Marketing Construction Business: Problems, Prospects and Strategies

Many construction enterprises still often fail to realize that marketing entails more than just playing with few  isolated promotional tools, such as distributing brochures, advertising, promotional  videos, which they often employ without following a structured marketing plan formulated in line with the organization’s aims and objectives. Such ad hoc approach to marketing in the construction industry has resulted in an uphill struggle with little to no success. This paper identifies the problems that has led to the ad hoc approach to marketing in the construction industry and examines the prospects for improving the situation. It discusses the strategies to be adopted to improve the effectiveness of implementing marketing in the management of construction business. The study adopts descriptive research design and the  use of literature review as a method to identify, summarize and synthesize extant literature on construction marketing  to show why the need exist for marketing in the management of construction business. The paper finds that gaps exist in existing construction marketing research knowledge in general and Ghana in particular. There is the need for scientific research which focuses on development of frameworks or models to guide the marketing of construction businesses in developing countries. Construction enterprise owners, construction marketing/management researchers, construction education curriculum developers and managers of construction business organizations will find this paper useful. Future research work must focus on developing construction industry specific frameworks or models   to guide the marketing of construction businesses

Sustainability Performance of Voided Concrete Slab Using Waste Plastic Bottles

The present study is aimed at investigating the cost assessment of incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; assessing the depth ratio vis-à-vis the cost reduction of incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; assessing the energy consumption and CO2 emission obtained by incorporating waste plastic bottles in the manufacture of voided concrete slabs; and evaluating the impact of the depth ratio on embodied energy consumption and CO2 emission. The study was conducted on five types of slab specimens made: (1) conventional solid slab specimens; (2) slab specimens incorporated with 5% air-filled plastic bottles; and (3) slab specimens incorporated with 10% air-filled plastic bottles. Slab specimens of size 1000×1000×150 mm thick incorporated with 0, 5, and 10% waste plastic bottles were considered for the analysis of sustainability with respect to cost, energy, and CO2 savings. As part of the findings, it was revealed that the incorporation of waste plastic bottles into concrete slabs results in a reduction in the cost and volume of concrete. Again, using recycled plastic bottles in the slabs saved money, but for each percentage of bottles used, additional materials (plastic bottles, chicken wire, etc.) and labour were needed, which added to the cost. It was also revealed that embodied energy and CO2 emissions decrease as the percentage of plastic bottles in the slab increases. The study has confirmed that the void slab made with plastic bottles is more sustainable than the traditional solid slab system when it comes to cost, energy use, and CO2emissions. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-11-09 Full Text: PD

Implications of Palm Kernel Shell-Filled Plastic Bottles on the Structural Behavior of Concrete Slab

The implications of palm kernel shell (PKS)-filled plastic bottles on the structural behaviour of concrete slabs were carried out by comparing the flexural performance of conventional solid concrete slabs to concrete slabs incorporated with plastic bottles filled with palm kernel shells and placed vertically, horizontally, and diagonally at the neutral axis of the slab as per Bubble Deck Slab technology. One-way slab specimens of size 700 × 300 × 150 mm thick were produced and subjected to a four-point flexural load test. Findings from the study indicated that: (1) The PKS-filled bottle slabs deflected more than the conventional solid slab, hence making them more flexible than the conventional slabs and, as such, giving the occupants enough time to evacuate. (2) The flexural strengths of the PKS-filled bottle slabs exceeded those of conventional slabs by 18.3% and 10.9%, respectively, for five and ten percentages of the volume of slab concrete occupied. (3) The condition of the PKS, either dry or saturated, coupled with the bottle arrangement (either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal), does not, however, cause any significant change to the performance of the PKS filled bottle slabs in terms of load carrying capacity, deflection, and strength. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-03-016 Full Text: PD

The Status of Marketing in Quantity Surveying Consultancy Firms

There is an increasing recognition that marketing plays an indispensable role in enhancement of the professionals’ performance and the growth of their businesses in the midst of competition resulting from changes that are occurring in the construction industry. However, little research considers the level of adoption and implementation of marketing in the management of professional service organisations operating in the built environment consulting industry. This paper reports on a study carried out to investigate the status of marketing in the operations of a Quantity Surveying Consultancy (QSC) business in Ghana. The result should assist management in self evaluating their performance. A questionnaire survey of QSC firms was undertaken to investigate their current practice in terms of marketing organisation, marketing policy and marketing strategies being pursued by the QSC firms. Findings show that no department exist in the firms that are solely responsible for marketing functions. Regarding marketing policy and strategy, varying views exist in the firms as no particular trend can be traced in the responses; there is therefore a need for better understanding of marketing and the ways by which it can be implemented to achieve intended results. Keywords: Quantity surveying, marketing, marketing strategy, marketing policy, Ghana

Explication of the need for developing Marketing Function of Professional Service Organizations

This paper examines and shows why developing the marketing function (MF) as a   management tool in Professional Service Organizations (PSO) is critical for the survival and growth of such organizations. It adopts the descriptive study design and employs the Contingency Theory Paradigm and a review of extant literature on construction marketing with focus on PSO, as a method to identify, summarize and synthesize to show the need for developing the marketing function of PSO operating in the built environment, especially the Quantity Surveying Consulting Firms (QSCF) in Ghana.  The paper shows that a means to cope in a changing business environment which is key for survival and growth of a firm requires development of the marketing function of the firm which will enhance the needed adaptability to the changing environment. Effectiveness of that depends on the appropriate matching of contingency factors with internal organizational designs that can allow appropriate responses to the environment, and that make marketing indispensable. The paper opens a new direction of construction marketing research which focuses on the benefits of marketing in managing a construction business. Keywords: Contingency Theory, marketing, Professional Service Organizations (PSO), Quantity Surveying

