Impact of construction-related rework on selected Ugandan public projects

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Muhumuza Kakitahi ◽  
Henry Mwanaki Alinaitwe ◽  
Anne Landin ◽  
Simon James Mone

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to assess the magnitude of the impact of construction-related rework on selected project budgets and schedule in public building construction in Uganda. The magnitude of construction-related rework was the mean determined over construction contracts under a selected project and expressed as a percentage of the construction contract sum. Design/methodology/approach A single case multi-unit study approach was adopted. A case study protocol was prepared that included a checklist, observation schedules and an interview guide. The three instruments were used to collect data from building contractors and end-users (the teaching staff and medical assistants). Representatives of the client entity and the end-users provided sufficient project documentation and related supplementary information for the study. Findings Construction-related rework was predominantly attributable to design information omissions, unacceptable workmanship and inadequate supervision of the contractor. Lightning conductor, electrical and roofing installations were the building elements that had the highest frequency of rework. It was further determined that the mean percentage of rework related impact on project budget and schedule was approximately 4.53 and 8.42 per cent, respectively. Originality/value The findings inform policy makers about likely areas that contribute to significant wastage and value loss in quality management of public sector projects. The research advocates for improved data collection protocols, integration of adequate design management and a whole life value philosophy during the public building construction process.

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert James Warwick ◽  
Adam Palmer ◽  
Janet McCray

Purpose This paper aims to explore the impact of action learning (AL) on an individual and an organisation, particularly the process by which each affected the other. The organisation is a UK National Health Service (NHS) Trust that includes two hospitals. Design/methodology/approach This is a single person case study involving a clinician, but the voice of an author can also be heard. It involves the experience of the individual as they experience AL as part of a leadership development programme leading to a postgraduate certificate. The authors explain their caution of the case study approach and in doing so offer their thoughts in how this paper could be read and impact on practice. Findings The authors show a process whereby an AL set participant moves from being confident about their project to one of uncertainty as the impact of the project ripples throughout the organisation. Through this process of unsettlement, the individual’s unnoticed assumptions are explored in ways that enable practical action to be taken. In doing so, the individual’s leadership and identity developed. Research limitations/implications This is a single person case study in one organisation, thus affecting wider generalisation. Originality/value This single case study contributes to the debate on critical AL and the use of AL in the NHS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97
Author(s):  
Mirela Polić ◽  
Nataša Cesarec Salopek

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand and show how public relations contributed to enhancing the visibility of Croatian non-profit organization Foundation “Croatia for Children” and its activities within its stakeholders, as well as how public relations contributed to the mobilization of target publics in Foundation’s activities. Design/methodology/approach Using a single case study approach, data were collected over a 12-month period. Quantitative and qualitative media research was applied in order to compare visibility of Foundation in the period before and after the strategic communication campaign. Findings Strategic communication campaign enhanced the visibility of Foundation “Croatia for Children” in national and local Croatian media and positioned it as the primary instance for children without an adequate parental care and children in need. However, local media devoted more attention comparing to the national media. All children wishes (1,000) were fulfilled by mobilizing the target publics. Research limitations/implications The results derived from this case study cannot be generalized since they are based on a single case in one country. Practical implications This study can serve as a starting point for another research about the role and importance that public relations have in enhancing the visibility of non-profit organizations. Originality/value The results of this study point to the role and importance public relations have in the non-profit sector in order to proactively communicate with all stakeholders in society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1039-1052
Author(s):  
Peter Holland

Purpose Whilst several studies investigate the attributes of dysfunctional leaders exhibiting corporate psychopathic traits, there is a paucity of longitudinal data exploring the way these leaders damage employees and the organisation. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the literature and provide a focus for HR to address these emerging issues within organisations. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal and in-depth case study approach is taken to explore the impact on a workplace of a dysfunctional leader exhibiting the traits of a corporate psychopath. A framework is used to analyse the nuances of the behaviours, in particular bullying behaviours and the impact of this leadership style on the workforce over a five-year period. Findings The long-term negative effects of this type of leadership are identified through a detailed analysis of a trait commonly associated with this toxic style of leader, bullying behaviours and their consequences. Research limitations/implications Whilst a single case study allows for in-depth analysis, it may be seen as atypical and of limited application. However, the longitudinal approach is ideal to investigate the nuance of how a highly dysfunctional leader operates within and through the multiple layers of an organisation. Practical implications The paper identifies the traits and effects of a dysfunctional leader on an organisation to enable the organisation primarily through human resources to deal with them and their behaviours. Social implications The finding of this study adds to the knowledge of identifying and dealing with toxic behaviours in the workplace. Originality/value The longitudinal nature of the study provides a unique insight into the behaviours and damage of a dysfunctional leader within the workplace.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Lane ◽  
Deanna Meth

