RE-engineered factory acceptance testing under the new normal

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanduni Peiris ◽  
Nayanthara De Silva
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Test Reliability ◽  
Acceptance Testing ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Physical Touch ◽  
Two Stages

Purpose Factory acceptance testing (FAT) in the construction industry has been severely hampered due to restrictions in cross-border travel resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, virtual FAT (vFAT) became a popular substitute for physical FAT. However, the credibility of vFAT is being questioned because it was adopted without much scrutiny. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating vFATs and re-engineering the FAT process to suit an effective vFAT environment.Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature search on FAT procedures was followed by two stages of expert interviews with eight leading subject experts and a case study. The findings were analysed using code-based content analysis on NVivo software.Findings Strengths of vFATs include “reduction in cost and time consumed”, “flexibility for more participants” and “faster orders”. Most emphasized weaknesses include “lack of reliability” and “lack of technology transfer”. vFAT has mostly increased test reliability by “improving accessibility” and has decreased reliability by “restricting physical touch and feel observation of the equipment”. A four-step vFAT process was developed with a noteworthy additional step called “Pre-FAT Meeting”.Research limitations/implications The scope of this study is limited to the Sri Lankan construction industry. Expansion of the geographical area of focus is recommended for future studies.Originality/value The findings of this study unveil a vFAT process, which is timely and beneficial for construction practitioners to optimize and enhance the effectiveness of vFATs which are currently conducted in a disarranged manner.

How to effectively manage knowledge in the construction industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Bigliardi ◽  
Francesco Galati ◽  
Alberto Petroni
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Multiple Case Studies ◽  
Tools And Techniques

Purpose – The aim of this paper is twofold: to understand if it is possible to find similarities and dissimilarities among the construction companies in terms of knowledge management (KM) process, identifying the main tools and techniques adopted by the same companies within this process; second, to emphasize and study more in depth the best KM techniques that emerged from the cases in the context of the Italian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – On the basis of available studies on KM within the industry investigated, multiple case studies were developed to reach the aforementioned objective, involving 14 Italian construction companies. Findings – The outcomes obtained from the case studies allow drawing some conclusions on the KM process adopted by the companies investigated, as well as on the type of tools and techniques adopted by the same companies in the KM process. Research limitations/implications – The case study is based on 14 single cases and, therefore, we must keep in mind that there may be significant differences between industries, companies, departments and individuals regarding how management tools and technological systems are used in practice. Originality/value – Very few papers are available on the KM process within the Italian construction landscape. This study is expected to encourage future studies in this field.

Cooperative behaviour and place branding: a longitudinal case study in Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Rinaldi ◽  
Alessio Cavicchi
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Area ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Cooperative Behaviour ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
As Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to understand the motivations driving cooperative behaviour between heterogeneous stakeholders in place-branding activities, focusing on contract-based and relation-based cooperation constructs. Design/methodology/approach The longitudinal case study method is used to help understanding how the investigated network has evolved over four years from an attempt to build a regional umbrella-brand to a network contract between 13 enterprises. Findings The findings suggest that the relationships of trust and shared values among stakeholders are essential to foster cooperation, but also that contract-based governance complements a relation-based governance, enhancing the performance of the alliance. Research limitations/implications The main limitation is related to the case study methodology, as results are strongly dependent on the specific characteristics of the stakeholders and the geographical area analysed. Social implications The role of stakeholders in building a place brand is increasingly important. When analysing cooperative behaviour drivers, more attention should be paid to such intangible assets as social, human, relational and organisational capital. Originality/value This longitudinal case study emphasises that for success in place-branding activities, contract-based cooperation can be particularly useful at the beginning of a network alliance, while relation-based cooperation ensures the strength and continuity of the partnership but it takes time to develop. Responsible leaders, working as relationship facilitators/enablers, are important to keep network members engaged, by creating trust and favouring mutual beneficial relationships between stakeholders.

A decision-making formula for value engineering applications in the Sri Lankan construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani Karunasena ◽  
Kosala Rajagalgoda Gamage
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Cognitive Mapping ◽  
Value Engineering ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Bodies ◽  
Research Outcome ◽  
Analyse Data

Purpose The construction industry in many developing countries is reluctant to apply value engineering (VE) due to uncertainty of outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing practices of VE techniques and make recommendations to organisations and national construction regulatory bodies, to standardise VE practices. A decision-making formula is introduced to determine profitability of VE applications prior to implementation. Design/methodology/approach A broad literature review and six case study projects that applied VE were selected. Thirty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data within cases. Six expert interviews were conducted as confirmatory interviews to clarify and validate research outcome. Content analysis and cognitive mapping were used to analyse data among case studies. Findings Application, knowledge and experience on VE techniques among construction professionals are unsatisfactory. Recommendations include reducing contractor’s design responsibility, introducing proper VE guidelines and statutory regulations. A framework is introduced to assist authorities to standardise application of VE techniques. A decision-making formula is suggested to determine margins of contractor’s portion due to VE techniques and original profits gained. Originality/value The formula can be used as a decision-making tool by construction industry practitioners to determine successfulness of proposed VE techniques, and the proposed framework can be used to guide construction professional bodies to standardise VE practices.

The impacts of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market: Sri Lanka as a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rami K. Isaac ◽  
Annika Van den Bedem
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Travel Behaviour ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market towards Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach The research process involved an online self-administered method created with one of the leading research and web-based survey tools called Qualtrics. The questionnaire was filled in by 328 respondents. Findings Findings indicate that Sri Lankan is perceived to be a relatively safe destination. However, the likeliness of visiting the country is unlikely. The respondents with past travel experience (PTE) perceive Sri Lanka to be safer than those without PTE and are more likely to revisit. Male respondents have a higher safety perception of Sri Lanka than women. Most of the respondents see Sri Lanka as an attractive destination and would consider travelling there with children. Research limitations/implications The majority of the respondents are female and aged between 18 to 29 years old. The majority of the respondents’ children were already 19 or older and not accompanying their parents on holiday. This study has managerial implications for Sri Lanka’s tourism board that could work on developing a marketing strategy that focusses on promoting Sri Lanka as a safe destination in combination with all the other unique selling points. Originality/value To the best of author’s knowledge, no analysis has been so far published with a focus on the impact of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourist towards Sri Lanka. The aim of this paper is to close the existing gap in the literature and to provide valuable knowledge on the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourists’ travel behaviour towards Sri Lanka as a destination.

BIM in the Saudi Arabian construction industry: state of the art, benefit and barriers

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al-Yami ◽  
Muizz O. Sanni-Anibire
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Although there is a boom in the construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), it is yet to fully adopt building information modeling (BIM), which has received a lot of attention in the US, UK and Australian construction industries. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to provide the current state of the art in BIM implementation in Saudi Arabia, as well as perceived benefits and barriers through a case study. Design/methodology/approach A broad overview of BIM, the construction industry in KSA and the research and implementation of BIM in KSA was presented in this study. The research further established the perceived benefits and barriers of BIM implementation through a case study of a local AEC firm. A questionnaire survey was used to obtain lessons learned from the BIM team of the pilot project and was further analyzed using the RII approach. Findings The study’s findings include the lack of policy initiatives in KSA to enforce BIM in the construction industry, as well as the lack of sufficient research in the domain of BIM in KSA. Furthermore, the case study also revealed that the most important benefit of BIM adoption is “detection of inter-disciplinary conflicts in the drawings to reduce error, maintain design intent, control quality and speed up communication,” whereas the most important barrier is “the need for re-engineering many construction projects for successful transition towards BIM.” Originality/value The study provides a background for enhanced research towards the implementation of BIM in Saudi Arabia and also demonstrates the potential benefits and barriers in BIM implementation.

Perceived claim sources in the Nigerian construction industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulLateef A. Olanrewaju ◽  
Paul J. Anavhe
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Claims ◽  
Change Order ◽  
Delay Cost ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – With the increase in the cases of construction claims in Nigeria, many projects have remained uncompleted, while many of those completed receive poor client satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how construction claims are managed. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 58 claim factors were identified and addressed to construction professionals through survey to indicate the extent at which the factors contributed to claims. A case study was conducted to illustrate claim management. Findings – In total, 37 factors were the major source of claims. Late payment, delayed approval of change order and delay cost were the extremely influential while the least were storage charges, loss of productivity, and costs of preparing claims. Evidences revealed that all stakeholders should play active roles to deliver “claim free” projects. Practical implications – The findings will be useful to practitioners in the effort to improve project delivery by providing some guidance on claim minimization. It is hoped that this study will encourage academics to conduct more research on this issue. Originality/value – There is no known conclusive empirical study on construction claim factors in Nigeria. In light of this, the findings offer greater opportunities for claim minimization/avoidance.

