Response of the Nigerian construction sector to economic shocks

The construction sector (CS) is an economic barometer that mirrors the state of the economy. Therefore, the construction sector is susceptible to economic impacts. This study investigated the impact of economic shocks (measured with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) on construction sector performance. The study used econometric methodology which involves several sequential procedure including unit root test, cointegration test, causality and exogeneity tests. The data used was the Annualized time series data about GDP and construction sector. The data were extracted from the United Nations Statistics Division  database based on the year 2010 US Dollars price over a forty seven (47) year period (1970-2016). The study found that the GDP significantly caused the construction sector output in all tests investigated. The study concluded that the construction sector significantly responded to economic shocks in both the short and long run. The study recommended that government should develop a policy framework that supports a concurrent development of the economy and the construction sector in Nigeria

Dimensions of Organisational Culture in Quantity Surveying Firms in Nigeria

The functionalist paradigm of organisational culture (OC) views culture as a variable subject to conscious manipulation and control in order to solve organisational challenges. Therefore, this paper provides information on how OC is a solution to the challenges in Quantity Surveying firms (QSFs).  This was achieved by eliciting the dimensions of OC in forty two QSFs in Lagos, Nigeria, which are the business, people and external environment dimensions. The paper concludes that OC is a relevant solution to the identity and management related challenges in QSFs. Specifically, the paper informs on the implications of business and people dimensions of OC as a solution to the identity challenges, as well as on the implication of the external environment dimension of OC to the management challenges. Based on the findings, practical implications and recommendations were directed at the management and employees QSs in QSFs and Quantity Surveying researchers

An Artificial Neural Network Approach to Predicting Most Applicable Post-Contract Cost Controlling Techniques in Construction Projects

ArticleThe post-contract phase of the construction process remains critical to cost management. Several techniques have been used to facilitate e ective cost management in this phase. However, the deployment of these techniques has not caused a reduction in the incidence of cost overruns hence casting doubts on their utility. The seeming underwhelming performance posted by these post-contract cost control techniques (PCCTs), has been traced to improper deployment by construction project managers (CPM) and quantity surveyors (QS). Utilizing the perspectives of CPM and QS professionals, as elicited through a survey, produced 135 samples. The instrumentality of the artificial neural networks (ANN) in this study enabled the development of a structured decision-support methodology for analysing the most appropriate PCCTs to be deployed to di erent construction process phases. Besides showcasing the utility of the emergent ANN-based decision support methodology, the study’s theoretical findings indicate that CPM and QS professionals influence decisions pertaining to PCCTs choice in distinct phases of the construction process. Whereas QS professionals were particularly responsible for the choice of PCCTs during the initial and mid-level phases, CPM professionals assumed responsibility for PCCTs selection during the construction process close-out phase. In construction cost management practice, the crucial PCCTs identifies more with the application of historical data and all cost monitoring approaches

Diversity Among Construction Professionals: A Study of Their Perception of Construction Site Management Practices

Introduction: This paper tests a proposition that there is no significant difference in construction professionals’ perception of construction site management practices in the construction industry. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide support, or otherwise to the diversity attribute of the construction industry. The construction industry is largely regarded as diverse; however, the industry also manifests signs of alignment especially on issues that tie construction professionals to project goals. One of such issues is construction site management, which when effective, leads to project success. Design: This paper adopts a survey research design where well-structured questionnaires were used in obtaining the perception of construction professionals (architects, civil engineers, builders and quantity surveyors) on their prioritisation of construction site management practices. The data obtained was subjected to empirical analysis that informed the findings. Findings: The research proposition is rejected. Significant difference exists in the construction professionals’ perception of construction site management practices in the construction industry. Value: The findings of this paper is valuable to tinkering the need for professionals’ interests and goal alignment in the construction industry Research Limitation/Implication: Interview case study could be deployed to complement the survey research design used. The singular survey design used is not however expected to undermine the findings owing to the comprehensiveness of the questionnaire designed and the scientific basis (objective-oriented) upon which the respondents were selected. Practical Implication: The paper informs on the non-unified interests that exist among professional service providers in the construction industry

Examining issues influencing green building technologies adoption : the United States green building experts' perspectives

Green building (GB) has been viewed as an effective means to implement environmental, economic, and social sustainability in the construction industry. For the adoption of GB technologies (GBTs) to continue to succeed and gain popularity, a better understanding of the key issues influencing its progress is crucial. While numerous studies have examined the issues influencing green innovations adoption in general, few have specifically done so in the context of GBTs. This study aims to investigate the underpinnings of GBTs adoption in the following areas: (1) the critical barriers inhibiting the adoption of GBTs, (2) major drivers for adopting GBTs, and (3) important strategies to promote GBTs adoption. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire survey was carried out with 33 GB experts from the United States. Ranking analysis was used to identify the significant issues associated with GBTs adoption. Resistance to change, a lack of knowledge and awareness, and higher cost have been the most critical barriers. The major drivers for adopting GBTs are greater energy- and water-efficiency, and company image and reputation. The analysis results also indicate that the most important strategies to promote the adoption of GBTs are financial and further market-based incentives, availability of better information on cost and benefits of GBTs, and green labelling and information dissemination. The findings provide a valuable reference for industry practitioners and researchers to deepen their understanding of the major issues that influence GB decision-making, and for policy makers aiming at promoting the adoption of GBTs in the construction industry to develop suitable policies and incentives. This study contributes to expanding the body of knowledge about the influences that hinder and those that foster GBTs implementation

