Public–private partnerships as investment models for water infrastructure in South Africa

Developing countries, such as South Africa, have no choice but to look at innovative and/or alternative approaches, such as public–private partnerships (PPPs), as investment models, to ensure that they eliminate their water infrastructure backlogs. The primary objectives of this research were (a) to develop a PPP framework; (b) to identify PPP investment models for water infrastructure; and (c) to determine key categories, criteria and characteristics for cost-effective PPP investment models to ensure the sustainability of the water infrastructure value chain in South Africa. The framework for PPPs identified five broad categories of investment models for the water infrastructure value chain in South Africa. The research results highlight the aspects of PPPs in addressing (a) water infrastructure needs, (b) an implementation strategy for water infrastructure projects, (c) investment policies and (d) the eradication of water infrastructure backlogs. The total investment estimates in the past 20-year period (1998/1999–2019/2020) have been about US$48.36billion, with the public sector contributing about US$44.32 billion (91.64%) and the private sector only US$4.04 billion (8.36$2.75 billion/annum is available based on the current financial arrangements, leaving a financial gap of US$2.83 billion/annum in the water infrastructure value chain.https://www.icevirtuallibrary.comGraduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

The relationship between knowledge management practices and innovativeness : insights from petroleum firms in Nigeria

Determinants of firm innovativeness are said to be relatively understudied and little is written about firms from the oil industry within the context of African economies. This article attempts to fill that gap by investigating the impact of endogenous factors, particularly the impact of knowledge management practices (KMP) on the technological innovativeness of petroleum firms in Nigeria. Survey data collected from petroleum firms in Nigeria were used to examine the relationship between their technological innovativeness and the KMP engaged by the firms. Our analyses show that in the context of the study, KMP significantly impact the technological innovativeness of firms. The results were largely consistent with extant research on the role of knowledge management on the innovativeness of firms. Our findings provide valuable insights about knowledge as a strategic resource of the firm. Thus, undertaking the relevant KMP will enhance the technological innovativeness of petroleum firms operating in Nigeria.https://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-Journal,id=1332019-09-01hj2019Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Resilience is paramount for managing socio-technological systems during and post-Covid-19

The spread of the coronavirus concomitant with the Covid-19 disease highlights the interconnectedness between systems that serve humanity. These systems are typically portrayed in economic, ecology and environment, physical/technological, and socio-political contexts and maybe delineated in terms of the interconnectedness between these contexts. Any delineated socio-technological system represents an intriguing class of interconnected systems in the novel era of Society 5.0 concomitant with fourth industrial revolution. This article describes a framework and resiliency model for socio-technological systems plus an application of the lens of vulnerability and resilience to a case study energy systems enterprise. It is intriguing that the energy systems enterprise is usurping extant socio-economic robustness thereby undergoing an absorptive phase of resilience. The discourse complements existing body of literature on energy systems and society by emphasizing that the principles of vulnerability and resilience are paramount for sustainable management of socio-technological systems, and more so in a post-Covid-19 world.http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp/?punumber=46hj2021Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Technology adoption : a study on post-implementation perceptions and acceptance of computerised maintenance management systems

Information and communications systems are increasingly being used to capture, record, store, transmit and retrieve data to manage the maintenance of equipment and physical infrastructure. The justification for the costs incurred in implementing computerised information systems subsumes that acceptance of the associated technology by the users will provide the desired future benefits to the business organisation. The study assumes that the respective organisations were ready for the implied change, and thus applied the premise that perception influences acceptance to assess the implementation of computerised maintenance management software systems in a number of user organisations. Respondents to the study indicated that ease of use, usefulness and system characteristics were strongly dependent on the level of training of the user during the implementation of the computerised maintenance management software system, thus reiterating that user training influences perception which, in turn, influences user acceptance of technology. A model to predict user perception is developed based on data arising from respondent feedback.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/techsoc2016-11-30hb201

Proposed theoretical framework for development of a policy for IK management Nigeria

The global economic trends of this century have put the management of knowledge at a level never before seen in human history. While the scope of known science and engineering fields keep shrinking as a result of emerging new frontiers that occasion break-a ways and multi-disciplinary interests, knowledge management as a matter of necessity continues to be on the increase because old knowledge is never thrown away but improved upon to evolve better products and better ways of achieving set objectives. Most African economies have evolved over several millennia and it is interesting to note that the various ethnic nationalities in Africa have been able to overcome the challenges of extinction because of the rich pool of their indigenous knowledge (IK). Indeed, the nations of the continent can emerge as global players faster if efforts are made to better understand and exploit this knowledge pool. This paper looks at the opportunities in the rich IK pool of the Nigerian ethnic nationalities, the possibility of evolving the appropriate intellectual property inherent and proposes a model that will energize the profitable and proper management of IK in Nigeria.http://jetems.scholarlinkresearch.comam201

