scholarly journals Ascertaining the Inconsistency of AEC Students’ Perceptions and Behaviors Regarding Sustainability by Mixed Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13274
Author(s):  
Yuanxin Zhang ◽  
Liujun Xu ◽  
Wei Wu ◽  
Zaijing Gong ◽  
Hashem Izadi Moud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
The Body ◽  
Spatial Distance ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Recycling Behavior

University students in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) are the main force and future leaders of the construction industry, and their values shape the model and direction of the industry’s future development. The construction industry is the largest contributor of waste and greenhouse gas emissions. However, there is an inconsistency between AEC university students’ perceptions and behaviors regarding sustainability, which has received little attention. This study attempts to shed light on the root causes of the inconsistency from the psychological perspective, incorporating construal level (CL) theory and psychological distance (PD) theory into situational settings of the experiment. We recruited 556 AEC students from 20 different universities to participate in data collection. Research findings revealed that PD has a significant influence on AEC students’ recycling behavior with variance in the effect of different dimensions, even though CL has no significant impact. Furthermore, findings show that spatial distance poses the greatest impact on AEC student recycling behavior, followed by information distance, temporal distance, experience distance, hypothetical distance, and social distance. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by introducing CL and PD into sustainability perception and behavior research in construction and has practical implications for universities with sustainability curricula in AEC.

scholarly journals Guidelines for Theory Development using Qualitative Research Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. pp95-103
Author(s):  
Noel Pearse
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Field Work ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Research Propositions

Qualitative research has been criticised for not building a distinctive body of knowledge, leading to fewer publications and citations. In the light of this critique, this paper offers guidance on how qualitative researchers can contribute to developing a distinctive and cumulative body of knowledge, thereby attracting more attention to their research. In pursuit of this aim, there are four objectives addressed in this paper. The first objective is to explain the relevance and value of deductive qualitative approaches to theory building. Secondly, to illustrate how examining the maturation of a concept can help decide the appropriateness of a particular research approach. This paper explains how in their planning, researchers need to confirm their intention to contribute to theory development and to ensure that this is appropriate, given the stage of maturation of the concept to be investigated. The third objective is to offer guidance on the philosophical assumptions of the researcher and how to test research propositions. Therefore, it is advised that data collection and analysis should take place within a post-positivist paradigm, and that the field work should be designed and carried out with research propositions as a point of departure. The final research objective is to explain how the findings of a deductive qualitative study should be handled to demonstrate the contribution of the study to the body of knowledge. Here guidance is offered on the contextualisation and generalisation of research findings.

Implications, Limitations, and Future Research

2019 ◽  
pp. 110-115
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
The Body ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Ict Tools ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Right ◽  
Practical Implications

This chapter aims to explain the different implications of the research results, including theoretical implications, and how the findings contribute to the body of knowledge, and the practical implications for managers and decision makers in organizations. These include how they could use the research findings to achieve better results in customer, employee, society, and overall performance areas by developing the right types of organizational culture and using the right ICT tools. This chapter also sets out the research limitations and provides recommendations for future research based on the findings and experience from this study.

scholarly journals Analysis of reverse logistics implementation practices by South Australian construction organisations

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Chileshe ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
Steffen Lehmann ◽  
Chika Udeaja
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Reverse Logistics ◽  
South Australia ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Current Practices

Purpose – A large number of benefits have been reported when reverse logistics (RL) is fully implemented in the construction industry. However, RL is yet to become common place in the construction sector, particularly in Australia. The particular sub-sector in which RL operates is small and weak and the remainder of the sector must embrace and accommodate it comfortably. Research is lacking on how to promoting RL in the construction industry. Very little has been done to identify the current practices that have the potential to promote RL industry-wide. The purpose of this paper is to identify the practices that work well in the sector, a strategy could be mapped out to promote RL to all stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – In order to fill the above gap, the present study used a mixed method approach to gather and evaluate current practices and their potential to promote RL in South Australia’s construction industry. Practices that were identified using a comprehensive literature review were evaluated with a questionnaire survey and series of interviews involving construction professionals. Findings – The findings are that practices facilitating deconstruction is the most important, followed by practices facilitating the use of salvaged materials in new construction to promote RL in South Australia. Awareness of deconstruction benefits, challenges and procedures at the organisation level and facilities and services at industry level were associated with RL implementation. Availability of salvaged materials in the market was found to influence its use in new construction and as a consequence its demand. Designing for reverse logistics is another practice that could facilitate deconstruction and the onus of its promotion lies mainly with the designers. Research limitations/implications – This research was confined to one state in Australia. As such the generalisation to other states and other countries should be treated cautiously. Practical implications – The findings of this study can help inform the industry and its stakeholders on areas that they need to concentrate more on to make the South Australian construction industry a fully RL integrated one. To that end the authors propose some recommendations arising from the findings reported here. Originality/value – This study makes a contribution to the body of knowledge on reserve logistics within a previously unexplored South Australian context. In addition, the study provides valuable insights into the contribution of RL practices to the construction industry.

