scholarly journals Industry 4.0 deployment in the construction industry: a bibliometric literature review and UK-based case study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Newman ◽  
David Edwards ◽  
Igor Martek ◽  
Joseph Lai ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technology Application ◽  
The Uk

PurposeIndustry 4.0 is predicted to be a game-changer, revolutionizing commercial and manufacturing practices through improved knowledge utilization and efficiencies. The barriers however, are significant, and the construction industry remains notoriously slow to take up innovations. This study reviews the research work in Industry 4.0 as it relates to construction, and examines a leading UK-based construction firm to ascertain the prognosis for Industry 4.0 roll-out in terms of the impediments and opportunities.Design/methodology/approachA multistage mixed philosophies and methods approach was adopted for this study. First, an interpretivist epistemological lens was used to synthesise extant literature as a means of contextualizing the present study. Second, an empirical case study using a post-positivist stance and inductive reasoning was conducted to explore practitioner acceptance of Industry 4.0 in the UK construction context.FindingsFindings from the literature review indicate studies in Industry 4.0 to be a relatively new phenomenon, with developed countries and Germany in particular leading in the field. The range of opportunities are many, but so too are the barriers to enablement. Findings from the case study provide real-world corroboration of the review; practitioners are sanguine about Industry 4.0's potential to reinvigorate the construction industry, but also note that implementation remains curtailed by residual managerial practices dependent on ‘human interaction’. At present, much of the focus of industry practitioners is on the implementation of building information modelling (BIM), often at the expense of other more advanced technologies within Industry 4.0.Originality/valueResearch in Industry 4.0 is limited, with the emphasis being on technology application. This paper, by contrast, maps the totality of work carried out so far and presents an assessment of Industry 4.0's progression, potential and degree of uptake within the UK construction industry.

The career advancement of the professional women in the UK construction industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirodha Gayani Fernando ◽  
Dilanthi Amaratunga ◽  
Richard Haigh
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Career Success ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Professional Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This paper aims to explore and investigate the career success of professional women in the UK construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The aim of the research was set following the literature review and synthesis, after which a multiple case study approach is adopted to conduct exploratory case studies among professional women in the UK construction industry. A mixed method design was used for data collection, whereby qualitative data were collected in the first study and quantitative data were collected in the second study. The researcher adopted this sequence in order to gather qualitative data and analysis of a relatively unexplored area of career success factors of professional women in the UK construction industry. The results from the qualitative method were used, along with a relevant literature review, to develop the focus and questions in the quantitative phase of the study. The individuals in the first stage of data collection were not the same participants as those in the second stage, because the purpose of the quantitative study was to generalise the results to a population. Findings – The results indicated that soft skills are very important for career success, while hard skills are essential thereafter for professional women in the UK construction industry. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop soft skills in order to advance the women's professional careers. Further, the results indicated that age and gender are the least important career success factors for women in construction. The ability to work with people, taking opportunities, confidence, adaptability, communication skills, dedication, competence, focus, supportive line management, integrity, leadership skills, ability to bring teams together, good mix of skills, honesty, networking, intelligence and logically approaching business problems identified as the critical career success factors. Research limitations/implications – The construction industry is limited to organisations that construct buildings and infrastructure, and those involved in property development. These organisations comprise client, contractor and consultancy organisations. Practical implications – The findings of the paper are useful to human resource development managers to understand and improve organisational training and development plans, which help to advance the career of professional women. By doing so, organisations could recruit and retain more professional women in the construction industry. Therefore, recruiting and retaining more professional women in the organisation helps to enhance productivity in the industry and to enhance their health and well being in society at large. Originality/value – The value of this paper is twofold. First, this study contributes to fill the knowledge gap in career success factors of professional women in the UK construction industry. Second, this empirical research will have implications in the identification of different training and development activities to advance the careers of women in the UK construction industry.

