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Article
Publication date: 6 April 2021

Bao Ngoc Nguyen, Kerry London and Peng Zhang

This paper aims to report a comprehensive analysis of literature on stakeholder relationships towards identifying patterns of relationships within the off-site construction

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report a comprehensive analysis of literature on stakeholder relationships towards identifying patterns of relationships within the off-site construction context.

Design/methodology/approach

Key scholarly databases were accessed and after a filtering process, 74 relevant papers were retrieved for analysis. The papers were analysed using qualitative content analysis and scientometric techniques through the application of software Leximancer and VOSviewer.

Findings

Research synthesis methods used in the present study generate compatible results. Through text mining analysis, the key themes identified in the off-site construction stakeholder relationships literature included “collaboration”, “building information modelling”, “social network analysis”, supply chain. As a finding by scientometric analysis, collaboration, BIM, supply chain management, housing and social network analysis were the most frequently entered keywords context of off-site construction. Regarding authorship pattern, the whole network of collaboration was fragmented into multiple isolated clusters, implying that the authors had tendency to cooperate in small groups.

Practical implications

The paper can bring together an important area of research not previously studied in detail. It will primarily assist academics in the first instance; however, the research leads to important findings that will ultimately assist policymakers and practitioners better understand factors affecting stakeholder relationships and in particular network thinking and collaborative mind-sets.

Originality/value

The review contributes a needed systematic and theoretical foundation for future stakeholder relationship studies and practices in off-site construction sector. It provides the basis for future studies and is a seminal analysis of stakeholder management and off-site construction. The scientometric methodology offers scholars a different approach to analysing and visualising literature reviews.

Article
Publication date: 9 July 2021

Deepthi Bendi, Muhammad Qasim Rana, Mohammed Arif, Steve Michael Lamb, Anil Sawhney and Amit Kant Kaushik

This paper aims to present factors affecting the Indian construction organisations in adopting off-site construction (OSC) methods.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present factors affecting the Indian construction organisations in adopting off-site construction (OSC) methods.

Design/methodology/approach

An existing readiness maturity model has been used to assess three large organisations in different parts of India. A case study methodology has been adopted in this paper to highlight critical issues in OSC adoption in India.

Findings

This paper presents three case studies and concludes the Indian construction sectors readiness to adopt the OSC methods. Through the case studies, different issues related to the adoption of OSC have been identified and highlighted for the Indian construction sector. Although the three companies are large, there are several small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) operating in India's construction sector, and future research shall be needed to review these SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

This research study is broadly focused on developing and assessing an OSC readiness framework for Indian construction organisations. The research scope and the population for data collection are limited to large construction organisations in India only.

Practical implications

The proposed OSC readiness maturity model guides construction practitioners in India through a structured process to assess their OSC readiness in the market. This assessment enables them to evaluate and benchmark their processes through the strategic and operational phases. This research will add to the existing knowledge of OSC in India by mapping issues relevant to India's construction industry. The research has provided background on the status of OSC, the drivers and barriers affecting the implementation of OSC techniques in the Indian construction industry.

Originality/value

Through the three case studies, several factors related to the implementation of OSC methods have been identified and highlighted within the Indian construction sector. Although the model has been applied to the Indian construction sector, it can easily be modified to fit into other areas and similar dynamics and business conditions.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 22 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2020

Deepthi Bendi, Muhammad Qasim Rana, Mohammed Arif, Jack Steven Goulding and Amit Kant Kaushik

This paper presents a bespoke model for understanding off-site construction (OSC) readiness among Indian construction organisations. This model presents 17 variables for…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper presents a bespoke model for understanding off-site construction (OSC) readiness among Indian construction organisations. This model presents 17 variables for discussion, the results from which help support OSC strategic decision-making.

Design/methodology/approach

Factor analysis was used to investigate the relationship between variables to group them into factors. After identifying 26 different variables, these were reduced to 17 using factor analysis and categorised into four groups. Descriptive statistical analysis and factor analysis using SPSS was used to develop a hierarchy of factors that affect OSC readiness in India. These findings were reinforced by five domain experts to support the results.

