Construction Organizations Research Articles

Green supply chain management practices and implementation in the construction industry

This study aims to define and describe Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) in the construction industry. GSCM is one of the most critical initiatives for integrating environmental factors into supply chain management. It aids in the reduction of carbon emissions and the improvement of organizational environmental performance. As a result, most construction organizations have included GSCM in their strategic planning. Barriers and problems are predicted to exist in the execution or operational process of GSCM in construction or building firms, as in the case of radical innovations. As a result, organizations must identify any potential hurdles to GSCM implementation and develop strategies for achieving success. This study undertakes a complete literature evaluation on GSCM procedures to address the difficulties of establishing a conceptual framework. According to the data, the biggest weaknesses or disorders to applying GSCM canister are divided into five categories: expertise, information and facts, funds, contract out, administration, and supervision. Moreover, uppermost managing commitment, variated in present strategies and know-hows, expanded consciousness of harmless to the ecosystem matters, preparing and instruction, and executing effective materials and waste administration frameworks are systems to improve GSCM performances in building organizations. To successfully implement GSCM in construction firms, the provided framework can be used to recognize the crucial mechanisms of GSCM and self-assessment of obstacles and policies.

Competencies of the public servant and their impacts: a study in Brazil

PurposeThe authors aimed to investigate whether the competencies of public servants (self-competence, teamwork competence, change competence, communication competence (CC) and ethical competence) influence their organizational commitment and indirectly their job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachBased on a structural model from the literature, the authors conducted a survey with 463 Brazilian public servants using a questionnaire, and the authors evaluated the measurement model through confirmatory component analysis (CCA). Then, the authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the structural model.FindingsThe authors' results showed that the ethical competence construct tends to have a direct positive influence on the organizational commitment construct and indirectly influences the job satisfaction of public servants. On the other hand, the authors found that the self-competence, teamwork competence, change competence and CC constructs did not impact organizational commitment or job satisfaction indirectly.Originality/valueThe authors conclude that developing ethical competence in public servants is likely to increase their organizational commitment and indirectly positively affect their job satisfaction. This research tested the five dimensions of competencies under a new focus, public service, seeking to evidence their relationships with the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of public servants, filling a gap in the literature.

Sustainable development during economic uncertainty: What drives large construction firms to perform corporate social responsibility?

AbstractWhile the world is grappling with economic uncertainty, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been extensively studied with a focus on favorable economic conditions. This study aims to investigate and prioritize the drivers for CSR in large‐sized construction organizations during economic uncertainty. Based on the literature review and discussions with experienced professionals, 13 critical drivers for CSR were identified and categorized into four clusters. Using the combination of fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory and fuzzy Analytic Network Process (DANP), drivers for CSR performance during economic uncertainty were ranked regarding their interrelationships. Among 13 drivers, the results illustrated that enhancing company reputation was the most critical driver for CSR, followed by long‐term economic benefit, employee commitment and loyalty, and credibility gain. This study expands the current understanding of CSR practices in the construction industry, shedding light on its unique characteristics during economic uncertainty.

The Moderating Role of Organizational Structure Between Quality Management Systems and Organizational Resilience