Push and Pull factors of Innovation Performance in Quantity Surveying Firms

Innovation has been defined as exploiting change as an opportunity. The enormity of changes experienced in the built environment such as changes in technology, changes in client desire due to variation in taste, aspirations and purchasing power, should therefore, provide the necessary stimulus for innovation. However, the built environment consulting industry rely heavily on “business as usual solution” rather than adopting innovative practices. The study uncovered specific factors affecting rate of innovation occurrence in Quantity Surveying Consulting Firms (QSCF). Specifically, this study investigates the factors that drives, enables or hinders innovation in QSCF. A questionnaire survey of 48 QSCF operating in the two largest cites in Ghana were reached for the study using snowball sampling technique. Findings revealed that the innovation performances of QSCF are affected by factors such as drivers, enables and barriers. The result should assist management in identifying relevant factors that can stimulate innovation for them to invest the needed effort. It highlights the barriers to innovation for the firms to find ways to manage their effect. Future research must focus on outcomes of innovation activities to derive management attention to the need to be innovative. Keywords: Innovation, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), quantity surveying

Palm Kernel Shells as a partial replacement for Sand in Sandcrate block production

The study explores and compares the properties of masonry blocks produced with palm kernel shell (PKS) as partial replacement to the traditional sandcrete blocks in an attempt to establish the percentage replacement of PKS that yields properties and characteristics that meets acceptable standards. After a review of relevant literatures, samples of materials required were collected and batched by weight to a mix proportion of (1:6). The PKS replacement varies from 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% with water cement ratio of 0.5. Total of 24 blocks were moulded, cured for 28days, subjected to various tests including water absorption, weight, density, and compressive strength. The water absorption test result indicates that up to 40% PKS replacement, the water absorption capacity of the block produced exceeds the minimum standard recommended by ASTM. The weight and density of the PKS block increases up to 10% PKS replacement, and furthermore reduces when the PKS exceeds 10%. With regard to strength test, it was revealed that, the compressive strength of the PKS blocks exceeds the minimum requirement of 2.8N/mm2 when the PKS replacement do not exceeds 40%. For blocks with PKS as partial replacement to meet standard specification, the PKS content should not exceed 40%. Further studies must focus on the factors that can effective the durability of blocks with KPS, and the socio-economic dimensions that impart on its acceptability as an alternative material to the conventional blocks

Marketing Construction Business: Problems, Prospects and Strategies

Many construction enterprises still often fail to realize that marketing entails more than just playing with few  isolated promotional tools, such as distributing brochures, advertising, promotional  videos, which they often employ without following a structured marketing plan formulated in line with the organization’s aims and objectives. Such ad hoc approach to marketing in the construction industry has resulted in an uphill struggle with little to no success. This paper identifies the problems that has led to the ad hoc approach to marketing in the construction industry and examines the prospects for improving the situation. It discusses the strategies to be adopted to improve the effectiveness of implementing marketing in the management of construction business. The study adopts descriptive research design and the  use of literature review as a method to identify, summarize and synthesize extant literature on construction marketing  to show why the need exist for marketing in the management of construction business. The paper finds that gaps exist in existing construction marketing research knowledge in general and Ghana in particular. There is the need for scientific research which focuses on development of frameworks or models to guide the marketing of construction businesses in developing countries. Construction enterprise owners, construction marketing/management researchers, construction education curriculum developers and managers of construction business organizations will find this paper useful. Future research work must focus on developing construction industry specific frameworks or models   to guide the marketing of construction businesses

Exploration of Waste Plastic Bottles Use in Construction

The vision of this study is geared towards the exploitation of waste plastic bottle use in construction. This review paper is centers on the recycling of waste plastic bottles as a construction material as an effort to help solve the housing deficit in most developing countries including Ghana and to save the depletion of natural resources construction materials. In Ghana, plastic wastes are discarded randomly after usage, hence scatter around in cities, choking drains, and end up threatening our ecosystem. These predominant effects from the plastic wastes have necessitated the need for countries precisely developing countries including Ghana to seek more sustainable methods to reduce the drastic amount of plastic wastes in the environment. In view of the above, this paper focused on the recycling of waste plastic bottles as a construction material as an effort to solve the housing deficit in most developing countries including Ghana and to save the depletion of natural resources construction materials (stones and sand) are very much critical. In the reviews, an effort has been made to utilize the waster plastic bottles in construction by filling the bottles with soil, sand, solid waste materials as brick or block bounded with mortar as a masonry wall or the filled bottles are used as a substitute for the production of the masonry unit production. In summary, it was concluded based on varying test result that: (1) Plastic waste bottles are cheaper to acquire than most conventional construction materials and as such concrete or brick containing any amount of plastic bottle is noted to reduce the total quantities of conventional materials required, thereby reducing the cost as well. (2) The use of plastic waste bottles in construction contributes to environmental friendliness and energy savings since buildings with walls constructed of plastic bottles maintains room temperatures and contribute to energy saving and the cost of providing an artificial thermal control system. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2020-03091616 Full Text: PD

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways