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Introducing a novel decision support system to enhance performance in infrastructure sanitation projects within the construction industry Enhancing performance of sanitation projects
Abstract
Purpose-This study focused on exploring the performance factors (PFs) that impact Infrastructure Sanitation Projects (ISSPs) in the construction sector. The aim was twofold: firstly, to identify these crucial PFs and secondly, to develop a robust performance model capable of effectively measuring and assessing the intricate interdependencies and correlations within ISSPs. By achieving these objectives, the study aimed to provide valuable insights into and tools for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of sanitation projects in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach-To achieve the study's aim, the methodology for identifying the PFs for ISSPs involved several steps: extensive literature review, interviews with Egyptian industry experts, a questionnaire survey targeting industry practitioners and an analysis using the Relative Importance Index (RII), Pareto principle and analytic network process (ANP). The RII ranked factor importance, and Pareto identified the top 20% for ANP, which determined connections and interdependencies among these factors. Findings-The literature review identified 36 PFs, and an additional 13 were uncovered during interviews. The highest-ranked PF is PF5, while PF19 is the lowest-ranked. Pareto principle selected 11 PFs, representing the top 20% of factors. The ANP model produced an application for measuring ISSP effectiveness, validated through two case studies. Application results were 92.25% and 91.48%, compared to actual results of 95.77% and 97.37%, indicating its effectiveness and accuracy, respectively. Originality/value-This study addresses a significant knowledge gap by identifying the critical PFs that influence ISSPs within the construction industry. Subsequently, it constructs a novel performance model, resulting in the development of a practical computer application aimed at measuring and evaluating the performance of these projects.
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This study introduces a pioneering structural equation modeling (SEM)-based framework to assess BIM-DT adoption readiness in sustainable construction. The research’s approach delves into the intricate correlation between key success factors (KSFs) and sustainable parameters (SPs), fostering BIM-DT deployment. This interdisciplinary perspective provides a holistic understanding of the impact of KSFs on BIM-DT adoption. The research aims to identify KSFs and parameters, prioritize their relative weights for BIM-DT implementation, analyze KSFs and SPs correlations, and offer practical insights into the findings. The results revealed the importance of sustainability considerations in BIM-DT adoption, with cost optimization and resource management playing pivotal roles. The findings also revealed that the readiness of the organization to adopt the technology, availability of technology operators, availability of standards and codes for the new technology, availability of knowledge, skills, and competencies to adopt the technology, and availability of funds and financial investment are the top-ranked KSFs contributing to the successful adoption of BIM-DT.
The use of modular construction (MC) is well-established in developed countries and is known to promote sustainability. However, MC is not widely utilised in developing countries. To address this issue, a study was conducted to identify enablers that can increase the adoption of MC in developing countries, specifically for residential projects. A survey was conducted to determine the relative value of 21 enablers that boost the adoption of MC. The data collected was analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which classified the enablers into four main components: Optimization, Planning and Management, Preparation, and Promotion and Improvement. Then, Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation (FSE) was employed to rank these four components, where it was found that "Optimization" is the top performing component while " Promotion and Improvement " is the least performing component. The study's results provide a roadmap for the Egyptian construction industry to adopt MC, which can improve the construction sector, particularly in residential construction. Additionally, the findings of this research help fill a gap in knowledge about the enablers that can enhance the use of MC in developing countries.
When building homes, sustainability principles should be followed throughout the process
to achieve maximum advantages. Building information modeling (BIM) activities can aid in achieving
sustainable goals. Third-world countries’ building industry implements informal approaches to
information dissemination through email newsletters and websites. This research seeks to provide
a model for the application of BIM and its relationship with overall sustainable success (OSS) in building projects. BIM activities were identified from the literature, and a survey form was distributed to 180 professionals in the Egyptian construction industry. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to establish the structure of BIM activities and assess their correlation with project success, revealing BIM accounts for 30% of sustainability. The study’s findings inform decision-making to improve project sustainability and reduce costs by introducing BIM to developing countries’ construction industries.
The construction sector is one of the largest sectors globally as it has a positive impact on the countries’ economies. In the past few years, buyers and investors have shown interest in the prefabricated homes industry. Modular construction (MC) is a technique of manufacturing volumetric three-dimensional (3D) fully finished modules at offsite facilities and then transporting them to the construction site for installation. MC in Egypt is currently implemented only in infrastructure projects; however, it is still not widely implemented in residential projects. According to different researchers, MC’s application in construction projects has significant benefits regarding sustainability, time, cost, and quality assurance. Unfortunately, the introduction of MC in the construction industry has multiple barriers that face its implementation, such as attitudinal barriers, knowledge barriers, technical barriers, and financial barriers. Fortunately, those barriers can be tackled through enablers that facilitate the accomplishment of the adoption of MC in residential projects in Egypt. Therefore, this paper, through a comprehensive review of recent research papers and technical and governmental reports, aims to: (1) identify the current scale of MC implementation in residential projects in Egypt; (2) explore the main benefits and barriers of implementing MC in residential projects in Egypt to promote its adoption in favour of Egypt’s vision 2030; and (3) investigate the enablers that can overcome the barriers and facilitate MC adoption in residential projects in Egypt. Findings from this study are expected to be beneficial to local and central governments, academics, construction industry practitioners, and policymakers contending with a sustainable Egyptian construction sector.KeywordsModular constructionSustainable constructionBenefitsBarriersEgyptOffsite construction
The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era also known as digital age is central to the
advancement of the construction industry as the industry is currently facing a myriad of challenges,
including poor productivity and project failure. Therefore, there is an urgent need for industry
to adopt 4IR innovations to increase the building business’s performance. The study explored
the relationship between the critical barriers to 4IR innovations to foster sustainable development.
The study embraced a numerical exploration approach which employed a questionnaire to obtain
information from building industry experts. The questionnaire data were used to classify the 4IR
barriers into policy and structure, readiness, and acquisition, using Exploratory Factor Analysis
(EFA). Likewise, a predictive model was developed using Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least
Square (SEM-PLS). It explained the relationship between the barrier categories and the barriers to 4IR
innovation adoption for sustainable development. The results showed that policy and structure were
critical components of 4IR adoption that the stakeholders of the construction industry must pay close
attention to. The study also provided valuable areas for future research to enhance 4IR innovation
adoption for sustainable development.
