Factors affecting maintenance cost of public buildings: case study of Tanzania Buildings Agency and National Housing Corporation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassim Slim Zeni ◽  
Geraldine John Kikwasi
Keyword(s):  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Maintenance Costs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Housing Corporation ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
National Housing

PurposeThe state of public buildings in Tanzania exhibits evidence of a lack of maintenance and repair. Despite efforts to raise the performance of public buildings, little emphasis is placed on maintenance works and related factors affecting maintenance costs of public buildings, which are often high. This study aims to examine factors affecting maintenance costs of public buildings.Design/methodology/approachThis was a case study involving two government building agencies – Tanzania Buildings Agency (TBA) and National Housing Corporation (NHC). A total of 387 tenants and 29 experts participated in the study. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using Stata version 16 – descriptive statistics feature reporting absolute numbers and frequencies.FindingsBoth tenants and experts ranked building age, poor quality control, building material used, execution of work when it is urgent and inadequate financial resources as major factors affecting maintenance costs of public buildings. In the distinctive rating, tenants ranked resource management as a major factor, while experts ranked ignorance about the property of materials, misuse of buildings and faulty maintenance as major factors.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has some limitations such as geographical coverage which is limited to Dar es Salaam and Dodoma regions, hence missing information from other regions may have different experiences. Additionally, data were collected in a self-reported manner which could bring about information bias.Practical implicationsFindings of this study provide an insight on recent developments on the factors affecting maintenance cost of buildings using two cases of NHC and TBA which are single entities owning a substantial amount of housing units in Tanzania. Factors affecting the maintenance cost of public buildings identified in this study is a threshold for experts to devise strategies for minimizing maintenance costs.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that assessed factors affecting maintenance cost in public buildings run by TBA and NHC from the tenant and expert perspectives.

scholarly journals Determinants of adoption of climate-smart agriculture technologies in rice production in Vietnam

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nhat Lam Duyen Tran ◽  
Roberto F. Rañola, ◽  
Bjoern Ole Sander ◽  
Wassmann Reiner ◽  
Dinh Tien Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Switching Regression ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Technical Capacity ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose In recent years, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) was introduced to Vietnam to enhance farmers’ resilience and adaptation to climate change. Among the climate-smart agricultural technologies (CSATs) introduced were water-saving techniques and improved stress tolerant varieties. This study aims to examine the determinants of farmers’ adoption of these technologies and the effects of their adoption on net rice income (NRI) in three provinces as follows: Thai Binh (North), Ha Tinh (Central) and Bac Lieu (South). Design/methodology/approach Determinants of adoption of CSATs and the adoption effects on NRI are analyzed by using a multinomial endogenous switching regression framework. Findings The results showed that gender, age, number of family workers, climate-related factors, farm characteristics, distance to markets, access to climate information, confidence on the know-how of extension workers, membership in social/agricultural groups and attitude toward risk were the major factors affecting the decision to adopt CSATs. However, the effects of these factors on the adoption of CSATs varied across three provinces. These technologies when adopted tend to increase NRI but the increase is much greater when these are combined. Practical implications It is important to consider first the appropriateness of the CSA packages to the specific conditions of the target areas before they are promoted. It is also necessary to enhance the technical capacity of local extension workers and provide farmers more training on CSATs. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to identify key determinants of adoption of CSATs either singly or in combination and the adoption effects on NRI in Vietnam.

scholarly journals Understanding employee turnover in humanitarian organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 208-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rameshwar Dubey ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Nezih Altay ◽  
Stephen J Childe ◽  
Thanos Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Employee Turnover ◽  
Factor Loading ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
High Level

Purpose – At a time when the number and seriousness of disasters seems to be increasing, humanitarian organizations find that besides their challenging work they are faced with problems caused by a high level of turnover of staff. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the 24 variables leading to employee turnover identified by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) the authors analyse the work-related, external and personal factors affecting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations, using a survey of members of the Indian National Institute of Disaster Management. Findings – Results indicated that the three factors are present. Of the external factors, only employment perception had a factor loading over 0.7; of the work-related factors, all were significant; of the personal factors, biographical information, marital status, number of dependants, aptitude and ability and intelligence had the highest loadings. It was also shown that behavioural intentions and net expectation were not significant. Originality/value – Only a few studies reported on employee turnover and its reasons are not well understood in the context of humanitarian organizations. To address this need, the aim of this paper is to explore the personal reasons impacting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations. In the study the authors have adopted 24 variables used in Cotton and Tuttle (1986) and classified into constructs to explain turnover, and further tested the model using data gathered from humanitarian organizations.

