Public Projects Research Articles

The Influence of Contractors’ Selection Attributes. A Study of Public Construction Projects Performance in Kenya

This paper evaluated the influence of contractors’ selection attributes on public construction project performance in Kenya. This research contends that an investigation into contractors’ selection attributes at the tender evaluation stage is important to enhance the likelihood of public construction project success performance. The study used a survey method and administered questionnaires to 263 respondents selected through stratified sampling. One hundred and eighty-nine (189) practitioners and professionals in state agencies returned filed questionnaires representing a 71.86% return rate. The literature review and interview reveal thirteen contractor selection variables and six project performance criteria. SPSS was used to analyse the data set obtained for reliability, normality, correlation, and logit regression test. Logit regression analysis reveals the omnibus test of model coefficients converged (Chi-square=26.116, df=13, p=0.016). The model summary reveals Nagelkerke R^2 of 0.246 indicating a relationship of 24.6% between the thirteen predictor variables and project performance indicators. It was found that contractors quoted tender price (Exp (B) = 1.866), innovation (Exp (B) = 2.808), and occupation health and safety (Exp (B) = 0.358) significantly influence the performance of public construction projects when all other contractor's selection variables are controlled. This indicates that the contractor’s quoted tender price, innovation, and occupation health and safety explain well the success of the public construction project from thea six (performance by budget, time, procuring entity satisfaction, environmental sustainability, quality specifications, and fulfilling public need) project performance indicators

The art of resisting mega-event amnesia: reconstructing urban memory post-expo in Sydney and Brisbane

This article examines the work of ‘image construction’ and ‘memory reconstruction’ by focusing on World Expos held in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. We argue the construction of urban imaginaries through triumphal narratives induces a form of mega-event amnesia: the erasure from collective memory of communities and cultural artefacts, and the suppression of protest and resistance against these events. We then show how art can be used as a form of ‘memory reconstruction’. Two case studies offer alternative narratives in the form of public art and archival media. The first case forges new storylines that remember Aboriginal culture and language through a major public art project in the heart of Sydney. The second discusses how a digitised archival film made by feminist filmmakers spotlights decades of disregard for the destruction of Brisbane’s working-class inner-city fabric when made accessible to new audiences. These alternative narratives reconstruct the memory of the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition and Brisbane’s World Expo 88 to show how art may be used to awaken urban memories and collective remembrance. Alternative narratives also breathe new life into the complex and contested histories of mega-events. While protest and ‘the art of dissent’ have been widely discussed regarding the Olympics, few scholars have considered their relationship to World Expos. Fewer still have considered how art reconstructs and reinterprets mega-events decades after they were held.

Research on green assessment method for prefabricated buildings

In view of the problem that the current evaluation of prefabricated buildings in China focuses more on the ‘assembly rate’, this paper puts forward a green assessment method suitable for prefabricated buildings in China, which determines the evaluation index system according to four aspects: green design, intelligent construction, assembled building quality and comprehensive benefit. In addition, the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory method is used to optimise the index weight, and then the analytic hierarchy process–entropy weight method is used to determine the weight of the index system, and the evaluation index set is quantified and graded. Finally, taking the Hutuo Village public rental housing project in Xi’an City of Shaanxi Province as an example, this paper uses the evaluation method to conduct a green assessment and gives suggestions for improvement in each stage of the project.

Adequacy of defects liability periods for public construction projects in Ghana

PurposeThe practice of the defects liability period (DLP) is a risk management strategy meant to secure durable and high-quality works. However, construction products continue to malfunction even after the expiration of DLPs. This study seeks to determine the adequacy of DLPs existing in the construction industry and propose appropriate DLPs for construction projects in the Ghanaian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachApplying quantitative research strategy, 124 questionnaires were retrieved from construction professionals surveyed. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cramer’s V and the significance test with the aid of Stata software.FindingsIt was found that defects start showing in both buildings and roads within 12 months after being handed over for the client’s use. The significance test and Cramer’s V analysis indicate low concordance amongst respondents that the 6–12 month DLPs existing in Ghana are adequate. It is found that the existing DLP practice does not provide sufficient security to clients.Practical implicationsConstruction project clients will need to include the tenderer’s proposed DLP as part of the tender evaluation criteria with the objective of picking up a signal of the quality of work to be delivered.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the pioneering studies addressing the issue of the adequacy of DLPs in the construction industry in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The findings trigger policy and regulatory changes in conditions guiding construction contracts procured in most developing countries that have adopted and adapted to the World Bank Public Procurement Guidelines.

