Management Of Construction Firms Research Articles

Effect of Occupational Health and Safety on Employee Performance in the Ghanaian Construction Sector.

The contribution of the construction sector to the socio-economic development of Ghana cannot be underestimated. However, these benefits are not without challenges such as frequent industrial accidents and diseases leading to the loss of lives of workers and or influencing employee and organisational performance. Construction firms are therefore required to ensure workers' health and safety at the construction sites. This study therefore explores the influence of occupational health and safety (OHS) on construction workers' performance in Ghana. This study employed the descriptive research design from the quantitative approach, and a sample of 120 employees was drawn out of 200 workers from the sector. Means, standard deviations and multiple standard regression were used to analyse the data. The study found that OHS policies in the construction sector had a statistically significant effect on employee performance and related well with best international practices. However, the construction sector lacks regular health and safety induction, orientation and refresher courses for construction workers. Hence there were still occupational accidents and diseases affecting workers in the sector. For fear of being sacked, workers hardly report pains and injuries suffered at the construction sites. Also, construction workers felt that the high cost of training could explain why employers were not providing regular refresher training and induction training on OHS in the workplace. The study, therefore, concluded that more efforts were required from the management of construction firms than workers, as opposed to the position of Heinrich Domino's theory, to ensure occupational safety and health in the sector. It was recommended that the management of construction companies in the sector should prioritise the health and safety of workers over the economic concern with regard to the cost of training.

A framework for the adoption of green business models in the Ghanaian construction industry

PurposeDespite the amount of considerable investigations on business models, much studies have not been undertaken in the construction industry emphasising the adoption of green business models to drive sustainable construction. Construction activities continue to increase the carbon footprint and eject contaminated materials into the ecological environment with dire consequences for economic and social sustainability. As a result of the adverse impacts of construction activities, it is necessary for construction firms to rethink their approach to the use of conventional business models. The purpose of this study is to explore a framework for the adoption of green business models to drive sustainability in the construction industry of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThis research is exploratory due to its focus on emerging economies in which there is a perceptible gap in the adoption of green business models. As a result of this, this paper is entrenched in the interpretivist philosophical stance, which led to the adoption of the qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken involving 13 senior managers of construction firms. A thematic analysis was used with the aid of qualitative data analysis computer software package to code the interview transcripts.FindingsThe results demonstrate the six definitions of green business models among the managers of construction firms. The study also shows the need for developing green business models to address the issues of circularity and sustainability goals to reduce carbon footprints in the construction industry. Similarly, the paper found various sources of information to drive the awareness, understanding and adoption of the components for green business models. These sources include international conferences and training workshops on green business models. Finally, the study presents a framework that integrates the building information modelling (BIM) and the Internet of things (IoT) into the components for green business models adoption in construction firms.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need to use the quantitative approach to undertake further empirical studies, as this paper focuses mostly on the qualitative approach to ascertain the nature of the relationship between green business model and the various components of the circular economy in the construction industry.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the existing knowledge on green business models by demonstrating six key pillars of green business models by the inclusion of digital technologies such as BIM and IoT, which hitherto this investigation have not been considered in the adoption of green business models in the construction industry. This study extends the existing knowledge on green business models, which has the potential to increase the awareness and understanding of practitioners and managers of construction firms.

The Impacts of Environmental Practice Characteristics on Its Implementation in Construction Project

The study of the implementation of environmental practice in the construction industry has, over the years, resulted in a significant number of published articles. Still, the impact of environmental practice on construction projects has been poorly understood. This paper aims to address this gap. Data were gathered from a survey of 210 firms in the Malaysian construction industry. These data were analysed by using the partial least squares technique. The findings indicate that relative advantage and compatibility have a significant effect on environmental practice implementation in construction projects. The relationship between complexity and environmental practice implementation is not supported. This study extends the knowledge of the determinants of environmental practice implementation in construction projects. The findings of the study will help managers of construction firms in selecting the appropriate environmental practices for implementation in projects.