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Purpose:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"> To realize the benefits a Quality Management System (QMS), an organization needs to effectively implement its principles. This includes embracing these principles within an enabling environment. Hence, organizational structure is a critical success factor for adopting quality management systems. </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">This paper aims at understanding how the organizational structure impacts ISO 9001 QMS implementation and vise versa, besides exploring how quality management initiatives affect organizational resilience through parts.</span> <span lang="EN-US">Design/methodology/approach: The research deploys a qualitative methodology, with an outsider-insider approach. 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted, plus one final reflective interview. Interview questions dealt with structural constructs: communication, employee engagement, employee empowerment, process/routine-orientation, multidisciplinarity, cross-functionality, expertise-utilization and change-readiness. The questions also dealt with how the organizational structure impacted ISO 9001 implementation and vice versa. <strong>Findings: </strong>The results show that ISO 9001 implementation was more successful and fruitful under process-orientation and to some degree under semi-process orientation, while it looked inconsistent under routine-orientation. This indicates a significant role played by the organizational structure when it comes to ISO 9001 implementation. More importantly, the results also demonstrate that ISO 9001 implementation managed to improve organizational resilience by consistently driving the organizational structure toward higher levels of process-orientation for process-oriented units, whereas it failed to realize such impact for routine-oriented units. <strong>Originality/value:</strong> This study is unique as it is the first - within the reviewed literature - to examine the moderating role of the organizational structure between the ISO 9001 standard and organizational resilience. It draws a roadmap for the successful realization of organizational resilience through quality management systems, considering organizational structure constructs.</span></span></p>

PLS-SEM assessment of the impact of job satisfaction on the organisational commitment of women quantity surveyors

This study investigates the impact of job satisfaction on the organizational commitment of women quantity surveyors (WQS) in the South African construction industry. This investigation was done to promote female participation within the construction industry by establishing significant job satisfaction factors that organizations can improve upon. A post-positivism philosophical approach, using a questionnaire survey, was employed to obtain quantitative data from registered WQS. The data obtained were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean item scores, Kruskal–Wallis H-test, and partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Using the organization commitment scale developed in past studies, it was found that WQS in the study area exhibited more continuance commitment. Also, their job satisfaction level is below average. PLS-SEM revealed that the continuance commitment exhibited is negatively influenced by the job satisfaction variables. The findings of this study provide valuable benefits to employers of construction organizations as the creation and enhancement of supportive work practises, structures, and cultures can help to attract and retain female quantity surveyors in the construction sector.

PBF-LB fabrication of microgrooves for induction of osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

Stem cell differentiation has important implications for biomedical device design and tissue engineering. Recently, inherent material properties, including surface chemistry, stiffness, and topography, have been found to influence stem cell fate. Among these, surface topography is a key regulator of stem cells in contact with materials. The most important aspect of ideal bone tissue engineering is to control the organization of the bone extracellular matrix with fully differentiated osteoblasts. Here, we found that laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB)-fabricated grooved surface inspired by the microstructure of bone, which induced human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) differentiation into the osteogenic lineage without any differentiation supplements. The periodic grooved structure was fabricated by PBF-LB which induced cell elongation facilitated by cytoskeletal tension along the grooves. This resulted in the upregulation of osteogenesis via Runx2 expression. The aligned hMSCs successfully differentiated into osteoblasts and further organized the bone mimetic-oriented extracellular matrix microstructure. Our results indicate that metal additive manufacturing technology has a great advantage in controlling stem cell fate into the osteogenic lineage, and in the construction of bone-mimetic microstructural organization. Our findings on material-induced stem cell differentiation under standard cell culture conditions open new avenues for the development of medical devices that realize the desired tissue regeneration mediated by regulated stem cell functions.

Overlapping sustainable construction indicators for construction organisations in Zimbabwe

Purpose Sustainable construction deficits are common in developing economies, and resolutions are constrained by the failure to prioritise the plethora of available indicators. This study aims to report on overlapping indicators for benchmarking sustainable construction for construction organisations. Design/methodology/approach Online survey data were collected from construction professionals, academics and senior managers in government bodies. Pearson chi-squared tests and overlapping analysis were used to determine significant indicators. Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to determine statistically significant differences among the dimensions. Findings Overlapping analysis determined indicators significant for economic, environmental and social performance. Environmental protection and reporting (pollution and emissions) were significant for all three performance dimensions. The most significant indicators are economic performance (adequate competence of key project staff), environmental performance (environmental protection and reporting – pollution and emissions) and social performance (adequate sustainability expenditure by construction organisations). Significant differences due to dimensions existed for adequate competence of key project staff, sustainable construction and eco-design, adequate governance and organisational excellence of construction projects and satisfactory workers’ morale. Research limitations/implications Determining overlapping indicators enables prioritised implementation that ensures sustainable construction. Excluding construction workers was a significant limitation for a holistic interrogation. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to determine overlapping indicators for sustainable construction performance in Zimbabwe.