scholarly journals The paradox of contemporary midwifery practice: Promoting an out-of-hospital birth setting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bronwyn Torrance
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
The Body ◽  
Place Of Birth ◽  
Hospital Birth ◽  
Normal Birth ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Primary Unit

<p>In New Zealand women choose their place of birth in partnership with their Lead Maternity Care (case loading) midwife, with most choosing a hospital regardless of their lack of risk factors. The reasons why most women in western countries choose to birth in hospital have been widely investigated. Risk aversity is most commonly implicated. For both women and health professionals this powerful discourse persists despite consistent research findings indicating higher rates of normal birth, and lower rates of maternal morbidity associated with interventions for healthy women who birth in out-of-hospital (primary) maternity units, with no difference in neonatal outcomes. There is however a gap in the literature regarding what is known about how midwives might positively influence the choice to birth in a primary unit.   A qualitative descriptive design through an appreciative inquiry lens enabled insight from 12 midwives who have a higher ratio of women within their caseload who choose to birth in a primary unit. Four focus groups were formed with these midwives to explore their perspectives and approaches as they assist women to make their place of birth decisions. From thematically analysed data, five themes emerged, Ways of knowing: woman, art, science and research; Trusting in you, me, and the process of childbirth; Setting boundaries as a ‘primary birth midwife’; and Delaying and diverting, a malleable approach, centered around the theme When it matters what we say: reframing safety and risk.   Alongside supporting current research, this study adds to the body of knowledge about birthplace choice by bringing to the fore the notion of paradox in practice, setting boundaries whilst remaining malleable for example. In a contemporary maternity context, these midwives dance between two worlds fundamentally at odds with one another, effectively managing contradiction, complexity and uncertainty to achieve a high primary unit caseload. The experience of what works to promote the primary unit for a cohort of New Zealand midwives is uncovered in this research.   The social recalibrations needed to adjust the hospital birth norm are much broader issues than midwives alone can change, but in this study, we see they are staying the course in order to protect and promote normal birth. How midwives might inform decision-making for place of birth choice is described.</p>

scholarly journals Driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution Initiative Through University and Industry Collaborations

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-230
Author(s):  
Aliu John ◽  
Aigbavboa Clinton ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
The Body ◽  
Industrial Training ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Delphi Approach ◽  
Study Process

As the world basks in the euphoria of the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Africa is gearing up for this innovative age, with South Africa as one of its leading voices. One of the ways of leveraging on the opportunities presented by the 4IR era is to foster collaborations between universities and the construction industry (university-industry collaboration, UIC). This research article aims to determine the positive impacts of UIC on the employability of built environment graduates. A qualitative Delphi approach was adopted to validate 16 factors, which were identified from literature. A total of 14 experts completed a two-stage iterative Delphi study process and reached consensus on all 16 factors identified. This study found that networking activities with industry professionals, student's exposure to innovative ideas and 4IR training programme opportunities are some of the ways through which UIC can improve 4IR knowledge and employability skills among students. From the Delphi survey results, educational institutions have been placed under significant pressures to intensify collaborations with the industry by creating avenues for students to experience industrial training with present-day 4IR-driven sectors such as the construction industry, which has begun the adoption of 4IR elements into its processes to improve efficiency and productivity. Although the issue of UIC has been widely discussed in the body of knowledge, very few have incorporated the 4IR dimension as a gap, which this study aims to fill.

scholarly journals Worker 4.0: The Future of Sensored Construction Sites

Buildings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Calvetti ◽  
Pedro Mêda ◽  
Miguel Chichorro Gonçalves ◽  
Hipólito Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Base Point ◽  
The Body ◽  
Embedded Sensors ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Workforce Management ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Workforce Productivity ◽  
Workforce Performance

The digitalization of the construction industry (CI) has the aim—among others—to raise the bar of overall productivity. The craft workforce is very relevant on the overall value-chain. Therefore, a boost in this dimension impacts the entire sector. There is a gap in proper methodologies to measure and model productivity. Construction 4.0 novelties provide new approaches for its evaluation and progress. This communication presents a review of workforce productivity assessment and delivers methods focusing primarily on craft workers motion monitoring. Products and services opportunities from Construction 4.0 in the spectrum of craft workforce management include support by embedded sensors for data collection that allow near real-time monitoring. The work developed led to the systematization of a framework to standardize craft workers’ motion productivity. The craft workforce motion productivity framework, Worker 4.0, tenders nine processes integrated on a flowchart to streamline task processes assessment and mechanization level. It also sets up a two-handed/two-legged chart system to model craft workers’ activities and operations. The contributions to the body of knowledge are substantiated on the framework creation with the ability to model and assess craft workforce performance. This approach is meant to serve as base point for different stakeholders focusing on skills, efficiency, mechanization and productivity improvements.

