Modelling Organisational Factors Influencing Sustainable Development Implementation Performance in Higher Education Institutions: An Interpretative Structural Modelling (ISM) Approach

open access articleGlobally, higher education institutions (HEIs) have continued to record varied sustainable development (SD) implementation performances. This variance has been attributed to the presence of certain organisational factors. Whereas previous studies have successfully identified the factors influencing the SD implementation performance in HEIs, few studies have attempted to explore the relationship between these factors and the influence of such a relationship on the management of SD implementation in HEIs. This is the objective of this study. Understandably, an understanding of such relationships will facilitate the development of appropriate frameworks for managing SD implementation in HEIs. Relying on a case study of a South African University of Technology (SAUoT), this study elicits data through a focus group discussion session. An interpretative structural modelling (ISM) focus group protocol indicating extant pair-wise relationships between identified organisational factor categories was extensively discussed. The emergent data was recorded, transcribed verbatim and subsequently analysed. The findings suggest that communication was critical to the prevalence of other factors, hence indicating its centrality to the effective management of SD implementation in HEIs. These findings will guide implementing agents in HEIs towards developing appropriate strategies for communicating SD implementation strategies

A viable infrastructure delivery systems model for achieving socio-economic benefits in the Nigerian oil and gas industry

In apparent realisation of the place of procurement in driving the implementation of socio-economic policies, successive governments across the globe are increasingly demanding more from suppliers as it pertains to the delivery of socio-economic benefits. This has resulted in a significant shift in what constitutes success in the respective projects which they commission; from factors related to the ‘iron triangle’ to contributions of the project to the growth of the local economy. Policies such as the Social Value Act, and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICDA) in the United Kingdom and Nigeria respectively readily come to mind. Judging by the plethora of literature bemoaning the prevailing high poverty and unemployment rates in developing and resource-rich countries such as Nigeria; it would appear that the implementation of such policies has failed to deliver the expected outcomes. This opinion is affirmed by several studies which point to the possibility of implementation failure in such countries. Surprisingly, none of these studies has made any attempt to explore the manner in which implementation is organised and governed. Obviously, the seeming absence of a veritable platform for implementation analysis constitutes an immense challenge to effective analysis. As a result of this, previous investigators appear to have failed to properly tackle this imbroglio from a holistic and systemic perspective. To bridge this gap, this qualitative study embarked upon an evaluation of the implementation process using the NOGICD Act as an exemplar. The failure of the nation’s economic sectors to achieve sufficient backward linkage with the oil and gas industry, as evidenced by the reported failure of local suppliers to gain entry into the supply chains of major infrastructure projects contributed to this choice. The Viable Systems and Temporary Multi-Organisations theoretical lenses were applied in the conceptualisation of the inherent complex interorganisational relationships thus resulting in the development of a Viable Infrastructure Delivery Systems Model (VIDM); a model premised on systemic and cybernetic principles. The VIDM was then applied in conceptualising and evaluating the extant interorganisational relationships within selected infrastructure delivery system case studies in Nigeria and the United Kingdom depicting the multi-case study nature of the study. A mixture of unstructured, semi-structured, and structured interviews were employed at various stages of the study. Also, policy and publicly available contract documents were explored. Subsequently, the emergent data was qualitatively analysed using pre-set themes, with NVivo software. The findings obtained were used to test various propositions on a within-case and cross-case basis. It was observed that the VIDM was better positioned to conceptualise and evaluate the various interorganisational interactions within infrastructure delivery systems and how they influence implementation success. Furthermore, the application of the VIDM within the selected cases enabled the discovery of various issues within the IDS capable of undermining successful implementation such as non-alignment of goals within the IDS, excessive government interference, lack of appropriate criteria for measurement of benefits and cognition-related issues. It is expected that the VIDM would be used by implementation advisors for conceptualising and evaluating interorganisational relationships during policy or strategy implementation cycles and/or for (re)designing implementation processes for viability within the Nigerian oil and gas industry

Exploring Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of The Green Campus Initiative In South African Higher Education Institutions

Published ArticleAlthough mixed performances have been documented in attempts by South African higher education institutions (HEIs) to integrate the ethos of sustainable development (SD) into their core activities, neglect of such integration in the management of built assets and spaces on their campuses has been observed. This prompted the introduction of the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) in South Africa in 2012, among other things. However, implementation performance of the GCI seems to be under-reported, hence the need for this study. The study explored the level of awareness, as well as the perceptions of stakeholders, of the success or otherwise of the GCI in their respective institutions. Adopting a case study research design, this study relied on semi-structured interviews. Interviewees were recruited through purposive snowballing at a selected HEI, which served as a case study. Data that accrued from these sources was analysed using the thematic analysis technique. The preliminary findings revealed a considerable level of awareness among the interviewed stakeholders. The interviewees also agreed regarding the potential of the concept to make a significant contribution to resolving the environmental challenges bedevilling the South African context. Impediments hindering successful implementation of the initiative were also identified. Findings from this study will contribute to a wider research project seeking to optimise GCI implementation performance in South African HEIs

Construction 4.0 and Circular Economy

Guest editoria

Reframing recycling behaviour through consumers' perceptions: an exploratory investigation.