Organizational Capabilities and Resilience of Small and Medium-Sized Construction Firms in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Innovation and Moderating Effect of Environmental Factors

This study examined the relationship between organizational capabilities and resilience of small and medium-sized construction firms in Ghana. It emphasized that innovation would mediate the relationship between organizational capabilities and construction firms’ resilience, and environmental factors would moderate the relationship between organizational capabilities and construction firms’ resilience. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consisted of management members of construction firms. The convenience sampling technique was used for selecting and reaching out to the sample respondents. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. Data from 261 respondents were collected and analyzed. The study found a significant positive relationship between organizational capabilities and firms’ resilience; a significant positive relationship between organizational capabilities and firms’ innovation; and a significant positive relationship between innovation and firms’ resilience. Furthermore, it was found that innovation wholly mediates the relationship between organizational capabilities and firms’ resilience; and environmental factors partially moderate the relationship between organizational capabilities and firms’ resilience. It was concluded that for small and medium-sized construction firms to grow and become resilient to various turbulences, there is a need for them to strengthen their capabilities, innovativeness, and environmental factors.

Development levels for time planning model ofroad constru ction at design stages

Introduction. The experience of Russian computer companies in the field of information modelling technologies (IMT) in construction is analyzed. The attention to the role of standardization and classification of construction information (CSI) for coding elements of the digital information model (DIM) at the stages of organizational design and calendar planning is drawn. The specificity of linear objects with respect to the level of elaboration of model elements and their attribute characteristics at different planning levels is noted. Models and methods. The necessity of an individual approach to the decomposition of road structure elements taking into account the complex of natural and man-made factors is substantiated. At different stages of designing the organization of road construction, the timetable with different degrees of detail depending on the design objectives and available information about the object is presented. The parameters of specialized flows of a linear object, limitations and criteria for the optimality of the calendar plan at the design stage of the construction organization (CO) are determined. The level of elaboration of the model elements at the stage of work production by the contracting organization has been increased. The developed algorithm for forming a complex flow graph in the form of a flowchart and a DIM is presented.Results. The use of the method is considered on the examples of structuring the elements of the object and technological processes at the stage of work production by the contracting organization, taking into account different options and schemes for organizing the work of specialized streams. The design results are presented in the form of a calculation matrix, a cyclogram and a Gantt graph in the MS Project program.Discussion and conclusion. The development of the basic information for the model of the calendar plan for the construction of a road at different stages of design in an integrated general data environment is presented. The use of linear road is justified. zoning as a method of decomposition of a linear object at the stages of CAD, POS and work production by the contracting organization. The structural elements of the design at the final stage (work production by the contracting organization) are linear design and technological modules and specialized flows formed on the basis of maps of labor processes of the contracting organization.

Methodology for assessing the quality of a construction organisation

The quality assessment of construction organisations is a scientific task, representing a practical interest for customers of capital construction projects, self-regulating associations of builders, as well as for the contractors themselves, interested in improving the quality of enterprise management. The study aims to develop a methodology for the integral quality assessment of a construction organisation. The quality of a construction organisation within the framework of this study is understood as the ability of a construction organisation to comply with the terms of a contract, produce construction products that meet the requirements of technical regulations and provide safe working conditions. In order to determine the quantitative value of the integral quality assessment of a construction organisation, a regression model was constructed describing the dependence of the construction organisation quality indicator on the effect of most significant factors, identified based on the results of expert assessments. Among the factors, having the most significant effect on the value of the integral quality assessment of a construction organisation, the authors identify the following: compliance with the terms of the contract for the duration and cost of creating a capital construction facility, compliance of construction products with the requirements of technical regulations, the share of workers with at least three years of experience in the organisation, as well as the number of accidents, recorded during the studied time. The regression model, proposed for the integral assessment, provides a fairly high level of reliability for the calculated values. The results of calculations can be used in the assessment of construction organisations by external participants in the investment and construction process, as well as by the management of contracting organisations in order to improve the management system.

