Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction sector: a systemized review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ayat ◽  
Malikah ◽  
Chang Wook Kang
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Improvements ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Safety Guidelines

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought profound changes to all sectors of society including the construction sector. The main purpose of this study is to explore and provide insights into the impact and changes that have occurred in the construction sector due to COVID-19 and to present a mitigation framework to minimize the effects.Design/methodology/approachThe scope of this study is limited to peer-reviewed articles in Scopus or Web of Science indexed journals. A systemized review was performed with bibliometric and content analyses of articles related to the impact of COVID-19 on the construction sector.FindingsThrough content analysis, the main topics discussed in the selected articles were grouped into 10 categories. Most of these studies were found to have focused on the challenges, impact, and health and safety at construction sites resulting from the pandemic. The study further identified 39 subtopics through detailed content analysis and organizes them into the categories of negative impacts, positive impacts and opportunities and barriers to COVID-19 safety guidelines in the construction sector. Moreover, the study developed a systematic mitigation strategy based on the recommendations of the literature review to reduce the impact of the current pandemic on the construction sector. The mitigation strategy presents separate set of measures regarding safety guidelines, process improvements, government intervention, psychological support and technology adoption.Originality/valueThe research insights provided in this study are useful for practitioners in guiding them to design effective strategies for addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises. Furthermore, a systematic presentation of the impacts, challenges and mitigation measures in this study will help researchers to identify existing gaps in the literature and explore other aspects of the impact of the pandemic on the construction sector.

An investigation into occupational health and safety of scaffolding practices on construction sites in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulLateef Olanrewaju ◽  
Jack Son Khor ◽  
Christopher Nigel Preece
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
Remedial Actions ◽  
The Impact

PurposeStatistics show that the construction sector has the second-highest number of accident cases in Malaysia. A total of 100, 000 construction workers suffer from work-related bad health each year. Scaffolding accidents are the second cause of accidents on construction sites. Therefore, this present research provided answers to the following questions: (1) what are the causes of scaffolding accidents and (2) what are the possible measures to reduce scaffolding accidents?Design/methodology/approachThe research developed a questionnaire instrument that included 24 causes of scaffolding accidents and 21 remedial actions. The research was based on a cross-sectional survey questionnaire administered to 129 members of construction organizations.FindingsData revealed that scaffolding-related cases caused a total of 70% of the deaths/injuries on sites. Furthermore, scaffolding accidents were mainly caused by a lack of guard rails on scaffoldings, poor inspections, improper assembly, a poor safety culture, poor attitudes towards safety, poor footing of scaffoldings and unsecured planking. To reduce scaffolding accidents, there must be a lifeline on scaffolding, proper guardrails and proper assembling of scaffoldings, and preventing access to incomplete or defective scaffoldings. The 24 causes are structured into six factors through factor analysis and the 21 remedial actions into six factors.Originality/valueThis research serves as the first attempt to conduct broad research on the causes and remedial actions concerning scaffolding accidents on construction sites in Malaysia. Theoretically, the research has provided fresh insights into the impact of scaffolding accidents.

News personalization for peace: how algorithmic recommendations can impact conflict coverage

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariella Bastian ◽  
Mykola Makhortykh ◽  
Tom Dobber
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
System Design ◽  
News Media ◽  
Content Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constructive Conflict ◽  
Peace Journalism ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
War Reporting

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for assessing what are the possibilities and pitfalls of using algorithmic systems of news personalization – i.e. the tailoring of individualized news feeds based on users’ information preferences – for constructive conflict coverage in the context of peace journalism, a journalistic paradigm calling for more diversified and creative war reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a critical review of existing research on peace journalism and algorithmic news personalization, and analyzes the intersections between the two concepts. Specifically, it identifies recurring pitfalls of peace journalism based on empirical research on constructive conflict coverage and then introduces a conceptual framework for analyzing to what degree these pitfalls can be mediated – or worsened – through algorithmic system design.FindingsThe findings suggest that AI-driven distribution technologies can facilitate constructive war reporting, in particular by countering the effects of journalists’ self-censorship and by diversifying conflict coverage. The implementation of these goals, however, depends on multiple system design solutions, thus resonating with current calls for more responsible and value-sensitive algorithmic design in the domain of news media. Additionally, our observations emphasize the importance of developing new algorithmic literacies among journalists both to realize the positive potential of AI for promoting peace and to increase the awareness of possible negative impacts of new systems of content distribution.Originality/valueThe article particle is the first to provide a comprehensive conceptualization of the impact of new content distribution techniques on constructive conflict coverage in the context of peace journalism. It also offers a novel conceptual framing for assessing the impact of algorithmic news personalization on reporting traumatic and polarizing events, such as wars and violence.

