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1 – 10 of 12Kenan Liu, Alice Chang-Richards, Seosamh B. Costello, Cecile L'Hermitte, Nadia M. Trent and Nan Li
This paper aims to investigate the challenges faced by the transport infrastructure sector in its civil construction material supply processes, following the 2016 Kaikoura…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the challenges faced by the transport infrastructure sector in its civil construction material supply processes, following the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake in New Zealand.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach was adopted, which included on-site observations, semi-structured interviews and literature-based desktop reviews.
Findings
The research findings show that there were supply problems for aggregates, concrete, stormwater pipes and some specialised products for the repair and rebuild of transport facilities. Those supply problems were largely caused by (1) difficulty in predicting material requirements, (2) constrained supply capability, (3) inadequate local freight capacity, (4) legal, cultural and/or environmental considerations on resource exploitation and utilisation, (5) impacts of COVID-19 and (6) ineffective communication and coordination.
Research limitations/implications
For future research, it is recommended that a comparative analysis of multiple disaster cases be undertaken to further explore the generalisability of the research findings.
Originality/value
The research findings will inform the development of post-earthquake recovery policies and material supply chain operation strategies, in order to expedite the recovery of transport networks if a future earthquake strikes.
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Shawn Hezron Charles, Alice Chang-Richards and Tak Wing Yiu
The purpose of this paper is to elicit the expectations for resilient post-disaster rebuilds from Caribbean project end-users. In anticipation of future climatological…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to elicit the expectations for resilient post-disaster rebuilds from Caribbean project end-users. In anticipation of future climatological, meteorological, hydrological or geophysical disasters disaster, key stakeholders can articulate and incorporate strategies for resilience development, thus leading to improved end-users’ satisfaction and confidence.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper engages the results of a systematic literature review that identified 24 empirical resilience factors for post-disaster reconstruction projects. These factors informed a semi-structured questionnaire to elicit the perspectives of Caribbean end-users on a seven-point Likert scale. The quantitative analysis of both factor ranking and principal component analysis was performed to identify correlations and provides further interpretations on the desires of the end-users for resilient rebuilds.
Findings
The results presented in this paper highlight the collective perspectives on the Caribbean end-users on what they perceived to be aiding more resilient reconstruction projects. They identified reconstruction designs mindful of future hazards, policies that aid climate change mitigation, active assessment of key structures, readily available funding sources and ensuring stakeholder’s unbiased interest as the top-most empirical factors. Factor analysis suggested collaborations with inclusive training and multi-stakeholder engagement, critical infrastructure indexing and effective governance as the critical resilience development factors.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is first of its kind to explore the perspective of the Caribbean people regarding disaster reconstruction projects. It addresses developmental avenues for measurement indicators towards resilience monitoring and improvement. Additionally, the perspectives can provide construction industry professionals with tools for improved operational resilience objective-setting guidance, for Caribbean construction.
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Shawn H. Charles, Alice Chang-Richards and (Kenneth) Tak Wing Yiu
The purpose of this study is to elicit the success factors from empirical evidence, as construction industry requires an improved understanding of factors for managing projects to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to elicit the success factors from empirical evidence, as construction industry requires an improved understanding of factors for managing projects to positive outcomes. Increased stakeholder involvement, including the new technologies, achieving sustainability and safeguarding health and safety, whilst at the same time facing uncertainties, it is crucial to examine whether there are new factors that drive construction projects to succeed, especially from a value-driven perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a systematic review approach, this research reviewed 172 studies published after 2004. When compared to a comprehensive project success factor framework presented by Chan et al. in 2004, 19 factors are considered new since 2004.
Findings
Though several scholarly outputs highlighted significant improvements to project operations and innovations in equipment and techniques, there has not been a comprehensive oversight since Chan’s et al. (2004) conceptual framework. This paper investigates 16 years of industry changes and identified two new success factors categories (innovation and sustainability) and 19 new factors that add to Chan’s et al. (2004) study. Consequently, a new framework of factors affecting project success was developed.
Originality/value
This paper was very specific in its attempt to find the new and additional success factors for managing construction projects. A new conceptual framework, which includes the newly identified factors, was then developed that will create a greater awareness of stakeholders’ concerns and ultimately contribute to significant improvement in developing project objectives and defining success measures.
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Na Zhou, Alice Chang-Richards, Kevin I-Kai Wang and Kim Natasha Dirks
This study aims to develop an architectural prototype of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS), as well as lay a technological foundation for future smart housing with improved health and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop an architectural prototype of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS), as well as lay a technological foundation for future smart housing with improved health and well-being outcomes for its occupants.
Design/methodology/approach
This study deploys smart sensors to monitor the key environmental parameters of a house. Using Internet of Things technology, a prototype of a CPS has been developed for capturing the environmental conditions over time. A case study involving a property in New Zealand was undertaken to validate the prototype.
Findings
The study proposes a monitoring platform, enabled by the CPS and smart sensing devices, that collects, shares, stores, analyses and visualises indoor environment data. The reliability and accuracy of the monitoring system were enhanced by comparing the activity of house occupants with sensor data.