Disconnect between policy and practice in developing countries : e-waste management strategies in South Eastern Nigeria

Uncontrolled transboundary movements of hazardous waste, some of which declared as economic goods, have their final stop in developing countries. E-waste or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) represent a big amount of hazardous waste in Nigeria and other West African nations. This research concept was driven by the Pongrácz’s theory of waste management. The study examined WEEE management strategies in South Eastern Nigeria with a view to suggest appropriate implementable measures. The study used primary and secondary sources of data to assess the amount of WEEE generated and the factors affecting its generation and collection. The primary data were gathered through structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and observation. The secondary data were taken from documents, reports, and publications about WEEE waste in the study area. 280 questionnaires were given using purposive sampling technique to 200 consumers/end-users of WEEE, 40 officials of Monitoring/Control Agencies, and 40 entrepreneurs who deal, sell or refurbish e-waste in South Eastern Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted on senior/coordinating officers from the Monitoring and Control Agencies. Collected data were analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics.http://www.elsevier.com/ locate/wasman2018-06-30hj2017Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Socio-economic assessment of e-waste management in South Eastern Nigeria

In Nigeria the issue of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE or e-waste) is referred to its socio-economic benefits rather than its long-term environmental impact. In many Nations with sustainable policy frameworks for e-waste management, there are entirely new business opportunities evolving around trading, source reduction, reuse, recycling, repairs and recovery of materials from WEEE (Öko-Institut and Green, 2010). This article attempts to assess the socio-economic factors influencing the trend of WEEE generation and handling in South Eastern Nigeria.http://www.elsevier.com/ locate/wasman2018-06-30hj2017Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Disconnect between policy and practice in developing countries : evidence of managing e-waste from Nigeria.

There are insufficient management functions that begin with planning, institutional arrangements and technical handling of e-waste materials in Nigeria. Modern trends in recycling still fall short of global practices. This study examined Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management strategies in Southeastern Nigeria with a view to suggesting appropriate implementable measures. It used an investigative approach through questionnaire administration. Twenty local government areas were purposively selected from five mutually exclusive strata of states. Data from 36 government agencies/offices were analyzed using percentage and linear multiple regression. Results revealed that WEEE management strategies were inadequate. The study concluded that WEEE management strategies were inapt and poorly implemented. Regulatory bodies should therefore urgently embrace and adopt appropriate management strategies, conduct periodic inventories of WEEE types and quantity and encourage the set-up and enforcement of cutting edge standards for modern facilities designated for the disposal of e-waste materialshttp://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rajs20hj2020Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Legal Aspects of Engineering Asset Management

Immovable assets include engineered infrastructure such as buildings, manufacturing plant, roads and railways. These assets are built on land. In most jurisdictions, proposals to acquire and/or establish immovable assets on landed property must comply with several legislative provisions. In many instances, the acquisition and/or establishment of an immovable asset becomes embroiled in legal disputes between contending stakeholders asserting rights to ownership/custodianship of land. Such disputes add to the costs of capital development projects, mergers and acquisitions, and influence decisions as to where an asset intensive business venture can be located. Legislation not only provides the means to resolve ownership/custodianship rights but also, it stipulates legal imperatives for control and utilization of engineering assets on landed property. It is in this regard that this chapter presents some of the legal aspects of engineering asset management.Colleges of Economic and Management Science

Implications of Cadastral Systems on Engineering Asset Management

Fixed or immovable assets include engineered infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, electrical and water utilities, roads, railways, and manufacturing and processing plants. These assets are built on land that often have inalienable rights implications, and in most jurisdictions, proposals to acquire and/or establish fixed or immovable assets, or even to deploy and utilize certain classes of movable assets must comply with a multitude of legislative stipulations. For example, the development of land through the establishment of an immovable asset may be embroiled in legal disputes between contending stakeholders asserting inalienable and alienable rights to land titles. Such disputes add to the costs of capital development projects, as well as the cost of utilizing major assets, and influence decisions as to where an asset intensive business venture may be located. Legislation not only provides the means to resolve ownership/custodianship rights but also, it stipulates legal imperatives for control and utilization of engineering assets. It is in this regard that this paper discusses some of the implications of land registration and cadastral systems on the management of major engineering assets.Colleges of Economic and Management Science