Despite the increasing awareness of the consequences of waste, there is no consensus on how and why consumers engage in recycling, making it challenging to design behavioural interventions that might promote recycling, especially in organisational settings. This study is designed to explain consumers' recycling behaviour and how it differs across contexts, particularly between home and work settings. Using personal accounts of 367 employees from different organisations in the UK, this study explores recycling behaviour at home and work including its motivations and barriers. The findings show that recycling behaviour is different across contexts due to many disparate factors underlying people's waste generation and recycling behaviours from one context to another. According to the findings, buying and consumption behaviour and waste generation patterns influence the way consumers engage in recycling. The study further demonstrates that contextual factors and individual circumstances are important contributors to consumption behaviour, waste production, and recycling behaviour. While recycling behaviour has been investigated extensively, the findings of this study indicate the need for consumption and waste production patterns to be taken into consideration when designing recycling interventions, enhancing the prospect of a circular economy. This study contributes to theory and practice by associating recycling behaviour with buying and consumption behaviour, including waste generation patterns

Green business models transformation: evidence from the UK construction sector

Purpose – Sustainability has the potential to bring enormous benefits to our built environment. To release this potential, a change in business models is required. Green business models (GBMs) transformation is investigated by adopting five essential elements of green value creation and capture: Green Value proposition (GVP), Target Group (TG) Key Activities (KA), Key Resources (KR), and Financial Logic (FL). Design/methodology/approach – In this qualitative study, 19 semi-structured interviews are conducted. Interviewees were selected purposively. The emergent data is analysed with the aid of themes. Findings – It is observed that significant effort is being made towards enabling the transformation of certain elements pertinent to green value creation: KA and KR. This is particularly so when compared to other elements like GVP, TG, and FL. Implications –Findings from this study should encourage construction managers to align their extant BMs to green activities hence enabling new approaches to green value creation and capture. Furthermore, the study will aid in improving the environmental and economic positions of the value chain within the construction sector. Originality/value - This research is one of the few empirical academic works investigating GBMs in the construction sector

Review of Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Nature-Inspired Computing Models towards Accurate Detection of COVID-19 Pandemic Cases and Contact Tracing

ArticleThe emergence of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which was declared a pandemic has spread to 210 countries worldwide. It has had a significant impact on health systems and economic, educational and social facets of contemporary society. As the rate of transmission increases, various collaborative approaches among stakeholders to develop innovative means of screening, detecting and diagnosing COVID-19’s cases among human beings at a commensurate rate have evolved. Further, the utility of computing models associated with the fourth industrial revolution technologies in achieving the desired feat has been highlighted. However, there is a gap in terms of the accuracy of detection and prediction of COVID-19 cases and tracing contacts of infected persons. This paper presents a review of computing models that can be adopted to enhance the performance of detecting and predicting the COVID-19 pandemic cases. We focus on big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and nature-inspired computing (NIC) models that can be adopted in the current pandemic. The review suggested that artificial intelligence models have been used for the case detection of COVID-19. Similarly, big data platforms have also been applied for tracing contacts. However, the nature-inspired computing (NIC) models that have demonstrated good performance in feature selection of medical issues are yet to be explored for case detection and tracing of contacts in the current COVID-19 pandemic. This study holds salient implications for practitioners and researchers alike as it elucidates the potentials of NIC in the accurate detection of pandemic cases and optimized contact tracing

An Artefact for Improving the Delivery of Building Energy Retrofit Project in South Africa

ArticlePurpose – The built environment is well known for carbon emission and its impact especially as it pertains to existing buildings.This has culminated in an increasing need for a retrofit of such buildings.This study details the development of an artefact for improving the delivery of energy retrofit projects therein to curb these impacts. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilized a mixed method research design for data collection. In achieving this, data was collected in three different phases; (1) a pilot study; (2) a juxtaposition of desktop case studies, live case studies, focus group discussion forum and an expert survey; and (3) a questionnaire survey for the validation of the emergent artefact. Accordingly, the quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas qualitative content analysis was deployed for qualitative data. Findings – The findings enabled an identification of the elements of a building energy retrofit project (BERP) such as project initiation, building assessment, detailed energy survey, technical analysis and implementation plans of energy measures, monitoring and verification. Also, it provided the challenges and enablers associated with successful BERP. This information was subsequently utilized in the development and validation of an artefact for delivering successful BERP. Summarily, a set of guidelines comprising of seven stages for managing successful BERPs were elucidated. Practical implications – The validated artefact provides an adaptive and innovative route for achieving sustainability in retrofit trade. Originality/value – The study conceptualizes an artefact for improving the delivery of BERPs

A Bibliometric Analysis of Recycled Concrete Research (1978–2019)

ArticlePurpose – The use of recycled concrete (RC) can reduce the greenhouse emissions associated with the production of cement, which is one of the primary materials used for the execution of construction projects. This research aims to review the state of knowledge in the field of RC research. An understanding of the state of the art in the RC domain justifies future research in this field. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic and comprehensive search of RC-related literature was conducted using the Scopus database. In this research, the bibliometrix R-package was used for the analysis of bibliometric information of the selected papers. The software was used to create a map, which highlights the trends and gaps in the RC knowledge domain. Findings – The results reveal the research themes, clusters, collaboration networks and advancement of knowledge in the field of RC research. The study integrates the literature focussed on RC research and provides a platform for progression of knowledge in this field. Originality/value – The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge by providing an up-to-date RC knowledge map based on an analysis of bibliographic data. Information gleaned from previous studies suggests that bibliometric review can strengthen and complement the findings emerging from other forms of literature reviews. The study reported here is one of the first studies to provide insights into the evolution of RC research