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1 – 9 of 9Michael Adesi, Degraft Owusu-Manu, Frank Boateng, Michael Nii Addy and Ernest Kissi
The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges of pricing quantity surveying (QS) professional services to enhance the understanding of practitioners in developing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges of pricing quantity surveying (QS) professional services to enhance the understanding of practitioners in developing strategies for the determination of fees for their services.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts the quantitative approach by administering 150 survey questionnaires QS professionals out of which 79 questionnaires were retrieved for analysis using the mean, standard deviation, standard error and the Chi-Square test.
Findings
The study identified the challenges that continue to hamper the successful pricing of QS services as the inability to respond to changing contractual arrangements; lack of appropriate response to emerging services; slow response to changes in information and communication technology.
Research limitations/implications
This paper focused on QS professionals. Hence, a future study to encompass other professionals in the built environment will be novel.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper have the potential to motivate QS firms to develop solutions that address the challenges identified to improve the efficiency of their service delivery to clients. The paper also has the practical importance of opening up new frontiers of research that focus on pricing of professional services in the built environment in general.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the awareness and understanding of QS professionals about the challenges that continue to hamper effective pricing of their services.
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This paper aims to review the existing practices of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the building sectors in European countries, to be able to assess its suitability for…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the existing practices of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the building sectors in European countries, to be able to assess its suitability for housing provision while focussing on the social impact.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the sectoral spread of PPP, nine European countries were included in this study. Formative evaluation is used to structure the review based on four key attributes of PPPs to develop a comprehensive understanding of the existing PPP procedures and guidelines amongst these countries. Data were gathered through public and governmental reports, consultant reports, country guidelines, standards and procedures, and cases, in order to identify the prevalent practices and trends in these countries.
Findings
The review identified the need to calibrate the PPP approach towards other stakeholders, particularly the end-users. It further highlighted the need to focus on social integration and social sustainability and establish set procedures for PPPs in housing to create a credible and trustworthy environment for the investors. Joint support from private and public partners and community participation has a diverse impact on the success of PPP in housing.
Practical implications
This review shall enable governments, industry and stakeholders to make provisions and policies for overcoming the challenges identified with regard to PPPs and pave the way for its application in the housing sector ensuring a positive social impact.
Social implications
This review shall facilitate greater involvement of end-users and enhancing social integration in housing through PPP, and pave the way towards creating cohesive communities by focussing on the concept of togetherness and social sustainability.
Originality/value
This study provides a holistic summation of the prevalent PPP practices and broadens the adaptations for the housing sector. The novelty of this paper specifically lies in learning from PPP practices across other building sectors for adapting its utilisation for housing and thereby extending the state of art for PPP housing.
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Janek Richter, Dirk Basten, Bjoern Michalik, Christoph Rosenkranz and Stefan Smolnik
Based on an exploratory case-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to open the KM black box and examine the relationships that link knowledge management (KM) inputs (i.e…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on an exploratory case-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to open the KM black box and examine the relationships that link knowledge management (KM) inputs (i.e. knowledge resources and KM practices) via knowledge processes to KM performance. This paper aims to identify the underlying mechanisms and explain how KM performance is enabled.
Design/methodology/approach
This in-depth case study conducted at a medium-sized consultancy in the supply chain management industry empirically examines knowledge flows to uncover the relationships between KM inputs, knowledge processes and KM performance. We adopt the viable system model (VSM) as a theoretical lens to identify KM mechanisms.
Findings
By identifying six KM mechanisms, we contribute to the theoretical understanding of how KM inputs are interconnected and lead to KM performance via knowledge processes.
Originality/value
Based on the insights gained, we provide propositions that organizations should consider in designing viable KM. Our findings help organizations in understanding their KM with the help of knowledge flow analysis and identifying how critical KM elements are interconnected.
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Jiaxin Xue, Zhaohua Deng, Tailai Wu and Zhuo Chen
This article aims to explore the factors influencing patients' distrust toward doctors in online health community.
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to explore the factors influencing patients' distrust toward doctors in online health community.
Design/methodology/approach
This study leveraged the distrust construct model and socio-technical systems theory to establish a research model. The authors used the survey method to validate the research model by developing and distributing questionnaires to online health community users. 518 valid responses were collected.
Findings
The data analysis results showed that patients' distrusting beliefs were significantly related to their distrust toward doctors in online health communities. Meanwhile, social factors included perceived egoism and lack of expertise; whereas technical factors included no structural assurance, and lack of third-party recognition.
Originality/value
This study not only provides a solid and comprehensive theoretical understanding of patient distrust toward doctors in online health communities but also could serve as the basis to relieve the distrust between patients and doctors in online health communities, or even in the offline environment.
