The enabling environment for artisanal dimension stone in Nairobi, Kenya

This study considered the enabling environment of artisanal dimension stone (i.e. blocks cut and shaped from natural rock using hand tools) for building in Nairobi, Kenya. It relied on the sociotechnical system theory to capture the forces (variables) that influence the business/enabling environment of the building material. The socio-technical perspective was necessary because hitherto existing literature had only considered the archi-technical, patho-technical, geotechnical, archaeo-technical and eco-technical perspectives. The study sought to explore the organizational structure of the construction industry in Kenya and profile the internal structure and the external environment of artisanal dimension stone producing units so as to identify and ascertain the socio-technical forces (variables) influencing the production and use of the stone. The study further sought to analyse the interrelationships among the identified forces in order to suggest adjustments to the enabling environment. The study applied PEST analysis techniques (including stakeholder and factor analyses) to characterise the enabling environment. The research took place in two main stages: exploratory and conclusive. The exploratory study involved the use of ethnographical methods (unstructured interviews and participant observation), analysis of secondary data and literature review so as to come up with theoretical propositions that further were tested conclusively through quantitative research using factor analysis. Data for factor analysis were obtained through structured interview conducted among relevant stakeholders of the building industry (i.e. stone producers, architects, quantity surveyors, contractors, and structural engineers) operating in Nairobi. The outputs of the study include: a profile of the business of the construction industry in Nairobi (Chapter 5), a profile of the internal structure and the external environment of artisanal stone producing units (Chapter 6) and a factor analytic model of the enabling environment of artisanal dimension stone (Chapter 7). Factor analysis that forms the conclusive part of the study has demonstrated that the enabling environment is relatively hostile. Further it has established the three levels of analysis proposed by Bertalanffy i.e. the number of system elements, the typology (variability) of system elements, and the interrelations among system elements. The study has also made certain policy recommendations in response to the hostile nature of the enabling environment: including the formation of an association by the producing unit, the formation of a marketing cooperative by the producing units and the cessation of blasting as a method of cutting rock

Artisanal materials for sustainable construction in developing countries

Sustainable construction is a major challenge to developing countries more so when it comes to the use of artisanal materials in the construction process. This review identifies and examines the challenges facing developing countries in this respect: environmental degradation, poverty, informal settlements, inappropriate regulatory mechanism, inappropriate technology, and neglect in research and development debates. It notes that research and development at local level is necessary for addressing the challenges posed by the use of artisanal materials from sustainable development point of view. Above all, it recommends research into the area of artisanal materials and sustainable construction

Factor analysis of the market environment for artisanal dimension stone in Nairobi, Kenya

Artisanal dimension stone (i.e., blocks cut and shaped from natural rock using hand tools) has attracted scholarly attention as part of the informal sector of the construction industry and as part of the productive enterprise of artisans. One of the areas that intrigue scholars in this respect is the market environment of the subject product. In Nairobi, for instance, researchers have adopted a qualitative approach to the study of the market environment of artisanal dimension stone. We build on the outcomes of previous studies to present a quantitative approach to the factors influencing the market environment of artisanal dimension stone in Kenya by developing the factors identified in the past studies into 24 measurable variables that are then subjected to factor analysis to identify and gauge the principal components. The analysis identifies five principal components that influence the market environment: a difficult marketing terrain, a general lack of specification by building professionals and formal developers, occasional specification by building professionals, a cumbersome stone procurement system, and advantages provided by the use of artisanal dimension stone in building. These include both negative and positive factors, although the negative forces tend to dominate, resulting in an inhibitive rather than a facilitative environment. Recommendations are made to address this situation, including recommendations for an association with Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM) (a mining advocacy organisation) or similar institution and the formation of a marketing cooperative by the producing units to help in the formalisation of their transactions

Factor Analysis Of The Market Environment For Artisanal Dimension Stone In Nairobi, Kenya

Artisanal dimension stone (i.e., blocks cut and shaped from natural rock using hand tools) has attracted scholarly attention as part of the informal sector of the construction industry and as part of the productive enterprise of artisans. One of the areas that intrigue scholars in this respect is the market environment of the subject product. In Nairobi, for instance, researchers have adopted a qualitative approach to the study of the market environment of artisanal dimension stone. We build on the outcomes of previous studies to present a quantitative approach to the factors influencing the market environment of artisanal dimension stone in Kenya by developing the factors identified in the past studies into 24 measurable variables that are then subjected to factor analysis to identify and gauge the principal components. The analysis identifies five principal components that influence the market environment: a difficult marketing terrain, a general lack of specification by building professionals and formal developers, occasional specification by building professionals, a cumbersome stone procurement system, and advantages provided by the use of artisanal dimension stone in building. These include both negative and positive factors, although the negative forces tend to dominate, resulting in an inhibitive rather than a facilitative environment. Recommendations are made to address this situation, including recommendations for an association with a mining advocacy organisation such as Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM) or similar institution and the formation of a marketing cooperative by the producing units to help in the formalisation of their transactions

The market environment for artisanal dimension stone in Nairobi, Kenya

This paper reports on a study involving the market environment for artisanal dimension stone in Nairobi, Kenya. Taking the point of view of exchange relationships within a market systems framework it maps out economic interactions involving actors in this market such as suppliers of raw materials, producers, marketers and users of artisanal dimension stone. This strategy enabled the study to understand the enabling environment for the production and use of artisanal dimension stone that is characterized by the following factors: a rising population that sustains the demand for the built environment products, a vibrant construction market, building regulations that favour the use of stone, availability of cheap and abundant unskilled labour and low standards of stone finish involved, availability of natural rock, a regulatory system that can compromise, lack of support by government institutions and an informal system of transaction that is non-compliant with conventional requirements such as labour and environmental laws but ensures ease of entry into the market environment. Such understanding brings potential for rectifying the negative perceptions about this market environment through policy development and change

Toward effective governance of water services in Kenya

Effective governance is regarded as essential for national water management frameworks. Many countries are therefore striving to institute effective governance in their water sector. Kenya is one country that has instituted such governance framework in the recent past. This article evaluates Kenya's water governance framework in the area of water services provision in line with the conventional principles of effective governance. The outcome of this evaluation is that the framework has strived to achieve a structure for effective governance but falls slightly short of it. Recommendations are therefore made to help fill the gap

The political ecology of water commercialisation in Kenya

Water is an essential commodity for human life. It is also a political and environmental good. The latter attribute makes it a suitable candidate for analysis in the context of political ecology. This is what this paper does for Kenya's transitory period of water reforms. This paper considers conceptual issues concerning political ecology before proceeding to the empirical analysis. At the empirical stage, it discusses the actors, their interests and actions in the reform process. In this case, the state emerges as a predominant actor whose interest is only to consolidate its ownership and control of water resources and infrastructure to the detriment of other actors and legitimate reform objectives such as service improvement, efficiency, sustainability, conservation and inclusiveness