Globalization, Technology Transfer and the Knowledge Gap: Case Study of the Global Phamarceutical Industry in Nigeria

This paper, discusses the impact of oligopolistic research on transfer of global pharmaceutical manufacturing technology to the less developed countries of the South (Nigeria) in post globalism. On the basis of empirical evidence from the advanced industrialized world, it is argued that the growth of oligopolistic research has given rise to patent monopoly and an international property rights industry dominated by the multinational corporations. Guided by the challenges and logic of central command functions, the centralization of research and development as well as production of base chemicals, have become the strategy for global product standard maintenance, based on centralized product blueprint. Centralization encourages intra-firm trade and profit maximization through over-invoicing and transfer pricing. For ruling out adaptive research on patented drugs, the industry has blocked transfer of technology to the less developed host state. The paper concludes that the contradiction between the philosophy of public good and the philosophy of property rights production technology transfer in the context of the rolled-back state, threatens the world with grave crises of poor medication and economic underdevelopment. It is therefore suggested that greater state involvement and stake in drug production and technology transfer is imperative. This can only be achieved by closing the knowledge gap

Federal government financing of grassroots decay in Nigeria: the case of Edo state

In this research article, an attempt is made to locate the failure of local government councils to construct rural development poles in the context of patrimonial redistributive politics that greeted the emergence of the Nigerian petrostate. The failure of the third tier to transit into a local pole of development, controverts the assumed linkage between grassroots development and creation of more local government councils. Empirical evidence from Edo state has demonstrated ‘reverse resource flow’ in favour of urban and semi-urban locales. In this process, enhanced revenue flow through federal statutory allocation is ‘reverse transfer’ to the centres through the mechanisms of urban extractive ratio. The de-poling so engendered creates more decay than existed pre-fragmentation. By the character logic and organization of these new local governments (political post); they mediate the crisis of rural-urban exploitation and rural-locale depoling, in a self-reproduction project typical of patron-client politics. In this context, it is assumed that phenomenal growth in statutory and allied revenues accruing to rural locales has not produced the desired development, but undesired decay. Key Words: Nigeria – Federal financing, Edo State, public administration, political science, Nigeria, University of Beni

Relationships between Young Adults’ Housing Tenure, Elements of Perceived Job Security and Social Capital in Britain

Against the backdrop of the changing trends in tenure in the UK housing system, young adults are faced with different situations that continue to shape their housing consumption and decisions. This paper investigates the relationships between young adults’ housing tenure, social capital, and elements of perceived job security in Britain. Socio-psychological dimension of housing tenure decisions has been receiving attention by housing market analysts and practitioners seeking deeper understandings of UK housing market dynamics, particularly in the wake of changing tastes and preferences of young people concerning housing decisions across major cities of the world. More specifically, very little research has been done to investigate the contributions of social capital formation, for example, neighbourhood or social integration and social relations, and elements of perceived job security, on housing tenure transitions among British young adults. A quantitative approach has been applied to the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) from 2001-2015. We discover that British young adults’ homeownership decisions are increasingly influenced by social capital and elements of perceived job insecurity, depending on their tenure of origin. Although we find minimal evidence of a combination effect from our variables of interest. Nevertheless, it is our view that findings from this study will significantly enhance our understanding of tenure shifts amongst young adults in the UK and provide property developers, local authorities, and central governments the knowledge and information to guide economic policies, urban renewal towards achieving better social cohesion and sustainable communities

Analysis of factors affecting construction and demolition waste reduction in Egypt

Construction projects are associated with construction and demolition waste (CDW) generated at different stages. In Egypt's case, the CDW problem has become a significant challenge, and the need to find sustainable solutions is overwhelming. Based on recent investigations in the literature, it was found that six main factors are affecting CDW reduction (CDWR) as follows: (1) waste-efficient materials procurement measures; (2) waste-efficient materials procurement models; (3) green materials procurement approach; (4) legislation; (5) culture & behaviour; and (6) awareness. In this study, a representative sample of Egyptian construction firms was screened to (1) investigate the applicability and effectiveness of CDWR factors in the Egyptian construction sector; and (2) examine the relationship between these factors and CDWR. The results revealed that (1) among different factors, “correct materials purchase” is the most applied item while “reducing overall material use by using prefabricated elements and highly durable materials” is the most effective item; and (2) there are statistically significant positive relationships between CDWR and different factors except “legislation”. The results demonstrate the necessity of developing a conceptual framework, as a next research initiative, consisting of these different factors for CDWR in Egypt

Exploiting automated technologies for reduction of rework in construction housing supply chain

Housing has been experiencing significant rework within the supply chain. Rework has afflicted both cost and schedule of projects due to the complex environment, intricate activities and highly fragmented nature of housing supply chain. Housing supply chain generate immense data and share information with different parties, which contribute to multitude of countless challenges. As a result of rework, productivity and workflow of information in construction supply chain has been affected with a catalogue of problems for the past few decades. Automation in construction supply chain with novel technological and analytical strategies has aspired industry to improve the productivity and change the trajectory of traditional, manual and analogue way of processing. The aim of this study is to explore possible opportunities of employing new technologies and challenges involved in utilising automated technologies for minimising rework in housing supply chain. The research methodology is based on a review of literature to investigate automated technologies to eliminate rework in housing supply chain. A conceptual framework is proposed to determine the suitability of various technologies to fully automate housing supply chain and facilitate the reduction of rework in construction housing supply chain. All rights are reserved for Diamond Congress Ltd., Budapest, Hungary, except the right of the authors to (re)publish their materials wherever they decide. This book is a working material for the Creative Construction Conference 201

Quantifying materials waste in the Egyptian construction industry: a critical analysis of rates and factors

Abstract: Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a critical challenge facing the construction industry. It leads to deterioration of the triple bottom line of sustainability. Unfortunately, the CDW management research in Egypt lacks studies investigating (1) the variations in CDW generation (CDWG) among different types of construction projects, and (2) the factors affecting CDW reduction (CDWR). Based on a benchmarking approach, this research (1) quantifies CDW in terms of generation rates and costs among different construction project types in Egypt, and (2) investigates the relationship between CDWG and different adopted CDWR factors. Using structured interviews, a comparative case study was conducted to investigate industrial, residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects. Analysis of results demonstrated that CDWG rates and costs differ from one project type to another due to the project's nature, size, and complexity on the one hand, and the applied CDWR factors such as waste-efficient practices, awareness, culture & behaviour, and legislation on the other hand. On average among the four project types, it was found that "timber", "sand", and "bricks/blocks" are the most wasteful materials. It was also found that "practices" and "legislation" are the least applied CDWR factors on average among the four project types, which need to be better applied for better CDWR results

Improving affordable housing delivery through the reduction of rework in the supply chain

Housing has been experiencing inadequate of supply which exacerbated by strong growth in demand. Several factors have contributed to the shortage of affordable housing including lack of investment from public and private sectors, land and regulatory regime and economic fluctuations. As a result of rework, the cost of production also dented the supply of affordable housing. The aim of this study is to explore the causes of rework as an alternative approach to reduce the cost of production in affordable housing. A qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews with experts in housing construction industry is adopted to investigate the root causes and barriers to eliminating rework within the entire housing supply chain. Preliminary findings suggest that reduction of rework through improved managerial practices, effective communication and collaboration among contributors in housing supply chain with a support of automation can significantly reduce the cost of housing production

Factors affecting intention to adopt Green Building Practices: A Journey towards meeting Sustainable Goals

Abstract Purpose The construction industry and its activities harmfully affect the environment. Hence, adopting green building (GRB) practices can be helpful in achieving sustainable development goals. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors affecting the intention to adopt GRB practices by extending theory of planned behavior (TPB). Design/methodology/approach Using non-probability purposive sampling technique, data was gathered from consultant and contractor engineers in the construction industry through a questionnaire. The analysis was done using partial least square-structural equation modeling technique on a useful sample of 290. Findings Findings revealed that the core constructs of TPB [i.e. attitude (AT), subjective norms (SUBN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC)] significantly affect the intention to adopt GRB practices. Moreover, government support and knowledge of green practices (KNGP) were found to be critical influencing factors on AT, SUBNs and PBC. Lastly, the findings confirmed that environmental concerns (ENC) play as a moderating between SUBN and intention to adopt GRB practices, as well as AT and intention to adopt GRB practices. Practical implications This study contributes to existing knowledge on GRB, offering evidence base for policy choices regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation in the construction industry. Originality/value This study provides insights from the perspective of a developing economy and confirms the applicability of TPB in the adoption of GRB practices. Moreover, this study confirms the moderation role of ENC in between TPB constructs and intention to GRB that is not tested earlier in the context of GRB. This study also confirms that government sustainable support positively affects PBC, and KNGP significantly affects SUBNs

Developing a methodological framework for adopting digitalization for deconstruction planning

Wastes generated from construction and demolition (C&D) activities account for a major proportion of urban solid wastes. The large amount of C&D waste generated are still being largely landfilled or downcycled worldwide. Aging built assets without proper C&D planning is a major cause of wastes not being efficiently diverted for circular use. How waste sorting could be properly planned in the early stages, not only for new construction, but also deconstruction projects is critical to minimizing C&D wastes. As there is a large amount of aging assets without digital files or even no drawings, developing a digital-driven approach to effectively estimate and categorize C&D wastes would be essential for, not just early-stage deconstruction planning, but also the development of a circular economy on C&D wastes. This study is first based on a thorough literature review of existing studies of applications of digital technologies to C&D waste diversion (WD). Limitations of existing studies are evaluated, such as the lack of digital twin approach for deconstruction. Then a methodological framework is established aiming to adopt digitalization for C&D WD, specifically for existing facilities under deconstruction planning. Based on the current work, future study would apply the methodological framework with real-world case studies to validate and test its effectiveness with initiated prototypes. Longer-term work can extend from the current framework to Internet-of-Things and Artificial Intelligence. REFERENCE

An analysis of the mediational effect of socio-cultural factors on student’s career choice outcomes in the built environment: applying the socio-cognitive career theory

Investigations into career development revealed the significant influence of social and cultural determinants, notably familial factors, on children’s professional aspirations. Such aspirations are moulded by their milieu, individual interests, academic environments, and socio-economic contexts. South Africa’s unique socio-political history introduces complexity into career development pathways. The intricate relationships between ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds vis-a-vis career outcomes of South African youth remain underexplored. This research aimed to understand these influences within the construction domain, emphasising cognitive facets such as self-efficacy and societal endorsements. The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the foundational framework, with structural equation modelling employed for causal analysis. A focus was given to early university students, predominantly from Construction Management. The study showcased pathways for informed career decisions in construction and underscored the relevance of the SCCT, especially for women in traditionally male-dominated sectors. The study culminated in unveiling pathways for informed career decisions in construction, reinforcing the pertinence of the SCCT framework, especially concerning women in traditionally male-dominated spheres like construction. Acknowledging the scarcity of empirical studies using SCCT within the construction sphere is pertinent