ТЕОРЕТИЧЕСКАЯ ЭКОНОМИКА КАК ФУНДАМЕНТ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯМИ ИНВЕСТИЦИОННО-СТРОИТЕЛЬНОГО КОМПЛЕКСА РОССИИ

The paper is devoted to the theoretical and methodological foundation of management of the Investment and Construction Complex (ICC) of Russia. The result of the research is to substantiate the organic connection of the basic concepts of political economy and microeconomics with the Theories of Industrial Markets and Organizations, management of construction and design companies. The conditions for realization of the GNP by Quesnay and Marx justify the place of ICC in the expanded reproduction of GNP. The Ith division includes the construction of industrial, transport, and infrastructure facilities, the production of structures, building materials, and construction equipment. In the IIth – civil, socio-cultural, and housing construction. The ICC, interacting with all sectors of the economy, is part of the Inter-industry Balance created by the Ministry of Economic Development together with the Ministry of Construction. The Ministries and the Bank of Russia are adjusting the financial model of the construction industry, which includes funding from the state budget at all levels, the banking system of mortgage lending, private capital and household investments. Among the microeconomic foundations of ICC management, there is shown the role of the concept of supply and demand in the behavior of construction organizations in the oligopolistic and competitive segments of the profile market. The market for the design of industrial and civil facilities, unlike construction and banking, is competitive. With this in mind, the provisions of A. Marshall on the functions of supply, demand, its elasticity and J. Robinson for markets of perfect and oligopolistic competition are confirmed. Financial management of a construction and design companies, their optimal output volume and maximum profit are based on a microeconomic justified equilibrium condition of the firm. The fundamental principles of microeconomics methodologically underlie the management decisions of construction and design organizations.

Risk analysis of construction safety level of prefabricated buildings based on multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

In order to accurately and quantitatively evaluate the safety risks caused by a series of uncertain factors in the construction process of prefabricated buildings, and analyze the factors affecting the construction of prefabricated buildings, a multi-factor and multi-index evaluation system with 5 evaluation criteria and 18 indexes of operators, construction organization, management system, prefabricated components and machinery and equipment was established. Multistage fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to determine the weight of each index, define the index grade, and construct the membership function combined with fuzzy mathematics to construct the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. Based on this method, the construction safety level of prefabricated buildings in a community is analyzed and evaluated. The evaluation results are reasonable and effective, and the feasibility of multistage fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is verified.

Integration of BIM5D technology into the teaching reform and innovation of "construction organization and management" course

Integration of BIM5D technology into the teaching reform and innovation of "construction organization and management" course

СПОСОБИ І ПРИЙОМИ БАЛАНСУВАННЯ ФОРМУВАННЯ ТА ПРИРОЩЕННЯ ФІНАНСОВОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ В БУДІВЕЛЬНИХ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЯХ

The functioning of the financial potential of construction organizations is accompanied by complex processes of its formation and growth, which become possible only with an optimal structure of financial resources and associated capabilities of the economic entity to meet its short-term and long-term obligations (formed within the framework of future and current liquidity and solvency) and achieve an acceptable level of profit for each hryvnia of invested equity (formed within the framework of the profitability of equity). Therefore, the purpose of the article is to identify methods and techniques for balancing the process of forming and increasing the financial potential in construction organizations. The study highlights the fact that the systematic approach to managing the financial potential of construction organizations focuses on achieving its high level, which entails establishing the right balance between financial resources, created opportunities, and factors involved. It is argued that the format of the balance is determined by various approaches to management implementation, including: goal-oriented approach; process approach; systemic approach; situational approach; structural approach; functional approach; market approach; production approach; value-based approach. It is noted that it is important to choose approaches to financial potential management that allow for the implementation of the principles of modern effective management. The study of the characteristics of balancing the formation and growth of financial potential has led to the observation that these processes require an optimal structure of financial resources and associated capabilities of construction organizations to meet their obligations and ensure an acceptable level of profit. It has been demonstrated that it is important to establish a set of interconnected methods and techniques for balancing the formation and growth of financial potential, taking into account the differences arising from the variety of approaches to implementing the concept of effective management. The prospects for further research lie in identifying specific areas and rules for balancing components that direct and ensure the proper flow of processes in forming and increasing financial potential.