A clash of clans: an empirical study of conflicting institutional logics and their impact on megaproject collaboration

PurposeManaging megaprojects is challenging due to their inherent complexity and uncertainty. Collaborative project delivery models have been introduced as an alternative to traditional project management in public infrastructure megaprojects and are often realized through collaborative contracts. These project organizations act as institutional arenas for logic interaction as actors with differing institutional backgrounds interact within the project. This paper aims to study the delivery phase of three megaprojects through an institutional lens, investigating the institutional interaction and alignment of logics therein.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study was employed to reach deep insight into the phenomenon. Sixty-one interviews were conducted over 3 cases with representatives from all levels of the project hierarchy. Respondents were selected through snowball sampling. In two cases, observations of the shared project office were conducted. Data analysis built on first-order codes and second-order themes, collected into a theoretical framework.FindingsThe empirical evidence demonstrates the dynamics shaping institutional logics and gives evidence for changing logics in projects with a well-applied collaborative contract. However, there is a risk of resistance and a return to traditional logics since institutional change is slow and an unsuitably applied collaborative contract can lead to adherence to the conventional way of work.Originality/valueCurrent research has focused on the regulatory framework and procurement phase of such models, but little attention has been given to the delivery phase and the interaction of conflicting logics. This paper can serve as an exemplar of the different logics found within public infrastructure projects and their interaction and alignment. Contributions include a heightened emphasis on the start of the project as a meeting point for differing institutional logics and the role change necessary when using a collaborative contract.

Identity and political corruption: a laboratory experiment

AbstractThis paper explores the role of identity in voters’ decision to retain corrupt politicians. We build up a model of electoral accountability with pure moral hazard and bring it to the lab. Politicians must decide whether to invest in a public project with uncertain returns or to keep the funds for themselves. Voters observe the outcome of the project but not the action of the politician; if the project is unsuccessful, they do not know whether it was because of bad luck or because the politician embezzled the funds. We run two treatments; a control and a treatment where subjects are assigned an identity using the minimal group paradigm. Our main result is that, upon observing a failed project, voters approve politicians of their same identity group significantly more often than in the control and compared to politicians of a different identity group. This is partially driven by a belief on same-identity politicians being more honest. We also observe that subjects acting as politicians embezzle funds less often than expected by the equilibrium prediction.

Gun violence rhetoric in Milwaukee: racialized violence and the creation of urban space

ABSTRACT Gun violence is a widespread problem in the United States. Using the case study of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we analyze gun violence stories shared through the public humanities project, Voices of Gun Violence. We argue that the rhetoric of gun violence in Milwaukee helps constitute and naturalize racialized spatial imaginaries in ways that are imbricated in people’s daily lives. Through critically engaging stories of gun violence, we find that gun violence often constructs Black space as inherently dangerous and reinforces racialized containment. However, we argue there are possibilities for resistant Black spatial imaginaries.

Drivers of innovation in infrastructure development projects: A configurational analysis of boundary spanning roles

Innovation can provide new opportunities to improve project efficiency. However, enabling innovation is challenging, especially in public infrastructure development projects. Several impeding factors, such as limited contractual incentives and complexity, are prevalent in contract-based collaborative environments. Literature suggests that boundary spanners play an important role in driving innovation by seizing opportunities. This study aims to identify configurations of boundary spanning roles in typical project situations— varying in contract type and complexity— to facilitate innovation. The empirical data is from 58 projects and analyzed using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Results show that depending on the project conditions in terms of contract type and complexity, different combinations of boundary spanning roles can be taken up by project managers or other team members to facilitate innovation. This study highlights that in high-complexity situations, boundary spanning roles play a critical role in maintaining good relationships with collaborators, which is instrumental in developing innovation.

