scholarly journals Construction Health and Safety Self-Regulation in Developing Countries: A Nigeria Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnedinma Umeokafor ◽  
David Isaac
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Regulatory Process ◽  
The Self ◽  
Favorable Attitude ◽  
Individual Interviews

The study reported in this paper explored the self-regulatory approaches in terms of health and safety (H&S) in the Nigerian construction industry and the attitudes of the industry towards H&S self-regulation. This stems from the premise that the Nigerian construction industry has been viewed as unregulated, but evidence in literature indicates that some parts of the industry are self-regulated in various forms. However, it is unclear how self-regulation occurs in the industry, its approaches and the attitudes of the industry towards it. Based on group and individual interviews, there is evidence of self-regulation that is: enforced, industry-led, voluntary, H&S crusader-led, client-led and community-led. It was revealed that in many cases, when self-regulation is voluntary, the self-regulatory process does not exceed the first stage of self-regulation, adopting or developing standards. The attitudes of the industry towards H&S self-regulation can be described as not limited to “camouflage,” “convenience,” “context-defined,” “secondary,” “unstructured,” and “tick box.” However, there are some in the industry that have a favorable attitude towards H&S where it is “primary” in their organization. The understanding of self-regulation and H&S is advanced in this study, especially in developing countries, which policymakers, socio-legal scholars, practitioners, academics, and various industries may find beneficial.

scholarly journals Unpacking China’s Social Credit System: Informatization, Regulatory Framework, and Market Dynamics

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianrui Jia
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Population Analysis ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
The Self ◽  
Internet Technology ◽  
Credit System ◽  
Social Credit ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Regulatory Data

Background  China, with a population of 802 million internet users, a handful of the world’s largest internet companies, and an unfolding Social Credit System (SCS), is often criticized for exerting its data power to surveil and discipline its population. Analysis  This article first provides a historical and situated analysis of the SCS as a part of China’s informatization and datafication processes. It then highlights problems in the current legal and regulatory data-protection framework and discusses the self-regulation practices of the private sector. Conclusions and implications  Overall, this case study provides a historical and contextualized understanding of China’s SCS and related big data developments and assesses the implications of these development for the globalizing Chinese internet, technology companies and the Chinese public.Contexte  Avec une population de 802 million d’utilisateurs d’Internet, avec quelques des plus grandes sociétés Internet du monde, et une Système de Crédit Sociale (SCS) en pleine développement, La Chine est souvent critiqué pour utilizer son pouvoir de données pour surveiller et discipliner sa population. Analyse  Tout d’abord, cet article fournit une analyse historique et située de la SCS comme partie des processus de informatisation et datafication de la Chine. Ensuite, il souligne les problèmes du cadre juridique et régulatoire actuel en matière de protection des données et examine les pratiques d’autorégulation du secteur privé.Conclusions et implications  En global, cette étude de cas fournit une compréhension historique et contextualisée du SCS chinois et de l’évolution du Big Data, et évalue les implications de ce développement pour l’Internet chinois en pleine mondialisation, les entreprises technologiques et le public chinois.

scholarly journals Risk Management in Engineering and Construction: A Case Study in Design-Build Projects in Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 5237-5241 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. T. Nguyen ◽  
P. C. Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Design Build ◽  
Good Identification ◽  
Contract Form

The constant demand for construction in developing countries like Vietnam causes more and more challenges and difficulties to Project Management Units (PMUs) in carrying projects to completion on schedule, with quality assurance and fewer costs. In order to do this, PMUs need to have better and tighter management tools and forms. However, in order to minimize risks during project implementation, the binding terms in contracts are also becoming stricter with more and more new forms of contracts. One of them is the design-build (DB) contract form. This paper presents the critical risk factors for design-build projects in the construction industry. Good identification and management of these risk factors will help projects succeed and will increase the confidence of owners and contractors who seek to use the design-build form.