Quality of life in breast cancer sufferers

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 721-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Essmat Shouman ◽  
Nahla Fawzy Abou El Ezz ◽  
Nivine Gado ◽  
Amal Mahmoud Ibrahim Goda
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Functional Domain ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to measure health-related quality of life (QOL) among patients with early stage cancer breast under curative treatment at department of oncology and nuclear medicine at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Identify factors affecting QOL among these patients. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional study measured QOL among early stage female breast cancer (BC) patients and determined the main factors affecting their QOL. Three interviewer administered questionnaires were used. Findings – The physical domain mostly affected in BC patients and the functional domain least. Socio-demographic factors that significantly affected BC patients QOL scores were patient age, education, having children and family income. Specific patient characteristics include caregiver presence – a factor that affected different QOL scores. Age at diagnosis, affection in the side of the predominant hand, post-operative chemotherapy and difficulty in obtaining the medication were the disease-related factors that affected QOL scores. Originality/value – The final model predicting QOL for early stage female BC patients included age, education and difficulty in obtaining the medication as determinants for total QOL score. Carer presence was the specific patient characteristic that affected different QOL scores.

Indigenous reporting of a national housing corporation

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Brown
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Local Level ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Housing Corporation ◽  
Regulatory Instruments ◽  
National Housing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of reporting compliance achieved by the National Housing Corporation (NHC) of Papua New Guinea in terms of local indigenous reporting expectations. Design/methodology/approach Testing of a framework of indigenous accountability through indigenous enactments and regulations is conducted by textual analysis, which is informed by the theory of indigenous alternatives to assess the financial reporting compliance of the NHC of Papua New Guinea’s financial statements for years ending 2004-2013. Findings Documentary evidence of the state auditor reports of the NHC’s financial statements reveals that the corporation’s financial reports are not submitted for audit on a timely basis and receive disclaimed audit opinions. Despite the clear indigenous reporting expectations raised by local legislative and regulatory instruments, the NHC is unable or unwilling to provide an accurate account of their activities. Practical implications The lack of compliant reporting suggests that the planning, management and monitoring of the housing needs of residents of Papua New Guinea are compromised. There also appears merit in asking why parliament continues to fund the corporation given its difficulties in meeting local-level reporting expectations. Social implications The results have wider implications for the reporting ideologies of indigenous-run housing corporations operating in other developing countries. It might be fruitful to meet local reporting expectations before taking on the specialized reporting that accompanies introduced western-oriented policies on housing. Originality/value Accountability in relation to indigenous property management is constructed through a lens of reporting issues facing a developing country housing corporation.

Factors affecting the delivery of optimum health and safety on construction projects during the covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benviolent Chigara ◽  
Tirivavi Moyo
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of construction professionals relative to factors that affect the delivery of optimum health and safety (H&S) on construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative design which entailed the distribution of a web-based questionnaire among construction professionals, namely, architects, construction/project managers, engineers, H&S managers and quantity surveyors working for contractors and construction consultants in Zimbabwe. The data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Factor analysis was used to reveal interrelated significant sets of factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S. Findings Factor analysis revealed nine components/factors: change and innovation-related, monitoring and enforcement-related, production-related, access to information and health service-related, on-site facilities and welfare-related, risk assessment and mitigation-related, job security and funding-related, cost-related and COVID-19 risk perception-related factors as the significant factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. Research limitations/implications The results highlighted the need for social dialogue among construction stakeholders to support initiatives that will enhance the delivery of H&S on construction projects. Construction stakeholders may find the results useful in highlighting the areas that need improvement to protect workers’ H&S during the pandemic. However, the small sample limits the generalisability of the results to construction sectors in other regions. Originality/value The study investigated factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 to inform interventions to enhance H&S.

Towards Chinese smart manufacturing ecosystem in the context of the one belt one road initiative

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafif Al-Sayed ◽  
Jianhua Yang
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Industrial Clusters ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Smart Manufacturing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Regional Collaboration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically China’s determined thrust to attain a high level of technological innovation and the factors affecting moving towards a smart and sophisticated manufacturing ecosystem in conjunction with the Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR). Design/methodology/approach This research provides empirical determination of the factors affecting moving towards smart manufacturing ecosystems in China. The method is based on combining two approaches: semi-structured interview and questionnaire-based with academics, experts and managers in various Chinese industrial sectors. The results are based on the multivariate analysis of the collected data. A case study of the current manufacturing ecosystem was also analyzed, in order to understand the present state as well as the potential for China’s competitive edge in the developed OBOR countries. Findings The results illustrate the importance of the infrastructure dimension comprising variables related to ecosystems, industrial clusters and Internet of Things IoT and other advanced technologies. A case study of the city of Shenzhen’s transformation into a smart cluster for innovative manufacturing points out how China’s OBOR initiative for regional collaboration will further transform the regional smart clusters into an ultra-large innovation based smart ecosystem. Originality/value This research is the first to study China’ policies towards playing a prominent role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution 4IR in the context of the OBOR initiative, through empirically defining the factors affecting moving towards a knowledge-intensive smart manufacturing ecosystem where the added value is mostly innovation based.