Findings

Minimising on-site duration, ensuring cost and time certainty and transportation issues were identified as the three most important factors, whereas lack of guidance and scepticism were among the lowest factors affecting the Indian OSC sector.

Research limitations/implications

This research is specifically focused on OSC within the Indian construction sector. As such, data collection, propagation and analysis should be constrained to the population context regarding inference, generalisability and repeatability.

Practical implications

The proffered OSC readiness model offers OSC practitioners an ability to assess the OSC readiness of construction organisations in India. This includes the evaluation and benchmarking of processes in both strategic and operational phases, including highlighting areas of concern and scope for further development (to achieve optimal advantage of OSC methods).

Originality/value

Originality rests with the use of factor analysis and descriptive statistical analysis to study the influence of different construction-related factors and variables on the OSC sector in India. This impact readiness model is context-specific to the Indian OSC sector – providing a unique insight into the causal factors and dependencies that can affect the adoption and uptake of modern methods of construction in India.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2020

Deepthi Bendi, Muhammad Qasim Rana, Mohammed Arif, Jack Steven Goulding and Anil Sawhney

This paper aims to present an off-site construction (OSC) readiness maturity model for assessing the readiness of offsite construction companies in the Indian construction sector.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present an off-site construction (OSC) readiness maturity model for assessing the readiness of offsite construction companies in the Indian construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage consisted of a detailed literature review to document 17 different variables affecting the OSC adoption in India. In Stage 2, 15 semi-structured interviews were carried out where the participants were asked to refine those variables for the Indian context and define what would be different levels of attainment. In the third stage, another set of 5 semi-structure interviews was performed to validate the maturity levels and definitions.

Findings

A three-level OSC readiness maturity model is presented for discussion. This describes 17 variables at different levels of maturity.

Practical Implications

The proposed OSC readiness maturity model guides construction practitioners in India through a structured process to enable them to assess their OSC readiness in the market. This assessment enables them to evaluate and benchmark their processes through the strategic and operational phases. The maturity model also identifies the areas of concern and the scope for further development or change to secure the optimal advantage of OSC methods.

Originality/value

The research produced a model to assess the readiness of OSC adoption in the Indian construction sector. Although the model has been applied to the Indian construction sector, it can easily be modified to accommodate other OSM contexts.

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2022

Jin Cai, Zhongfu Li, Yudan Dou, Tianxin Li and Mengqi Yuan

Off-site construction (OSC) has been regarded as a clean and efficient production approach to help the construction industry towards sustainability. Different levels of OSC

Abstract

Purpose

Off-site construction (OSC) has been regarded as a clean and efficient production approach to help the construction industry towards sustainability. Different levels of OSC technologies vary greatly in their implementations and adoptions. Compared to low OSC level technologies have been applied widely, the adoption of high OSC level technologies (HOSCLTs) in practice remains limited. The adoption mechanism for HOSCLTs by firms has not been clear, hindering their promotion. This study aims to explore the mechanism combining subjective and objective adoption for HOSCLTs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study developed an integrated model illustrating mechanism for HOSCLTs adoption based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), which has strong capacity to explain potential adopters' subjective intentions to adoption, and the task-technology fit (TTF) theory, which well describes the linkages between the task, technology and performance in technology adoption. The proposed model was then empirically evaluated through a survey of 232 practitioners in the Chinese OSC industry using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicate that both task characteristics (TAC) and technology characteristics (TEC) positively affect TTF of HOSCLTs. TAC, TTF, firm conditions and stakeholder influence have significant positive effects on perceived usefulness (PU), which further positively influence attitude towards adoption. TEC and firm conditions are significantly related to perceived ease of use (PEU). TTF, PEU and attitude towards adoption are good predictors of behavior intention to HOSCLTs adoption. PEU only significantly influences adoption intention and is not observed to influence attitudes and PU, unlike prior research on common OSC adoption.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by exploring HOSCLTs adoption in the industry based on distinguishing the levels of OSC technologies and supplementing an integrated model for explaining the mechanism with the combination of subjective and objective adoption. The study also provides useful insights into understanding and promoting HOSCLTs adoption for policy makers and stakeholders actively involved in the OSC field.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2021