Sustainable construction practices should be integrated at every stage of the development process for optimum benefit, without compromising the structure's intended use. Incorporating green building principles into home construction projects requires substantial investments, which may represent a barrier to overcome. When trying to fix a problem in a developing country such as Ghana (where resources are limited), it is important to first focus on eliminating the impediments. Thus, this article will attempt to identify and assess sustainability implementation barriers of residential building projects in Ghana. Consequently, the barriers to sustainability implementation were identified in previous studies. After that, a questionnaire survey was conducted among construction firms in Ghana. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results showed that the barriers to implementing sustainability could be categorized under four main groups (management, standards, society and knowledge). Additionally, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to assess the linkages between each categorization barrier and sustainability implementation. The results from PLS-SEM showed that management-related barriers are the most significant barriers affecting substantiality implementation. The findings of this study will serve as a roadmap for policymakers in Ghana's construction sector as they work to implement sustainability parameters to save costs and improve the environmental ecosystem and social cohesion in residential buildings.
Cost overrun risks are declared to be dynamic and interdependent. Ignoring the relationship between cost overrun risks during the risk assessment process is one of the primary reasons construction projects go over budget. Conversely, recent studies have failed to account for potential interrelationships between risk factors in their machine learning (ML) models. Additionally, the presented ML models are not interpretable. Thus, this study contributes to the entire ML process using a Bayesian network (BN) classifier model by considering the possible interactions between predictors, which are cost overrun risks, to predict cost overrun and assess cost overrun risks. Furthermore , this study compared the BN classifier model's performance accuracy to that of the Naive Bayes (NB) and decision tree (DT) models to determine the effect of considering possible correlations between cost overrun risks on prediction accuracy. Moreover, the most critical risks and their relationships are identified by interpreting the learned BN model. The results indicated that the 18 BN models demonstrated an average prediction accuracy of 78.86%, significantly higher than the NB and DT. The present study identified the most significant risks as an increase in the cost of materials, lack of knowledge and experience among human resources, and inflation.
Aim: This study identifies factors that influence construction project performance, evaluated the factors and examined the impact of these factors with a view to help owners, consultants, and contractors overcome performance problems and improve construction project performance and recommend modalities for enhancing the effective implementation of construction project objectives. Study Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was adopted in this study. Place and Duration of Study: Purposive sampling technique was used to elicit 100 copies of questionnaires from contractors, architects, clients, engineers and builders in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria between June 2019 and April 2022. Results: The data was analysed using frequency, percentile, and relative importance index (RII) to rank factors. The results show that the top three cost-factors affecting project performance are escalation of material prices, design changes, and discrepancies in contract documents; the top three time-factors that affect project performance are: non-availability of resources as planned throughout project, slow decision making and time required to implement variation orders; the top three quality-factors affecting project performance are the availability of experienced and qualified personnel, deficiencies in coordination and lack of managers involvement in decision making. The study also revealed that, the top three factors for “others” category of factors that influence project performance are frequent staff development; good staff motivation and staff attitudes on the project. Finally, the study revealed the top three modalities to ensure effective project performance: frequent progress reviews; comprehensive contract management and dedicated leadership and management. Conclusion: The paper shows among others that the factors affecting project performance are rising material prices, design changes, discrepancies in contract documents and slow resource availability as planned throughout the project. To ensure effective implementation of construction project objectives in the industry the study recommends among other things that stakeholders need to have a clear mission and vision to formulate, implement and evaluate their performance. Also, regular progress reviews should be carried out to ensure that clear decisions are made timely to ensure construction process proceeds as planned.
The construction sector is considered as one of the largest and most important sector in many countries of the world. This research aims to determine the most important performance indicators to evaluate the performance of construction companies from the perspective of owners and consultants. To achieve the aim of this study a total of 107 questionnaires were distributed to owners such as ministries, municipalities, and non-governmental institutions in addition to consulting offices that supervised the implementation of a number of construction projects in Gaza Strip. The collected data was analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) IBM version 22. The results of this research showed that the most important indicators for evaluating the performance of construction firms in Gaza Strip are, the time needed for construction works, compliance with technical specifications, quality of workmanship, the overall time for completion of all project work, acceptable quality, overall cost, time to prepare shop drawings, understanding the work, cost for construction works, and the availability of quality control system. This study may help in the future to set a comprehensive framework for evaluating the performance of construction companies that may serve as a benchmark against the competitors in this field, identifying weaknesses and addressing them, and developing strengths in order to continuously improve performance to achieve the optimal performance in order to satisfy the customer expectations and achieve desired results.
The formwork system (FWS) in reinforced concrete (RC) construction is a critical component. The appropriate FWS is selected based on a number of conflicting and compromising criteria, and the selection of the FWS is carried out by construction professionals with different technical and/or administrative backgrounds. The perspectives and perceptions of construction professionals and companies involved in the FWS selection process may vary depending on their motives. In addition, some building structural parameters may have a significant impact on the FWS selection criteria. Most of the former studies investigated the FWS selection criteria from only the perspective of contractors and neglected the potential differences in the perspectives and perceptions of different construction professionals (i.e., owners (CO), project managers (PM), construction managers (CM), site engineers (SE), planning engineers (PL), procurement engineers (PR), technical office engineers (TO), and formwork design and/or formwork sales engineers (FD/FSL)) and companies specialized in different fields (i.e., project management service (PMS), engineering and design (ENG/DSG), formwork and scaffolding (FW/SCF), and general and/or subcontractor (GC/SC)) regarding this issue. Moreover, the impact of building structural parameters on the FWS selection criteria has not been investigated. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap through analysing the FWS selection criteria for building construction projects while comparing the perspectives and perceptions of different groups of construction professionals and companies and investigating how FWS selection criteria are affected by the building structural parameters. Based on a comprehensive literature review, 35 FWS selection criteria were identified and a questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire data obtained from 222 Turkish construction professionals were statistically analysed using mean score analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. According to the study's findings, the FD/FSL group presented significant statistical differences regarding the FWS selection criteria as compared to the CO, PM/CM/SE, and PL/PR/TO groups. Moreover, the total area of building construction and total building height significantly affected the FWS selection criteria. This study serves to underscore the perspectives of various groups of construction professionals and the critical connection between the structural parameters and FWS selection criteria. The findings of this study may guide construction professionals to select the appropriate FWS for their building construction projects.
The lack of skilled artisan is a big problem for the construction industry in India. The disadvantage is the consequence of the lack of a structured training program focused on skills within the country's education system. Furthermore, the industry thinks that workers must learn while they work. The performance of artisan is one of the key aspects of productivity that requires adequate attention to the efficient implementation of projects in the construction sector.Improving the skill, efficiency is the most difficult problem in both developed and developing countries. Construction projects are affected by many problems, such as costs, time, quality, safety, etc. Today, the competitive environment of construction forces in construction companies to increase their productivity values to maintain their position in the sector. Therefore, the identification and analysis of the factors that influence the lack of skills in construction becomes a crucial issue. This research aims to identify the factors that influence the lack of skills in construction. The questionnaire was designed based on the research method that will be used after the analysis of the literature and the identification of various factors that influence the lack of skills in construction.Data Analysis through excel software has been carried out. Also, all the factors affecting the skill shortage were classified using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Analysis has been carried out by the pairwise comparison of each factor and criteria for the overall response from stakeholders. After analyzing the data in the questionnaire, the rank was assigned based on the relative importance.