Motivating project owners to increase their commitment towards improving the delivery performance of green building projects

This study provides an empirical support of how project owners' motivation can lead to increase in their commitment towards improving the delivery performance of green building projects, with focus on the Australian construction industry. The self-determination theory of motivation is used to explain project owners' motivation, and the relationship with owner commitment was examined using the structural equation modelling technique. In doing so, strategies for improving the delivering performance of green building projects are proposed, with an important implication for the design and implementation of government policies and programs for green building and related practices in the construction industry

Vulnerability of Motivation Schemes in Enhancing Site Workers Productivity for Construction Industry's Sustainability in Nigeria

The construction industry provides appreciable employment for the unskilled and semi-skilled labour considering the nature of most activities carried out on construction sites. However, the productivity of this categories of labour have trended poor overtime. This study therefore assessed the financial and non financial motivational schemes; in light of their preference to construction site workers so as to assure on their vulnerability in enhancing productivity. The data collected through the administration of questionnaires to construction site operatives were analysed using the relative importance index (RII). The research instrument was also legitimized with content validity index (CVI) for items ≥ 0.80 and cronbach alpha value, as a measure of internal consistency, ≥ 0.70. Allowances, wages stock option and bonuses are the financial motivators while delegation, independence and autonomy, facilities for transportation are the non financial motivations that are important to site workers on construction sites. Giving praises, encouragement to make contributions, free medical care, availability of relaxation centres and first aid provision are the motivation schemes that site operatives believed to enhance their productivity. This paper concludes that both financial and non financial motivational schemes are important to enhancing the productivity of operatives on construction sites. The vulnerable motivational schemes to the enhancement of productivity, as revealed in this study is recommended to the construction and subcontracting firms, foremen, clerk of works, site supervisors, site engineers and all other stakeholders in ensuring a maximum output for a unit input from site operatives

Simulating the Evolution Mechanism of Inner Innovation in Large-Scale Construction Enterprise with an Improved NK Model

The aim of this study is to simulate the self-organized evolution mechanism of inner innovation of large-scale construction enterprises (LSCE) under different contexts. Based on NK stochastic combinatorial optimization model with two parameters (N, K), this study proposes three modules—ambidexterity, punctuated equilibrium, and automation—to simulate the change behaviors of the inner innovation system. Furthermore, this study analyses the influence of factor correlation on inner innovation performance under discusses nine different combination situations. The research results show that (a) regardless of how the relationship strength changes, fitness increases with an increasing K value; and (b) the comparison of optimization modes show that the punctuated equilibrium mode can guarantee the long- and short-term inner innovation performance LSCE. This study therefore reveals the mutual effects of the factors in the inner innovation system in LSCE and provides an effective model for internal systems analyses in the construction industry and in other sectors

Green building incentives: A review

Green building incentives are important to promoting green building. However, it lacks a systematic review of existing knowledge. This paper aims to elicit the common themes in studies of green building incentives through a systematic review. It is found that the common research areas into green building incentives are incentive categorisation, its effectiveness on promoting green building development, criticism of current green incentive implementation and strategies for improving green building incentives. Green building incentives are categorised into external and internal incentives. The external incentive is a forced choice whereby beneficiaries are required to fulfil specified conditions or requirements before benefitting, while the internal incentive allows beneficiaries to be incentivised out of volition because of the appeal of the benefits of green buildings. The external incentives, which are largely provided by the government, are divided into financial and non-financial incentives. It is found that owners are more incentivised by non-financial incentives. In terms of effectiveness, both external and internal incentives are important instruments for promoting green building, although it is not clear which are the more effective. Furthermore, the review uncovered criticisms of external green building incentives, which mainly focus on shortcomings in administering the incentives by the government. The strategies for improving green building incentives were also found, the most important of these being the need for the government to redirect its approach of providing incentives so that owners can be encouraged to pursue green building. The review findings signify the importance of the government in relation to green building incentives. Further research areas that could expand the knowledge of green building incentives are also recommended

End-User Stakeholder Engagement in Refurbishment Design in Higher Education

The refurbishment of building facilities needs to incorporate end-user engagement to ensure refurbished building facilities outcomes that include user-responsive learning spaces and satisfy users’ learning needs. However, existing refurbishment design process frameworks neglect to show the engagement process. A new framework for engaging end users in the refurbishment design of building facilities in higher education is presented. A qualitative research methodology was employed to obtain and analyse interview data from twenty-one design team stakeholders involved in two cases of refurbished building facilities in higher education institutions in Australia and New Zealand. The findings revealed four core themes which indicate the context and phases in the refurbishment design process where end-user engagement should be taken seriously. They are the higher education context, early design, user engagement in the design process and post-design phases. In addition, the findings revealed six specific strategies for end-user engagement in the refurbishment design of building facilities in higher education institutions. They are identifying stakeholder value systems, capturing end-user needs, communicating and integrating. Others are the setting of engagement boundaries and surveying of end users. This study modified the project heartbeat originally developed by Stanford University in 2010 for the refurbishment design process in a higher education context. The new framework bridges the gaps in the current literature between stakeholder theory and refurbishment design, and, by incorporating the refurbishment design processes, the framework can be employed in wider education and other project contexts to facilitate the balanced involvement of end users