Diagnostic view of road projects in Malawi

Full Article from http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/journalsIn sub-Saharan Africa, road is the dominant mode of transportation. As such, government and developmental agencies in the region usually invest in road projects significantly. However, the delivery of road projects that are supposed to act as the catalyst for socioeconomic development is fast becoming an uphill task in Malawi. A number of problems have been reported in the media. This development led to a preliminary diagnostic study that was aimed at examining the barriers that are hindering the successful execution of road projects in Malawi in 2012. The investigation that was conducted among engineers who are employed by the agency responsible for road projects in Malawi and civil engineering contractors used a self-administered questionnaire for data collection. Salient findings suggest that delayed payment by clients severely marginalises contractor performance and delivered projects are seldom defect free. Considering Malawi’s heavy dependence on roads as a means of transportation, it is crucial that these barriers be addressed without delay

Collaborative working in South African construction: contractors’ perspectives

Published ArticleThe purpose of this paper is to assess the level of collaborative working among project partners in South African construction. The construction industry is made up of a plethora of entities trading as consultants, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and manufacturers. The effort and contributions of these entities with the input of clients result in completed projects. However, the performance of the industry has continued to generate more negative, rather than positive, headlines. Typical headlines include defects, rework, delays, injuries and accidents, all of which are mostly blamed on the endemic fragmented nature of the industry

CHOOSING BY ADVANTAGES IN PROJECT TEAM DECISIONS: CASE STUDIES OF CONCRETE WORKS IN SOUTH AFRICA TO ICIDA 2016

Published Conference ProceedingsGood decision-making is a fundamental element of improved project delivery in the construction industry. Such decisions determine the accomplishment of performance parameters in a given project. However, suboptimal performance, which is pervasive in the construction industry, has been linked to team decisions that undermine project actions. This problem exists in South African construction. To remedy decision-making pitfalls, the concept of Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is now promoted by lean construction. CBA is defined as the decision-making system, which must be based on the importance of advantages within a project team. The purpose of the proposed study is to explore the application of CBA in South Africa. The case-based method to be used for data collection is intended to reveal the characteristics of CBA system so that the advantages could be used to promote its application in South Africa. The impact of CBA on decisions and actions at the activity level shall be examined for improved project performance in South Africa. CBA method is preferred because it encourages decision, which focuses on the advantages of the project rather than the disadvantages of the project. These methods can be adopted when working either on large or small project

The integration of diplomats and graduates into the construction industry: A pilot South African study

Tertiary construction management programmes are challenged in terms of producing diplomates, and graduates that are deemed suitable by employers and the built environment in general. However, employers and the built environment are also challenged as they have a complementary role to play. Tertiary education transfers knowledge and develops skills to a degree. Experiential training, internship, and the education of diplomates and graduates further develop skills. Consequently, employers fulfil a critical role and need to mentor, and integrate students, diplomates, and graduates into their organisations and the overall built environment. A study currently being conducted among members of a regional employer association to determine perceptions, and to provide feedback relative to diplomates and graduates, provides the basis for the paper. The following are reported on: the importance of competencies relative to subject streams and the rating of diplomates and graduates relative thereto; the importance of competencies relative to the nine functions in an organisation and the rating of diplomates and graduates relative thereto; and the importance of competencies relative to the functions of management work and the rating of diplomates and graduates relative thereto

Assessing the Feasibility And Use of Target Value Design In South African Construction

ABSTRACT Target value design (TVD) is a management practice that is undertaken to deliver customer needs within agreed performance parameters. However, the norm in construction for many years has been the compilation of costing / estimation data after design is in place. This practice is evident in South Africa construction where the vicious cycle of design-estimate-construction-rework-estimate continues unabated. Thus, the need for this research stems from efforts to optimise the value delivered to clients without escalating project cost. The phenomenological research design for the study enabled the collection of data through face-to-face interviews of twenty-four construction professionals with a structured protocol. The study shows that aspects of TVD are already in use in South Africa, though not labelled as TVD. The concepts of TVD are not unknown in practical terms in South Africa. What is missing is the full implementation of the system so that the tide of cost overrun that is synonymous with projects will be reduced