Employment generation potentials in the implementation of a rural drinking water supply program: evidence from India's Jal Jeevan Mission

ABSTRACT Policymakers in India are finding it challenging to generate adequate employment to meet the requirements of growing population. An avenue consistently used is to invest in large-scale public infrastructure projects. In 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched with the aim of providing potable drinking water to every rural household in India. Underscoring the large investments in infrastructure development, the mission holds significant potential to create employment. The evidence base of studies assessing the effect of rural development programs on employment was weak. Against this backdrop, we assessed the employment generation potential of JJM at various phases of its implementation. We utilized secondary and scheme-level primary data across states of India and used the input-output model and ratio method to assess employment prospects. Our results suggest that JJM has the potential to generate an average of 5.99 million person-year of direct and 22.25 million person-year of indirect employment during the construction phase, and 1.11 million person-year of additional direct employment annually during the maintenance phase. Our study highlights the spillover effects of public investments in the form of employment generation and indicates that the impact of JJM is likely to be substantial once the program is complete and operational.

Assessing the adequacy of competition in public construction projects

Assessing the adequacy of competition in public construction projects

Application of BIM in Civil Engineering

This paper explores how the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be a beneficial platform for Civil engineers. The utilization of BIM (Building Information Modeling) is becoming a hot issue for many public work projects. Also, its market seems to be expanded as BIM is applied in procurement constructions. This concept is the basis of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. There is now a growing interest in the adoption of this technology within the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. The capacity of BIM for civil engineering to study many possibilities enhances results and offers data-driven confidence that projects can be completed on time and under budget. BIM provides shared information throughout the course of a project, producing powerful outcomes. The method of building information modelling (BIM), which is based on 3D models, is the cornerstone of the digital transformation. The information around design assets may be created and managed by civil engineers, resulting in increased teamwork, shared data, and project completion that is both on schedule and within budget. Next, the idea of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and its practical benefits are described. Main part of the paper is devoted to discussion about what kind of difficulties we may encounter during the implementation of the BIM technology and how they are related to the potential benefits.

Dostoevsky in a Free Application: the Publishing Project of Adolf Marx in the Notebooks of Anna Dostoevskaya

The publication of the Complete Works of F. M. Dostoevsky became the main deed of his widow. Over the course of 10 years, book publication has been stable and profitable for the writer’s family. In 1893, the publisher of the weekly “Niva,” A. F. Marx, offered Anna Grigoryevna to sell him the literary rights to Dostoevsky’s works for printing them as a free supplement to his magazine. Dostoevskaya devoted a chapter of published memoirs to this transaction, but her unpublished notebooks contain additional information about both the external side of the agreement with Marx (lists, dates, notes) and the inner world of the publisher during this period (memories, experiences, doubts, comments). This article introduces into scientific circulation the materials of A. G. Dostoevskaya’s notebooks about family meetings about the sale of literary rights, details and curious stories related to the signing of an agreement with Marx. Ultimately, the deal with Marx was not as profitable as it seemed at first. It divided the publishing activities of the writer’s widow into “before” and “after” the contract: the time after the return of copyright was marked by a sharp decline in demand for Dostoevsky’s works due to the surplus of the Complete works of the Marx publishing house on the book market. The contract with “Niva’s” publisher turned out to be one of the essential circumstances in the process of termination of A. G. Dostoevskaya’s publishing activities in 1910. Despite the adverse consequences of the deal with Marx for the Dostoevsky family's book business, the writer’s widow remained friendly with “Niva’s” publisher, as evidenced by the documents provided in the article: her letter to him about the donation and publication of three letters from Dostoevsky to his brother Mikhail, as well as the mentions of the name of Marx and his publications in notebooks.

