scholarly journals An appraisal of the barriers to client involvement in health and safety in Nigeria’s construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnedinma Umeokafor
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Client Involvement ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a study that identified and assessed the barriers to client involvement in health and safety (H&S) in the Nigerian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of literature review and a pilot study, structured questionnaires were designed and administered to clients and their representatives in ongoing construction projects in Nigeria. Descriptive and inferential statistics were then adopted while analysing the data. Findings The research reveals that the major barriers to client involvement in H&S in Nigeria’s construction industry focus on the gaps created by lack of H&S legislation in specifying client roles and responsibilities in H&S, trust and confidence in the supply chain, low levels of awareness at various levels, procurement issues, the attitudes of the various members of the project team and resource-related issues. In total, 20 barriers to client involvement in H&S were identified and assessed. Practical implications Policy makers will find the study beneficial as it provides a good understanding of the issues to address while making policies that seek to involve the client in H&S in Nigeria. Originality/value While the findings offer insight on the barriers to client involvement in H&S in Nigeria’s construction industry, the study also contributes to the discourse in developing countries. The paper recommends transparent steps in procurement, H&S legislation that factors in economic incentives and community and financial institutions contributions to involving clients in H&S. The study is the first attempt to investigate the barriers to client involvement in construction H&S in Nigeria, contributing to the dearth of H&S literature in Nigeria.

Mapping out research focus for robotics and automation research in construction-related studies

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1063-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Omoregie Aghimien ◽  
Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa ◽  
Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Industrial Robots ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Automation ◽  
Bibliographic Data ◽  
Bibliometric Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The adoption of robotics and automation (R&A) within the construction industry has been adjudged as slow, despite the possibility of it reducing the high risk posed on health and safety of humans by the activities of the industry. The call for research and development in this area of technology to improve its adoption in the delivery of construction projects is evident in past studies. Thus, this paper aims to conduct a review of R&A in construction-related fields with a view to revealing the area of focus of past studies. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric approach was adopted for this study, and data used were gathered from the Scopus database. Keywords such as “robotics”, “automation” and “construction” were used to extract papers from the database. VOSviewer was used to prepare a co-authorship and co-occurrence map based on the bibliographic data gathered. Findings The findings revealed that focus is placed on construction automation, industrial robots and application, robots’ systems and designs, robotics in earthworks, and robots’ control and information system. Furthermore, currently, research focus in this area is tending towards a more digitalised application of R&A especially in the areas of 3D manufacturing. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study are limited due to the use of a single database. Practical implications Despite its limitations, the findings open a knowledge gap that can be explored in developing countries particularly in Africa to improve construction delivery in the continent through R&A. Originality/value The study adopted the bibliometric approach in mapping out research focus in R&A – an aspect of digital technology that has not been given considerable attention in recent bibliometric and scientometric studies.

scholarly journals Evaluating critical success factors for implementing smart devices in the construction industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1625-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Alexander Silverio-Fernandez ◽  
Suresh Renukappa ◽  
Subashini Suresh
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success

Purpose The decentralisation of information and high rate of mobile content access in the construction industry provides an ideal scenario for improvement of processes via the implementation of the paradigm of the Internet of Things (IoT). Smart devices are considered as the objects interconnected in the IoT; therefore, they play a fundamental role in the implementation of digital solutions during the execution of construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to assess the critical factors for a successful implementation of smart devices in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was performed in the Dominican Republic. This country, located at the heart of the Caribbean, presents an economy that strongly relies on the construction industry. Following a systematic approach, a qualitative data collection and analysis was performed based on semi-structured interviews and content analysis to professionals of construction companies in the Dominican Republic, enquiring the concept of smart devices and critical success factors for implementing the devices in the industry. Findings The key success factors obtained from the contestants were leadership, technology awareness, company size, usability of proposed solution, cost of implementation and interoperability. Originality/value This paper provides information to clients of the construction sector regarding the benefits of embedding smart devices into their business activities. Furthermore, this study provides a better understanding of the key factors to be considered by construction organisations when embedding smart devices into their projects. This study also provides recommendations for distinct stakeholders of the construction sector, such as policy makers, clients and technology consultants. Policy makers should especially consider factors such as technology awareness and leadership to develop the right policies for the integration of the IoT in construction projects. Technology consultants should be aware of the latest case studies of successful implementation of smart devices and IoT systems in the world in order to adapt and implement smart devices and IoT in their projects.