Bharat Forge: entrepreneurial leadership triumphs disruptive times

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Praveen Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Online News ◽  
Entrepreneurial Leadership ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Business World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Auto Component

Theoretical basis There had been many pieces of research on international expansion approaches, and they continued to grow. However, research about the firms belonging to emerging nations and that went global were still in the early stages. It had been argued that most theories on international expansion had focused on explaining the internationalization of large firms, majorly originating in developed countries. This case study offers an intriguing reading about an Indian MNC, successfully entering the developed markets and competing thereof amidst tough and complex world. Moreover, the leaders like Baba Kalyani met the stiff challenge from complexities and disruption successfully through entrepreneurial mindset. The case study offers insights into “Creating Value Through Entrepreneurial Leadership Framework”. Research methodology The case study has been developed through secondary data sources. The published online resources, the firm's annual reports formed the basis of the research work. Author accessed online news articles, auto component industry experts' views and reports from global consultancy firms, and auto industry body such as SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) reports helped the research. The views and interviews by promoters of the company are available online for deeper insights and analysis. Case overview/synopsis An Indian multinational, Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), was a shining example of achieving global manufacturing standards through perseverance and entrepreneurial leadership. For more than the past four decades, BFL faced complexities, uncertainties and disruptions multiple times, and every time, the business world saw a resurgent company, Bharat Forge. The company achieved growth through diversification, related and unrelated, acquisition, product innovation, portfolio expansion and expansion in domestic and global development. Competitive market, economic slowdown, innovation and technology disruption had not deterred BFL from growing into a worldwide auto component giant. BFL overcame all hurdles with grit and enterprise. It achieved a paradigm shift with over half the revenue from non-automotive sectors such as defence, electric vehicle components, e-mobility, power electronics and aluminium light-weighting. Complexity academic level This case is planned for MBA students, primarily in the second half of the course curriculum. It can be executed in marketing, strategic marketing and strategic management courses. The conceptual framework pertaining to corporate strategy, global expansion, diversification, product development, innovation, disruption, market development and entrepreneurial leadership can be taught through the case. The case is suitable for MBA executive students as well, in courses mentioned above in addition to courses such as strategic leadership.

scholarly journals Key factors affecting commercial actors in collaborative working within the UK construction industry

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sa’id Namadi Ahmed ◽  
Christine Pasquire ◽  
Emmanuel Manu
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Undue Influence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Collaborative Working ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Extensive research on the importance of collaborative working (CW) and aligning stakeholders’ interests in construction has been widely conducted. But often the practice of commercial actors during CW has often been overlooked, particularly within the UK setting, where scholars have lamented on the lack of industry-wide collaboration. This study aims to explore the factors affecting commercial actors in CW, specific to the UK construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The research used a context-based approach to seek stakeholders’ perspectives on the key factors affecting commercial actors in CW within the UK. Semi-structured interviews with individuals (contractors, cost consultants, designers among others) from construction and infrastructure organisations were conducted, using multiple case study investigations. The collected data was analysed using a case study approach, and principles of inductive thematic analysis to identify the key factors. Findings Findings from the analysis identified “institutional” factors such as transactional cost economic influence, the prevailing construction model influence and professional related drivers. Key drivers within these factors include commercial background and training, custom and practice, misaligned interests in projects, clients’ perception of consultants, cost-driven environment, conventional procurement protocols and bureaucratic functions. Originality/value In conclusion, these factors continue to affect CW with undue influence on commercial actors in the UK, thus preventing performance improvement demanded by successive UK Government reports. The context-based approach applied in this study is expected to provide some insight in construction management research, especially from a commercial perspective in the UK, to gain an understanding of how these factors are manifesting.

scholarly journals Scientometric analysis of BIM adoption by SMEs in the architecture, construction and engineering sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Choeu Tshepisho Makabate ◽  
Innocent Musonda ◽  
Chioma Sylvia Okoro ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Scientometric Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Construction ◽  
Adoption And Implementation ◽  
Building Information ◽  
The Uk