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Charles Gillon, Michael J. Ostwald and Hazel Easthope
The architectural profession faces an increasingly complex ethical landscape. In recent decades, the ethical foundations for architecture – formally defined in professional codes…
Abstract
Purpose
The architectural profession faces an increasingly complex ethical landscape. In recent decades, the ethical foundations for architecture – formally defined in professional codes of conduct and reflected in regulatory frameworks – have expanded to incorporate imperatives derived from environmental and social responsibilities. The present research examines how these expanding ethical expectations are reflected in, and supported by, recent research about architectural ethics.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysis is based on a systematic review of recent research (2002–2023) focussing on ethical values and associated behaviours in the architectural profession. The review identifies 37 research articles (from a starting set of 2,483 articles), which are analysed empirically and then qualitatively to draw out views around three types of ethical behaviour. The paper then discusses how these findings align thematically with the evolving ethical needs of architectural practitioners (as defined in the professional codes of ethics and conduct of the RIBA in the UK, AIA in Australia and the AIA in the USA).
Findings
While business ethics remains the focus of past research, there has been a rise in research about ethics and social and environmental factors. The content of professional codes reflects this shift, setting the conditions for architects to aspire to increased expectations of environmental and social responsibility.
Originality/value
This article undertakes the first systematic review of recent research about architectural ethics and its alignment with the content of contemporary professional codes. Organised thematically, recent research about ethical values and associated behaviours can offer guidance for the evolving ethical needs of architects.
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Philip Tin Yun Lee, Richard Wing Cheung Lui, Michael Chau and Bosco Hing Yan Tsin
This study examines how contributors with different achievement goals participate under the influence of two common motivators/demotivators on crowdsourcing platforms, namely…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines how contributors with different achievement goals participate under the influence of two common motivators/demotivators on crowdsourcing platforms, namely system design features and task nature.
Design/methodology/approach
A free simulation experiment was conducted among undergraduate students with the use of a crowdsourcing platform for two weeks.
Findings
The results indicate that contributors with a strong performance-approach goal get better scores and participate in more crowdsourcing tasks. Contributors with a strong mastery-avoidance goal participate in fewer heterogeneous tasks.
Research limitations/implications
Contributors with different achievement goals participate in crowdsourcing tasks to different extents under the influence of the two motivators/demotivators. The inclusion of the approach-avoidance dimension in the performance-mastery dichotomy enables demonstrating the influence of motivators/demotivators more specifically. This article highlights differentiation between the quality and the quantity of heterogeneous crowdsourcing tasks.
Practical implications
Management is advised to approach performance-approach people if a leaderboard and a point system are incorporated into their crowdsourcing platforms. Also, management should avoid offering heterogeneous tasks to mastery-avoidance contributors. System developers should take users' motivational goals into consideration when designing the motivators in their systems.
Originality/value
The study sheds light on habitual achievement goals, which are relatively stable in comparison to contributors' motives and states. The relationships between achievement goals and motivators/demotivators are more persistent across time. This study informs system designers' decisions to include appropriate motivators for sustained contributor participation.
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Ismah Osman, Junainah Junid, Husniyati Ali, Siti Zahrah Buyong, Sharifah Zannierah Syed Marzuki and Nor'ain Othman
This study aims to ascertain consumption values of Muslim tourists, attitudes, satisfaction and loyalty towards a Muslim-friendly accommodation, which has gained recognition from…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to ascertain consumption values of Muslim tourists, attitudes, satisfaction and loyalty towards a Muslim-friendly accommodation, which has gained recognition from the Malaysian Government. Subsequently, an overall Muslim-friendly image was examined as a moderating variable within the associated relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research design with a purposive sampling technique was chosen through a sample size of 378 people in Malaysia and distributed via social media. The respondents were selected based on the Muslim-friendly accommodation recognition (MFAR) initiatives, a procedure of accreditation which acknowledges Muslim-friendly accommodation for tourists. To obtain data from those travellers, structured questionnaires were used. SmartPLS was used for data analysis in this study.
Findings
The values which were found to have an influence on attitude towards a Muslim-friendly accommodation are related to social, emotional, economic, functional, monetary and epistemic elements. On the other hand, hedonic, conditional, Islamic and altruistic values were found to be insignificant in determining the attitude towards a Muslim-friendly accommodation. Subsequently, an overall Muslim-friendly image was found to moderate the relationship between social, monetary and altruistic values and its link concerning attitude towards the accommodation, while the rest of the relationships were not significant. More importantly, attitude seems to have an impact on satisfaction, as well as its loyalty towards a Muslim-friendly accommodation.