Do brand rumors matter? The role of brand equity and response strategy to brand rumor

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihee Choi ◽  
Soobin Seo
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Brand Crisis ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate consumer responses to brand rumors and corporate rumor response strategies in the restaurant industry. Design/methodology/approach A scenario-based experimental design was used to examine changes in consumers’ brand evaluation depending on level of brand equity and corporate choice of response strategy. Findings It was found that the impact of brand rumors on consumer responses is more negative when the restaurant’s brand equity is low compared to when it is high. It was also found that a company's use of active response strategies is more effective in combating brand rumor than a strategy of simple denial. Practical implications The findings have significant implications for both academics and practitioners in terms of developing effective response strategies for counteracting brand rumors. Originality/value Given the frequency of brand rumors in the restaurant industry and their serious negative impacts, this study extends the existing brand crisis communication literature by demonstrating how consumers respond to a rumor and the effectiveness of different corporate rumor response strategies.

scholarly journals What does corporate social advocacy signal? Evidence from boycott participation decisions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pyemo N. Afego ◽  
Imhotep P. Alagidede
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Stock Market ◽  
Event Study ◽  
Market Valuation ◽  
Social Advocacy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Stock Market Valuation ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper explores how a firm's public stand on a social-political issue can be a salient signal of the firm's values, identity and reputation. In particular, it investigates how boycott participation–conceptualized as a cue of a corporation's stand on important social-political issues–may affect the stock market valuation of that corporation, as well as how corporations legitimise their stand on the issues.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a mixed-methods design that uses both qualitative techniques (content analysis) and quantitative methods (event study methodology) to examine a sample of US firms who participated in a boycott campaign that sought to call attention to issues of hate speech, misinformation and discriminatory content on social media platform Facebook.FindingsFindings from the qualitative content analysis of company statements show that firms legitimise their stand on, and participation in, the boycott by expressing altruistic values and suggesting to stakeholders that their stand aligns not only with organizational values/convictions but also with the greater social good. Importantly, the event study results show that firms who publicly announced their intention to participate in the boycott, on average, earn a statistically significant positive abnormal stock return of 2.68% in the four days immediately after their announcements.Research limitations/implicationsFindings relate to a specific case of a boycott campaign. Also, the sample size is limited and restricted to US stocks. The signalling value of corporate social advocacy actions may vary across countries due to institutional and cultural differences. Market reaction may also be different for issues that are more charged than the ones examined in this study. Therefore, future research might investigate other markets, use larger sample sizes and consider a broader range of social-political issues.Practical implicationsThe presence of significant stock price changes for firms that publicly announced their decision to side with activists on the issue of hate propaganda and misinformation offers potentially valuable insights on the timing of trades for investors and arbitrageurs. Insights from the study also provide a practical resource that can be used to inform organizations' decision-making about such issues.Social implicationsTaking the lead to push on social-political issues, such as hate propaganda, discrimination, among others, and communicating their stands in a way that speaks to their values and identity, could be rewarding for companies.Originality/valueThis study provides novel evidence on the impact that corporate stances on important social-political issues can have on stock market valuation of firms and therefore extends the existing related research which until now has focused on the impact on consumer purchasing intent and brand loyalty.

