Work Stress among Professionals in the Building Construction Industry in Nigeria

This study was undertaken to identify key stress factors among professionals in the building construction industry in Nigeria. This is in view of the fact that to date, very little is known about work stress among professionals in the building construction industry in this country. The study involved the administration of a questionnaire to 107 professionals including architects, builders, civil/structural engineers and quantity surveyors randomly selected from 60 ongoing building projects in Anambra, Ogun and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and findings show that the principal sources of stress were high volume of work, uncomfortable site offices, lack of feedback on previous and ongoing building projects, and variations in the scope of work in ongoing building projects. The paper suggests that taking responsibility for work which one has adequate capacity to handle, establishing realistic budgets and time frames for project delivery, provision of spatially adequate, visually and thermally comfortable site offices, adoption of appropriate job design practices and education of professionals in stress management will reduce the incidence of stress among professionals in the building industry in Nigeria

In vitro Antimicrobial Screening on Anchomanes difformis (Blume) Engl. Leaves and Rhizomes Against Selected Pathogens of Public Health Importance

There is a need to establish scientific findings to many ethnobotanical uses of plants as phytotherapy which could find application in the pharmaceutical industry. Antimicrobial activity of Anchomanes difformis which is locally used in the treatment of diarrhea was investigated in this research. A. difformis leaf and rhizome were exhaustively extracted using ethanol, methanol and water as solvent in the ratio of 70:20:10. The antimicrobial activities were tested against pathogens of public health importance majorly the enterobacteriaceae and Candida albican. The zones of inhibitions ranged from 3-5 for rhizome extracts and 1-5 for leaf extracts at 100 l (0.1g/ml) MIC. The rhizome extracts contained phlebotannins, terpenoids and glycosides not found in leaf extracts while the leaf extracts contained steroids not found in rhizomes extracts among other phytochemicals present. Pseudomonas aeruginosa conferred resistance against the rhizome extract while Shigella flexneri conferred resistance against leaf extract. Differences in these observed susceptibility and resistance could be due to differences in their bioactive components. The rest of the organisms were found to be susceptible to both extracts showing that A. difformis had antimicrobial activity

Developmental Issues in Africa: "A Sustainable Development Process or A Process of Robbing Peter to Pay Paul" (The Nigerian Construction Industry Scenario)

The title of this pape1· is a question f01· which an answe1· is 1·equh-ed 01· demanded. It p1·e-supposes that in most Afl"ican countl"ies the1·e had been halting mthe1· than sustainable pmg1·ess. No wonde1· theref01·e that f01· many decades now, if not centudes, countl"ies in Afl"ica have 1·emained classified eithe1· as unde1·-developed, developing, thii·d wodd, name it, even afte1· many yeai"S of independence. This is not to say that in some instances both the political and economic decisions 01· policies had not been sound on some issues intended to 1·emove and 1·esist this derogato1·y tag but that in many other instances it has been mbbing Pete1· to pay Paul. Even when we have om· HEADS and HANDS full of IDEAS and TECHNOLOGIES locally developed 01· som-ced fmm those who gave us names we do not want to, 01· should not, answe1· 01· accept, yet we have ve1·y little to show. The question is why? This paper the1·ef01·e has tl"ied to look at the scenal"io in the Nigel"ia Consti·uction Industi·y to see whe1·e the industi·y has been hitting the ta1·gets in te1·m of development and whe1·e not f01· whateve1· 1·easons and to pmvoke thoughts and deep thoughts in the consti·uction industi·y and ueate awa1·eness in othe1· a1·eas by highlighting avenues fo1· b1·eakthmughs to 1·emove the yoke of unde1·development and, just may be fo1· once, be in cha1·ge of om· own destinies. P1·e-consti·uction, consti·uction and post-consti·uction phases of development all have ti·emendous impact on om· development and implementation pmgmmmes. This fact we often ign01·e, both as individuals 01· gove1·nment agencies as shall be seen in this essay. Ignomnce of this fact is ueating imbalances in om· development pmgmmmes amounting to mbbing Peter to pay Paul

BUILDING INFORMATICS NEURAL NETWORK AND REGRESSION HEURISTICS PROTOCOL FOR MAKING DECISIONS IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Building Informatics is a body of knowledge that uses the ICT computer system, digital systems, building information modeling, and state-of-the-art software in solving technical and management issues in building and construction fields. One of the modern methods used in data forecasting and modeling is Artificial Neural Networks, considering its advantage over traditional regression method. A data sample was taken of 1500 residential building projects’ completion costs. Regression analysis was carried out and model validated with functionality and Jackknife re-sampling technique. 150 Questionnaires were used to capture data on factors influencing application of heuristics protocol for decisions in residential building construction projects and data samples were analyzed using severity index, ranking, and simple percentages. Analysis of data brought up some factors that influence effective application of heuristic protocol in solving decision problems in construction decision process. The linearity analysis was carried out on the model and results indicated high level of tolerance and -0.0876 lowest variation prediction quotients to 0.9878 highest variation quotients. Also, 0.069 regression model fitness coefficient (R-square) was generated with 0.9878 highest variation quotients with standard error of 0.045. The results data attests to the stability of the model generated and the model is flexible in accommodating new data and variables, thus, allows for continuous updating