Research limitations/implications
Due to limited time, the prototype was tested in one house for a period of one month. Air quality was not considered in this study. However, the work suggests that such an approach provides an effective solution for government organisations and housing agencies to collect information for the purpose of assessing building thermal performance.
Originality/value
This research proposes a new lens consisting of a home environment monitoring application with health and well-being implications. It could also be used to inform the future design of healthy homes and buildings, both in New Zealand and internationally.
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Tinu Rose Francis, Suzanne Wilkinson, Sandeeka Mannakkara and Alice Chang-Richards
The 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes were one of the most devastating events in New Zealand’s history. Due to the large scale of disruption and losses, the central government…
Abstract
Purpose
The 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes were one of the most devastating events in New Zealand’s history. Due to the large scale of disruption and losses, the central government created a separate body, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), to manage and oversee recovery activities. Working with local authorities and stakeholders, CERA plays a major role in driving the recovery in Christchurch. This paper aims to analyse CERA’s decision-making process and the effects of some of its critical decisions on the recovery outcomes. The paper takes a “build back better” (BBB) perspective to understand the decisions taken and processes used.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study adopted a mixed-methods research design (Creswell, 2013) and was conducted by reviewing official CERA documents and publications related to its recovery assessments and by conducting interviews with key officials from CERA. Collecting data from both qualitative and quantitative data sources enabled the process of triangulation.
Findings
Lessons learned from the Canterbury experience in terms of recovery best practices are reported. CERA’s recovery policy aimed to give confidence to the community and renew and revitalise the damaged city. Compared with the BBB theory, the community-driven recovery strategy and the multi-stakeholder approach worked well. Other critical decisions aligned with the BBB theory include land zoning, empowering community and integration with existing developmental plans.
Originality/value
BBB can be used as a tool for the implementation of recovery and restoration measures following a large disaster. However, a set of practical indicators to measure the level of BBB is needed.
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Shawn Hezron Charles, Alice Chang-Richards and Tak Wing Yiu
This paper aims to investigate the emergence of new success measures for buildings and infrastructure post-disaster reconstruction projects, beyond the traditional ”iron…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the emergence of new success measures for buildings and infrastructure post-disaster reconstruction projects, beyond the traditional ”iron triangle”, which have gained prominence with the increased involvement of clients and end-users in these projects. Consequently, the industry is obliged to reconsider the critical factors regarding what constitutes a successful outcome from the perspectives of these stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was gathered from end-users in four Caribbean islands using a questionnaire survey on eight empirical success indicators obtained from an extensive systematic literature review. To elicit a ranking and correlations amongst the end-user’ perspectives on the indicators, factor analysis and structural equation modelling techniques (SEM) were conducted.
Findings
The factor analysis found “safety” to be the most important empirical success measure, while “change” ranked the least important. Correlation analysis using SEM identified two new composite indicators, namely, “competence” with delivering timely and quality environmentally friendly and sustainable projects and “adaptability” in ensuring project objectives reflect beneficiaries’ expectations amidst internal and external influences, to be critical of end-users’ measurement indicators that describe their assessment mechanism. Measurement and structural models validated “safety” and “satisfaction” to be the highest loading variables in the two composites, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The research focussed on findings in English language articles; therefore, any claim to a complete list of indicators from the literature can be amiss.
Practical implications
Results confirm the traditional “iron triangle” of time, cost and quality to be limited in assessing reconstruction project outcomes and the views and expectations of the potential beneficiaries need to be factored in the planning, design, execution and post-handover stages in all reconstruction projects.
Originality/value
This paper was very specific in its attempt to investigate new success indicators for reconstruction project outcomes, aiming to assist with developing comprehensive project objectives that resonate with all stakeholder groups.
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Xichen Chen, Alice Yan Chang-Richards, Florence Yean Yng Ling, Tak Wing Yiu, Antony Pelosi and Nan Yang
Despite extensive academic research related to digital technologies (DT), their integration into architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects lags in practice. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite extensive academic research related to digital technologies (DT), their integration into architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects lags in practice. This paper aims to discover DT deployment patterns and emerging trends in real-life AEC projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study methodology was adopted, including individual case analyses and comparative multiple-case analyses.
Findings
The results revealed the temporal distribution of DT in practical AEC projects, specific DT products/software, major project types integrated with digital solutions, DT application areas and project stages and associated project performance. Three distinct patterns in DT adoption have been observed, reflecting the evolution of DT applications, the progression from single to multiple DT integration and alignment with emerging industry requirements. The DT adoption behavior in the studied cases has been examined using the technology-organization-environment-human (TOE + H) framework. Further, eight emerging trend streams for future DT adoption were identified, with “leveraging the diverse features of certain mature DT” being a shared recognition of all studied companies.
Practical implications
This research offers actionable insights for AEC companies, facilitating the development of customized DT implementation roadmaps aligned with organizational needs. Policymakers, industry associations and DT suppliers may leverage these findings for informed decision-making, collaborative educational initiatives and product/service customization.
Originality/value
This research provides empirical evidence of applicable products/software, application areas and project performance. The examination of the TOE + H framework offers a holistic understanding of the collective influences on DT adoption. The identification of emerging trends addresses the evolving demands of the AEC industry in the digital era.