공공디자인 진흥을 위한 사업 유형 분류에 관한 연구

Today, it is difficult to think of the public sphere, daily life, and community life without thinking of public design. As public design is actively linked and grafted with various fields, it is spreading to all phenomena of public policy and society, expanding the scope of new business opportunities. Therefore, this study aims to present a typology of public design projects by examining the terrain of public design projects from a multidimensional perspective, which is a collection of processes and outcomes carried out for the purpose of individual and social needs, and ultimately accepted by the public as a socio-cultural experience. In line with the purpose of the study, the need for research on public design project types was confirmed through a review of previous studies and literature, and project types were categorized through case analysis of projects by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Seoul Metropolitan Government. As a result, four types of public design projects are proposed based on the orientation of thematic and practical methods: value creation, culture diffusion, capacity building, and foundation creation. At a time when a way of understanding public design projects that can be shared by various actors in implementation, participation, and cooperation needs to be established, the more comprehensive conceptualization of project types presented in this study is expected to provide direction in planning and implementing policies and projects, as it can be combined and linked to various areas such as culture, tourism, welfare, pedestrianism, safety, and health, as well as the design field.

Cost-benefit analysis of an irrigation unit with treated wastewater in Chihuahua, Mexico

The reuse of water in agriculture is an alternative to guarantee food security in Mexico and efficient management of this resource. The objective was to conduct an economic evaluation by benefit-cost analysis in an irrigation district of treated wastewater (TWW) in Tabalaopa-Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico. The cost-benefit methodology was used to estimate the economic assessment of public projects. The results indicated that the project operation would obtain a net social value of $1,054.4 million, a social return intern fee of 31.19 %, and a cost-benefit relation of 2.48. Even if the costs and benefits increase by up to 30 %, the project would still be economically viable and provide social benefits. The start-up of a TWW irrigation district will generate economic benefits for society and promote the reduction of environmental impact on the agricultural land in Tabalaopa, Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico.

지하공간에서 건설 공사를 위한 법제 고찰

The necessity for construction projects in underground spaces is gradually increasing. Currently, since there is no special law governing underground spaces, the Civil Code is applied. However, the Civil Code does not present a legal concept for underground spaces or deep strata. Therefore, there has been ongoing debate on whether the effect of land ownership under the Civil Code is recognized or excluded in deep strata. The “Deep Strata Act (Draft)” proposed in September 2020 mainly stipulates that when constructing or managing transportation facilities in deep strata, it is permissible to use the deep strata underground, and in such cases, compensation for the land as prescribed by the “Land Compensation Act” is not required, nor is it necessary to establish a separate superficies under the Civil Code. This premise implies that ownership rights do not extend below the boundary depth. However, simply limiting private ownership rights for public projects could lead to essential infringements on property rights, which necessitates considering the relationship between ownership and superficies under the Civil Code, as well as compensation for losses, when enacting special laws. Particularly, unlike the Japanese Civil Code, Article 212 of the Korean Civil Code includes an abstract provision of “legitimate interest,” making it difficult to adopt the Japanese Deep Strata Act as is. Under the current legal system, construction projects in deep strata require individual assessments of the scope of ownership, as well as the establishment of separate superficies and compensation for losses. Nevertheless, for the efficiency of construction projects in deep strata, it is believed that not only the enactment of special laws but also a legal review of the Civil Code and other legal principles is necessary.

Project Success Criteria in Social Infrastructure

The main aim of this paper is to conceptualize success for social infrastructure projects, examining juxtapositions between project management- and overall project success , as well as prevalent definitions for success in the public realm. The text includes a review of relevant literature on the topic of project success frameworks, in combination with a case study illustrating the differences between several success criteria on the example of the Indiana Toll Road project. The findings of the case study suggest that despite the project resulting in the bankruptcy of the private entity, it could nonetheless be considered a public project success, due to its large approval ratings by Indiana’s citizens. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of safeguards against planning fallacy and optimism bias – issues which are amplified in social infrastructure procurement procedures. This topic discussed in this research paper concern qualifiers for success, in combination with a case study outlining the impact of improperly accounted for optimism bias. The obtained results may be of interest to representatives of science and practice, especially with regard to social infrastructure development.