Purpose Feedback is usually given for the primary benefit of the feedback recipient and often involves the unidirectional delivery of information. The purpose of this paper is to reverse this emphasis and examines the impacts on students of giving feedback to staff as an ongoing dialogue in the delivery of a teaching unit. Design/methodology/approach This novel study uses surveys and focus groups for an in-depth case study of the impact of students giving feedback to staff. It examines different aspects of students’ experiences related to their sense of being supported and valued, together with issues of relevance, timeliness and the actionability of feedback. Findings Results show that the regular giving of feedback by students and their subsequent academic actions can help increase students’ sense of being supported and valued. The strongest correlations occurred between the responses of those who felt valued and supported and their perception that their own feedback was acted upon during the semester. There is also some evidence suggesting that students felt valued when observing that other students’ feedback was acted upon either immediately or in the future. Research limitations/implications The single case study approach to this research means that only one cohort of students was tested. Research on further cohorts would help to validate the findings. Practical implications This study could have implications for teaching quality and practice in better directing, communicating, engaging and following up on student feedback. Originality/value Whilst the benefit to the staff of student feedback is well documented, there is little evidence documenting benefits to students. This study addresses this gap in existing research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 749-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun Kolade

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how a new entrepreneurship education (EE) intervention offered at conflict-ridden Maiduguri, Nigeria, is having transformative impacts through new venture creation and poverty reduction. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a single case study approach, drawing from in-depth interviews of participants, experts, and facilitators of the entrepreneurship training, in addition to relevant memos and documents. Findings The findings indicate that the EE programme is, by generating awareness and facilitating skill development, contributing to new venture creation, poverty reduction, and positive change in mindset. However, the impact is limited by inadequate support through venture capital and limited facilities for business incubation. Research limitations/implications This study is limited in its focus on EE provided for university undergraduates and graduates. Further research should explore interventions aimed at less-educated youth in the region, and in other conflict contexts. Social implications The study suggests that EE facilitates youth empowerment through venture creation, in the process transforming them from aggrieved outsiders to active stakeholders in societal peace and national prosperity. Originality/value The nascent theory of transformative entrepreneuring identifies poverty reduction and conflict resolution as the main mechanisms. This paper focuses on how EE triggers new venture creation, which in turn contributes to poverty reduction and overall change in mindset of otherwise unemployed and aggrieved youths.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Höglund ◽  
Maria Mårtensson ◽  
Aswo Safari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study how different types of trust develop and change over time in the collaboration between an organization and its board. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a response to a recent call to apply the concept of trust in understanding the collaboration between a public organization, its board, and other stakeholders. Here, the authors study a single case, and based on a longitudinal in-depth case study method covering the period of 2003–2015, the authors have conducted 27 interviews, including the CEO and all the board members. Findings The authors introduce and advance the concept of trust in the public sector literature on board work. This paper shows that trust is complex and multidimensional at different units of analysis. The types of trust discussed in this paper are cognitive, affective, contractual, competence, and goodwill. Different types of trust are developed to make the collaboration between a governed organization and its board to work. Research limitations/implications Because this paper uses the case study method and only studies one single case, the findings of this paper might be questioned on the issue of generalization. Originality/value The authors conceptualize and adopt trust as a multidimensional, dynamic concept, and with different units of analyses, capture the nature of the collaboration between a public organization and its board, and its complexity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Jones

Purpose – This paper aims to to explore power and legitimacy in the entrepreneurship education classroom by using Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological and educational theories. It highlights the pedagogic authority invested in educators and how this may be influenced by their assumptions about the nature of entrepreneurship. It questions the role of educators as disinterested experts, exploring how power and gendered legitimacy “play out” in staff–student relationships and female students’ responses to this. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple-method, qualitative case study approach is taken, concentrating on a depth of focus in one UK’s higher education institution (HEI) and on the experiences, attitudes and classroom practices of staff and students in that institution. The interviews, with an educator and two students, represent a self-contained story within the more complex story of the case study. Findings – The interviewees’ conceptualization of entrepreneurship is underpinned by acceptance of gendered norms, and both students and staff misrecognize the masculinization of entrepreneurship discourses that they encounter as natural and unquestionable. This increases our understanding of symbolic violence as a theoretical construct that can have real-world consequences. Originality/value – The paper makes a number of theoretical and empirical contributions. It addresses an important gap in the literature, as educators and the impact of their attitudes and perceptions on teaching and learning are rarely subjects of inquiry. It also addresses gaps and silences in understandings of the gendered implications of HE entrepreneurship education more generally and how students respond to the institutional arbitration of wider cultural norms surrounding entrepreneurship. In doing so, it challenges assertions that Bourdieu’s theories are too abstract to have any empirical value, by bridging the gap between symbolic violence as a theory and its manifestation in teaching and learning practices.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Riad Shams