Factors affecting tender price in the Ghanaian construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Kissi ◽  
Theophilus Adjei-Kumi ◽  
Edward Badu ◽  
Emmanuel Bannor Boateng
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Purpose Tender price remains an imperative parameter for clients in deciding whether to invest in a construction project, and it serves as a basis for tender price index (TPI) manipulations. This paper aims to examine the factors affecting tender price in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach Based on the literature review, nine independent constructs and one dependent construct relating to tender pricing were identified. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted among quantity surveyors in Ghana. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) examined the influences of various constructs on tender price development (TPD) and the relationships among TPD and TPI. Findings Results showed that cultural attributes, client attributes, contractor attributes; contract procedures and procurement methods; consultant and design team; external factors and market conditions; project attributes; sustainable and technological attributes; and TPI have a positive influence on tender price, whereas fraudulent attributes exert a negative influence. Practical implications The findings offer construction professionals broader understanding of factors that affect tender pricing. The results may be used in professional decision-making in the pricing of construction projects, as they offer clearer causal relations between how each construct will influence pricing. Originality/value This study adds to the body of construction pricing knowledge by establishing the relationships and degree of influences of various factors on tender price. These findings provide a valuable reference for practitioners.

The effect of the client–contractor relationship on project performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milind Jagtap ◽  
Sachin Kamble
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Relationship Commitment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is first to examine the effect of client-led and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance in the Indian construction industry and second to assess how the client-led supply chain initiatives complement the contractor-led supply chain initiatives. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the effects of the client-led supply chain initiatives (reward power and competence trust of the construction clients) and the contractor-led supply chain initiatives (contractor integration and calculative commitment of the contractor) on project performance in construction projects are examined. The data were collected from 346 construction professionals working in Indian construction projects using purposive sampling. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The contractor-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of contractor integration and the calculative relationship commitment of a contractor, were found to be strong mediators, indirectly affecting the project performance. On the other hand, the client-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of the reward power of the client and the competence trust of the client, directly influence the project performance. Research limitations/implications This study reports the inevitable bias on the part of participants, who responded to the survey either in the capacity of client or contractor, although they might have executed projects in both capacities. Future studies could benefit from the use of objective data instead of behavioral data. Practical implications This study helps construction firms understand how to demarcate the client and contractor roles in the construction supply chain to improve the project performance. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its investigation of the influence of client-led supply chain initiatives and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance.

Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sami Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Tariq Shafiq ◽  
Muneeb Afzal
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Institutions ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the global economy and, thus, the global construction industry. This paper aims to study the impact of COVID-19 on construction project performance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative and exploratory approach to investigate the impact of COVID-19 and its policies on project performance in the UAE construction industry in critical areas of the project management body of knowledge (e.g. schedule, cost, resources and contracts). Semi-structured interview questions were asked from ten construction professional to obtain valuable insights into the pandemic’s effects on the UAE construction industry and the effectiveness of policies implemented to rectify the damage and identify the industry’s new normal. Findings The findings indicate that the construction industry faced several challenges such as schedule delays, disrupted cashflows, delayed permits, approvals and inspections, travel restrictions, serious health and safety concerns, material and equipment shortages, among others which hindered the timely delivery of construction projects. It also indicates that efforts made by the government institutions and the construction industry of the UAE such as economic support programs, digitization of processes, fee and fine waivers, health facilities, among other statutory relaxations proved effective in supporting the construction industry against the adverse effects of the pandemic. Research limitations/implications The research findings are limited to the literature review and ten semi-structured interviews seeking an expert’s opinion from industry professionals working in the UAE construction industry. The research team did not get access to project documents, contracts and project progress reports which may be required to validate the interview findings, and to perform an in-depth analysis quantifying the impact of COVID 19 on construction projects performance, which is a limitation of this research. Practical implications The implication is that, owing to the imposed lockdowns and strict precautionary measures to curb the rapid spread of the pandemic, smooth execution of the construction project across the country was affected. The government institutions and stakeholders of the construction projects introduced and implemented various techniques and solutions which effectively handled the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry of the UAE. Originality/value This study has identified the challenges faced by the construction industry of the UAE in the context of the management of project schedule, project cost, construction contracts, health and safety of construction employees and other related aspects of the construction projects. This study also identified the techniques and solutions adopted by various public and private institutions of the country and their implications on construction projects. Therefore, this study provides guidelines for policymakers and future research studies alike.

scholarly journals Community interventions in construction health and safety and the implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnedinma Umeokafor
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Community Intervention ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Community Interventions ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Consideration ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the involvement of communities – geographical or geopolitical units, which identifies culture, interest and ethnicity – in construction health and safety (H&S) and the implications. This stems from the unexamined hence poorly understood roles of many stakeholders in the construction H&S management and regulatory regime in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachInterviews with contractors and key informants and a survey of contractors were conducted. Descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic analysis were used.FindingsThere is evidences of community interventions: negotiating with contractors on H&S issues; strongly stipulating that H&S measures are adopted and implemented; and enforcing H&S through both violent and non-violent means. These have no legal backing. There is a relationship between the locations of the projects, urban area and rural area, and six community intervention variables. The study also reveals that among the implications of community interventions in H&S are contractors contextualising H&S in these communities and the tension between parties in construction projects. Again, there is a relationship between the location of the projects and six of the implications including the tension between communities and contractors and between contractors and clients.Practical implicationsIn adequately addressing construction safety, health and environment issues in Nigeria, geographic location and socio-cultural consideration are pertinent, a point for policymakers, communities and contractors.Originality/valueThe study draws attention to the geographic location and socio-cultural explanations for the differences in the H&S management, performance and attitudes of contractors in Nigeria. This is the first study that examines the involvement of communities in H&S and the implications.

Partnering in offshore drilling projects

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sjur Børve ◽  
Tuomas Ahola ◽  
Bjorn Andersen ◽  
Wenche Aarseth
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Offshore Drilling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrated Risk ◽  
Offshore Development ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate to which extent partnering practices observed in earlier research focussing on the construction industry are applied in offshore development drilling projects. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews earlier research on project partnering and the relationship-based procurement (RBP) taxonomy. The taxonomy is then empirically applied to describe partnering practices in an incentive-based drilling project in Norway. Findings Many elements of project partnering observed earlier in construction projects were found to characterize offshore development drilling projects. However, as assessed using the RBP framework, the authors found that partnering elements in observed context rated consistently lower than elements previously reported in the construction industry, indicating a lower maturity of partnering practices in the studied context. Practical implications The present study provides a multi-dimensional and systematic description of partnering practices in offshore drilling projects. Project owners can utilize this information to identify partnering elements requiring particular emphasis when initiating and managing drilling projects. Based on the findings, such elements include transparency and open-book auditing, integrated risk mitigation and insurance practices and establishment of authentic leadership. The findings further imply that partnering models cannot be directly applied across industry boundaries but must be tailored to fit the salient characteristics of each context. Originality/value The paper systematically describes to which extent specific partnering elements of the RBP taxonomy are applied in offshore drilling projects.