Causes and Effects of Accidents on Construction Sites (A Case Study of Some Selected Construction Firms in Abuja F.C.T Nigeria)

As the growth of construction industry blossoms in Nigeria, this also causes an increase in competition of projects to execute between construction firms which are however achieved at the expense of the workers welfare and their safety. Therefore identifying the various causes and effect of accidents on construction sites and proposing ways and means of reducing these accidents should be acknowledged. This study examines the major causes of accidents and suggests ways of mitigating these accidents on construction sites. A designed questionnaire was administered and descriptive statistics tool such as frequency, mean, percentage and relative importance index were used for the analysis. Construction firms in Nigeria can be classified as Multinationals, Large Scale indigenous construction firms and Small Scale indigenous construction firms. From the research negligence is the main cause of accidents on construction sites, labourers are also the major victims of these site accidents, loss of time in project execution is the major effect caused by these accidents in project execution. To ensure safety and to reduce the occurrence of construction site accidents to the minimum, management of construction firms must undertake and implement some of the context of this study such as implementation of safety policy, use of safety items and gears, training on safety measures and accident prevention methods, ensuring safe working environment and enforcing safety rules etc.

Strategic assets driving financial capability of Thai construction firms

Technological advancement, innovative procurement patterns such as build‐operate‐transfer, build‐own‐operate‐transfer as well as intrusion of international contractors have immensely changed the construction market. Local contractors need to devise a strategy to raise not only its technological capability but also financial capability which becomes increasingly necessary to compete successfully in this new landscape. This study aimed to investigate strategic assets which have been driving financial capability of construction firms in Thailand. Four large construction firms in Thailand were investigated through case study method and the result was verified with twelve industry experts. Three strategic assets were found contributing to competitive advantage of Thai construction firms including access to capital, efficient cash management, and effective capital investment. It was also found that strong relationship was the needed ingredient in developing these particular assets in Thailand. The findings should assist managers of construction firms in realizing the impact of financial capability, envisaging its driving strategic assets, and comprehending the mechanism which provides competitive advantage.

The context of innovation management in construction firms

Conscious management of innovation in construction firms is becoming more and more a necessity. However, the possibilities and ways to successfully put an innovative idea into practice depend on a range of contingencies. A framework of innovation management was devised to structure the context variables of construction innovation. Furthermore, an analytical approach was developed to enable researchers as well as construction managers to detect those variables which should be considered for managing construction innovation. The application of the approach to the case of a Swiss contractor revealed dependency on client and location, procurement form, innovation acceptance of the client and regulation degree as significant variables of the external environment. Service offer, knowledge strength, cooperative behaviour, financial strength and time needs were identified as critical variables of the internal environment. The implications are that the management of construction firms should advocate innovative ideas explicitly, make conscious strategic decisions about the direction of the firm's innovation activity and provide methodical and hierarchical support during the innovation process. Establishing internal innovation brokers and using portfolio‐based project checkpoints are supportive measures in this regard.

A STUDY OF MANAGEMENT ATTITUDES TO A PERFORMANCE APPROACH TO CONSTRUCTION WORKER SAFETY

The construction industry remains the most dangerous industrial sector to be employed in. This poor safety and health performance record has resulted in safety and health regulations being subjected to major revisions in many countries during the last three decades. In several cases, new legislative and regulatory approaches have replaced existing regulations and legislation. The international trend of moving away from deemed-to-comply or command-and-control approaches to a performance-based approach presents formidable challenges to the construction industry. Changing to a performance approach demands a radical departure from the old way that contractors conduct their business. This change requires a paradigm shift and as such will be difficult to bring about. However, without management of construction firms supporting and driving the change, it is unlikely that the performance approach could be implemented effectively and successfully. Executive commitment and investment is demanded that is cognitive, emotional and financial, but also consistently visible. This paper discusses the results of a survey of managers of construction firms in the United States regarding their attitude to a performance approach to construction safety. The objective of the study was to measure the support for a change from the present prescriptive paradigm to a performance one. The findings suggest that management of construction firms supported the introduction and implementation of a performance approach to construction worker safety.

Organization and managerial environment of the Korean construction industry

In 1983, Korean construction contractors captured over 11% of the overseas market and twenty-five of them were listed in the top 250 international contractors. However, they have struggled against the inefficiency of their organizations, accelerating competition, and the rapid changes in the managerial environment. Although the various features of the environment had required variety in strategy and organization structure, the managers of construction firms have not kept pace with the requirement, but have shown an inability to predict what kind of influence the changes will have on their organizations and what kind of response is proper to the environmental changes they confront. These problems are mainly caused by a lack of understanding of the suitability of their organization's structure and managerial environment. The present research shows that: the functional structure is the archetype of the Korean construction organizations; direction and delegation are the mainstream in corporate management; the critical factors for corporate management are accelerating competition, inconsistent government policy and the pressure of rising costs; and most of the contractors, except the top 5% large-sized firms, have little capability to respond to a new environment.