COVID-19: main challenges during construction stage

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Sierra
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Construction Stage ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Review ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper reviews the current literature on the major challenges faced by building contractors in the UK due to COVID-19 to create an evaluation framework.Design/methodology/approachA PRISMA scoping review systematically maps the information published and establishes the potential challenges, as a precursor to a literature review that synthesises the data available to establish an initial COVID-19 evaluation framework to build a rationale for a future series of studies.FindingsThe research identified these seven challenges: health and safety on-site, economic cost, possible legal exposures, manpower availability, instability of the supply chain and subcontractors, and the uncertainty related to the constant and unpredictable evolution of the pandemic. The magnitude of each challenge was also found to differ depending on the size of the contractor, the rigor of local regulations and the sector where the contractor works.Research limitations/implicationsThis research contributes to increasing understanding on the subject and provides an initial assessment framework, based on these seven parameters, so that contractors can analyse their weaknesses and plan specific priorities so that their companies can remain competitive, minimising the impact of COVID-19 and possible future waves.Originality/valueThis research is timely and relevant as it produces the first academic review on how COVID-19 has affected contractors and the construction stage. This document gives a holistic view of the new scenario created by COVID-19 and creates a self-assessment system for contractors to test their resistance to COVID-19.

scholarly journals Prevention through design

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Lingard ◽  
Tracy Cooke ◽  
Nick Blismas ◽  
Ron Wakefield
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Construction Stage ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
One Stage ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe research aims to explore the interaction between design decisions that reduce occupational health and safety (OHS) risk in the operation stage of a facility's life cycle and the OHS experiences of workers in the construction stage.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from three construction projects in Australia. Design decisions were examined to understand the reasons they were made and the impact that they had on OHS in the construction and operation stages.FindingsThe case examples reveal that design decisions made to reduce OHS risk during the operation of a facility can introduce new hazards in the construction stage. These decisions are often influenced by stakeholders external to the project itself.Research limitations/implicationsThe results provide preliminary evidence of challenges inherent in designing for OHS across the lifecycle of a facility. Further research is needed to identify and evaluate methods by which risk reduction across all stages of a facility's life cycle can be optimised.Practical implicationsThe research highlights the need to manage tensions between designing for safe construction and operation of a facility.Originality/valuePrevious research assumes design decisions that reduce OHS risk in one stage of a facility's life cycle automatically translate to a net risk reduction across the life cycle. The research highlights the need to consider the implications of PtD decision‐making focused on one stage of the facility's life cycle for OHS outcomes in other stages.

The impact of a refurbishment programme on older people living in sheltered housing

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-64
Author(s):  
Zeibeda (Zeb) Sattar ◽  
Stephanie Wilkie ◽  
Jonathan Ling
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Realist Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Sheltered Housing ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Communal Areas ◽  
Physical Changes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore residents' perceptions of a refurbishment programme to sheltered housing schemes and its impact on their well-being. Design/methodology/approach The methodology draws upon a realist evaluation framework. Four participatory appraisals (PAs) and 19 interviews with residents were conducted in the sheltered housing schemes. Ages of participants ranged from 50 to 99 years. Findings Two categories of residents were identified: healthy active older adults and older frail adults (or over 85+). Residents said their social and emotional well-being improved from the provision of indoor and outdoor communal areas. Older frail residents only accessed the new communal spaces when staff took them in their wheelchairs. The physical changes increased opportunities for social connections for residents. Conservatories and sensory gardens were most popular. Residents felt that structured activities in the new spaces and digital training would improve their social activities. Research limitations/implications The participatory methods spanned over an hour, and some residents felt too tired to complete the full session. Practical implications A practical limitation was that some sensory rooms were not fully completed at the time of the evaluation. Originality/value This paper adds the following: Perceptions of residents of a refurbishment programme in sheltered housing and the impact on their well-being. Perceptions of residents about social activities after a refurbishment programme. Perceptions of residents about the impact of physical changes to their sheltered housing schemes and impact on their internal accessibility to the improvements.

scholarly journals The Stopit! programme to reduce bullying and undermining behaviour in hospitals