Freight Vehicle Travel Time Analysis: A Case Study of Birgunj Nagdhunga Corridor

2021 ◽  
Vol 08 (02) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Abhishek Jha ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
License Plate ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Average Travel Time ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Vehicle Travel Time ◽  
Freight Vehicles

This study covers the freight vehicle, which clears the custom clearance process for Kathmandu and transports the same goods to Kathmandu from Birgunj. In this study average travel time for freight vehicles from Birgunj to Nagdhunga has been studied, along with the factors affecting the travel time from Birgunj to Nagdhunga. License plate monitoring method of the freight vehicles was done to find the average travel time and a questionnaire survey was done to identify the factors affecting travel time of the freight vehicle. The travel time from Birgunj to Nagdhunga is different for different types of, vehicle and good. The fastest average travel time is of fixed container of 40 feet size with 23.2 hours and longest average time is for fixed container of 20 feet size with 28.95 hours. The average travel time for non-degradable goods is 26.5 hours and for degradable goods is 22.38 hours. Major factors affecting the travel time are traffic congestion along the route, bad road condition along the route and hilly road with sharp bends, turns and grade.

Artificial intelligence exploitation in facility management using deep learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-624
Author(s):  
Mohamed Marzouk ◽  
Mohamed Zaher
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Maintenance Costs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protection Systems ◽  
Future Work

Purpose This paper aims to apply a methodology that is capable to classify and localize mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) elements to assist facility managers. Furthermore, it assists in decreasing the technical complexity and sophistication of different systems to the facility management (FM) team. Design/methodology/approach This research exploits artificial intelligence (AI) in FM operations through proposing a new system that uses a deep learning pre-trained model for transfer learning. The model can identify new MEP elements through image classification with a deep convolutional neural network using a support vector machine (SVM) technique under supervised learning. Also, an expert system is developed and integrated with an Android application to the proposed system to identify the required maintenance for the identified elements. FM team can reach the identified assets with bluetooth tracker devices to perform the required maintenance. Findings The proposed system aids facility managers in their tasks and decreases the maintenance costs of facilities by maintaining, upgrading, operating assets cost-effectively using the proposed system. Research limitations/implications The paper considers three fire protection systems for proactive maintenance, where other structural or architectural systems can also significantly affect the level of service and cost expensive repairs and maintenance. Also, the proposed system relies on different platforms that required to be consolidated for facility technicians and managers end-users. Therefore, the authors will consider these limitations and expand the study as a case study in future work. Originality/value This paper assists in a proactive manner to decrease the lack of knowledge of the required maintenance to MEP elements that leads to a lower life cycle cost. These MEP elements have a big share in the operation and maintenance costs of building facilities.

scholarly journals Social- and healthcare managers' work wellbeing – literature review and key informant interviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 633-648
Author(s):  
Niina Herttuala ◽  
Lauri Kokkinen ◽  
Anne Konu
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Systematic Literature Search ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Work Related

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to describe factors that support and prevent managers' work wellbeing by reviewing international studies and interviewing Finnish social- and healthcare managers.Design/methodology/approachTwenty-two studies were identified in the systematic literature search. Seven social care and healthcare managers were recruited to participate in thematic interviews. Data were analyzed by using content analysis.FindingsSupportive and preventive factors for managers' work wellbeing were identified in the literature review, including managerial position, decision latitude, job control, social support and ethical culture at the workplace. The interviews further suggested that the supportive and preventive factors affecting social and healthcare managers' work wellbeing could be divided into five broad categories: (1) Individual factors, (2) Social factors, (3) Professional support from one's own manager, (4) Work-related factors and (5) Organizational factors.Originality/valueWe conducted a systematic literature search together with expert interviews to find the factors most crucial to managers' work wellbeing. These findings can assist social and healthcare organizations and policymakers to pay attention to these factors as well as in policies guiding them.

Capture and evaluation of innovative ideas in early stages of product development

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 908-927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Madzík
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Kano Model ◽  
Effect Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Structured Analysis ◽  
Idea Evaluation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a structured procedure for the capture and evaluation of innovative ideas in the early stages of product development. The procedure is designed to take account of internal and external factors affecting the value of innovative ideas. Design/methodology/approach The proposed procedure is based on divergent and convergent approaches to innovation. Ideas are generated and captured using targeted questions and subsequently evaluated using modifications of the Kano model and failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA). Idea evaluation considers four criteria – delight, originality, market share potential and simplicity – which are used to compute an “idea priority number”. Findings A case study looking at innovations in swimming goggles verified the validity of the proposed procedure. The procedure also supports fact-based decision making and applies a structured perspective to the innovation process that makes it easier to manage. Research limitations/implications The case study made use of a pilot survey in which 32 customers participated. Although the case study was only intended as a demonstration of the method’s use, such a sample size could lead to unreliable results in certain cases. Originality/value Applications of standard or expanded FMEA do not add value to a product because the main purpose of the approach is to prevent failure. The proposed inversion of FMEA logic combined with customer view via the Kano model offers a method for the structured analysis of product innovations. No similar approach to the evaluation of innovations has so far appeared in the literature.

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