PurposeBuilding information modelling (BIM) has had a significant impact on the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector in the past several years. However, not much is published concerning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopting BIM in the construction industry. To address this knowledge gap, a complete and in-depth literature review of the adoption of BIM by SMEs in the AEC sector is conducted in this study. The paper also provides a comprehensive review of the mainstream studies of adoption of BIM in the AEC organisations.Design/methodology/approachBased on a five-stage literature review, 54 articles on the adoption of BIM by SMEs from the period 2009 to 2019 were critically analysed from the following three perspectives: (1) the number of articles produced; (2) the research focus and (3) the author's contributions. The techniques of the visualisation of similarities (VOSviewer) software were used to analyse the citation networks of the 54 articles as identified.FindingsFrom the analysis, it was established that the number of studies on BIM adoption by SMEs in the reviewed journals has not been increasing and not many articles are available. The finding makes the argument that BIM adoption by SMEs is not a focus point but rather the adoption and implementation of BIM is generalised in the AEC sector. In addition, the results revealed that most of the published articles come from the United Kingdom (UK). However, this finding is hardly surprising due to the requirements in the UK, which have made the adoption of BIM mandatory on all publicly funded projects and are at level 2 BIM. The other highly ranked countries by origins of studies on the adoption of BIM by SMEs were found to be Australia and the United States of America (USA), all of which are developed nations or economies. Some key BIM in SME research trends (adoption, enforcement, benefits, strategies, skills gap, awareness, education and training, and technology) were identified and evaluated.Research limitations/implicationsThe results presented in this journal are only applicable to SMEs in the AEC sector. As a result of little available literature on the adoption of BIM in developing countries, the articles have been drawn from developed countries. The dataset was mainly extracted from the Scopus database for the analysis.Originality/valueAn accomplished series content analysis of the implementation and adoption of BIM by SMEs from international construction journals were reported. The study makes significant and emergent contribution by building on the foundation of BIM research in SMEs as well as providing a reference point for the interpretation of findings, as well as directions for future research.

A systematic literature review of healthcare supply chain and implications of future research

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anuj Dixit ◽  
Srikanta Routroy ◽  
Sunil Kumar Dubey
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Drug Manufacturing ◽  
Customer Training

Purpose This paper aims to review the healthcare supply chain (HSC) literature along various areas and to find out the gap in it. Design/methodology/approach In total, 143 research papers were reviewed during 1996-2017. A critical review was carried out in various dimensions such as research methodologies/data collection method (empirical, case study and literature review) and inquiry mode of research methodology (qualitative, quantitative and mixed), country-specific, targeted area, research aim and year of publication. Findings Supply chain (SC) operations, performance measurement, inventory management, lean and agile operation, and use of information technology were well studied and analyzed, however, employee and customer training, tracking and visibility of medicines, cold chain management, human resource practices, risk management and waste management are felt to be important areas but not much attention were made in this direction. Research limitations/implications Mainly drug and vaccine SC were considered in current study of HSC while SC along healthcare equipment and machine, hospitality and drug manufacturing related papers were excluded in this study. Practical implications This literature review has recognized and analyzed various issues relevant to HSC and shows the direction for future research to develop an efficient and effective HSC. Originality/value The insight of various aspects of HSC was explored in general for better and deeper understanding of it for designing of an efficient and competent HSC. The outcomes of the study may form a basis to decide direction of future research.

scholarly journals A Case Study of a Negotiated Tender within a Small-to-Medium Construction Contractor: Modelling Project Cost Variance

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
James Ellis ◽  
David John Edwards ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala ◽  
Obuks Ejohwomu ◽  
Ernest Effah Ameyaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Open Book ◽  
Competitive Tendering ◽  
Construction Contractor ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

This research explores the failure of competitively tendered projects in the UK construction industry to procure the most suited contractor(s) to conduct the works. Such work may have equal relevance for other developed nations globally. This research seeks to teach clients and their representatives that “lowest price” does not mean “best value”, by presenting a case study of a successfully negotiated tender undertaken by a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) contractor; SME studies are relatively scant in academic literature. By applying the “lessons learnt” principle, this study seeks to improve future practice through the development of a novel alternative procurement option (i.e., negotiation). A mixed philosophical stance combining interpretivism and pragmatism was used—interpretivism to critically review literature in order to form the basis of inductive research to discuss negotiation as a viable procurement route, and pragmatism to analyse perceptions of tendering and procurement. The methods used follow a three-stage waterfall process including: (1) literature review and pilot study; (2) quantitative analysis of case study data; and (3) qualitative data collection via a focus group. Our research underscores the need to advise clients and their representatives of the importance of understanding the scope of works allowed within a tender submission before discounting it based solely on price. In addition, we highlight the failings of competitive tendering, which results in increased costs and project duration once the works commence on site. These findings provide new contemporary insight into procurement and tendering in the construction industry, with emphasis on SME contractors, existing relationships, and open-book negotiation. This research illustrates the adverse effects of early cost estimates produced without first securing a true understanding of project buildability and programming. Our work concludes with a novel insight into an alternative procurement option that involves early SME contractor involvement in an open-book environment, without the need for a third-party cost control.