Jianing Luo, Hong Zhang and William Sher

The purpose of this research is to measure incompatibilities between the manufacturing approaches (MA) used by the manufacturing industries, and those used for the off-site

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to measure incompatibilities between the manufacturing approaches (MA) used by the manufacturing industries, and those used for the off-site construction (OSC) of buildings. The aim is to explore which of these approaches could be integrated into OSC in a precise manner as viewed by architects as well as how this might occur.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical research and empirical cycle (EC) was adopted as a methodological framework to measure incompatibilities. A combination of quantitative and qualitative mixed methods was explored through a literature-based case study of prefabricated houses and cars, nine real-life projects built by the second author's research team and the first-named author's practical experiences of leading these projects, based on a logic framework derived from the authors’ reflections of their architectural practices.

Findings

The findings quantitatively present the incompatibilities between cars (automobile bodies) and prefabricated houses. Design-related aspects have the most potential for integration (42.3% increment). The key lessons were identified as specific design philosophies and related guidelines for architects.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to single types of products (cars) and buildings (prefabricated houses) in particular regions. The key lessons just present a preliminary evaluation of the application of the design philosophies and related guidelines in nine real-life projects to comply with word limit constraints.

Practical implications

This study could help architects and other practitioners to locate and target and alleviated incompatibilities between MA and OSC. It could also precisely identify integration shortcomings to optimize decision-making as well as technical pathways for possible and effective breakthroughs.

Social implications

This study provides fundamental research as a starting point for further discussion and development. A series of additional in-depth investigations combined with case studies are planned for the future. These could provide alternative study approaches to develop more appropriate architectural design methodologies and more streamlined processes.

Originality/value

The research contributes an alternative architectural perspective when measuring incompatibilities between MA and OSC. The results highlight the implications of precise measurement and provide guidance for architects. These facilitate the effective and successful integration of MA into OSC of buildings and promote the uptake of lean construction (LC) in OSC.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 28 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 September 2023

Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke, John Aliu, Patricia Fadamiro, Feyisetan Leo-Olagbaye, Paramjit Singh Jamir Singh and Mohamad Shaharudin Samsurijan

Global construction sector studies have significantly explored the impact of automation techniques, revealing their transformative potential. However, research on their…

Abstract

Purpose

Global construction sector studies have significantly explored the impact of automation techniques, revealing their transformative potential. However, research on their application within specific local contexts, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, is sparse. Nigeria presents a unique context marked by challenges such as skilled labor shortage, safety concerns and cost efficiency. Therefore, investigating the implementation of automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry is crucial to address these challenges, bring transformative advancements and contribute to a more balanced global discourse on automation adoption. This study aims to fill this significant research gap.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed research method was deployed which combined both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Two focus group discussions conducted with 23 experts from both industry and academic institutions (qualitative) yielded 17 drivers which were used to formulate a well-structured questionnaire (quantitative), which was disseminated to construction professionals. Collected data underwent analysis through various statistical techniques, including percentages, frequencies, mean item scores and exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

Principal component analysis (PCA) yielded four driver clusters namely: (1) performance-related drivers, (2) visualization and efficiency-related drivers, (3) technological and human-related drivers and (4) economic-related drivers.

Practical implications

The study provides empirical insights that can aid stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers and the government in formulating strategies to promote automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry and beyond.