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Luwei Zhao, Qing’e Wang, Bon-Gang Hwang and Alice Yan Chang-Richards
The purpose of this study is to develop a new hybrid method that combines interpretative structural modeling (ISM) and matrix cross-impact multiplication applied to classification…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a new hybrid method that combines interpretative structural modeling (ISM) and matrix cross-impact multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) to investigate the influencing factors of sustainable infrastructure vulnerability (SIV).
Design/methodology/approach
(1) Literature review and case study were used to identify the possible influencing factors; (2) a semi-structured interview was conducted to identify representative factors and the interrelationships among influencing factors; (3) ISM was adopted to identify the hierarchical structure of factors; (4) MICMAC was used to analyze the driving power (DRP) and dependence power (DEP) of each factor and (5) Semi-structured interview was used to propose strategies for overcoming SIV.
Findings
Results indicate that (1) 18 representative factors related to SIV were identified; (2) the relationship between these factors was divided into a five-layer hierarchical structure. The 18 representative factors were divided into driving factors, dependent factors, linkage factors and independent factors and (3) 12 strategies were presented to address the negative effects of these factors.
Originality/value
The findings illustrate the factors influencing SIV and their hierarchical structures, which can benefit the stakeholders and practitioners of an infrastructure project by encouraging them to take effective countermeasures to deal with related SIVs.
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Xichen Chen, Alice Yan Chang-Richards, Tak Wing Yiu, Florence Yean Yng Ling, Antony Pelosi and Nan Yang
With growing concern about sustainable development and increased awareness of environmental issues, digital technologies (DTs) are gaining prominence and becoming a promising…
Abstract
Purpose
With growing concern about sustainable development and increased awareness of environmental issues, digital technologies (DTs) are gaining prominence and becoming a promising trend to improve productivity, sustainability and project performance in the construction industry. Nonetheless, the uptake of DTs in the construction industry has been limited and plagued with roadblocks. This study aims to identify critical barriers for construction organisations to adopt DTs and to demonstrate relationships between organisational characteristics and the perceived DTs adoption barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted an explanatory sequential design by combining the advantages of quantitative and qualitative data. Data collection methods include literature review, a pilot study, questionnaire survey, and semi-structured interviews. Questionnaire data were analysed by using SPSS and multivariate regression technique. The interview data were processed by using content analysis to validate and supplement findings from the questionnaire.
Findings
Based on the survey and interview results, eight critical barriers were identified: the three top critical barriers are (1) “status quo industry standards”, (2) “lack of client interest” and (3) “lack of financial need/drive for using DTs”. The eight critical barriers were further classified into technical, environmental, and social dimensions to determine the major constructs that hinder DTs adoption. A theoretical framework articulating critical barriers with underlying components and root causes was also proposed. Furthermore, by using multivariate regression analysis, a model was developed to link the organisational characteristics with barriers to DTs adoption.
Practical implications
By referring to the framework and the model developed, academics, industry practitioners, and decision makers can identify pivotal areas for improvement, make informed decisions and implement remedial measures to remove the barriers to digitalisation transformation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on construction innovations by investigating barriers to DTs adoption holistically as well as perceptions of the impact of organisational attributes on these barriers. It establishes the groundwork for future empirical research into the strategic consolidation of movement of DTs adoption and diffusion.
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Suzanne Wilkinson, Alice Yan Chang-Richards, Zulkfli Sapeciay and Seosamh B. Costello
Improving the resilience of the construction sector helps countries recover quicker from crises and can assist with improving community resilience and recovery. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Improving the resilience of the construction sector helps countries recover quicker from crises and can assist with improving community resilience and recovery. This study aims to explore ways in which the construction sector might improve its resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examined past disasters and the role construction plays to understand what and how better construction resilience can be built, and the impact this will have on recovery and reconstruction.
Findings
The findings showed that after a crisis, the construction sector is called upon to manage building and infrastructure recovery and reconstruction. Construction organisations are needed by the community, as they provide physical resources, people, materials, logistics, management and technical expertise and rebuilding. To ensure that recovery and reconstruction programs are successfully implemented, it is necessary for the construction sector to be resilient. To achieve improved resilience in the construction industry, disaster resilience management needs to become mainstreamed into construction processes.
Research limitations/implications
Although larger organisations have some preparation to respond to crises, including having emergency or disaster plans, smaller companies struggle to achieve a reasonable level of resilience. It appears that senior management and key people in construction organisations are familiar with the procedures but that the majority of staff in organisations lack knowledge and skills.
Practical implications
Understanding the role the construction sector plays in disasters and providing directions for improving construction sector resilience will ultimately improve recovery and reconstruction outcomes.
Social Implications
This paper discusses how communities rely on services provided by construction organisations to enable them to recover from emergencies and crises. Pre-disaster construction company resilience impacts on the ability of construction companies to function post-disaster.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on a number of cases and shows where and how the construction sector has worked in disasters and provides a new analysis of the role the industry plays, and the various disaster stages where the industry has maximum impact.
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