Can you measure IT? The UK experience of TechQual+

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 32-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Hall ◽  
Jessica Stephens ◽  
Sarah Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Data Protection ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Technology Services ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Purpose – The University of York Library, part of its Information Directorate, has successfully run an annual user survey using LibQUAL+ since 2008. The tool has proven invaluable in understanding user needs and measuring improvements. The ability to benchmark performance has been well received by university senior managers. Following this positive experience, the Directorate piloted the TechQual+ survey to assess its technology services. TechQual+ is a total market-survey tool developed on the same principles as LibQUAL+. York was the first university in the UK to do this. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the experience and its relevance to information services. Design/methodology/approach – A team was established to co-ordinate the distribution of the survey, which was e-mailed to all university members. The survey was conducted over a period of three weeks in December 2011 using their web-based tool. The team worked with the survey providers to make amendments in order to comply with UK Data Protection legislation. Findings – The TechQual+ tool provided a rich set of data on the IT needs of University of York students and staff, including a wealth of comments. As the first use of the tool in the UK, a number of outcomes arose from the pilot: methods for running the survey in order to meet UK data protection requirements; feedback on the tool itself, with some questions not understood from a UK context; a rich set of results data, with some similarities (and several differences) to those available through LibQUAL+. Originality/value – The paper presents the first application of the TechQual+ survey in UK and discusses the issues faced when implementing it in a UK context. The case study will be of interest to libraries or converged services interested in assessing their IT provision.

Delivering a shared library management system for Wales

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 385-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Wyn Owen
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Library Management ◽  
First Case ◽  
Library Management System ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose A case study of the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) project to procure and implement a shared library management system (LMS) for all universities in Wales, together with the National Health Service Libraries in Wales and the National Library of Wales. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore the drivers to this collaboration, outline the benefits achieved and the framework to realise further benefits. Design/methodology/approach Case study review of the process, together with a review of literature on consortia and LMSs. Findings WHELF has developed into a more mature consortium through procuring and implementing a shared LMS. The process has delivered tangible benefits and is driving more work to realise further benefits. Research limitations/implications As the WHELF Shared LMS project is only nearing the end of the implementation phase, many of the anticipated operational benefits cannot be reported. Practical implications Useful case study for other consortia or potential consortia. Originality/value WHELF is in vanguard of consortia developments in the UK, and this is the first case study of the project.

Assessing Industry 4.0 readiness in manufacturing: a self-diagnostic framework and an illustrative case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishnamurthy Ramanathan ◽  
Premaratne Samaranayake
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Manufacturing Firm ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an Industry 4.0 Readiness Assessment Framework (I4.0RAF) and demonstrate its applicability and practical relevance through a case study of a large manufacturing firm in an emerging economy.Design/methodology/approachThe research firstly involved a synthesis of recent literature for the identification of important determinants, and their constituent criteria, for assessing the readiness of a manufacturing firm to transition to an Industry 4.0 setting and structuring them into a readiness assessment framework that can be used as a self-diagnostic tool. The framework was illustrated through a case study. The empirical findings of readiness assessment are validated using semi-structured interviews of senior management of the organization.FindingsThe proposed I4.0RAF was found to be a practically applicable self-diagnostic tool that can be used to assess a firm's readiness to transition to an Industry 4.0 setting with respect to eight important determinants. Cross-functional participation in the assessment helped the organization to determine priorities and interdependencies among the determinants.Research limitations/implicationsThe determinants and their constituent criteria can be further streamlined using inputs from practitioners, consultants and academics.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate the interdependencies between the determinants, help to delineate interventions that can lead to synergistic outcomes and enabls planning to achieve higher levels of Industry 4.0 maturity.Originality/valueA self-diagnostic tool as a basis for an informed discussion on transitioning to an Industry 4.0 setting is presented and illustrated through a case study in an emerging economy.

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

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

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

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