Municipalities are considered among the most critical governmental institutions. They represent the local administration in any country and are in direct contact with citizens and stakeholders. They implement service and development projects in their related areas. This study aimed to investigate the causes for delaying projects in Zarqa Municipality as a case study, where a sample was chosen. A survey of personal interviews of 45 people representing government agencies, contractors, clients, and consultants, who were asked about the reasons for the delay was suggested by Odeh and Battaineh (2002). Respondents identified a group of the most important reasons for delaying projects, the most prominent of which are: Finance and payments of completed work, Inadequate contractor experience, Change orders, Mistakes and discrepancies in the contract document. This study reveals the decisive factors for delay facing the Jordanian municipalities in general, particularly the Zarqa municipality. The study presented a set of proposals to avoid these obstacles in the future.
The phenomenon of poor environmental sanitation, which is a global challenge, but most so in developing countries, requires that the solution to it be both conceptually and theoretically sound and clear enough for translation into practice. The purpose of this paper was to develop a theory-anchored conceptual framework to guide Environmental Sanitation Management (ESM) in developing countries. Data were obtained from scholarly databases such as Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar as well as grey literature through predetermined material selection and screening processes, and analysed qualitatively using the narrative, configurative synthesis approach. The review revealed that, among the key conceptual issues in ESM are environmental sanitation education (software), regulation (software) and infrastructure (hardware), which are managed by the government and private sector stakeholders, using various frameworks. However, while the existing frameworks recognise important concepts and variables, the frameworks are unclear regarding the theories underpinning the concepts and the relationships among the variables, thus, making it difficult for one to establish the synergies among the issues to be translated into practice. Arguing that inadequate application of systems thinking, participatory processes and behavioural change mechanisms is the key missing link in the previous ESM frameworks, a theory-anchored ESM framework is developed to fill this gap. It is recommended that conceptualisation and implementation of ESM programmes in developing countries be driven by a framework of hardware and software solutions that are underpinned by the systems, behavioural change and participation theories in order to comprehensively address the complexities of ESM in developing countries for sustainable development.
Green buildings are a crucial environmentally friendly component for sustainable human habitation and for the preservation of a healthy ecosystem. This study proposes a novel hybrid model to explore the influential relationship of various indicators and their importance for a green building evaluation system. First, a green building index system is established based on a review of recent literature on green building evaluation systems. Then, the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique is utilized to determine the influential relationship among the criteria. Finally, a novel best worst method (BWM)-based analytic network process (ANP) model is applied to determine the influential weight of the criteria. The result indicated that the top five ranked criteria are all classified within the two dimensions of waste reduction and energy saving. An empirical case study of an example in Taiwan is carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Management implications are also provided.
The purpose of this paper is to propose a data-driven approach for preparation of Construction Labour
Productivity (CLP) models from influencing labour factors. Two state-of-art machine learning-based classifiers, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) were used for modelling CLP. The results indicate that the advanced machine learning methods can be used to achieve high accuracy in prediction of CLP. The present study can also be helpful for researchers and industry practitioners to understand how machine learning methods can be employed to learn more about productivity in construction and eventually improve the standards of construction labour productivity in Malaysia.
The construction industry has been dealing with numerous issues in order to achieve the projects’ objectives. Hence, caused most projects to suffer low performance, particularly in terms of cost and time overrun and poor quality level. Regarding this matter, the last decade has shown a frequent failure of projects which clearly describes the need for a systematic investigation of the coordination process effects on the performance of the project. The study investigates the impression of coordination factors on projects performance by adopting structural equation modeling (SEM) technique via fit indices and standardised paths. In current research case data were obtained from a questionnaire distributed among owners/developers, contractors, and consultants. A theoretical structural equation model was developed to signify the effect of five main latent variables on project performance. The outcomes showed that projects with high performance have better coordination efficiency. Whereas, planning and scheduling factors (PSF) group is the highest significant group that had a great influence on performance, while records and documentation factors (RDF) group obtained the second important score. Overall, the outcome of this study is expected to contribute to the construction management efforts, particularly in addressing the root causes of poor performance and improving projects success.
Project management team always aims for successful outcome of construction projects. Time, cost and quality are performance areas which most of the researchers have acknowledged. However, there are other performance areas which are important in modern project management. The aim of the paper is to determine performance areas affecting the Indian construction industry. A comprehensive literature review was deployed to finalize a list of performance areas that affect project performance. A survey instrument was developed to gather data on the perception of industry professionals on the identified areas. The data collected was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The results revealed 10 performance areas for project performance namely, customer relation, safety, schedule, cost, quality, productivity, finance, communication and collaboration, environment and stakeholder satisfaction. The validity of all performance areas was established by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using partial least square test-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results of this paper can serve as guidelines in the field of construction management towards improving project performance.
The construction industry is one of the largest industries in India. But the majority of the construction projects have suffered from delays. Lower than expected labour productivity has been a frequent cause of delay in construction projects. Although measuring labour productivity is easy and straightforward, controlling it is often not so. This study makes an attempt at identifying top factors that influence labour productivity. The uniqueness of this research is that it is one of the very few attempts in capturing the perception of construction workmen directly, instead of managers or supervisors. The results should be useful for construction project managers in improving labour productivity at their sites. A survey of construction workmen has been conducted to gauge their perception of what influences their efficiency at work. The factors identified this way were ranked using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method from the level of importance assigned by the respondents on a 0–3 scale. Furthermore, a survey of managing engineers, who are involved directly with construction labour in producing construction works, has been used to identify the measures to improve labour productivity at the site. These factors were also ranked based on their effectiveness rated by the participants of the survey using RII. These measures identified in the second phase of the study were mapped with the factors they mitigate. These results should assist project management teams to extract the optimum amount of work from construction labour. They can use the measures recommended in this study proactively to keep productivity at optimum levels and also identify the early signs of deteriorating productivity.