A SWOT Analysis of Digitalization in the Construction Firm: Challenges and Barriers to Managers Level in Malaysia

The application of digital technology capabilities has been made easier by the deployment of digital systems in construction organisation. It develops to emphasise the most efficient planning, organising, and controlling of resources in maintaining the strict business innovation that opens up new revenue and value-producing potential for construction businesses. However, it has encountered several internal and external issues that have limited its use and hindered the diffusion of digitalization. Hence, this study aims to identify and access the major challenges and barriers to digital technology practises (DTP) and overcome their likely impacts. An empirical questionnaire survey of digitalization-related challenges and barriers to understand whether there is diversity in the identified contexts were assessed by 341 out of 363 various construction managerial levels. The data were analysed using mean, ranking, factor analysis and SWOT analysis. The results revealed that leader competency and capacity (weakness) and organization structure and strategy (threat) were the most critical challenges and barriers to DTP diffusion in Malaysia. Also, the SWOT model was developed as a predictive tool to evaluate and respond to the impact of these problems. It is recommended that industry practitioners and policymakers collaborate to create local context-based guidelines for facilitating DTP diffusion and monitor its implementation.

THE ROLE OF RISK MANAGER IN CONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: TOOLS AND METHODS FOR EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RISK ACCOUNTING

This study explores how various tools and methods are used for effective risk management in construction organizations, discussing the need for creating a risk management department and the potential risks associated with ignoring risk accounting.

Strategies to Improve Building Construction Sustainability Through Utilization of Drones in the Building Construction Sector

Innovative tools and software programs that can be utilised at different stages of a construction project, from inception to completion, are collectively called digital technologies (DTs). Drones are invaluable for construction projects since they substantially increase productivity, safety, and data collection. During the construction stage of a project, drones can provide accurate and comprehensive data. The study aims to investigate strategies for enhancing the sustainability of building construction in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana through drones. After a thorough literature analysis, ten key indicators were established to guarantee the sustainability of building construction. The indicators were then confirmed using a questionnaire survey. Professionals in building construction, including architects, quantity surveyors, site engineers, and supervisors, were chosen for the studies using the snowball sampling technique. One-way ANOVA, frequency, percentage, mean value, and other statistical methods were used to analyze the collected data. According to the report, regular maintenance, risk assessment, data security and privacy, training and skill development, and extended battery life are the main building sustainability strategies. Following the supply of standards for drone operation, construction organizations, professional bodies, and the government would benefit from assessing the critical strategies for building construction sustainability. This study adds significantly to the body of knowledge by describing how developing economies like Ghana, where drone use is uncommon, could operationalize drones effectively and efficiently using the outlined strategies.

Development of an express risk assessment in tender participation for contracting construction organizations in civil and agro-industrial construction

Participation in a tender is an integral part of the activities of contracting construction organizations. The difficulty lies in the fact that contractors have to make a decision on participation or non-participation in the tender quite quickly from the moment the customer posts information about the procurement. Incorrect decisions made by the contractor at this stage lead to lost profits, financial losses, ineffectiveness, loss of reputation and other unpleasant consequences. To level out this situation, the paper describes existing approaches to assessing the risks of participation in tender activities, which can protect the contractor from participating in unwanted procurement. In order to assess the feasibility of participating in a procurement, the authors propose the development of an algorithm for express risk assessment of a contractor's participation in a tender, which suggests, under limited time, to make a reasonable decision on the need to participate in a particular tender. This requires a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the contractor’s main risks, which are combined into two main groups: the risk of loosing the tender and the risk of future losses. The authors propose methods for assessing risks and classifying them as high, medium and low levels. The paper provides an example of practical testing of the proposed express assessment.