Research limitations/implications
Firstly, it begins with understanding Malaysia, one of the developing countries in Southeast Asia. Secondly, data was collected from participants using a survey method, from purposive sampling which may limit the findings’ generalizability. Thirdly, this study focussed exclusively on the perceived value dimensions associated with Muslim-friendly accommodation, thus, disregarding consumers who may associate with other types of tourism and hospitality elements.
Practical implications
The results provide a fresh insight and a better understanding regarding the consumption values and all of its related components towards customer loyalty of the Muslim-friendly accommodation in Malaysia. In addition, the findings deliver new information and a deeper understanding of relevant values in Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly accommodation, which can be used as a standard guideline by industry practitioners, local and abroad.
Social implications
This research supports service providers in developing effective brand management strategies for their own businesses. Apparently, this study discovers that emotional values tend to be the most important values in determining attitude towards Muslim-friendly accommodation.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the studies examining the overall perceived Muslim-friendly image within the consumption values that are relevant from an Islamic viewpoint. It provides policymakers, as well as the industry players, some reliable approaches for enhancing Muslim-friendly accommodation.
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Increasing complexity in construction projects evokes interest in application of innovative digital technologies in construction. Digital twins (DT), which bring these innovative…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasing complexity in construction projects evokes interest in application of innovative digital technologies in construction. Digital twins (DT), which bring these innovative technologies together, have strong interactions with lean construction (LC). To highlight the collaborative nature of DT and LC, the paper explores the interactions between LC and DT and assesses benefits, costs, opportunities and risks (BOCR) of DT in LC to analyze significant obstacles and enablers in DT adoption in LC.
Design/methodology/approach
BOCR approach comprehensively considers both the positive and the negative attributes of a problem. At the first step, BOCR criteria for DT are identified through literature review and expert opinions, at the second step dependencies among BOCR criteria for DT in LC are determined by neutrosophic analytic hierarchy process (AHP), through a questionnaire survey. Integrating BOCR into neutrosophic AHP enables achieving more meaningful preference scores.
Findings
Cost of skilled workforce is the most important factor and opportunity to reduce waste is the second most important factor in adoption of DT in LC. The results were analyzed to rank the BOCR of adoption of DT in LC.
Originality/value
This study, in a novel way, performs BOCR analysis through neutrosophic AHP to reflect experts' judgments more effectively by neutrosophic AHP's better handling of vagueness and uncertainty. The paper provides a model to better understand the significant factors that influence adoption of DT in LC.
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Ewald Kuoribo, De-Graft Owusu-Manu, Roland Yomoah, Caleb Debrah, Alex Acheampong and David John Edwards
The construction industry is an enabler of economic growth in developing countries, but its performance is governed by the professional behaviour of construction professionals…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is an enabler of economic growth in developing countries, but its performance is governed by the professional behaviour of construction professionals. Unethical behaviour (UB) breaches codes of practice and undermines economic performance hence, ubiquitous academic attention has been given to understanding this phenomenon. This paper aims to contribute to the ensuing discourse by reporting upon the most critical ethical behaviours (EBs and UBs) of professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI).
Design/methodology/approach
The study compounded identified factors into a closed-ended questionnaire in a quantitative research strategy. Data analysis was conducted using the relative importance index and one sample t-test. To measure the reliability of the scale, Cronbach’s alpha was used, which indicated that all measured items were reliable for further analysis.
Findings
The study confirmed that professionals within the GCI are aware of the existence of UBs and revealed that the most prevalent ethical conducts exhibited, namely, level of accuracy, accountability, honesty, reliability, fairness and respect for colleagues. Common unethical conducts exhibited included: favouritism, bribery and corruption, professional negligence, falsification, fraud and overbilling.
Research limitations/implications
The study reported on the dominant ethical conduct among built environment professionals. The claims put forward in the analysis are, thus, affected by Ghana’s social, economic and political environments, which could restrict the generalization of the findings.
Practical implications
Incipient findings presented from this research will guide stakeholders to develop and device strategies that will aid alleviate persistent ethical issues within the built environment.
Social implications
The study highlights individuals’ perspectives on ethical issues persistent in the built environment. The findings suggest individuals adhere to ethical practices in a project environment by the evidence presented.
Originality/value
This pioneering study is a novel assessment on EBs and UBs of built environment professionals in the GCI. The study supplementary adds value to the literature on ethical and unethical practices. By identifying these practices, construction firms have a competitive edge in combating UB and promoting EB among built environment professionals in the GCI.
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