The relation between stakeholders’ integration and environmental competitiveness

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 755-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Abdelnabi Salem ◽  
Fekri Ali Shawtari ◽  
Mohd Farid Shamsudin ◽  
Hafezali Iqbal Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
The Body ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Adaptive Behaviour ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Different Dimensions

Purpose This paper aims to explain the relationships between three dimensions of stakeholders’ integration and competitiveness focusing on 226 industrial corporations. It aims to investigate the influences of stakeholders’ integration on three dimensions of competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a cross-sectional study using a self-reported questionnaire. The collected data are analysed using structural equation modelling technique based on AMOS. Findings The results revealed that knowledge of the stakeholders per se will not provide any contribution to the different dimensions of competitiveness. Companies should extend their focus to adapt behaviours in line with stakeholders’ interests to gain competitive advantages. The data showed that in line with the stakeholders’ theory concept, adaptive behaviour dimension positively affects the three dimensions of competitiveness. Research limitations/implications There are several limitations that should be taken into consideration. First, the study used a self-reported questionnaire filled in by managers in the study sample; therefore, survey data might be subject to social desirability bias. Second, this study was conducted in Libya, which is considered a developing country, and, thus, caution should be taken when generalizing the results of the study. Originality/value To date, there is no an empirical evidence on how environmental stakeholders’ integration might affect firm competitiveness. Previous literature has investigated this issue using different environmental practices. However, none have used stakeholders’ integration in the environmental domain as a predictor to competitiveness. Therefore, the paper contributes to the body of knowledge by stating and testing the potential contributions of stakeholders’ integration to the multidimensional approach of competitiveness.

scholarly journals Barriers to Automation and Robotics in Construction

10.29007/1shp ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Trujillo ◽  
Eric Holt
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Research Question ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Technical Aspects ◽  
Global Industry ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
And Robotics ◽  
Insight Into

Automation and robotics have been widely adopted across many industries, but the construction industry has not achieved the same level of diffusion. Construction is a critical global industry that is challenged to address issues of productivity, safety, quality, and profitability. Automation and robotics have a tremendous potential impact on all these fronts. The objective of this study is to identify barriers to the adoption of automation and robotics in the construction industry as perceived by industry experts and answer the research question: What are the barriers to automation and robotics in construction? We gain understanding through exploratory interviews with industry practitioners and automation and robotics researchers. Semi-structured interviews around construction technologies, implementation and development, perceived barriers, and future trends and opportunities provide insight into those barriers. We expected to find that implementation would be related to company revenue and openness to technology as it is in countries like South Korea and Japan. We found that barriers could be categorized into culture, teams, and technical aspects. Our research contributes to the body of knowledge by addressing the topic beyond just technical aspects providing the perspective of practitioners and researchers who are engaged in innovation. The research indicates that the construction industry, educators, and owners should do more to facilitate the adoption of automation and robotics and address the barriers which are more cultural than technical.

scholarly journals Theory of production in construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. e021014
Author(s):  
André Luiz Vivan ◽  
José Carlos Paliari
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
The Body ◽  
Production Theory ◽  
Lean Thinking ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Multidisciplinary Cooperation ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Theory Of Production ◽  
Current Stage

In the absence of an explicit and specific theory, the management of production processes in construction is essentially based on a Taylorist view, based on the economic theory of production. Thus, given the particularities of construction, the plans developed are often unreal, with recurring delays and unforeseen circumstances during production. Thus, because of the importance and the latent need to develop a specific theory, this article uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to comprehend what has been developed and discuss the topic. The main objective is to answer the following research questions: 1) What is being proposed to develop a production theory applied to construction? 2) What is the approach used in the publications? 3) What can be proposed for the body of knowledge in question to fill gaps? Based on the results of the SLR, it was verified that the development of such a theory appears to be very incipient and not formalized in the publications, with inconclusive results and weak multidisciplinary cooperation. Furthermore, there are indications that authors associated with Lean Thinking may be leading research on production theory in construction since most of the publications have results that were conceptually based on Lean Construction principles. It is understood that the content of this article is relevant because it outlines the current stage of development of the theory and indicates possible paths to achievements.

scholarly journals Understanding Student Entrepreneurs: Doers, Procrastinators, Dreamers, and Abstainers

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1935-1944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Holienka ◽  
Peter Gál ◽  
Zuzana Kovačičová
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
The Body ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Considerable Proportion ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Student Entrepreneurship ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Entrepreneurial Spirit ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Global University

Entrepreneurship as one of the potential career paths is an actual phenomenon among university students all around the world. However, as shown by recent GUESSS (Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey) findings, the action‑intention patterns are rather varied. While a bunch of students already start their businesses (= “doers“), few of them declare their intention to start‑up after completing their studies (= “procrastinators“), and even greater share of student population indicate a postponed intention to start a business in the mid‑range future (= “dreamers“). Of course, a considerable proportion of students exhibit no inclination towards entrepreneurial career path (= “abstainers”). The aim of this exploratory study is to analyse differences between actual, would‑be and „perhaps sometimes later“ entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial abstainers, among European university students. To do so, we utilize the 2016 GUESSS project individual‑level data from 25 European countries (n = 68,828), search for similarities and differences between the above‑mentioned groups of university students, and analyse robustness of our findings by investigating for drivers of individual involvement in entrepreneurial activity. Our study contributes to the body of knowledge on this under‑researched perspective on youth and student entrepreneurship.

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