인천 마을공동체 사례를 통해 보는 생활도시의 마을자치

This article discusses the case of Incheon communities from the perspective of life city that distinguishes between the community of trust and the administration of confidence, and reveals the importance of practical community’s autonomy. In particular, I focus on the case of Yeongsung Community in Bupyeong-gu, which is self-reliant and actively participates in the residents’ autonomy. As a rusult, I propose four directions for supporting community’s autonomy in life city. (1) The formation of a community of trust should be prioritized over administrative performance and efficiency. (2) It is better to support regular or temporary large-scale community funds rather than one-time project expenses in the form of a public project. (3) A key task for administrative or support centers is to build the capacity of community’s self-governance through training and networking. (4) Institutional residents’ autonomy should be replaced by a voluntary association based on trust.

Examination of Urban Transformation Implementation Legislation: Elazığ Example

In this study, it was aimed to examine and reveal the general results of the models applied in urban transformation works in Elazığ province after the 6.8 Mw Sivrice earthquake on January 24, 2020. The population of the research, Elazığ province sample, is Karşıyaka, Cumhuriyet, Abdullahpaşa, Mustafapaşa, Rüstempaşa, Sürsürü, Kızılay and Sivrice Country Gölbaşı Neighborhoods. The study is qualitative research in the form of a field study in terms of revealing the results of urban transformation implementation at the sample points. In this context, observation technique, interview technique, and documentary scanning technique were used in the descriptive analysis. General physical-structural characteristics of buildings in the observation technique; in the interview technique, 100 building owners and users' opinions about the buildings; In the documentary scanning technique, the reflections of literature information in practice are interpreted as a whole. In comparing the literature information, project technical documents obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and Elazığ Municipality were used. As a result, the model to be chosen in the urban transformation process is an important parameter in the success of the application and reaching the desired goal. More qualified urban transformation applications will be achieved by reducing the problems that arise in public transformation projects, especially in determining the legislation, and by choosing the appropriate model for comprehensive transformation.

Might a Sense of Place Approach Help the Public Connect to Brayford Pool’s Medieval Heritage?

It is challenging for people to perceive a particular aspect of an area’s rich history when it is not obvious, prominent, or interpreted (Hunt, 2021). This article draws on and develops this assertion by establishing the importance of the Brayford Pool in the Medieval Period (1066–1540) and explores the challenges people face when perceiving the influence of this time period within the current landscape. The article uses the perception aspect of Sense of Place as a framework to suggest that these challenges may be overcome through shared authority and public curation. The article argues that this approach could help to re-establish the importance of the area during the medieval period. The article then considers how the principal of shared authority might be applied to create a public history project on the medieval history of the area, owned by the different communities who live, work, study, and engage in leisure activities on and around Brayford Pool. Finally, it considers the way in which this might impact positively on the other aspects of a Sense of Place: how people value a place, how people describe and interact with it, and the importance of its sustainability.

Agroecological Pathways of Family Farmers in Northern Uruguay

In Uruguay, to address the socio-environmental problems generated by the production model resulting from the Green Revolution, several civil society organizations promoted the creation of a National Agroecology Plan (NAP) in 2015. The enactment of Law No.19.717, declaring a general interest and establishing a National Honorary Commission and a National Plan for the Promotion of Production with Agroecological Bases, along with recent calls from the “Senda Agroecológica” initiative, provide a favorable scenario to envision new production systems with agroecological foundations and pose a challenge for agronomic research. Despite this law defining family farmers as its main beneficiaries and the majority being livestock producers, there are few studies on the role of their technical and organizational practices in agroecological transition and the definition of agroecology. To contribute to filling this gap, the research aimed to identify the role of these practices, both individually and collectively, in defining agroecology and its trajectory. A theoretical framework and methodology were developed to analyze the practices and strategies of family livestock farmers and their relationships with technicians. Situations of change were identified, such as tick biological control and natural field management, through interviews and group work with farmers and technicians. Agroecological transition trajectories were analyzed, considering the role of territories in coordinating actions among diverse actors and establishing new identities and action devices, such as public policies and institutional projects. Results at both individual and collective levels indicate multiple transition paths, dependent on the specific situation of farms and projects. The analyzed cases reveal diversity in transitions without any prevailing. The challenge lies in turning these transformations into drivers of processes towards a strong agroecology, requiring support, assistance and guidance actions in the implementation of public policies.