Selecting suitable procurement system for steel building construction

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.P.P.S. Perera ◽  
T.M.M.P. Tennakoon ◽  
Udayangani Kulatunga ◽  
Himal Suranga Jayasena ◽  
M.K.C.S. Wijewickrama
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Steel Building ◽  
Selection Factors ◽  
Procurement System ◽  
Procurement Method ◽  
Critical Literature

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to select a suitable procurement method for steel building construction in Sri Lanka following a systematic method which weigh, both procurement selection factors and existing procurement systems.Design/methodology/approachAn abductive research stance is followed in this empirical study. Procurement selection factors were selected through a critical literature review which was followed by a quantitative questionnaire survey. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistical analysis and relative important index.FindingsThe critical literature review outlined 46 procurement selection factors, out of which 26 factors were very important in steel building procurement selection. Short construction period and higher constructability of design are ranked at the top with the highest priority rating factors. Management-oriented procurement system was selected as the most appropriate procurement system for steel building constructions within the Sri Lankan context.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to widely use three procurement systems in Sri Lankan construction industry. Yet, the process followed in selecting the most appropriate procurement system could be applied for other contexts. The implications of the study are mainly identifying management-oriented procurement as the most suitable procurement method for steel building construction in Sri Lanka.Practical implicationsThe systematic procedure of procurement method selection for steel building construction may use in the Sri Lankan construction industry to limit the resource loss due to wrong selection of procurement.Originality/valueA study which critically and comprehensively presenting a procurement selection process for steel building construction is not recorded in Sri Lanka prior to this study.

Segmenting and profiling attendees of a film festival

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Báez ◽  
María Devesa
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Factorial Analysis ◽  
Discrete Groups ◽  
Film Festival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Motivation Factors ◽  
The City

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse film festival spectators on the basis of their motives for attending as well as other variables linked to cultural consumption, the evaluation of the event and certain sociodemographic characteristics of attendees. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected at the Valdivia International Film Festival, the case study. In order to achieve the goals of the paper, a variety of statistical methods and techniques were used. First, principal component factorial analysis was applied to identify the underlying motivational dimensions. Second, the authors adopted cluster analysis based on the dimensions pinpointed in the factorial analysis in order to segment festival attendees. Finally, analysis of variance and χ2 analysis were applied to establish each group's profile. Findings – The empirical research reveals three motivation factors (discovery, entertainment and cinema) and three discrete groups of spectators, labelled as socially indifferent, film lovers and enthusiasts). They present different profiles from a consumption viewpoint. Research limitations/implications – The results provide useful insights into cultural policy and management of this kind of events, and even for those in charge of tourism policies in the city and the region. Originality/value – The paper aims to contribute to the literature addressing festival motivation for the specific case of a film festival, a field for which there are almost no studies into motivation, in a given geographical area South America which is active in creating festivals.

scholarly journals Academic research in emerging knowledge-based economies

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandanie Hadiwattege ◽  
Sepani Senaratne ◽  
Yasangika Sandanayake ◽  
Nirodha Gayani Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Knowledge Dissemination ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Research Collaborations ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy

Purpose Knowledge-based economies are popular in the present world. Simultaneously, universities are becoming more responsible for leading economic development through research. As a key contributor to the national economy, it is vital for the construction industry to move beyond outdated practices, and hence, reviewing the role of academic research in empowering the construction industry with knowledge is essential. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how relevant theories conceptualise the expected role of academic research in the innovative development of an industry and the specific location in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Design/methodology/approach Following a comprehensive literature review, empirical data were collected from the Sri Lankan context with a mixed approach informed by a pragmatist philosophical stance. The perspective of academia and industry practitioners were deductively obtained through surveys and inductively explored through qualitative interviews. Findings This study provides evidence that academic research in Sri Lanka does not contribute effectively to innovative construction management. Due to the absence of industry-focussed knowledge dissemination strategies, the academic–industry relationships are mostly non-research based. The industry lacks in research-informed-decision making, leading to lesser innovations. Research limitations/implications The research conclusions are more applicable to the developing country construction industry contexts. Practical implications The research urges the need for improved academic–industry research collaborations and strategic knowledge dissemination movements. Originality/value The research confirms that academic research is a major integral part of the developing construction industry in a knowledge-based economy. In establishing the expected role of academic research, the research revealed the current practice to be under-located. Hence, the research prescribes the necessary actions; research collaborations in major and subsequent requirements.

Social entrepreneurship in the informal economy: a case study of re-enactment festivals

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valery Gordin ◽  
Mariya Dedova
Keyword(s):  
Informal Economy ◽  
Russian Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
New Information ◽  
High Level ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
Two Stages

Purpose – The paper aims to generate new information on the types of entrepreneurial activities at the re-enactment festivals and their importance for the re-enactors. Design/methodology/approach – The study consisted of two stages: a content analysis of information available through online open access and a qualitative survey of re-enactors and a qualitative survey of re-enactors was organised and spanned from November 2012 to February 2013. Findings – The paper concludes that a specific form of entrepreneurship in the Russian market characterised by creation of social capital, a high level of devotion to engagement and, at the same time, non-profit-related gains has been emerged. Research limitations/implications – The socio-cultural phenomenon of entrepreneurship within re-enactment festivals is investigated. The study may be further developed by identifying various cultural events that may be characterised by the existence of an internal festival market. Originality/value – This paper highlights social entrepreneurial activities in informal sector by the example of re-enactment festivals.

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