Safety enablers using emerging technologies in construction projects: empirical study in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap ◽  
Karen Pei Han Lee ◽  
Chen Wang
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Safety ◽  
Hazard Identification ◽  
The Body ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Content Type

Purpose High rate of accidents continue to plague the construction industry. The advancements in safety technologies can ameliorate construction health and safety (H&S). This paper aims to explore the use of emerging technologies as an effective solution for improving safety in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach Following a detailed literature review, a questionnaire survey was developed encompassing ten technologies for safety management and ten safety enablers using technologies in construction. A total of 133 responses were gathered from Malaysian construction practitioners. The collected quantitative data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to determine the meaningful relationships between the variables. Findings Findings revealed that the most effective emerging technologies for safety management are: building information modelling (BIM), wearable safety technologies and robotics and automation (R&A). The leading safety enablers are related to improve hazard identification, reinforce safety planning, enhance safety inspection, enhance safety monitoring and supervision and raise safety awareness. Practical implications Safety is immensely essential in transforming the construction industry into a robustly developed industry with high safety and quality standards. The adoption of safety technologies in construction projects can drive the industry towards the path of Construction 4.0. Originality/value The construction industry has historically been slow to adopt new technology. This study contributes to advancing the body of knowledge in the area of incorporating emerging technologies to further construction safety science and management in the context of the developing world. By taking cognisance of the pertinent emerging technologies for safety management and the safety enablers involved, construction safety can be enhanced using integrated technological solutions.

Key criteria for selecting green suppliers for construction projects in the UAE

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulRahman Asaad ◽  
Sameh Monir El-Sayegh
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Traditional Construction ◽  
Green Suppliers

Purpose This paper aims to identify and assess the key criteria for selecting green suppliers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A total of 20 criteria were identified and shortlisted through an extensive literature review. These criteria were grouped into four categories: technical and commercial bid, company characteristics, environmental and socioeconomic. A questionnaire was then developed and distributed to construction professionals in the UAE. A total of 39 professionals responded to the survey including contractors, consultants, owners and suppliers. The respondents performed pairwise comparisons among the selection criteria. Data was then analyzed using the Expert Choice Software. Findings The research findings highlighted that the technical and commercial bid category was ranked as the most important with a weight of 0.338, followed by socioeconomic, company characteristics and environmental categories weighing 0.239, 0.225 and 0.199, respectively. The UAE construction professionals also ranked health and safety, material’s quality and tender price as the top three most important criteria when selecting a sustainable supplier. Practical implications This research addresses the lack of literature toward green supplier selection in the UAE. In addition, it assists contractors in selecting the appropriate supplier and promotes sustainable practices in the construction industry. Originality/value Material suppliers play an important role in the successful delivery of construction projects. Selecting the appropriate supplier is of paramount importance to project success. Several methods can be used to evaluate and select the best-fit suppliers. However, the selection criteria in such methods are primarily based on traditional construction projects rather than sustainable construction projects. Recently, there is an increase in the number of sustainable construction projects in the UAE. Therefore, identifying and assessing the key criteria for selecting green suppliers is needed. This paper fills the gap in literature as to selecting green suppliers in construction projects.

Managing project scope creep in construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mian M. Ajmal ◽  
Mehmood Khan ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Petri T. Helo
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeProject scope creep is a nightmare and nearly intolerable task. Most project managers struggle to curtail the expanse and degree of scope creep. This study examines different likely project scope creep factors associated with the construction industry projects.Design/methodology/approachAfter many brainstorming sessions with construction stakeholders, several project scope creep factors were identified. Then, a detailed survey was executed in big construction projects of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).FindingsThe results derived and validated five conspicuous factors leading to project scope creep. Respectively, the highest and the lowest impact on project scope appears to be imposed by tasks/specifications and complexity/uncertainty.Practical implicationsIt offers crucial support to the project stakeholders in scrutinizing different factors that stand as hurdles to project success and allows them to seek remedies to resolve them.Originality/valueIt is among the first study in the region that identifies and validates the factors that hinder construction project success.

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