Improving the mental health and wellbeing of building and civil engineering workers : barriers to flexible working

Despite the growing research on mental health and wellbeing (MHW) in construction, very little research (if not none) has examined the barriers to strategies such as flexible working arrangements that improve MHW in the construction industry. This research aims to fill this gap in knowledge. The research adopted a systematic literature review where relevant literature was critically reviewed and discussed. The main findings include the high level of diversity in the industry, which makes it challenging to have a flexible working system that meets the work-life balance of construction workers and improve their mental health. Large contracting firms are more likely to adopt formal flexible work arrangements because they have more resources than smaller companies, but micro contracting forms are most likely to adopt the informal flexible work arrangements. Further barriers are the nature of the roles of the practitioners, for example, construction professionals are more likely to be allowed to adopt flexible work system than the tradespersons; Collaborative project delivery arrangement supports flexible work arrangement more than the traditional method. National policies or legislation in some countries such as UK and Vietnam do not adequately support work-life balance strategies such as flexible working; for instance, the regulation in the UK is open to misinterpretation and creates room for employees’ exploitation by employers. Evidence shows that this is the first study to examine the barriers to MHW in the construction industry through a flexible working arrangement. There is a need for a shift in workplace culture to support such strategies and the need for tighter legislation and guidance

Proceedings of the construction business and project management conference

Conceptualising challenges and opportunities in the construction industry

Critical Barriers to Prevention through Design in Construction in Nigeria: A Qualitative Inquiry

Purpose: Given the complexities in improving safety in the construction industry globally, which is exacerbated by the complex safety environment in developing countries (DCs), prevention through design (PtD) has been established to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) where applied. However, it has received very little attention in DCs and the extant literature with limitations. Using Nigeria as a case study, the current study advances the understanding of PtD in DCs by investigating the critical barriers to PtD and other potential OSH responsibilities of designers in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews and e-interviews of architects, builders and civil engineers in Nigeria were analysed using the six-phase thematic analysis. To improve the trustworthiness of the research, triangulation, peer-debriefing, refining the interview protocol and thick detailed description were done. Findings: The study's findings question the extant general knowledge and understanding of PtD among clients and designers and its technical aspect among designers where it is skewed to structural safety and omitted in universities' curricula. This explains the inconclusive findings of existing studies on why there is a high level of awareness of PtD but a low level of implementation. There is little client support for PtD, and designers have limited influence on clients in terms of it. The fear of liability from PtD is exacerbated by the limited legal system and lack of adequate legislation in the country. The demotivating attitudes of clients and contractors towards designers in terms of PtD are also reported, just as there are project delivery barriers such as traditional procurement not supporting PtD as design and build procurement does. Social implications: For the sustainable growth in the practice of PtD, the increased and improved quality of education and awareness of PtD is needed but this must focus on instilling a robust understanding of it among designers based on the local context. This educational requirement can be supported by statute. Originality/value: Through qualitative data, the findings explain and offer insight into the inconclusive findings in the extant studies on PtD in Nigeria. Also, it contributes to improving health and safety by advancing the understanding of the critical barriers to PtD and other potential OSH responsibilities of designers in D Nigeria's construction using qualitative data

Client Characteristics related Critical Success Factors for Public-Private Partnerships in South Africa

The implementation of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in South Africa has grown steadily since the late 1990s. However, these partnerships do not realise their potential with a decline in PPP transactions over the past decade. The drivers of success for PPP projects have become a subject of investigation to understand the downward trend. This study evaluates the different critical success factors pertinent to client characteristics that influence PPP projects in South Africa. The study followed a qualitative research inquiry that employs a grounded theory (G.T.) approach involving semi-structured interviews with nine professionals involved in PPP projects selected using a snowball sampling technique. Interviews were conducted on video conferencing and through phone calls. Seven responses were considered relevant to the research, and two were considered irrelevant and were disregarded. An in-depth analysis of the data gathered was conducted through a selective coding process using NVivo. The analysis revealed the research’s emergent themes: client experience and in-house technical capabilities; client risk attitude; client willingness to be involved and trust in the private sector, available financial markets, and political support and stability. By applying the framework established, the chances of success and decline in the use of PPP projects can be considerably improved in South Africa through greater engagement between the public and private sectors in infrastructure investment and delivery. The study’s main limitation is the smallness of the sample size and the use of the snowball sampling technique in which the initial respondents are likely to refer to other respondents who share similar points of view and beliefs. To counter this limitation, the researchers ensured that the convenient sample of initial subjects comprised professionals from different backgrounds

Organizational Factors, Construction Risk Management and Government Regulations in Nigerian Construction Companies: Data Screening and Preliminary Analysis

The aim of this paper is to investigate the accumulated data pertaining to the organizational factors, construction risk management and government regulations in Nigerian construction companies. A total sample of 238 were selected from the total population of 338 contractors operating in Abuja and Lagos State construction companies in Nigeria. Therefore, a proportionate stratified random sampling approach was employed for this study to further divide the companies into different strata, and they were all picked randomly from each stratum. Furthermore, data cleaning and screening were conducted with the intent to fulfil the multivariate analysis assumptions. Hence, this study carried out various tests like missing data analysis, outliers, normality, Multicollinearity, non-response bias and common method variance with the use of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) v21. Lastly, it was discovered that the data fulfil all the requirements for multivariate analysis

Stakeholder perceptions of the benefits and barriers of implementing environmental management systems in the Nigerian construction industry

© 2016 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) Press. This study investigates stakeholder opinions of the major benefits and barriers of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) to the Nigerian construction industry, and the perceived issues to EMS adoption among organisations in the industry. The study highlights the environment as an important stakeholder in the industry because it affects and is affected by construction activities on a regular basis. It identifies the importance of ISO 14001 in ensuring adequate consideration for the environment is maintained on construction projects. The research adopts a quantitative approach by analysing responses from an online survey among construction industry professionals in Nigeria. The questions on the survey were drawn from a similar study carried out in Asia and the results were analysed using the Weighted Average and Standard Deviation statistical approach. Results reveal that the major benefits of EMS to the Nigerian construction industry were improved efficiency in waste management and environmental protection, as well as an overall increase in employee motivation due to better opportunities for training and development. Lack of technological support in organisations and the high cost of implementing EMS were viewed as the major barriers towards its uptake in construction companies. The findings also indicate that a feasible EMS implementation strategy must not ignore the unique nature of the Nigerian construction industry, which comprises mostly small and medium enterprises. The study concludes by recommending the use of a waste management plan based on the Reuse-Reduce-Recycle-Recover model and an employee training plan to ensure continuous improvement in the organisation’s environmental management strategy

Sustainable Construction Technologies: Life Cycle Assessment.

The building and construction industry has become the focus of environmental impact reduction in the aftermath of the global resolution to reduce its adverse effect and make the built environment more sustainable. This chapter examines the place of materials in sustainable building construction generally and from the perspective of life cycle assessment and reduction of environmental impact. Hence, specific approaches to sustainable construction from the perspective of materials such as improved material production processes, recycling, materials substitution, innovative construction methods, deconstruction, use of innovative materials, and use of eco-friendly materials are explained from the life cycle impact perspective. The implications of the approaches for improved uptake of sustainable construction practices are also examined with particular reference to the role of policy framework and legislatio

A comprehensive study of South African construction data sources

This paper examines published construction data sources available to researchers, construction professionals, clients and government policy makers in South Africa. The paper explores whether the authenticity of these data sources are reliable and accurate because there are assumptions and processes behind the computation of the data sources which are unknown. The rationale for the examination of these documented construction data sources stems from the argument put forth by scholars that a significant number of these data sources have loopholes and black holes and therefore need to be verified. The paper intends to identify authentic South African construction data sources which can be used in construction data analysis and propose possible methods that should be used in preparing valid construction data sources for publication

Relationship Between Decision-making Style, Competitive Strategies and Organisational Performance among Construction Organisations

Purpose The decision-making styles and strategies of organisations play significant roles in their competitive advantage and the achievement of superior performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of decision-making styles on the strength of the relationship between competitive strategy and organisational performance among large construction organisations based in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study focuses on large construction organisations in South Africa using a questionnaire survey to elicit information. The sample consists of 72 large construction organisations, and the measures of decision-making styles, competitive strategies and organisational performance used for the instrument utilised to elicit information were derived from the literature. Descriptive, parametric and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the effect of decision-making styles and competitive strategies on the organisations’ performance. Findings The results of the study show that organisations utilize all types of decision-making styles, but the most significantly adopted styles are analytical and directive. The study found that decision-making styles influence organisational performance through competitive strategies. Research limitations/implications The research considered large construction organisations based in South Africa and operating in three provinces, where almost 75 per cent of all public projects are being implemented. The findings can be generalised to other large construction organisations functioning within the South African industry, because most of the organisations surveyed operate nationally. However, the findings may not be generalizable to the entire industry. Small and medium-sized organisations vary in terms of structure in relation to large organisations; hence, their decision-making styles may be different. Practical implications The study makes explicit the need to consider the role of different decision-making styles being practiced within organisations and how their moderating effect influences organisational performance beyond rational processes. A better understanding of this will enable organisations to achieve the total commitment of their staff to achieve superior performance. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature and body of knowledge on the strategic management of organisations. It underpins the assertion that decision-making styles and competitive strategies can influence organisational performance, and this is validated within the construction industry. Knowledge of the relationships between the variables measured in this paper will be beneficial to both owners and managers of construction organisations, because they provide the necessary information on how strategic decision-making styles influence the strategy adopted and, in turn, the organisational performance