aims to explore engineers' and designers' awareness and understanding of VM and the nature and extent of the use of VM techniques within their companies.

A web‐based, online questionnaire survey is employed to establish value management practice within the manufacturing sector. Descriptive statistics are used to analyse the survey response data.

The results suggest that, while VM (and more particularly its value engineering antecedent) is generally known among engineers and designers in the manufacturing sector in South Africa, it is less widely practised. VM is seen predominantly as a cost reduction tool. This misperception, and the lack of awareness of the potential benefits of VM, must be remedied if the South African manufacturing industry is to remain competitive. The industry needs to adopt best practice VM techniques and standards.

It has proved extremely difficult to obtain survey data from manufacturing organizations, resulting in a low response rate. While this is a limitation, the information sourced provides useful direction for future case study investigation.

Refresher courses in contemporary VM theory and practice are recommended, as well as exploration of the impacts on VM of other techniques such as risk, quality and environmental management.

Against a background of increasing globalization, the findings are important if the South African manufacturing sector is to remain competitive. The results provide pointers for future research using a case study method.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate value management (VM) practice by professional architects in South Africa. A primary aim is to test the assertion of Kelly et al. that VM has “evolved to become an established service with commonly understood tools, techniques and styles.”

A web‐based, online questionnaire survey was employed to establish VM practice by South African registered architects. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the survey response data.

The results suggest that awareness of VM is not widespread among South African architects, and that its actual practice is minimal. Where VM was used on projects, it was invariably cost‐minimization driven in terms of both the project and the VM process itself. These findings are in direct conflict with the assertion of Kelly et al. There is also a mismatch between clients' value system key performance variables and objectives defined for VM studies. Use of VM for project brief facilitation is not widespread, and the integration of VM with risk and quality management systems is not pervasive. Where VM was undertaken, no attempt is made to benchmark VM activities against international standards.

Professional architectural associations in South Africa should adopt a proactive role in promoting the use of VM by architects; facilitated by continuing professional development programmes.

The originality of the research lies in determining the nature of, and extent to which, architects in South Africa practice VM.

This paper aims to investigate the nature and extent of value management (VM) practice by professional quantity surveyors in South Africa. The survey explores practitioners' awareness and understanding of VM and the nature and extent of the use of VM techniques within their organisations.

A web‐based, online questionnaire survey is employed to establish VM practice by South African registered quantity surveyors. Descriptive statistics are used to analyse the survey response data.

The results suggest that, while VM (and more particularly its value engineering antecedent) is generally known among quantity surveyors in South Africa, it is less widely practiced. VM is seen predominantly as a cost reduction tool. This misperception, and the lack of awareness of the potential benefits of VM, must be remedied if quantity surveyors in South Africa are to provide clients with services that meet world's best practice standards. Quantity surveyors also need to know what those standards are.

Refresher courses in contemporary VM theory and practice are recommended, as well as exploration of the impacts on VM of other techniques such as risk, quality and environmental management.

The findings are important given the increasing globalization of construction services, especially given the international ties between designers, quantity surveyors and other built environment professionals.