Purpose – It is recognised that reputation is a relational construct; however the impact of stakeholders’ various relational dimensions on their perceptions to influence reputation is not widely understood. The purpose of this paper is to add to the current understanding of stakeholders’ relationships, interactions, their subsequent relational dimensions and its impact on stakeholders’ perceptions to further influence relational reputation. Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a case study approach. Findings – The findings of this study recognise the impact of relationship marketing (RM) on the influence of stakeholders’ perceptions. It discusses how RM substantiate the pertinent authenticity (symbolises reputation), relevance and differentiation (represent brand positioning) of an organisation’s profile and/or their market offerings, in relation to the interest of the target market through the cause and consequence of stakeholder relationships and interactions to influence their perceptions. The findings acknowledge 11 RM dimensions that have relational implications to nurture stakeholders’ perceptions and subsequent relational reputation, which appear viable across industries and markets. Originality/value – Underlying the cause and consequence of stakeholder relationships and interactions; these 11 RM dimensions emerge as antecedents to form/reform relational reputation. Further academic and professional implications of the findings are briefly discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Mastella ◽  
Daniel Vancin ◽  
Marcelo Perlin ◽  
Guilherme Kirch

Purpose This study aims to intend to check if female board representation affects performance and risk and to analyse the evolution of the demographic aspects of the presence of women on boards in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a sample of 150 Brazilian publicly traded companies from 2010–2018, with different measures of firm performance, firm risk and women’s presence on the board. The study approach is based on a set of ordinary least squares, quantile and panel data regressions. Findings The presence of women on the board has a positive effect on all of our accounting and market performance measures. However, the result of the impact on risk is not conclusive. The study also found that the number of females on the board has a more significant effect at the lower levels of firm performance measured by return on equity, but at the higher levels when measured by Tobin’s Q. Regarding return on assets, the more significant effect happened on the extremes of the performance distribution. The study findings point that market investors place more value in female presence on the board than in director positions. Originality/value By estimating the impact of women’s presence on the boards of directors in firm performance and risk, this study aimed to verify this impact in different aspects of the company. In addition, the authors did so in a sample with many years, making it possible to evaluate the historical evolution of the feminine presence in the boards of administration as well as in the groups of directors, assisting Brazilian legislators with new evidence about the possible impacts of Draft Law 7179/2017.


IMP Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-443
Author(s):  
Enrico Baraldi ◽  
Francesco Ciabuschi ◽  
Olof Lindahl ◽  
Andrea Perna ◽  
Gian Luca Gregori

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore two specific areas pertaining to industrial networks and international business (IB). First, the authors look at how business relationships influence the internationalization in time, from the establishment of the first subsidiary in a foreign market to the following ones, and in space, that is, across different markets. Second, the authors investigate how an increasing external network dependence of subsidiaries in their internationalization may cause a detachment of a subsidiary from the mother company as its knowledge becomes insufficient to guide a subsidiary’s internationalization. Design/methodology/approach This paper utilizes an exploratory, longitudinal, single-case study of Loccioni – a manufacturer of measuring and automatic control systems for industrial customers – to illustrate the specific dynamics of the influences of industrial networks on the internationalization of subsidiaries. Findings The case study helps to elucidate the roles, entailing also free will and own initiative, of small suppliers’ subsidiaries which operate inside several global factories, and how “surfing” on many different global factories, by means of several local subsidiaries, actually supports these suppliers’ own international developments. This notion adds to our understanding of the global factory phenomenon a supplier focus that stresses how the role of suppliers is not merely that of being passive recipients of activities and directions from a focal orchestrating firm, but can also be that of initiative-takers themselves. Originality/value The paper contributes to the IMP tradition by providing a multi-layered and geographically more fine-grained view of the network embedding companies that operate on internationalized markets. This paper thereby sheds light on a less investigated area of research within the IMP tradition: the link between internationalization in different countries and the interconnectedness between the industrial networks spanning these countries. At the same time, this paper contributes to IB theories by showing how a late-internationalizing SME can enter highly international markets by “plugging into” several established “Global Factories” as a way to exploit further opportunities for international expansion.


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