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Benmore ◽  
Steven Henderson ◽  
Joanna Mountfield ◽  
Brian Wink
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Realist Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Training Interventions ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Q Sort ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The impact of bullying and undermining behaviours on the National Health Service on costs, patient safety and retention of staff was well understood even before the Illing report, published in 2013, that reviewed the efficacy of training interventions designed to reduce bullying and harassment in the outputs. The purpose of this paper is to provide an example of a good programme well evaluated. Design/methodology/approach The methodology follows a broad realist approach, by specifying the underlying programme assumptions and intention of the designers. Three months after the event, Q-sort methodology was employed to group participants into one of three contexts – mechanism – output groups. Interviews were then undertaken with members of two of these groups, to evaluate how the programme had influenced each. Findings Q-sort identified a typology of three beneficiaries from the Stopit! workshops, characterised as professionals, colleagues and victims. Each group had acted upon different parts of the programme, depending chiefly upon their current and past experiences of bullying in hospitals. Research limitations/implications The paper demonstrates the effectiveness of using Q-sort method to identify relevant CMOs in a realist evaluation framework. Practical implications The paper considers the effectiveness of the programme to reduce bullying, rather than teach victims to cope, and how it may be strengthened based upon the research findings and Illing recommendations. Social implications Workplace bullying is invariably implicated in scandals concerning poor hospital practice, poor patient outcomes and staff illness. All too frequently, the sector responds by offering training in resilience, which though helpful, places the onus on the victim to cope rather than the employer to reduce or eliminate the practice. This paper documents and evaluates an attempt to change workplace practices to directly address bullying and undermining. Originality/value The paper describes a new programme broadly consistent with Illing report endorsements. Second, it illustrates a novel evaluation method that highlights rigorously the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes at the pilot stage of an intervention identifies contexts and mechanisms via factor analysis using Q-sort methodology.

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.

scholarly journals Impact of the perception of performance appraisal practices on individual innovative behavior

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-296
Author(s):  
Teresa Canet-Giner ◽  
Ana Redondo-Cano ◽  
Carmen Saorín-Iborra ◽  
Naiara Escribá-Carda
Keyword(s):  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Innovative Behavior ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Perception Of Performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of employees’ perception of performance appraisal (PA) practices on innovative behavior (IB). The authors also propose to analyze consistency, a dimension of Human Resource Management (HRM) system strength, as a moderating variable in the aforementioned relationship.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative study was conducted, using a sample of 166 employees carrying out highly qualified, intensive knowledge jobs in four industrial companies in the Valencian region of Spain. The hypotheses were tested by applying the Smart-PLS 3.2 software.FindingsThe findings confirmed that in a context of professional and qualified work, PA practices have a direct and positive effect on IB. However, the results obtained did not enable us to affirm that employee perceptions of the consistency of the HR system moderated the relationship between PA and IB.Originality/valueThe paper’s originality lies in including the role of consistency, a dimension of HRM system strength, in the analyzed relationship. When employees believe that PA achieves the goals for which this practice was designed, and that this appraisal follows a clear strategic direction over time, they perceive that the assessment system is not arbitrary, i.e., that this HR practice is being applied consistently. Consequently, the present work shows the relevant role of the perception of consistent PA when the firm wants to encourage IB. This fact opens up the field to study how to define and implement control mechanisms that tell managers whether there is a fit between employees’ perceptions and the intentionality of the HRP these managers have defined.

How the exchange relationship affects employee commitment

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 501-516
Author(s):  
Y. Serkan Ozmen
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Organizational Trust ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Economic Exchange ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Exchange Relationship ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of social and economic exchange relationships on organizational commitment in line with the mediation effect of organizational trust. Design/methodology/approach In order to test the hypotheses of the study, a survey was conducted on a sample of 213 employees who were working at manufacturing companies in Turkey. Findings The findings of the study reveal that both dimensions of the exchange relationship positively affect organizational commitment and these links are mediated by organizational trust. Research limitations/implications The study provides reliable scales to measure the social and economic exchange relationship between employees and employing organizations. Although the sample of the study was relatively small and drawn from a single country, the Cronbach’s α values of scales were obtained above the recommended threshold value. Practical implications Organizational leaders might adopt an exchange perspective to build a trustworthy relationship with their employees. Developing such a mindset is very important at an employment structure, which has become highly flexible and contingent during the last decades. Originality/value The study attempts to distinguish the twofold nature of the exchange relationship in organizations based on a theoretical model to reveal the impact of each dimension on organizational level outcomes in conjunction with the mediating role of trust. In doing so, the study contributes to the literature by incorporating social and economic exchange in a holistic view as well as defining each dimension in a broader sense by including some employee-related challenges of business organizations such as diversity, social responsibility, leadership, ethical culture and so on.

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.