ОПЫТ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ SWOT-АНАЛИЗА КАК ИНСТРУМЕНТА ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ МЕДИЦИНСКОЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЕЙ ПРИ ПРОВЕДЕНИИ СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВА, РЕКОНСТРУКЦИИ И КАПИТАЛЬНОГО РЕМОНТА

Significance. The principal attention of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Russian Ministry of Health is focused on health preservation and health promotion, development of conditions for increasing access to and quality of medical care, including infrastructure development, renewal and upgrade of material and technical resources of medical organizations, and introduction of new modern medical technologies. Construction, reconstruction, and capital repair of health care facilities are implemented within the framework of state programs and projects through budgetary funding with direct participation of head physicians as customers of project and construction works and responsible for the upkeep of medical organizations. The purpose of the study was to conduct a SWOT analysis and substantiate its use as a tool for increasing management efficiency of a medical organization during construction, reconstruction and capital repair. Material and methods. Research methods: analytical, classical methodology of SWOT analysis, content analysis, statistical, expert assessments. The study used the 2021-2022 data of the federal statistical observation form No. 30 “Information about a medical organization”, audit materials of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, and reports of the pilot constituent entities of the Russian Federation. A SWOT analysis of 20 state medical organizations participating in healthcare modernization programs was carried out in the following constituent entities of the Russian Federation: the Republics of Tatarstan, Crimea, the cities of Moscow and Sevastopol. Results of the study identified groups of factors that influence the current state of meeting the need for construction, reconstruction, and capital repair of medical organizations: external influence (opportunities and threats) that are not directly controlled by the management of a medical organization, as well as strengths and weaknesses, manageable at the local level. Conclusion. The conducted SWOT analysis of the current state of medical organizations show that efficient management of infrastructure development at a modern level, ensuring safe provision of accessible and high-quality medical care, is possible by improving the quality of initial decisions for pre-project documentation and construction (reconstruction) assignments, capital repair of medical organizations with the participation of head physicians. We consider it important to increase the level of competency of head physicians and their teams for implementing the above processes.

ASSESSING THE USE OF AI FOR IMPROVING SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

Artificial intelligence is a discipline that is expanding rapidly across practically all sectors, and its applications have been shown to boost worker productivity. Businesses in the construction sector have been sluggish to adopt new technologies and AI systems, making it one of the sectors that has lagged behind in the digital age. Construction projects are special undertakings that are frequently extremely big, complicated, and safety-critical, making it challenging to bring change and necessitating the use of conventional procedures. Construction project planning involves a wide range of expertise areas and several stakeholders, all of which must be in agreement for the project to be successful. A promising technical development, artificial intelligence is predicted to significantly enhance project management for building projects. Despite these encouraging advantages, AI has not been fully investigated owing to a number of reasons, including its high implementation costs, the requirement for data preparation, the absence of AI techniques, and the lack of experienced employees. This research, which is a pioneer in this field, evaluates the potential of artificial intelligence to assist project managers and other associated professions in effectively planning and managing construction projects. In order to accomplish this goal, structured online survey questionnaires were used in a mixed method research design to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. This gave researchers an in-depth understanding of the subject and helped them identify the difficulties that professionals and organizations faced, as well as suggested ways to incorporate AI into their workflow. The research was effective in building a framework for AI specialists to use in order to create future AI solutions for construction project planning. It also proved helpful in understanding the demands of construction project professionals and organizations.