Assessment of health and safety culture maturity in the construction industry in developing economies

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 865-881
Author(s):  
Justice Williams ◽  
Frank Fugar ◽  
Emmanuel Adinyira
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The State ◽  
Actual State ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies

Purpose The degree to which accidents happen or are prevented in any organisation is the function of both the health and safety culture and the safety culture maturity level of the organisation. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the state of health and safety culture in the construction industry in developing economies and to assess their category on the safety maturity ladder using the Ghanaian construction industry as an example. This is to help construction companies in developing countries become conscious of the state of health and safety in the industry so they can be motivated to improve along the ladder. Design/methodology/approach In total, 250 contractors made up of 155 building contractor,s and 95 road contractors took part in the survey. The sample size was determined by Yamane’s (1967) formula with stratified simple random sampling technique adopted in selecting the companies in the survey. This paper also uses (Guttman Scale) Scalogram analysis to measure the state of health and safety culture in the Ghanaian construction industry. Findings The results show that health and safety culture of the Ghanaian construction industry is at the first level, the pathological stage. Even though Ghanaian contractors have health and safety policies and codes of conduct in place, safety is not seen as a key business risk. Consequently, management and most frontline staff do not emphasise the importance of integration of safety measures in the various activities on the site. Thus, safety is not seen as unavoidable and a part of the construction activity. Practical implications The findings of this study inform state authorities, consultants and contractors of areas that they need to focus more on improving health and safety culture in developing countries. This would go a long way in protecting construction workers in the industry. Originality/value This study, to the best of the authors’ current knowledge, is the first of its kind in the Ghanaian construction industry. The study brings to the fore the actual state of health and safety in the construction industry in developing countries such as Ghana. The value of the findings lies in the fact that it will provide the motivation for construction companies in developing countries to develop a commitment to safety, and to provide appropriate and effective safety improvement techniques to progress to the subsequent stages of the safety culture maturity ladder.

Self-certification framework for technological innovation: a case study

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 751-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Young Kim ◽  
Young-Ha Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
The Self ◽  
Certification Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product And Process Innovation ◽  
Voluntary Certification ◽  
Product And Process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a self-certification framework for assessing technological innovation and certifying superior products. The paper discusses how and why organizational efforts to implement the self-certification program can lead to product and process innovation. Design/methodology/approach – Using the case study method in a large government-sponsored research and development institute, the authors examined the effectiveness of the proposed framework. Findings – The finding indicates that the success of the self-certification program is dependent on the ability of a firm to manage processes. The result also suggests that it is critical to develop an internal-driven motivation and ensure the strong commitment of top management when implementing the self-certification program. The finding reveals that the voluntary certification program has a positive effect on innovation and marketing performance. Originality/value – This study makes three contributions. First, the paper offers valuable insights on the use of a self-certification framework as a problem-solving tool in the innovation process. Second, based on the self-regulation theory, this study enhances the understanding of the potential of control in facilitating technological innovation. Third, the paper provides practical guidance about the application of self-assessment at the project level.

scholarly journals COST OVERRUN IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, GAS-OIL INDUSTRY OF IRAN AS A CASE STUDY

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya DERAKHSHANALAVIJEH ◽  
Jose Manuel Cardoso TEIXEIRA
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Gas Oil ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Significant Factors

Cost overrun in construction projects is a common issue affecting project performance, and Gas-Oil con­struction projects in Iran are no exception. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire conducted to identify and evaluate the relative importance of the significant factors contributing to the Gas-Oil construction industry of Iran as a case study for developing countries. The survey respondents included project owners, contractors and consultants in­volved in Iranian Gas-Oil construction projects. The results of the survey revealed that the main causes of cost overrun in this industry include inaccurate cost estimations, improper planning, frequent design changes, inadequate labour/skill availability, inflation of costs of machinery, labour, raw material and transportation prices. The first three factors are the project consultants’ responsibility and the appointment of qualified consultants and personnel training are strongly recommended to alleviate cost overrun. The paper also reviews and compares findings of a set of similar researches in a number of developing countries.

scholarly journals Supervisor's capability and aptitude to supervise Health and Safety (H&S) induction training to site workforces: A case study of the construction industry of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 962-971
Author(s):  
Khalid Daniyal ◽  
Bilal Aslam ◽  
Umer Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Upper Management ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Site Supervisors ◽  
Audio Communication

Health and Safety (H&S) is a professional approach to substitute harmless and vigorous work conditions for any industry. The construction industry is of utmost importance because it is associated with elevated accident rates compared to the other sectors. To some extent, cultural progression is also reliant on communication among all the groups inside a corporation. Effective communication happens in a construction corporation, among upper management and the employees arbitrated by the supervisors. Therefore, if the construction supervisor's capabilities are ignored, the plans to progress the satisfactory H&S culture may be unsuccessful. The aptitude for conducting H&S induction training to employees is one of the construction supervisor's abilities, and in developing countries, the supervisor's capabilities are ignored. Moreover, the organization's eagerness on H&S, which corresponds to the induction training, is relatively less. The current research reports an examination to analyze how the supervisors possess H&S capabilities and skills to oversee site H&S induction training to workforces successfully. For the analysis, Pakistan's construction industry was targeted, and numerous construction firms were contacted in this regard. The data for the intended objective was accumulated through talks and surveys with site supervisors in construction companies of various extents from all over Pakistan. The outcomes exposed insufficient training, an absence of management dedication, and an inadequate familiarity or usage of visual/audio communication assistance by construction companies in Pakistan. Thus, it is suggested that there is a need for the supervisors to understand the use of multilingual skills and current technologies to assist valuable site H&S induction training that can progress a path towards an optimistic H&S culture.