Characteristics of a Web-Based Integrated Material Planning and Control System for Construction Project Delivery

For over 40 years that information and communication technology has been integrated in the construction industry, the adoption and use of the internet has been relatively low and slow. The use of the internet for the Nigerian construction industry has been mainly used for communication rather than for many other things the platform has to offer. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of a web-based integrated material planning and control system for construction project delivery. The study used case diagrams and a MVC model in designing the platform for the web-based system. The study revealed that using a web-based system can have the characteristics of ensuring good inventory, good retrieval system, notifications and prompting system and a third party viewing for good over-sight of construction projects. The study recommended more innovative use of the internet for solving many challenges confronting the construction industry

IT Management of Building Materials’ Planning and Control Processes Using Web-Based Technologies

Mismanagement of building materials has constantly plagued the construction industry resulting in issues of cost overrun, delay, high levels of construction waste, wastefulness, project abandonment, climate change etc. The purpose of the research is to examine an IT management of building materials’ planning and control processes using web-based technologies. The study made use of a desktop review of literature and a case diagram to illustrate the various interactions involved in the use of an IT system. A framework of drivers and barriers that affect the use of web-based technologies in planning and control of building materials in order to be able to achieve IT management by Construction Managers and construction firm’s head office was developed. In conclusion, the study developed a framework of a web-based material planning and control system for construction project delivery that engenders openness, transparency and accountability in the management of building materials on construction sites

COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES OF INDIGENOUS CONSTRUCTION FIRMS

The Nigerian construction market is one of the most vibrant and largest in Africa. However, indigenous construction firms (ICFs) in Nigeria struggle to survive in a harsh business environment characterized by intense competition and relatively low profit margin. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore the competitive strategies adopted by ICFs in order to improve their competitiveness in spite of stiff competition. The study adopted a cross sectional survey research approach with the use of questionnaires. Seventy two (72) well-structured copies of the questionnaire were distributed to ICFs in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria based on convenient sampling technique. Data obtained was analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and Spear man’s rank correlation. The findings of the study showed quality in constructed facilities as the most significant competitive strategy of ICFs. The study also indicated a strong and positive correlation between the competitive strategies of quality, schedule and cost. Since tradeoffs in any of these three (quality, schedule and cost) basic project performance criteria can have a devastating impact on project performance, the study concludes that ICFs adopt innovative and inclusive competitive strategies that focus on quality while attempting to achieve on-schedule performance and cost reduction in construction operations

Nigerian Schizophrenia EEG Dataset (NSzED) Towards Data-Driven Psychiatry in Africa

This work has been carried out to improve the dearth of high-quality EEG datasets used for schizophrenia diagnostic tools development and studies from populations of developing and underdeveloped regions of the world. To this aim, the presented dataset contains international 10/20 system EEG recordings from West African subjects of Nigerian origin in restful states, mental arithmetic task execution states and while passively reacting to auditory stimuli, the first of its kind from the region and continent. The subjects are divided into patients and healthy controls and recorded from 37 patients and 22 healthy control subjects identified by the Mini International Schizophrenia Interview (MINI) and also assessed by the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS). All patients are admitted schizophrenia patients of the Mental Health Ward, Medical Outpatient Department of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC, Ile-Ife) and its subsidiary Wesley Guild Hospital Unit (OAUTHC, Ilesa). Controls are drawn from students and clinicians who volunteered to participate in the study at the Mental Health Ward of OAUTHC and the Wesley Guild Hospital Unit. This dataset is the first version of the Nigerian schizophrenia dataset (NSzED) and can be used by the neuroscience and computational psychiatry research community studying the diagnosis and prognosis of schizophrenia using the electroencephalogram signal modality.Comment: Manuscript being updated as more data-acquisition proceeds. Link to dataset will be added on next updat

Data on mixing and curing methods effects on the compressive strength of concrete

Curing, though important is sometimes underrated in concrete production. This dataset provided shows the effects of four (4) different methods of curing on two distinct mix ratios. The data provided in this article are for a study that was conducted on one hundred and sixty (160) cube samples of mix ratios 1:2:4 and 1:1.5:3 while employing four (4) different methods of curing. The data given in the article displays the finding of the study. The findings can aid in prediction and optimization of concrete behavior and compressive strength when any of the curing methods are utilized