Understanding the key takeaway of construction robots towards construction automation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu Huang ◽  
Chao Mao ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Abdul-Manan Sadick
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Automation ◽  
Purchase Cost ◽  
Score Analysis ◽  
Important Barrier ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Research And Design

PurposeThe construction industry is the major sector in China but it has been exposed to a series of problems including low productivity and workforce shortage. However, construction robots as an effective and sustainable approach to overcome the difficulties in construction industry have not been widely adopted. Few studies attempted to investigate on the adoption of construction robots in China. In order to fill this gap, this study aim to address the barriers to the adoption of construction robots in China.Design/methodology/approachThrough literature review, semi-structured interview 24 factors hindering the adoption of construction robots are summarized. Next, a total of valid 150 questionnaires delivered to the 7 stakeholders were collected. Ranking analysis was used to identify 21 critical factors was determined by the mean score analysis and factor analysis extracted 21 critical factors into 5 clusters.FindingsResults indicate that the “technological performance and management” cluster is the most dominant of the 5 clusters. The most important barrier is “Limited research and design input”, followed by “High purchase cost” and “Unstructured construction environment”. Construction robots are still under R&D have had limited field applications in the production and construction process.Originality/valueThe research findings provide a useful reference for different stakeholders to identify the critical factors appropriate strategies to promote the adoption of construction robots. Furthermore, this study provides recommendations to promote adoption of construction robots.

scholarly journals Examining the implementation of ISO 9001 in Indonesian construction companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debby Willar ◽  
Vaughan Coffey ◽  
Bambang Trigunarsyah
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Quality Management Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Main Motive ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Management Attitude

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) of Grade 7 (G-7) Indonesian construction companies. This includes the initial motives that have driven the development of QMSs, barriers to effective QMS implementation, the current practice and integration of QMS-ISO 9001 principles and elements, and the performance of contractors implementing such QMSs. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted involving 403 respondents (Quality Management Representatives, Managers, and Project and Site Engineers) from 77 G-7 as well as ISO 9001 certified Indonesian construction companies. Findings – The main motive for G-7 contractors in establishing and implementing ISO 9001 based QMSs are identified as being to effectively and efficiently control project activities. Respondents apparently do not often experience problems related to QMS implementation. However, issues of management attitude and purpose are identified as barriers that may affect effective QMS implementation. The study highlights the ISO 9001 principles and elements that still require to be more critically applied by G-7 contractors in order to fully implement and improve their current QMS effectiveness. The findings also suggest that, although certified, many G-7 contractors have not yet achieved a satisfactory level of performance to be truly competitive in global markets outside Indonesia. Originality/value – To date, only limited research has been conducted into the application of ISO 9001 in the Indonesian construction industry. The research findings reinforced the value of pursuing more effective QMS implementation. They also support current attempts to introduce ISO 9001 QMSs to a much wider base of Indonesian construction companies, particularly small and medium sized contractors and builders.

Level of awareness of formwork design in the Ghanaian construction industry; enabling future technology application

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clement Boakye Danquah ◽  
Alex Acheampong ◽  
Theophilus Adjei-Kumi
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Web Application ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technology Application ◽  
Code Of Practice ◽  
Future Technology ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Specific Regulation

Purpose In the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI), the option for stakeholders to adopt formwork design as a building construction requirement is uncommon place. This is due to the low level of awareness and practice of formwork design. As a result of this, there have been formwork accidents, cost and time overruns in construction. This paper aims to solicit the view of stakeholders on the awareness of formwork design practices in the GCI. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted the interpretivism research philosophy and inductive reasoning. Through a semi-structured interview guide, data was collected. The data (interview) recorded was transcribed using the Amberscript web application. This study used thematic analysis in analyzing the data collected using Nvivo 10 software. Findings The data collected from the 22 professionals indicated that the respondents were unaware of the concept of formwork design and its practice, neither could they speak to the existence of any specific regulation nor code of practice. However, the respondents established that there was a need to design formwork and stated some benefits of it. Originality/value From the literature, little research has been done on formwork design and its context in the GCI is yet to be explored. This research attempts to fill this gap. The findings indicate that to practice formwork design, there must be education and training of human resources for formwork design, there must be a code of practice to guide the design process and legal backing through policies and regulations to mandate the design.