Iraqi construction projects suffer from complex issues and several problems. It is rarely to find construction project in Iraq implemented with the schedule cost, schedule time and required quality due to the poor management and absence of adequate performance measurements. Traditional performance measurements such as cost, time and quality are not acceptable in the recent complex working environment. The aim of this research is to find factors affecting performance of Iraqi construction projects and ranking them according to the perspective of three construction project parties (owners, consultants, contractors). Literature review about performance was executed and interviews with a number of experts in the field of Iraqi construction environment were held. Consequently, a questionnaire was designed, consists of 69 factors affecting performance of Iraqi construction projects. These factors categorise into nine items. Field survey was carried out to rank these factors from the owner, consultant and contractor perspectives using relative importance index (RII). The total numbers of distributed questionnaires are 125 forms, representing 35 for owners, 33 for consultants and 57 for contractors. The survey findings specify that performance factors related to contractor, consultant and resources are ranked in the first, second and third position with overall RII equal to 83.7, 82.9 and 79.9, respectively.
ABSTRACT: Determining criteria weights is a problem that arises frequently in many multi-criteria decision-making
(MCDM) techniques. Taking into account the fact that the weights of criteria can significantly influence the outcome
of the decision-making process, it is important to pay particular attention to the objectivity factors of criteria weights.
This paper provides an overview of different weighting methods applicable to multi-criteria optimization techniques.
There are a lot of concept been reported from the literature that are very useful in solving multicriteria problems. The
present work emphasized on the use of these weighting methods in determining the criteria preference of each criterion
to bring about desirable properties and in order to establish and satisfy a multiple measure of performance across all
the criteria selected by identifying the best options possible. And from the results, it shows that subjective weighting
methods are easy and straight forward in terms of their computations than the objective weighting methods which
derived their information from each criterion by adopting a mathematical function to determine the weights without
the decision-maker’s input,. This can be seen from the pairwise comparison which gives an internal storage and random
access memory of a smart phone a weight value of 0.33 and 0.22 respectively as they have the highest criteria weights.
Delivering green construction (GC) projects is not an easy task for inefficient or inexperienced contractor due to added requirements. This paper conceptualizes firm strategies in delivering green projects by focusing on enhancing firm resources. Journal articles with keywords such as ‘green construction’, ‘green project’, ‘sustainable construction’, ‘resources and capabilities’, ‘contractor strategies’, and so forth in the title, abstract or keywords of the publications were reviewed. Articles published from 2000 to 2018 in Scopus database were selected. The current literature on firm resources mainly focused on four assets (personal, financial, technological and organizational) and four capabilities (technical, innovative, managerial competency and collaborative). These assets and capabilities are necessary for contractor firms to survive in the industry. Capitalizing on these resources, this paper proposes seven strategies: human resource strategy, innovation strategy, financial strategy, smart collaboration strategy, environmental pro-activeness strategy, management enhancement strategy and information and communication strategy, for contractor to effectively deliver green project. Using Resource Based View (RBV) and Resource Mobilisation Theory (RMT), a conceptual framework is produced connecting firm resources and Resource Mobilisation Strategies (RMS). This paper shall benefit contractors and academician as it extended the knowledge on firms’ resources and recommend ways to strategize green delivery.
Construction industry facing many challenges with respect to difficulties associated with time and productivity. Productivity is mainly dependent on labour effort and performance. The main objective of this study was to measure productivity and identifying the factors affecting labour productivity. The present study was carried out in the precast construction project. The first phase of the study comprises of the labour productivity measurements; productivity measurement was performed by practical observation of the finishing trades. The second phase of the study comprises of the questionnaire survey to identify the factors affecting labour productivity in building construction; Total 30 questionnaires were distributed to the project personals involves client's, contractors and consultants of different construction companies. The relative importance index technique was used to rank the questionnaire response. The results of this study recommended that construction companies have to conduct labour productivity measurements in their projects to improve labour productivity. It is important to adopt the motivational system, safety programs, schedule for procurement of materials, frequent meeting with project professionals and use project scheduling techniques etc. are discussed to enhance the labour productivity in construction projects.
Medium and large local contractors in the Nigerian construction industry suffer from numerous problems and complex issues in regards to their performance in executing projects, particularly cost, time and quality. This paper is to identify the factors affecting the performance of medium and large local contractors in the Jigawa state Nigerian construction industry. Literature about medium and large local contractors, their performance was reviewed to identify the factors believed to affect their performance in executing construction projects. One hundred thirty-six questionnaires distributed to clients, consultants, medium and large local contractors. The findings indicate that all the respondents agree that the most significant factors affecting the performance of medium and large local contractors in the Jigawa state Nigerian construction industry were corruption, the time taken in payment from the client to contractor, additional work given during construction, used of an unskilled labour force and non-adherence to specification. This paper helps to expand the pool of knowledge to the Nigerian contractors regarding essential element that is needed to be observed in order to improve their performance.
The aim of this research is to develop a systematic approach to identify and prioritize the most influencing factors on labor productivity in a construction project, with respect to their interrelations, and also investigate different scenarios which can affect it. In the first step, factors influencing construction labor productivity were identified through reviewing previous researches. Applying a group of experts, the most important factors were then determined using their relative importance index in the second step. In the third step, the interrelations among factors were determined through several sessions and interviewing those experts. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed methodology is proved by implementing in a real high rise building construction project. In this step, the selected factors from previous steps were used subsequently for analyzing their impact on labor productivity through fuzzy fault tree analysis. The probability of occurrence of events was determined according to the opinions of four members of the project management team who involved in that project. The most critical causes were also identified using importance analysis. It is believed that using the proposed methodology, appropriate response strategies could be adopted against the identified critical events to enhance the overall productivity of a construction project.
Purpose-Construction labor productivity in bridges of great interest to practitioners and researchers because it affects project cost and time overrun. This paper evaluates and ranks the importance, frequency and severity of project delay factors that affect the construction labor productivity for construction of Pre-stressed concrete bridges. Design/erection / methodology: A total of 50 respondents consisting of owners contractors, and consulting participated in this study. The respondents were asked to indicate how important each item of a list of many bridges project related factors was to construction labor productivity for construction of Pre-stressed concrete bridges. The data were then subjected to the calculation of important indices which enabled the factors to be ranked. Findings: The eleven most important factors identified by them were: design factor, equipment factor, execution and construction factor, external factor, financial factor, healthy and safety factor, labor factor, supervision factor, material factor, organization factor and other project factor. Originality/value: From this study could be used by the project managers to take these factors at an early stage, hence minimizing the time, cost and maximizing factors that affect the construction labour productivity for construction of Pre-stressed concrete bridges.