Sharing tourism experiences in social media

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios D. Sotiriadis
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
Consumer Perspective ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to perform a synthesis of academic research published between 2009 and 2016 regarding the changes in tourism consumer behavior brought about by the use of social media (SM); and to suggest a set of strategies for tourism businesses to seize opportunities and deal with resulting challenges. Design/methodology/approach A volume of 146 peer-reviewed journal articles were retrieved from two major databases. Content analysis of this academic research has been performed, exploring the effects of online reviews on tourism consumers and providers. Findings The content analysis identified three main research themes that were investigated by scholars and classified into two major categories, namely, consumer perspective and provider perspective: the antecedents (factors motivating and influencing tourists); the influence of online reviews on consumer behaviour; and the impact of these reviews on tourism businesses (providers’ perspective). Research limitations/implications This study is based on a literature review and outcomes reported by previous studies; hence, the suggestions are indicative rather than conclusive. Some publication sources were not included. Practical implications This paper suggests a range of adequate strategies, along with operational actions, formulated for industry practitioners in the fields of management and marketing. Originality/value It provides an update of the state of published academic research into SM and an integrated set of management and marketing strategies for tourism providers in seizing the opportunities and dealing with the challenges raised in a digital context.

Medical tourism in the COVID-19 era: opportunities, challenges and the way ahead

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvind Chhabra ◽  
Mehak Munjal ◽  
Prabhu Chandra Mishra ◽  
Kritika Singh ◽  
Debjanee Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe novel coronavirus has not only caused significant illness and loss of life, it has caused major disruption at local, national and global levels. While the healthcare industry is experiencing growth during the pandemic, disruption to travel has affected medical tourism. This article considers the short-term factors affecting medical tourism and how they could be mitigated by incorporating technological advances to secure long-term growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines data provided by the Indian government as well as from non-government sources available in the public domain to review the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on medical tourism. The authors also examine data on technological advances in the healthcare industry that could help to reduce the impact of the pandemic.FindingsThis study’s findings show that while in-person services have been seriously impacted in the short term, technological adaptation of medical services to facilitate remote medical consultation has significantly increased. This has enlarged the business opportunities available to hospitals and general practitioners, and it could be leveraged to enhance medical tourism.Originality/valueThe article provides an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on medical tourism and how technology could be used to overcome short-term negative impacts and support longer-term development.

Work–life balance: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumari Rashmi ◽  
Aakanksha Kataria
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a clear view of current dynamics and research diversification of extant literature in the field of work-life balance (WLB). This paper provides a systematic and critical analysis of WLB literature using bibliometric analysis.Design/methodology/approach Scopus database has been used for carrying out this review that is based on 945 research papers published from 1998 to 2020. The prominence of the research is assessed by studying the publication trend, sample statistics, theoretical foundation, the highly cited research articles and journals, most commonly used keywords, research themes of top four recognized clusters, sub-themes within each cluster and thematic overview of WLB corpus formed on the premise of bibliographic coupling. Additionally, content analysis of recently published papers revealed emerging research patterns and potential gaps.Findings Major findings indicate that the research area consists of four established and emerging research themes based on clusters formed as (1) flexible work arrangements, (2) gender differences in WLB, (3) work–life interface and its related concepts, and (4) WLB policies and practices. Emerging themes identified through content analysis of recent articles include gender discrepancy, the impact of different forms of contextual (situational) factors and organizational culture.Originality/value This research paper is the first of its kind on the subject of WLB as it provides multifariousness of study fields within the WLB corpus by using varied bibliographic mapping approaches. It also suggests viable avenues for future research.

Consumer brand engagement on social media in the COVID-19 pandemic: the roles of country-of-origin and consumer animosity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianfu Wang ◽  
Yam B. Limbu ◽  
Xing Fang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Country Of Origin ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Brands ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Consumer Animosity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic unprecedentedly shocks the market. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on brand engagement across country-of-origin (COO) and country-of-market (COM). To address the gap, this study examines how the spread of the COVID-19 affects consumer brand engagement on social media for global brands through the mechanisms of the COO and consumer animosity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collect consumer engagement activity data from Facebook for eight global smartphone brands and match it with the COVID-19 statistics. Ordinary least square (OLS) models are used to estimate the impact on global brands brought by the spread of the COVID-19.FindingsThe results show that consumer brand engagement decreases for all brands in a COM as the number of confirmed COVID-19 new cases increases in the COM. Consumer brand engagement decreases for a brand across all COM as the number of confirmed COVID-19 new cases increases in the brand’s COO. If a brand’s COO is imputed for the pandemic, its consumer brand engagement will receive additional negative impacts across all COM.Originality/valueThis study enriches the COO literature by showing how the spread of a pandemic affects consumer brand engagement via COO and discovers the moderating role of consumer animosity.