Organizational leadership role in the delivery of sustainable construction projects in UK

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Opoku ◽  
Heather Cruickshank ◽  
Vian Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Organizational Leadership ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
Sustainability Practices

Purpose – Sustainable construction project delivery should be supported by committed and inspirational leadership, with a clear understanding of the sustainability challenge. Construction organizations need intra-organizational leadership that provides the collective vision, strategy and direction towards the shared common goal of a sustainable future. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of intra-organizational leadership within UK construction organizations charged with the promotion of sustainability practices. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a mixed method approach with qualitative data collected through semi-structured interview with 15 leaders, followed by an industry-wide survey of 200 intra-organizational leaders in contractor and consultant organizations in the UK construction industry. Findings – The analysis of the data revealed that, the most important role of intra-organizational leadership in promoting sustainable construction practices is to formulate policies, implement procedures and disseminate best practices throughout the organization . Originality/value – Nothing has been written on intra-organizational leadership role in promoting sustainability practices in the construction industry. Although leadership and sustainability has been widely covered as separate issues this study provides the empirical evidence of the link between leadership and sustainability in construction.

Embracing sustainability practices in UK construction organizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Opoku ◽  
Vian Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Organizational Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – Adopting sustainable construction practices minimizes the overall environmental impact of the built asset throughout its whole life. Currently, there is demand from key stakeholders in the construction industry for organization to deliver sustainable built environment, however, leaders/champions within construction organizations charged with the adoption of sustainable construction practices face many challenges. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an investigation into the challenges facing intra-organizational leaders charged with the promotion of sustainable construction practices. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interview with 15 leaders, followed by an industry-wide survey of 200 intra-organizational leaders in contractor and consultant organizations in the UK construction industry. Findings – The results revealed that increased capital cost is the most significant challenge facing construction organizations in attempt to adopt sustainability practices in the delivery of construction projects. Originality/value – This study provides the empirical evidence linking leadership within construction organizations and sustainability; filling the gap in literature and serving as a source of reference material for higher education programmes in the built environment.

Defining social value in the public procurement process for works

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandsford Kwame Gidigah ◽  
Kofi Agyekum ◽  
Bernard K. Baiden
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
The Body ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Functional Perspective

PurposeThough the Public Procurement Act of Ghana makes room for specific socio-economic policies (environmental, social, economic and other policies which are intended to promote social and economic impact), there is no explicit definition and provision for social value as an evaluation criterion, culminating in the absence of a definition in the Act. This paper elicits the conception and understanding of social value from stakeholders in the Ghanaian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative method that relied on a semi-structured interview of 30 participants purposively drawn from Western, Western North and Central regions of Ghana. An inductive thematic analysis approach, which involved identifying repetitions, exploring similarities and differences, noting linguistic connectors, and a framework were employed to analyse the data.FindingsThe study established no single definition or explanation for social value in the construction industry in Ghana. However, it was revealed from the study that the concept of social value could be defined from the functional perspective of the definer, particularly from the perspective of a Procurement Officer, Works Engineer, and a Quantity Surveyor. A new insight from the study that differs from the body of literature is that participants equated benefits derived from physically constructed projects as social value.Social implicationsThe study has implication for public administration and practice regarding the decision-making process in the construction industry in Ghana. It provides a vital awakening on social value as a criterion in evaluating construction works procurement in Ghana. The ability of participants to equate the benefits derived from executed construction projects as social value creates a new perspective on understanding the meaning of social value in the procurement of works construction.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the state-of-the-art and ongoing discourse on the concept of social value globally. The findings create an important catalyst for social value research in the Ghanaian construction industry.

Leadership style of sustainability professionals in the UK construction industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Opoku ◽  
Vian Ahmed ◽  
Heather Cruickshank
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Organizational Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – Leadership is a significant success factor in promoting sustainability practices in the construction industry. Sustainability is an integral part of the construction industry and affects all aspects of construction business operations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if there is any particular leadership style associated with intra-organizational leaders within UK construction organizations charged with the promotion of sustainability practices. The paper therefore examines the effective leadership style of sustainability professionals responsible for developing sustainable construction strategies. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interview with 15 leaders, followed by an industry-wide survey of 200 intra-organizational leaders in contractor and consultant organizations in the UK construction industry. Findings – The results showed that while there is no one best leadership style for all situation, most leaders charged with the role of promoting sustainable construction are strategic in their style or behaviour. Originality/value – Although leadership and sustainability has been widely covered as separate issues, little rigorous research has been done on the link between leadership and sustainability in construction management research. The findings could guide organizational leaders with the responsibility of promoting sustainability practices.