The moderating effect of operator type: the impact of information technology (IT) expenditures on hotels’ operating performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 2519-2541
Author(s):  
Nan Hua ◽  
Arthur Huang ◽  
Marcos Medeiros ◽  
Agnes DeFranco
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Operating Performance ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operating Income ◽  
Operator Type ◽  
Research Outcome ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine how operator type moderates the relationship between hotel information technology (IT) expenditures and operating performance. Design/methodology/approach By adapting and extending O’Neill et al.’s (2008) and Hua et al.’s (2015) research, this study constructed an empirical model and tested proposed hypotheses, with Newey and West (1994) errors computed to accommodate potential heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation issues. Findings Operator type moderates the impact of hotel IT expenditures on operating performance. In particular, it appears that the operator type of franchising exerts a stronger moderating effect compared with other operator types explored. Practical implications This study, as the first of its kind, shows that the choice of operator type shapes how a hotel can effectively use IT expenditures to improve operating performance. This finding can be beneficial for hotel owners when making operator type decisions. In addition, operator type moderates the direct impact of IT expenditures on revenues and gross operating income. This study’s results show that franchised hotels seem to use IT expenditures more effectively compared with independently owned hotels. Originality/value This study contributes both theoretically and practically to understand how operator type moderates the relationship between IT expenditures and hotel performance. The research outcome provides a more holistic view that governs the relationships between IT expenditures, operator type and operating performance.

The impact of firm resources on innovation

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irem Demirkan
Keyword(s):  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Firm Innovation ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Slack Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Resources ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose that the resources that a firm owns and has full control (firm-level resources) and resources that a firm access through direct connection with other firms (network-level resources) will impact firm innovation when effectively deployed by the firm. While previous research examined these factors separately, the author takes a holistic view and looks into their effects on innovation simultaneously. The author also introduces the moderating effects, i.e. the variables that can enhance firm innovation through their interaction with internal and external resources.Design/methodology/approachThe author tested the role of financial resources and slack resources in the form of cash slack and human slack at the firm level, and network size, network tie strength, and network diversity at the network level on the firm innovation. Using generalized negative binomial model with Huber-White procedure, the author analyzed 306 firms from the biotechnology industry over a span of 17 years.FindingsThe analysis suggests that cash slack impact innovation negatively. However, this link is moderated by firm size such that for large firms cash slack affects innovation positively. Network-level resources all positively impact innovation and have more economic impact on firm innovation than firm-level resources. Furthermore, although human slack negatively affects innovation, its interaction with network size enhances innovation.Originality/valueThe research makes important contributions to both strategic management and innovation literatures especially when, the author considers the role of firm-level slack in driving firm innovation. Previous research reported conflicting findings about the availability of slack resources and firm performance. The results showed that the relationship between slack resources and firm innovation is negative and significant, both for available slack and human slack. This finding parallels with previous research which reported that constraints such as lack of slack resources can actually facilitate innovation. The author also contributes to the literature by introducing boundary conditions which can enhance firm innovation through their interaction with firm-level internal and network-level external resources. In this respect, to the author’s knowledge, this is among the first studies to combine the slack literature focusing on firm-level resources with the literature on network-level resources.

scholarly journals The Integrated Hydropower Sustainability Assessment in Tajikistan: A Case Study of Rogun Hydropower Plant

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Zhao Xu ◽  
Yumin Niu ◽  
Yangze Liang ◽  
Zhigang Li ◽  
Atoev Iftikhor
Keyword(s):  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
The Impact

Tajikistan has formulated the strategy to rejuvenate the country through hydropower. The Rogun hydropower plant (HPP) is designed as the highest hydropower station, while its sustainability is also questioned due to a lack of comprehensive sustainability evaluation. Considering that the external environment of Rogun HPP is complex and changeable, its sustainable performance will be fragile and inconstant. To comprehensively assess the sustainable performance, an integrated evaluation framework, covering the current and dynamic sustainable performance, is urgently established. Therefore, this paper firstly explored the hydropower sustainability assessment indicators which can conform to Tajikistan’s situations and further examined the current sustainable performance of Rogun HPP. The case study found that Rogun HPP’s current financial viability, involuntary resettlement, the measures to prevent corruption, and information disclosure were seriously deficient. The SWOT analysis indicated the external factors, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, improving business environment, and easing geopolitical disputes, can eliminate weaknesses and improve the sustainable performance of Rogun HPP. At the same time, tight fiscal allocations and economic downturns will have negative influences on the sustainable performance. The integrated evaluation tool established in this paper can not only evaluate the current sustainable performance but also consider the impact of external factors on sustainable performance from a dynamic perspective. This paper contributes to the current knowledge system by establishing the hydropower sustainability assessment system which is suitable for Tajikistan’s conditions. Moreover, the results are informative for the decision-makers to have a better understanding of Rogun HPP’s current strengths and weaknesses, valuable opportunities, and potential threats.

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