The construction industry has complexity in its nature because it contains a large number of parties as clients, contractors, consultants, stakeholders, shareholders, regulators and others. Construction projects in Iraq suffer from many problems and complex issues in performance such as time, cost, quality and safety. The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate the main factors affecting the performance of construction projects in this country which suffers unstable political and economic circumstances that occurred after the year 2003 and still affecting the performance. Literature review about performance was carried out to identify the factors affecting the performance of construction projects. In addition, other local factors have been added as recommended by experts and according to the researcher's own experience in implementing construction projects. A literature review was carried out and 64 factors were identified, categorized into 7 groups. A survey was conducted to evaluate and rank these factors from clients, consultants, and contractor's perspectives. A total of 116 questionnaire sets were collected representing 36 clients, 38 consultants and 42 contractors in different parts of Iraq. It was concluded that projects were delayed and the actual cost of projects was much more than their values because of Iraq's political and security conditions. Overall project safety factors had been moderately implemented in construction organizations. It is recommended that construction organizations should have a clear mission and vision to formulate, implement and evaluate their performance. A structured methodology and technique should be identified to overcome the effect of local political and economic situations on the performance of construction projects.
Modular construction (MC) is recognized as an environmentally friendly and sustainable building method, and it is mandatory for assessing project sustainability. In developed countries, MC is acknowledged as a crucial approach for sustainable development, leading to increased adoption in these nations. However, implementing and incorporating MC in developing nations is a multifaceted task due to infrastructure limitations, economic inequalities, and resource constraints, which limit its widespread adoption. This study aims to find the stationary driver that increase MC usage in developing nations, especially in residential projects. To achieve this objective, a total of 120 building professionals participated in the questionnaire. Following this, the Relative Importance Index and Gini's Mean analyses were employed to assess the significance of the top 5 ranked drivers and to pinpoint the stationary driver. According to the study results, the five major MC drivers are as follows: Determining the correct weights and dimensions of modules by optimal design; Considering the detailed survey of fabricators' MC experience and compe-tency; Early screening tests during the selection of fabricators and factories; Early engagement of the heavy lift team in relevant research; and Avoiding suboptimal modular equipment sizes that might restrict transportation options. Additionally, the Gini's Mean analysis revealed the stationary driver that promotes MC adoption is the need for expert advice for equipment specifications, scheduling, and sequence. The research findings pave the way for the Egyptian construction industry to adopt MC, which will improve the construction sector, particularly residential construction. Furthermore, the results address a knowledge gap about the drivers that enhance the adoption of MC in developing nations. ARTICLE HISTORY
Modular construction (MC) is recognized as pivotal for sustainable development in developed countries.
However, its implementation faces barriers in residential projects in developing nations. This study aims
to address the knowledge gap resulting from the limited uptake of MC in residential projects, mainly
attributed to existing barriers. To accomplish this goal, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess
the significance of thirty adoption barriers. Subsequently, an exploratory factor analysis method was
applied to categorize these barriers, followed by their assessment and ranking using fuzzy synthetic
evaluation. A novel aggregation and ranking method that integrates the WASPAS and TOPSIS techniques
for order preference, by similarity to an ideal solution approach, was employed. The rankings derived
from different decision-making methods were combined using an ensemble approach based on halfquadratic
theory. Our findings reveal that the adoption barriers can be grouped into five main categories,
with cost, coordination, and standards emerging as the most prominent barriers. They are followed by
technical and practical barriers, inflexibility and supply chain barriers, abilities and awareness barriers, and
societal and desire-related barriers. The study results offer significant insights into the barriers impeding
MC adoption in developing countries’ construction sectors, providing recommendations to improve its
uptake.
Purpose-This study aims to explore the critical application areas of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for sustainable buildings. Design/methodology/approach-The quantitative research approach was adopted through a structured questionnaire administered to relevant stakeholders of construction projects. The data collected were analysed with the exploratory factor analysis, relative importance index (RII) and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE). This study is supported via funding from Prince sattam bin Abdulaziz University project number (PSAU/2023/R/1445). Since submission of this article, the following author has updated his affiliation to be double affiliated: Findings-The study's results have categorised the crucial areas of application where construction industry stakeholders should focus their attention. These areas are divided into four categories: management technologies, production technologies, sensing technologies and monitoring technologies. The findings from the FSE indicate that monitoring technologies represent the most significant category, whereas management technologies rank as the least significant. Moreover, the RII analysis highlights that tools management stands out as the most important application of RFID, while dispute resolution emerges as the least significant RFID application. Practical implications-The study establishes the core areas of RFID application and their benefits to sustainable buildings. Consequently, it helps stakeholders (consultants, clients and contractors) to examine the RFID application areas and make informed decision on sustainable construction. Furthermore, it provides systematic proof that can aid the implementation of RFID in developing countries. Originality/value-The study provides an insight into the possible application areas and benefits of RFID technology in the construction industry of developing countries. It also developed a conceptual frame for the critical application areas of RFID technology in the construction industry of developing countries.
Field Canals Improvement Projects (FCIPs) are a promising project category to preserve irrigation water resources. There are multiple approaches available to estimate a project’s initial cost. However, one of the difficulties in developing a reliable cost estimation model is determining the cost parameters. The study aims to explore and analyse the cost parameters (CPs) to achieve conceptual cost estimate (CCE). This study presents a conceptual model that investigates the connection between CPs and CCE to achieve total project success (TPS) for FCIPs. This is accomplished through mixed methods comprising three phases: (1) the qualitative technique, specifically the Delphi Method (DM), which identifies 21 CPs categorized into four categories; (2) the quantitative method, which utilizes a questionnaire survey conducted with construction experts; and (3) the data analysis through Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), which is used to verify the correlation between CPs, CCE, and TPS. The results indicate
Purpose
This study aims to identify the most significant barriers and the stationary barrier to modular construction (MC) implementation and promote MC widespread use. By doing so, the construction industry can leverage the benefits of MC, such as faster construction times, improved quality control, reduced waste and increased sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a Gini’s mean analysis approach to identify the stationary barriers hindering the MC adoption in residential projects. The research focuses on the Egyptian context and uses a questionnaire survey to gather data from professionals in the construction industry.
Findings
According to the survey findings, the top five significant MC barriers are inability to modify the design; contractors asking for high bidding prices (higher initial cost); scepticism, conservation and resistance of clients to innovation and change; transportation restrictions; and lack of a one-size-fits-all tool for the design. In addition, Gini’s mean of dispersion demonstrated that the stationary barrier that faces MC adoption is the apprehension that architectural creativity will suffer because of MC.
Practical implications
The identified obstacles could be useful for decision makers in countries that have not yet adopted MC and may aid in the planning process to manage the risks associated with MC projects. The paper stresses the significance of devising techniques to overcome these barriers and proposes several methods to tackle these challenges.
Originality/value
This study fills the knowledge gap by identifying the stationary barrier and emphasising the potential risks associated with MC barriers. Furthermore, it suggests several strategies for overcoming and reducing these barriers in developing countries residential projects.