scholarly journals Mental Mechanisms of Psychological States Regulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-204
Author(s):  
A.O. Prokhorov
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Mental States ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Process ◽  
The Self ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Psychological States ◽  
Analytical Review

The article presents the analytical review of theories and studies of the psychological state regulation through the “self-processes — self-regulation” aspect. The main objective of the article is the analysis of concepts, mechanisms and the role of consciousness structures in the regulatory process. The theories of mental states self-regulation are analyzed: system-activity, system-functional and structures-functional. The specificity of each approach to the regulatory process is shown. It was found that the less developed area in presented theoretical constructions is the mental component of regulation: the contribution of the consciousness structures to the regulation of states, their significance and functions in the regulatory process, the specificity of the influence of individual structures on regulation and their synergy during self-regulation, etc. Review of the concepts of the mental states regulation’s mechanisms points the key role of the consciousness structures in the regulatory process. The consciousness structures are an integral part of the individual’s mental subjective experience. Subjective mental experience integrates meanings with categorical structures of consciousness, goal features, semantic structures of consciousness (personal meaning, values, semantic attitudes, etc.), reflection and its types, experiences, mental representations (imaginative characteristics), the self-system. The relationship between the consciousness structures in the process of mental states regulation is considered. It is shown that the integration of the consciousness components is aimed at the goal achieving — the regulation of the subject’s mental stateThe operational side of the regulatory process is associated with the actions of the subject, aimed at changing the state, feedback and time characteristics.

scholarly journals Developing a Sustainability Performance Assessment Tool for Public Funded Projects According to Policies and Stakeholders’ Perceptions

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousong Wang ◽  
Honglei Yi ◽  
Mian Fang
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
System Dynamic Model ◽  
Sustainability Performance ◽  
Project Governance ◽  
Improved Model ◽  
The Impact

Sustainable principles have been applied in many sectors including the construction industry. In light of this requirement, delivery and operation of public funded projects have been given particular attention since they are seen as benchmarks in this industry and possess more significant impact on economy, environment, society, resource utilization, health and safety, as well as project governance. Current studies on assessing sustainability performance of these projects are found to have some gaps. By calculating the sustainability performance indicator, the research reported in this paper introduced an improved System Dynamic model addressing the impact of policies and stakeholders’ perceptions based on the previous studies. In addition, the improved model alters the way in which sustainability performance indicator evolves to make it more precise. A real stadium project in Shenzhen, China is presented to illustrate the application of the improved model in appraising the sustainability performance of public funded projects. The case study also reveals the aspects to be enhanced to make the sustainability performance better in this project.

scholarly journals Characteristics of the Construction Industry in Developing Countries and Its Implications for Health and Safety: An Exploratory Study in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4110
Author(s):  
Elijah Frimpong Boadu ◽  
Cynthia Changxin Wang ◽  
Riza Yosia Sunindijo
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Industry Professionals ◽  
Country Specific

From both practical and theoretical perspectives, understanding the health and safety (H&S) implications of the characteristics and foundation upon which the construction industry in developing countries is built and operates is essential for H&S management within the industry. While many studies have provided evidence of factors affecting construction H&S in developing countries, none has fully considered the H&S implications of the industry’s characteristics. The current study thus examined how the peculiar characteristics of the construction industry in developing countries impact on the industry’s H&S management. Data were collected using questionnaire surveys from construction industry professionals in Ghana. Nine distinct characteristics were identified and ranked, as well as their relationships and statistical significance determined through correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA), respectively. The findings showed that these characteristics of the construction industry in developing countries, particularly the lack of skilled and educated workforce, reliance on labour intensive methods and lack of single regulatory authority, present huge challenges to the management of H&S. Accordingly, this research recommended strategic interventions which are tailored towards the context of the industry’s characteristics. With the construction industry in developing countries exhibiting similar characteristics, the findings of this research can serve as a framework for country-specific study. The study contributes to the broader H&S performance improvement research in developing countries by throwing light on the characteristics of the industry that pose challenges to H&S performance.

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