Collaborative working in South African construction: contractors’ perspectives

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Emuze ◽  
John Julian Smallwood
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
South African ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Work Load ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Collaborative Working ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of collaborative working among project partners in South African construction. The construction industry is made up of a plethora of entities trading as consultants, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and manufacturers. The effort and contributions of these entities with the input of clients result in completed projects. However, the performance of the industry has continued to generate more negative, rather than positive, headlines. Typical headlines include defects, rework, delays, injuries and accidents, all of which are mostly blamed on the endemic fragmented nature of the industry. Design/methodology/approach – The assessment was undertaken through a quantitative survey conducted among general contractor (GC) members of the Master Builders South Africa. Findings – Selected findings relative to the research include short-term objectives and price-oriented approach are prevalent in the industry; poor problem-solving mechanisms exist between project partners; poor use of modularisation; significant numbers of irregular clients and rigid adherence to contents of contract data. Research limitations/implication – The research findings provide an insight rather than definitive information due to the limited response rate of the survey. Originality/value – The paper concludes that contractors should embrace collaborative procurement methods to improve performance and promote innovation in the industry.Recommendations include the availability of a consistent work load for the supply chain members as well as the improvement of the relationship between project partners, especially between contractors and their subcontractors/suppliers.

Analysis framework for the interactions between building information modelling (BIM) and lean construction on construction mega-projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Evans ◽  
Peter Farrell ◽  
Wael Zewein ◽  
Ayman Mashali
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Modelling ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose The construction industry encounters substantial challenges in its evolution towards sustainable development and to the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) technology and lean construction (LC) practices on construction mega-projects. This study aims to present critical challenges and to investigate the interactions of BIM and LC on construction mega-projects encountered by key stakeholders in their efforts to integrate BIM and LC. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach is adopted to introduce and validate LC principles and BIM functionalities resulting from a detailed analysis of extant literature, followed by a conceptual analysis of the interactions between BIM and LC on construction mega-projects. A quantitative questionnaire survey is then used. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests are used for data analysis, and analysis of variance tests elaborate and validate results. Findings The research yielded ten BIM functionalities and ten LC principles, which are categorised in four principle areas and four BIM functionality groups. A research framework for analysis of the interaction between BIM and LC is then compiled. Originality/value Research findings and the proposed framework will enhance the adoption of BIM and LC practices on construction mega-projects and allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on tackling crucial challenges and barriers identified in this research. The framework will guide and stimulate research; and as such, the approach adopted up to this point is constructive. The identified interactions between BIM and LC on construction mega-projects show positive synergies between the two.

Apprenticeship bullying in the building and construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 502-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Riggall ◽  
Jason Skues ◽  
Lisa Wise
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the definition, prevalence, antecedents, consequences and coping behaviours associated with apprenticeship bullying in the building and construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprises 13 participants aged between 22 and 27 (M=23.8, SD=1.26) who were all men who had completed their apprenticeship within the past five years. Participants completed an individual semi-structured interview in which several themes and sub-themes were identified. Findings Four characteristics (intention to harm, imbalance in power, repeated behaviours, target interpretation) and two types (personal, work-related) were identified by participants as fundamental to the definition of apprenticeship bullying. Being the target of bullying was found to be commonplace during an apprenticeship. Several antecedents were identified at the individual level (age, personality, physical appearance, work ethic, work performance) along with factors at the organisation level (culture and leadership style) that determined whether bullying would occur. The consequences of apprenticeship bullying included poor individual (personal and work-related) and organisational outcomes. Targets of apprenticeship bullying also tended to use avoidance coping. Originality/value This study has provided clarification on the characteristics and behaviours associated with apprenticeship bullying, as well as identified the antecedents and consequences of apprenticeship bullying from the perspective of past apprentices in the building and construction industry.

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.

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