The construction sector is one of the largest sectors globally, and it significantly affects countries' economies. Modular construction (MC) is a building process in which modules are fabricated in a factory and then installed on-site. MC is becoming an integral aspect of the construction sector in developed countries due to its notable benefits in improving sustainability and sustainable development. However, there are various barriers that might decrease MC adoption. This study aims to develop an MC adoption model by investigating the relationship between overcoming MC adoption barriers (MCABs) and overall sustainable success (OSS) for residential projects in developing countries. To accomplish this, 120 Egyptian building professionals responded to the conducted questionnaire. Subsequently, partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to determine the barriers and examine the relationships between overcoming MCABs and OSS. The results showed a moderate association, with overcoming the MCABs contributing 44.7% to the OSS of the residential projects. Moreover, the correlation between overcoming MCABs and OSS is substantial, as demonstrated by the β value path coefficient, which equals .669. The findings can be used as a benchmark for decision-makers to explore the main barriers to adopting MC in developing countries and achieving OSS in their residential projects.
Modular construction (MC) is regarded as a greener and more sustainable building method and is required for assessing the sustainability of a project. The study aims to establish a model for modular construction (MC) adoption in developing nations by examining the link between critical success factors (CSFs) and overall sustainable success (OSS) for residential projects. To determine the significance of these CSFs, a questionnaire survey was undertaken with construction industry professionals in Egypt. The study employed partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to examine the correlations between the identified CSFs and OSS. The findings revealed that the seven CSFs have a substantial impact on the OSS of residential projects, influencing it by 27.4%. The results can be utilised by decision-makers as a reference and benchmark to (1) investigate the major CSFs for adopting MC in developing nations and attaining OSS in their residential projects; and (2) develop a plan for adopting MC in these nations, including Egypt.
Modular construction (MC) is considered a greener and more sustainable construction and is obligatory for measuring the project’s sustainability. MC is a building process in which modules are fabricated in a factory and then installed onsite. Although MC is popular in developed countries, its uses are still very limited in developing countries. This study aims to introduce a model to promote the adoption of MC by analysing the relationship between critical success factors (CSFs) and their enablers, as well as modular construction adoption (MCA), for housing projects in developing countries to reach the MC benefits. This aim is accomplished through three main phases. The first phase is the exploratory phase that used to determines MC's CSFs, enablers, and benefits through a comprehensive literature review. The second phase is the descriptive-explanatory phase, which used a questionnaire survey strategy to evaluate the significance of these CSFs and their enablers. The questionnaire survey was conducted with building specialists in the Egyptian construction industry. The third phase is the structural equation modelling (SEM) phase using partial least square (PLS) method that used to test the correlations between the CSFs and MCA using the measurement and structural models. The findings pointed out that the CSFs significantly impacted the MCA by 62.1%, which considered a moderate effect. The contribution of the study provides policymakers and other project stakeholders with a roadmap for implementing MC in developing countries, including Egypt and the support needed to focus on the benefits of MCA that could take place in their current or future projects.
This article addresses a gap in construction project performance measurement research from the perspective of small-medium-sized construction contractors in developing countries. Focussing on small-medium-sized contractors in the Jordanian construction industry, a survey of 231 Jordanian construction professionals was undertaken to investigate how different project stakeholders, intra and extra-organisational relationships and financial and non-financial measures support or hinder the delivery of project outcomes. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) an integrated theoretical performance measurement model was developed and tested which contributes to the advancement of construction project performance measurement research in a number of ways. First, it shows that small-medium-sized contractor project performance is a multi-dimensional, dynamic and contested construct which is bounded by environmental and organisational constraints, and inseparable from mainstream business performance. Second, it shows that performance is measured by six project-related constructs (project cost, time, quality, health and safety, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic performance) and three business-related constructs (profitability, client satisfaction and consultant satisfaction). Third, it shows that four intra-organisational groups of variables (leadership, management capabilities, human resource management and technical capabilities, resources and processes) have a significant impact on the overall project and business performance. Fourth, it shows that four extra-organisational groups of variables (client performance, consultant performance, supplier performance and external attributes) have a significant direct impact on project performance, but no moderating impact was found.
The United Nations acknowledges that action in one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will impact outcomes in others and that development should interact the social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Many countries have prioritized goals and targets based on their current progress and the prosperity of their people. This article focused on SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, especially the first two (6.1 and 6.2) out of eight targets. The author has considered SDG 6, a critical goal to focus on and achieve in Tirunelveli city municipal corporation. The study area is situated in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India's southernmost state. Citizen science (CS), also known as community science, has emerged as an effective method of collecting data and supporting a wide range of indicators from the SDG targets. The objective of this article is to utilize the benefit of the CS approach for monitoring the targets 6.1 and 6.2 pertained to drinking water and sanitation facilities respectively in the study area. The activities suggested for this SDG 6 CS project were framing the core question, identification of citizen scientists, data analysis, and action plan. College students, ward councilors, and community volunteers, referred to as three categories of citizen scientists, will collect household data for all 55 wards in the study area. The value of the collected data to various government agencies and monitoring organizations is also discussed.
Digital twin creates the virtual model of physical entity in digital way, promotes the interaction and integration of physical world and information world, and builds a reliable bridge for industrial information integration. With the rapid evolution of digital twin, the application of digital twin has found an increasingly wide utilization in smart manufacturing. In view of the practical problems encountered by the current smart manufacturing enterprises, this paper aims to carry out quantitative green performance evaluation of smart manufacturing (GPEoSM) driven by digital twin-based industrial information integration system. Based on the mapping between entity and model of smart manufacturing projects, the integration of digital twin information and the interaction of GPEoSM approach, a GPEoSM framework is constructed. According to the framework, a green performance evaluation case for smart manufacturing project of an air conditioning enterprise is carried out. The result shows that the digital twin driven GPEoSM framework is effective and enhances the green performance evaluation of smart manufacturing.
The fragmented nature of the construction industry makes the management of a project a challenge mission. The interfaces between activities require attention to ensure a smooth performance. Interface risks affecting project constraints arise due to many internal and external causes. The main objective of this study is to identity, prioritize, eliminate, and alleviate interface risks. The data was collected from 155 respondents to a questionnaire; which was checked for reliability and validity using Cronbach alpha coefficient and EFA, respectively. ANOVA test was used to show if significant differences exist between the groups of respondents. According to the results of the risks-assessment matrix, the most two severe causes of interface risks are: awarding the contract to the lowest bidder regardless of the quality, and change in the owner's requirements. The study recommends that construction parties should develop a comprehensive strategy in establishing a sustainable interface-risks management. This study serves as another tool that can help construction professionals and researchers in dealing with similar interface risks. Also—beside findings from other studies—construction agencies such as FIDIC can modify their conditions accordingly when dealing with such risks.
