scholarly journals Le comportement des salaires chez les travailleurs syndiqués de l’industrie de la construction au Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Rabeau
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Labour Supply ◽  
International Competition ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Union Power ◽  
Skilled Trades ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Cyclical Fluctuations ◽  
Level Of Activity ◽  
Wage Increases

ABSTRACT In this paper, we analyze the behaviour of wages of the unionized workers of the construction industry in Canada. We compare the behaviour of construction wages to those observed in the sectors exposed to and protected from international competition. One conclusion of our analysis is that the construction sector is by far the most inflationnary sector of the Canadian economy. Union power in the construction industry combined with the control of labour supply by skilled trades associations in a market which lends itself to bilateral oligopoly can thus lead to wage increases in the construction sector which in the current inflationnary context exceed those in all other sectors of the economy. This situation is possible because construction firms do not have to face the threat of international competition. The result of this situation is to reduce the level of activity and employment in the construction sector. In addition, the mechanism for fixing wages serves to accentuate the cyclical fluctuations in the construction sector.

Assessing Organisations’ Readiness for Technological Changes in Construction Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norfashiha Hashim ◽  
◽  
Aina Syazifa Samsuri ◽  
Nur Hidayah Idris ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Technological Readiness

Of late, the advancements in technology have witnessed a spike in the number of schemes aimed towards enhancing the deployment of technologies in construction-based entities, thereby increasing the demand for technological modifications. This paper intends to scrutinise the keenness of construction entities to identify technological changes within the construction sector. The goals of this research work are to ascertain the degree of willingness for technological alterations, the norms which construction entities should possess regarding the readiness for technological alterations, and the obstacles encountered by construction firms in terms of technological alterations. Ten semi-structured interviews were carried out comprising ten G7 contractors in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur regarding on the implementation and adopting the technological changes within their companies. Based on the observations, most construction firms in Malaysia are fairly prepared to encounter technological fluctuations. Furthermore, the research deliberates many norms which are essential to generate the technological readiness in construction firms along with the obstacles which could impact the organisational inclination for technological changes. This work intends to help construction companies evaluate their degree of readiness and organise themselves for better adoption of technological alterations in their businesses.

scholarly journals Un modèle de la détermination des salaires dans l’industrie de la construction au Québec

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham Assayag ◽  
Yves Rabeau
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Bilateral Monopoly ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Business Conditions ◽  
Quantity Adjustment ◽  
Severe Recession ◽  
Wage Increases

The provincial decree applying to the construction industry in Quebec has created a situation of bilateral monopoly in that segment of the labor market (unions on the supply side and entrepreneurs on the demand side). If negotiations are undertaken at a time where business conditions are booming, then the unions have a very powerful negotiating power. Since contracts are signed for a three year period, wage increases do not afterwards reflect market conditions. Since wages are fixed by the provincial decree, there is then a quantity adjustment in the construction sector. In this paper, we have specified and estimated a model that allows us to measure the bilateral monopoly impact of wage increases and to compute quantity adjustments in the construction market. It is shown then that the provincial decree adversily affects the competition position of the construction industry in Quebec and that restauring this position involves a severe recession in the construction industry.

CONFIGURATION OF EARTHWORK EQUIPMENT CONSIDERING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, COST AND SCHEDULE

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Soo KIM ◽  
Yong-Woo KIM
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Decision Method ◽  
Equipment Configuration ◽  
Earthwork Construction

Along with promotion of public awareness about sustainability, the concept of sustainability has gained in- creasing attention across all industries. The construction industry is one of the largest industries, and at the same time, among the largest polluters. Thus, the concept of sustainability has become increasingly important to construction firms and many contractors have started to reduce the environmental impacts of their construction activities. As part of the effort to achieve sustainability in construction sector, the study develops a method to select earth-moving equipment, based on their environmental impacts as well as duration and cost considerations. To this end, the study initially devel- ops a model for determining construction costs and duration as well as a model for determining monetary environmental impacts on earthwork construction. The study then uses an Improved Weight Decision Method (IWDM) to determine the weight of variables in order to find the best performed equipment configuration. The authors expect that the findings of the study will contribute to the research and practice in configuring earthwork equipment, taking into account associated environmental impacts as well as time and costs.

Retaining Knowledge in Smaller Building and Construction Firms

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Durst ◽  
Guido Bruns ◽  
Ingi Runar Edvardsson
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Critical Knowledge ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Further Development

The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of how SMEs retain critical knowledge. Against the background of the underdeveloped body of knowledge regarding knowledge retention, the authors selected an explorative (qualitative) research approach. More precisely, they conducted semi-structured interviews with organization members (i.e. executive and regular staff) of five Austrian SMEs operating in the building and construction industry. This study provides fresh insights into knowledge retention in SMEs. The findings advance the limited understanding of knowledge retention in general and regarding SMEs. They also contribute to the further development of the study of knowledge management in the building and construction sector. Based on the study's findings the authors derive suitable measures to better manage the process of knowledge retention in SMEs. These measures may be useful for SMEs operating in other industries as well.

scholarly journals Manager’s ability, wage minimum policy, and firm size on firm performance: An empirical analysis in the real estate and construction sector

Accounting ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Ho Phi Ha ◽  
Nguyen Quang Minh
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
The Real ◽  
The Real Estate ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
The Impact

The real estate and construction industry have significantly played a particularly important role in economic development in each economy. In the case of Vietnam, the real estate and construction industry have greatly contributed a large proportion to the gross domestic product (GDP) growth with a sustainable annual growth. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of manager’s ability, wage minimum policy, and firm size on firm performance. Using 220 real estate and construction firms in the case of Vietnam, results depict that a greater ability of managers in the real estate and construction sector will significantly enhance the efficiency of businesses. In addition, a larger firm can reach a higher firm efficiency while the efficiency of the real estate and construction firms is not impacted by changes of wage minimum policy.

Assessment of Electronic Procurement Practices on Project Delivery, Case Study of Selected Construction Companies in Oyo State

2018 ◽  
pp. 257-266
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Electronic Procurement ◽  
Ict Infrastructure ◽  
E Mail

This study investigated the use of e-Procurement in selected construction firms in Oyo state, Nigeria. The data were derived using a well-structured questionnaire survey involving 104 respondents. Descriptive statistical and correlation analyses were used to analyze the data. Findings show that the use of electronic procurement in the selected construction firms for carrying out procurement function is high with majority of the professionals affirming the use of the system, the four categories of e-Procurement used were e-mail, static websites, web.2.0 technologies and portals that have capabilities of supporting the execution of functions limited to intra and inter firm communication and exchange of project information and data. Consequently, between 84 percent and 76 percent of the respondents used these e-Procurement technologies for communication of information, exchange of bill of quantities, project reports, CAD drawings and project specifications. Consequently, factors with the highest positive impacts on the use of these technologies in the firms were the speed of transactions, lower transaction cost and ease of use. The study implies that the selected construction firms in Oyo state Nigeria predominantly use e-mails and websites to support the execution of pre-award phase of construction procurement. Finding also shows that there is positive relationship between e-Procurement (e-Notifying, e-Exchange, and e-Submission of bid) and Project delivery. The study suggests that to accelerate the rate of uptake of e-Procurement and maximize its benefits in the Nigerian construction industry, there is a need to improve the quality and quantity of ICT infrastructure across the country; and to embark on aggressive enlightenment campaigns, training and skill development programs in the use of e-Procurement in the construction industry in this country.

Knowledge creation in small building and construction firms

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Durst ◽  
Ingi Runar Edvardsson ◽  
Guido Bruns
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Knowledge Sources ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
External Knowledge ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Small Building

Studies on knowledge creation are limited in general, and there is a particular shortage of research on the topic in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Given the importance of SMEs for the economy and the vital role of knowledge creation in innovation, this situation is unsatisfactory. Accordingly, the purpose of our study is to increase our understanding of how SMEs create new knowledge. Data are obtained through semi-structured interviews with ten managing directors of German SMEs operating in the building and construction industry. The findings demonstrate the influence of external knowledge sources on knowledge creation activities. Even though the managing directors take advantage of different external knowledge sources, they seem to put an emphasis on informed knowledge sources. The study´s findings advance the limited body of knowledge regarding knowledge creation in SMEs.

The Impact of Terrorism on Construction Industry in Iraq

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Wadhah Amer Hatem ◽  
Samiaah M. Hassen Al-Tmeemy
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Statistical Procedures ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Suicide Attacks ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact

     Suicide attacks, bombings, explosions became the part of daily life in Iraq. Consequently, the threat of terrorism put the Iraqi construction sector in the face of unique and unusual challenges that not seen on other countries. These challenges can have extensive impact on construction projects. This paper seeks to examine the impact of the terrorist attacks on construction industry and determine the extent to which the impact of terrorism on construction projects in terms of cost, schedule, and quality. This study adapted quantitative and qualitative approaches to collect data using questionnaire survey and interviews, as well as historical data. The study focused on projects that have been the target of terrorist strikes in Diyala governorate. A variety of statistical procedures were employed in data analysis. The results revealed the extent to which terrorist attacks impact construction projects in terms of cost, time, and quality. The results of this study will enhance the awareness of all construction parties to the impact of the terrorist attacks against construction projects. Eventually, this can develop a risk management assessment and assist contractors to properly protect projects and buildings to minimize injuries and fatalities in the event of terrorism.

scholarly journals Impact of Migrant Workers on Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Construction Industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gui Ye ◽  
Yuhe Wang ◽  
Yuxin Zhang ◽  
Liming Wang ◽  
Houli Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Total Factor Productivity ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Factor Productivity ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Statistical Yearbook ◽  
The Impact

Total factor productivity (TFP) is of critical importance to the sustainable development of construction industry. This paper presents an analysis on the impact of migrant workers on TFP in Chinese construction sector. Interestingly, Solow Residual Approach is applied to conduct the analysis through comparing two scenarios, namely the scenario without considering migrant workers (Scenario A) and the scenario with including migrant workers (Scenario B). The data are collected from the China Statistical Yearbook on Construction and Chinese Annual Report on Migrant Workers for the period of 2008–2015. The results indicate that migrant workers have a significant impact on TFP, during the surveyed period they improved TFP by 10.42% in total and promoted the annual average TFP growth by 0.96%. Hence, it can be seen that the impact of migrant workers on TFP is very significant, whilst the main reason for such impact is believed to be the improvement of migrant workers’ quality obtained mainly throughout learning by doing.

scholarly journals Creating relationship continuity across projects in the construction industry

IMP Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malena Ingemansson Havenvid ◽  
Elsebeth Holmen ◽  
Åse Linné ◽  
Ann-Charlott Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Mutual Orientation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Relationship Continuity ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Strategy Types ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship continuity across projects among actors in the construction industry, and to discuss why and how such continuity takes place. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on the results from four in-depth case studies illustrating different strategies for pursuing relationship continuity. The results are analysed and discussed in light of the oft-mentioned strategies suggested by Mintzberg (1987): emergent, deliberate and deliberately emergent strategies. Furthermore, the ARA-model is used to discuss why the relationship continuity strategies are pursued, and which factors might enable and constrain the relationship continuity. Findings The main findings are twofold. First, the authors found that the strategy applied for pursuing relationship continuity may, in one-time period, contain one type of strategy or a mix of strategy types. Second, the type of strategy may evolve over time, from one type of strategy being more pronounced in one period, to other strategies being more pronounced in later periods. The strategies applied by construction firms and their counterparts can thus contain elements of emergent, deliberate and deliberately emergent strategies, in varying degrees over time. It is also shown that the strategies of the involved actors co-evolve as a result of interaction. Also, the main reasons for pursuing continuity appear to lie in the re-use and development of important resources and activities across projects to create efficiency and the possibility to develop mutual orientation, commitment and trust over time, and thus reduce uncertainty. Research limitations/implications Further empirical studies are needed to support the findings. For managers, the main implication is that relationship continuity can arise as part of an emerging interaction pattern between firms or as part of a planned strategy, but that elements of both might be needed to sustain it. Originality/value The authors combine Mintzberg’s strategy concepts with the ARA-model to bring new light to the widely debated issue of discontinuity and fragmentation in the construction industry.

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