Originality/value

This study's originality lies in its exploration of the untapped potential of automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry, offering novel perspectives on how these technologies can address specific challenges such as skilled labor shortage, safety concerns and cost efficiency, thereby paving the way for transformative advancements in the sector.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 13 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2022

Sara Rankohi, Mario Bourgault and Ivanka Iordanova

According to the construction literature, the number of projects applying integrated project delivery (IPD) principles is expected to increase in the new-normal era. However…

Abstract

Purpose

According to the construction literature, the number of projects applying integrated project delivery (IPD) principles is expected to increase in the new-normal era. However, given that the pandemic is not yet fully over, accurate and measurable data are not yet available. Also, there is a lack of empirical studies that could provide guidelines as to the application of IPD principles at the various stages of construction projects. Thus, the goal of this paper is to address this knowledge gap through case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper follows a multi-step research methodology, namely, a literature review, case study and focus group discussions in the context of Canadian construction projects.

Findings

Based on the conducted literature review and focus group discussions, the authors identified: (1) new challenges in the various stages of the construction projects' life cycle, (2) their related proximity aspects (technological, organizational, geographical and cognitive) and (3) IPD principles that can address the identified challenges within their associated proximities. The results show that IPD relational principles can improve a project's organizational and cognitive proximities, while IPD digital integrative principles can enhance a project's geographical and technological proximities.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the theoretical checklists of challenges that the construction industry has experienced since the beginning of the pandemic, and to the practical guidelines of implementation of IPD principles to meet these challenges. The conducted case studies are timely and relevant, and their results provide new insights for key project stakeholders into the application of IPD to tackle new-normal challenges based on their proximity perspectives.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2022

Sara Rankohi, Mario Bourgault and Ivanka Iordanova

Integrated project delivery (IPD) has attracted considerable attention in recent years, however only a few review studies captured the dynamic and evolving nature of this topic…

Abstract

Purpose

Integrated project delivery (IPD) has attracted considerable attention in recent years, however only a few review studies captured the dynamic and evolving nature of this topic. The purpose of this study is to review the most recent IPD publications, in order to shed light on future research.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a systematic review methodology, the study aims to synthesize the current IPD literature, and frame the latest research and development in this domain. A systematic review is conducted to identify the current state-of-the-art of IPD research and the latest research themes and trends in this domain. A bibliometric analysis is performed to explain characteristics of screened articles, and through a thematic analysis the latest themes and trends are recognized.

Findings

In this study, based on IPD characteristics (contractual-regulative, operational-cognitive and organizational-structural), research themes (legal, commercial, technological, procedural, cultural and structural), sub-themes and their associated trends are identified. The latest emerging trends are mostly related to the contractual characteristics of IPD, and are focused on the combination of IPD with new business models and developing contractual guidelines for promoting IPD applications in off-site and on-site construction projects.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the body of knowledge by synthesizing the state of the art of IPD in construction literature and exposing the latest research trends in this area. A theoretical framework of integration in an IPD context is developed, based on the literature. Finally, future areas of studies are discussed.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 October 2019

Cecilia Gravina da Rocha, Hana B.C. El Ghoz and Sidnei Jr Guadanhim

The purpose of this paper is to examine the fundamental underpinnings of product modularity and how these can be adapted to construction and its specificities (e.g. one-off…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the fundamental underpinnings of product modularity and how these can be adapted to construction and its specificities (e.g. one-off products delivered by temporary supply chains) to create a model to design modular buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a design science research approach. Explanation I (substantive theory devising based on the analysis of an artefact ‒ a low-income housing project) is used, followed by Solution Incubation (a model to implement product modularity in buildings design).

Findings

The model allows product modularity to be implemented at distinct levels (i.e. building, systems and components) at a single stage (building design), different from manufacturing where each level is considered at a distinct stage. This is in line with the project investigated: modularity was considered for house layouts, roof types and gable formats.

Practical implications

The model provides a hands-on tool for practitioners to design modular buildings. The low-income project is also extensively detailed: three-dimensional models, floor plans and conceptual diagrams (outlining how fundamental underpinnings were applied at each level) are presented. There is a lack of comprehensive accounts such as the one presented here to demonstrate the application of product modularity in real-world projects.

Originality/value

This paper identifies and adapts the fundamental underpinnings of product modularity to construction, and it details how these were applied to a low-income housing design at distinct levels. Based on these two endeavours, a model to implement product modularity in buildings design is proposed.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 27 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

1 – 10 of 52