The manufacture and use of building materials result in numerous environmental concerns in the construction industry. Green building materials (GBMs) are environmentally friendly compared to their traditional counterparts. However, identifying the criteria for selecting GBMs and assessing their sustainability have been challenging. In this study, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was used to decide between selecting steel building structure and reinforced concrete (RC) building structure as an alternative. In the first phase, the criteria for selecting GBMs were identified through literature review, experts’ opinions, and questionnaire survey. In the second phase, the purposive sampling technique was used to select experts and professionals in materials selection to compare the different GBMs criteria and also, to compare and weight the provided alternatives. The findings of this study identified that 29 criteria were ranked using a scatter plot of means and standard deviation scores. Besides, the results indicated that RC building structure, with a weight value of 0.5225, was a better alternative to steel building structure. Additionally, the results show that the environmental and economic criteria are more important than the social criteria. This study, therefore, developed a decision-making model for helping stakeholders to select materials required to achieve sustainable buildings.
Building construction serves a vital purpose from a social and economic perspective by meeting the housing needs of society and contributing to the economic growth of a country. However, from an environmental perspective, this sector contributes negatively by releasing tons of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the atmosphere, which consequently gives rise to other environmental hazards such as global warming and ozone depletion. The use of off-site modular construction practices in developed countries is increasing due to its environmental benefits over conventional cast-in-situ method. However, the environmental performance of a construction method may vary across various geographical regions, which is why environmental assessment of construction methods specific to a region is required. This study provides a calculation of GHG emissions in modular and conventional construction methods utilized in Pakistan, considering two single-family single-storey buildings with similar characteristics. The study also provides recommendations to homebuilders for the improvements in low-performance areas in both modular and conventional building methods. The results of the study show that modular building accounts for a total of 3449.73 kgCO2-equivalent GHG emissions whereas conventional building resulted in a total of 6501.91 kgCO2-equivalent GHG emissions. Modular building results in a reduction of 3052.19 kgCO2-equivalent GHG emissions (46.9%) as compared to a conventional site-built building. This implies that the modular construction method is a more environmentally viable option than conventional construction, which needs to be adopted on a large scale to reduce GHG emissions.
Sustainability principles should be implemented during all the phases of the decision-making process of constructing residential buildings to achieve maximum gains without compromising the function of such projects. This study identified and examined the critical success factors (CSFs) required for implementing value management (VM) in residential building projects. With a view to the sustainability of such the projects. The CSFs for VM were identified from previous studies, which were then contextually adjusted using both semi-structured interviews and a pilot study via the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) technique. The EFA results showed that the VM CSFs could be categorized into four constructs: stakeholders and knowledge, culture and environment, workshop dynamics, and standardization. Questionnaires were then administered to 214 building stakeholders within the Egyptian building industry. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to develop the CSFs model. Despite that Egyptian professionals with limited practice experiences were quite knowledgeable about VM, results showed that stakeholders and knowledge were crucial CSFs for implementing VM. The results of this study will be a guide for decision-makers to reduce costs and improve sustainability by introducing VMs in the Egyptian construction industry.
With numerous and ambiguous information and often-conflicting requirements, construction management (CM) is regarded as a complex process with uncertainty. Fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (FMCDM) is thus becoming popular as an efficient approach to addressing complex problems with diverse decision-makers’ interests, conflicting objectives, and numerous but uncertain information. Previous studies mainly focused on the proposition and application of FMCDM methods in construction management. Although there have been some works to review FMCDM methods and applications, they mainly relied on bibliometrics and taxonomy to summarise and present critiques of existing literature without digesting the relationships between fuzzy sets (FSs), MCDM and associated applications. This paper aims to comprehensively review and analyse the literature of FMCDM in CM from 2007 to 2017 using a network approach for both summarising the development of FMCDM in CM and providing insights into the relationships between FSs, MCDM and associated applications. A total of 165 published journal articles were first chosen, involving 37 single-hybrid and 17 multiple-hybrid FMCDM methods. Current practices of these methods are introduced and discussed, disclosing their characteristics, strengths and limitations. Network meta-analysis is then performed based on the literature to explore the correlations between FSs, MCDM methods and construction applications for establishing a FSs-MCDM-CM network. Finally, based on such a network, the current practice of FMCDM in CM is summarised and discussed. It also suggests a two-step way to select appropriate FMCDM methods for addressing CM problems and recommends new directions for future research and applications. The results will inform and guide both practitioners and researchers in FMCDM methods selection and exploration in CM. This research contributes to the body of knowledge through providing a new vision to review, analyse and critique the FMCDM methods and application in CM from the network perspective.
With the extensive adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), construction engineering and management (CEM) is experiencing a rapid digital transformation. Since AI-based solutions in CEM has become the current research focus, it needs to be comprehensively understood. In this regard, this paper presents a systematic review under both scientometric and qualitative analysis to present the current state of AI adoption in the context of CEM and discuss its future research trends. To begin with, a scientometric review is performed to explore the characteristics of keywords, journals, and clusters based on 4,473 journal articles published in 1997-2020. It is found that there has been an explosion of relevant papers especially in the past 10 years along with the change in keyword popularity from expert systems to building information modeling (BIM), digital twins, and others. Then, a brief understanding of CEM is provided, which can be benefited from the emerging trend of AI in terms of automation, risk mitigation, high efficiency, digitalization, and computer vision. Special concerns have been put on six hot research topics that amply the advantage of AI in CEM, including (1) knowledge representation and reasoning, (2) information fusion, (3) computer vision, (4) natural language processing, (5) intelligence optimization, and (6) process mining. The goal of these topics is to model, predict, and optimize issues in a data-driven manner throughout the whole lifecycle of the actual complex project. To further narrow the gap between AI and CEM, six key directions of future researches, such as smart robotics, cloud virtual and augmented reality (cloud VR/AR), Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), digital twins, 4D printing, and blockchains, are highlighted to constantly facilitate the automation and intelligence in CEM.
The performance of labour is one of the most important factors affecting the physical progress of any construction project. This study intended to extensively investigate on the factors influencing labour performance in the Sri Lankan construction industry. A qualitative study conducted from a literature review and a series of interviews revealed 117 factors under 6 categories. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was carried out among the construction firms in Sri Lanka and the responses were received from 217 contractors. Overall, 73 factors were identified as critical based on their Relative Importance Index values. Lack of training facilities, delay in salary payments, lack of labour motivation, low salary for labourers and poor performance evaluation of labour skills were found as the top five ranking factors. This study also highlights the need for training programmes that contain the direct scope of productivity improvement, and identified the expected programme outcomes for the effective design of new training programmes to improve the practices on labour operations. The findings of this study are expected to be useful to the Sri Lankan construction industry in effectively upgrading present practices. Some of these findings may also be tested in other developing construction industries in similar scenarios.