The impact of workplace change of a private jet company on employee satisfaction

Facilities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (13/14) ◽  
pp. 943-960
Author(s):  
Chaiwat Riratanaphong ◽  
Bovornpak Chaiprasien
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Employee Satisfaction ◽  
Workplace Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
Job Functions ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Mode Of Transport ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of a private jet company’s change of workplace on employees’ satisfaction using specific variables from a conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal. Another purpose of the study is to identify the relationships between staff characteristics and satisfied aspects of a work environment. Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted at MJets – a company in the aviation and private jet sector. The research methods included field surveys, document analysis and a set of questionnaires on employee satisfaction, which were then analysed and discussed. Findings The findings show that organisational contexts, work processes and implementation processes have an impact on workplace change and employees’ needs and preferences, which affect their responses to the work environment. The most satisfied aspects of a work environment include the ceiling height of each floor, the square-metre area of buildings and the amount of light in the work area. Despite the new work environment, employees are scarcely satisfied with building accessibility, storage, archive facilities and privacy. The relationships between staff characteristics (i.e. working hours, job functions, mode of transport and duration of employment) and employee satisfaction with the work environment are statistically tested. The study shows statistically significant results including the following: mode of transport and satisfaction with parking spaces, job functions and satisfaction with building accessibility and job functions and satisfaction with storage and archive facilities. Research limitations/implications According to a business type, the provision and arrangement of the work environment of a private jet company that is different from other office organisations affect both the generalisation and the generalisability of the study. This study was conducted in Thailand. The impact of the national culture may have also influenced the outcomes. Practical implications The findings and the reflections upon them help understand the complex relationships of variables influencing workplace change appraisal. The focus is on employee involvement; communication with employees in the preparation and implementation processes may be an effective way to promote workplace change objectives and help facility managers reduce negative impacts of workplace change. Originality/value This paper contributes to prior research on workplace change appraisal and provides evidence for both positive and negative impacts of workplace change on employee satisfaction with the work environment. Identifying the impact of workplace change on employee satisfaction through the conceptual framework contributes to the body of research on facilities management. In addition, the conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal can be applied by practitioners in the field of workplace design and management.

scholarly journals Quantifying the relationship between lean maturity and occupational health and safety

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Sajad Mousavi ◽  
Reza Khani Jazani ◽  
Elizabeth A. Cudney ◽  
Paolo Trucco
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Leading Indicators ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Factors ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to quantify the multifaceted relationship between lean implementation and occupational health and safety (OHS) performance. Hypotheses based on a set of antecedents (mediating factors) are built and quantitatively tested. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through an international survey with responses from more than 20 countries. Partial least square-based structural equation modeling was used to test a theoretical framework derived from literature. Leading indicators (formative indices) were used to evaluate the four antecedents of OHS performance (mediating factors). Findings All the identified antecedents show a significant mediating role. Antecedents related to the working environment and organizational factors have the strongest mediating effect. Results support the importance of using OHS leading indicators to appropriately measure the impact of lean implementation on workers’ health and safety. Research limitations/implications The proposed OHS leading indicators connecting lean practices to OHS performance antecedents are only explored in this study. Therefore, to establish a comprehensive, validated and practically usable set of leading indicators, further research is needed. Practical implications As there are some synergistic and trade-off relationships between lean and safety, the findings of this study will enable managers and organizations to leverage the positive effects of lean implementation on workers’ health and safety and mitigate the negative effects. Originality/value Several prior studies investigated the multifaceted link between lean and OHS; however, this is the first study that tested direct and mediated influence by defining a coherent set of antecedents. The results justify and strongly support the adoption of OHS leading indicators to measure the impact of lean implementation on OHS performance.

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