Construction safety through housekeeping: the Hawthorne effect

Clean and tidy sites have often been associated with positive safety cultures in construction. Poor housekeeping can result in the creation of additional hazards and dangers in the form of protruding objects which may also be sharp, and increase in situations that can lead to slips, trips and falls on sites. They also create uneven ground levels, debris, and muddy conditions, which can all lead to an increase in accidents. Housekeeping also contributes to projects being finished in a timely manner due to the fewer distractions created by the chaos. However, maintaining good housekeeping practices on site have been known to be challenging due to the rapid and complex nature of construction projects. In a research that was initiated to explore the question of 'why is housekeeping a continuing challenge in Lesotho construction?', the final outcome of site visits and observations revealed the classic phenomenon of the Hawthorne effect. Without deliberate or intentional 'interventionary' measures or demand for regulatory adherence, subsequent visits revealed a transformation in site practices specifically on housekeeping. The Hawthorne effect refers to the alteration of behaviour by the subjects of a study due to their awareness of being observed. This effect does not necessarily refer to positive or negative outcome. In this paper, the transformation that occurred with regard to the workers' practices is discussed critically in the context of this phenomenon. A key outcome of this discussion is whether housekeeping can be encouraged or improved using the notion of being observed. Finally, the ethical stance of carrying out overt or covert observations is deliberated

How the construction industry can improve the health and well-being of their workers in a post COVID-19 era

UK Construction industry employs 2.7m employees and can lead the economic recovery by adapting to the current crisis. It accounts for a 6.02% share of the GDP and was hit strongly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has revealed that construction workers are at an increased risk of suffering from mental health conditions and data shows that male construction workers are three times more likely to commit suicide than the average male in the UK. Job insecurity, long hours, time away from families, lack of support from organisations and late payments are all known to contribute to this crisis. This paper explores how the construction industry can improve the mental health of its work force in the post pandemic era and what measures organisations can take to tackle the mental health crisis that the industry is facing, and which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The research methodology used is a qualitative systematic literature review of published material including research journal papers, government and industry reports and articles that explore mental health challenges faced by the construction industry before and after the pandemic. The paper identifies the indicators of mental health and the existing initiatives currently operational within the construction sector and examines how mental health issues can be mainstreamed and be incorporated into construction industry policies and programmes to result in a healthy and balanced workforce

Impact of the ‘Contributing Factors in Construction Accidents’ (ConCA) model

In 2005 the ‘Contributing factors in Construction Accidents’ framework (ConCA) introduced a sociotechnical systems approach to risk management in construction. ConCA demonstrated the value of exploring distal factors and identifying underlying or latent causes: It promoted an understanding of construction accidents as systemic accidents and challenged an industry-wide culture of blaming frontline workers. A decade later the original article has been cited by research from 37 countries, shaping inquiries and initiatives to improve safety in both the UK and Australia. But to what extent has systems thinking infiltrated practitioners and policy-makers’ views? Despite broader views of contributing factors, many practitioners still view workers in a negative light, holding them responsible for accidents because of complacency, cynicism about safety, or a high-tolerance for risk. This paper evaluates the impact of the ConCA framework, updates it, and develops our understanding of the relationships between immediate circumstances and distal factors, as seen by an expert panel of participants (n = 32). A more in-depth ‘ConCA+’ framework is proposed. It challenges the negative perceptions of workers, and supports shifting the emphasis of risk management away from worker behaviors and towards resolving wider systemic issues. New directions are proposed which show how knowledge management, job design, technological innovation, empowerment and collaboration should be the focus of future work

Assessing Strategies For Improving The Social Security Of Construction Workers In Zimbabwe

Published ArticlePURPOSE OF RESEARCH: The aim of this research is to propose corporate social responsibility strategies that can improve social security of construction workers in Zimbabwe. METHOD: A questionnaire survey obtained perceptions from site/ project managers and skilled and semi-skilled workers from construction companies and thirteen building projects, respectively, in Harare, Bulawayo and Shurugwi. FINDINGS: Site and project managers prioritised training workers on effects and the need for minimisation of consumption of natural resources within the communities while the workers considered outplacement services, retraining and severance benefits as most essential to them. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS: Responses were generated from site/project managers who may not be owners of construction companies, but have considerable influence on ways to improve the productivity and welfare of workers. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The study encourages inclusive and well-resourced social responsibility programmes for construction workers. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The corporate social responsibility strategies identified will positively enhance the welfare of workers