This paper identifies opportunities from targeted and integrated sanitation action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is contextualised to the case of Brazil through a systematic approach applied to the sanitation sector that considers the range of infrastructure, management services and people involved in different phases of the service chain, from municipal wastewater containment to safe disposal or re-use. Articulating the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sanitation, this study analyses their links with each of the 169 SDG targets. We demonstrate that 87 targets across 16 goals require action in Brazil's sanitation sector to achieve the SDGs. Furthermore, we identify synergies between sanitation and 124 targets in four domains: basic services for resilience building, equity and empowerment, pollution reduction and waste reuse and economic well-being. Key results include the need for Brazil to invest in closed-loop systems that valorise waste as a resource and the need to multiply efforts in the integrated provision of basic services in low-income areas most affected by the lack of access to adequate sanitation. The links identified are supported by the compiled evidence of published research. The analysis of linkages through this structured approach aims to highlight opportunities for strategic governance action to support policy harmonisation and partnerships across Brazil's sanitation sector and beyond. With this research, we show that establishing linkages among the SDGs provides an adaptable framework that can support policy-makers and practitioners seeking to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. K E Y W O R D S
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the factors affecting the performance of large construction projects in Sri Lanka. The causes, impacts and mitigations in association with the critical factors are explored and discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
The research focuses on the evaluation and perspectives of clients and contractors of large projects in Sri Lanka. Combined quantitative and qualitative methods were applied in this research. Initially, a questionnaire survey was conducted with clients and contractors involved in large projects to evaluate the factors affecting the performance of projects and to identify the ten most critical factors. Interviews with the clients and contractors of three large projects were conducted to examine the causes and impacts of the critical factors and the approaches used to mitigate them.
Findings
Significant differences in the factors were observed for more than 40 per cent of the total factors under study, the contractors assigning more weight to most of the factors than the clients. The study identified nine internal factors and one external factor as the critical factors. Of these, seven were related to the contractors, which suggested that the contractors have greater roles in defining performance. Lack of management and technical skills of the parties involved, human capacity, lack of understanding and knowledge of the local context, changes in government policies and political interference were identified as significant causes of the critical factors.
Originality/value
The study analysed the factors affecting the performance of large projects in Sri Lanka, which, at the time of research, had just ended a 26-year-long civil war and was pushing the construction of large projects to be competitive. The challenges faced in this effort were explored as lessons learnt that might improve the efficiency and effectiveness of infrastructure development in Sri Lanka. The combined quantitative and qualitative methods applied in this study are expected to provide new insights in the project performance research, especially the interviews of the critical factors to gain an understanding on how the factors occurred and manifested themselves in real projects. The findings are, however, expected to be applicable to other developing countries that are currently aggressively developing their large infrastructure.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is first to examine the effect of client-led and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance in the Indian construction industry and second to assess how the client-led supply chain initiatives complement the contractor-led supply chain initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the effects of the client-led supply chain initiatives (reward power and competence trust of the construction clients) and the contractor-led supply chain initiatives (contractor integration and calculative commitment of the contractor) on project performance in construction projects are examined. The data were collected from 346 construction professionals working in Indian construction projects using purposive sampling. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The contractor-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of contractor integration and the calculative relationship commitment of a contractor, were found to be strong mediators, indirectly affecting the project performance. On the other hand, the client-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of the reward power of the client and the competence trust of the client, directly influence the project performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study reports the inevitable bias on the part of participants, who responded to the survey either in the capacity of client or contractor, although they might have executed projects in both capacities. Future studies could benefit from the use of objective data instead of behavioral data.
Practical implications
This study helps construction firms understand how to demarcate the client and contractor roles in the construction supply chain to improve the project performance.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in its investigation of the influence of client-led supply chain initiatives and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance.
Labor productivity of Vietnamese economy in general and Vietnamese construction industry in particular is low in comparison with other countries. There are many reason causing this low productivity in Vietnam. Boosting labor productivity is becoming an urgency and is attracting much attention from both domestic and foreign researchers. This paper focuses on a series of factors affecting labour productivity on construction sites in Vietnam. The research aims to evaluate and rate the extent of impact of each factor on labour productivity in Vietnam. The Relative Importance Index (RII) is used to measure the impact of these factors on labor productivity of construction workers on site in Vietnam based on the results of a survey collected all the necessary data. Totally, 43 factors are identified and classified into eight groups affecting the labor productivity of construction workers on sites in Vietnam while ten most influential factors have been determined that will provide the basis for the construction firms to provide effective solutions to achieve and increase the productivity of construction workers. By referring to the outcomes of this study, Vietnamese construction contractors will be able to come up with workable solutions which will contribute towards a better performance of construction workers. On that basis, the productivity of construction firms and national economy will be improved correspondingly.
Identifying the flood susceptible areas is a vital and substantial element of disaster management for every country to control and mitigate injuries of the natural hazards. The current research presents a framework for the preparation of flood prone areas' maps by the integration of Geospatial Information System (GIS), fuzzy logic, and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). To achieve this goal, a spectrum of geophysical, geomorphological, meteorological, hydrological, and geographical criteria have been addressed. Considering the linkage and the interdependencies of the criteria, DEcision-MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach are used to form the network of relations among the criteria. Moreover, considering inevitable uncertainty, ambiguity/vagueness of the experts' opinions, fuzzy theory is integrated with DEMATEL to handle the issue. Finally, Analytic Network Process (ANP) are implemented to calculate the final weight of every single criterion. The Kurdistan province, located in the North-West of Iran, is considered as the case study in which numerous flood events has had recently happened. The efficiency of the model is assessed through the area under the curve (AUC) and statistical measures such as the Kappa index. In order to evaluate the produced classified flood susceptibility map, the map of historical flood events in the province is also used. About 85% of validation area is classified as “Very High flood Susceptible” which implies the efficiency of proposed framework for flood susceptibility mapping. Furthermore, for evaluating the functionality of the framework in comparison with traditional approaches, the well-known AHP methodology is implemented too. The validation results demonstrate that the Fuzzy-DEMATEL ANP model (AUC-ROC = 0.938, Kappa = 0.88) has a higher performance accuracy compare to the AHP model (AUC-ROC = 0.918, Kappa = 0.79). Moreover, comparing the proposed and validation model shows that the proposed framework can effectively improve decision makers to provide flood susceptibility maps, and recognize flood susceptible areas in data-scarce and ungauged regions.
