Search results
1 – 4 of 4Chioma Sylvia Okoro, Chukwuma Nnaji and Abdulrauf Adediran
The usefulness of technology for managing projects in the construction industry is indisputable. The potential utility of immersive technologies (ImTs), including virtual and…
Abstract
Purpose
The usefulness of technology for managing projects in the construction industry is indisputable. The potential utility of immersive technologies (ImTs), including virtual and augmented reality, has recently received significant attention. However, the construction industry, especially in developing countries, lags on the implementation of technology generally and ImTs specifically. Forecasting the potential successful ImTs acceptance at the individual level is essential to strategic planning. The study's objective was to develop and test a conceptual model of factors influencing ImTs acceptance at the individual level in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of construction management-level professionals in South Africa was undertaken. The study extended two complementary models, the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), to analyze behavior towards technology acceptance using structural equation modelling.
Findings
Results indicated that attitude significantly influenced the intention to use ImTs and perceived usefulness (PU) positively and significantly predicted the intention to use and usage attitude (UA). Further, the effects of perceived enjoyment (PEn) on UA, and social norms (SNs) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on intention to use were positive and significant. Perceived ease of use (PEU) had negative and non-significant effects on intention to use and UA. By explaining 82% of the variance, the study established that the proposed model successfully evaluates how management-level professionals in the construction industry accept ImTs.
Practical implications
The study provides valuable insight into the acceptance of ImTs from the perspective of management-level stakeholders in the South African construction industry. It offers fundamental direction to create a general theory on integrating ImTs in construction.
Originality/value
This study systematically surveyed the intention to accept ImTs in the South African construction industry using an extension of the TAM and TPB models.
Details
Keywords
Innocent Musonda and Chioma Sylvia Okoro
Business process re-engineering (BPR) initiatives are complex endeavours which require many factors to ensure success. However, most studies focus on the organisational processes…
Abstract
Purpose
Business process re-engineering (BPR) initiatives are complex endeavours which require many factors to ensure success. However, most studies focus on the organisational processes and improvement within the organisation itself and less on the project team and management dynamics. The study aimed to identify factors that enabled the completion of a BPR, in a technical firm, based on reflections on the project management style.
Design/methodology/approach
The study entailed a descriptive and interpretive case study with reflections from project team members. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.
Findings
Findings revealed that critical success factors for BPR in a technical firm include project leadership and sponsorship, organisational culture and attributes, team dynamics and the nature (activities), and duration of the process.
Practical implications
The findings will benefit project managers in improving their competence and project success through reflective practice. The identified factors could be used in future projects of a similar nature and size to improve how organisations execute BPR projects.
Originality/value
The study used reflections to identify success factors for BPR in a technical firm.
Details
Keywords
Choeu Tshepisho Makabate, Innocent Musonda, Chioma Sylvia Okoro and Nicholas Chileshe
Building information modelling (BIM) has had a significant impact on the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector in the past several years. However, not much is…
Abstract
Purpose
Building information modelling (BIM) has had a significant impact on the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector in the past several years. However, not much is published concerning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopting BIM in the construction industry. To address this knowledge gap, a complete and in-depth literature review of the adoption of BIM by SMEs in the AEC sector is conducted in this study. The paper also provides a comprehensive review of the mainstream studies of adoption of BIM in the AEC organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a five-stage literature review, 54 articles on the adoption of BIM by SMEs from the period 2009 to 2019 were critically analysed from the following three perspectives: (1) the number of articles produced; (2) the research focus and (3) the author's contributions. The techniques of the visualisation of similarities (VOSviewer) software were used to analyse the citation networks of the 54 articles as identified.
Findings
From the analysis, it was established that the number of studies on BIM adoption by SMEs in the reviewed journals has not been increasing and not many articles are available. The finding makes the argument that BIM adoption by SMEs is not a focus point but rather the adoption and implementation of BIM is generalised in the AEC sector. In addition, the results revealed that most of the published articles come from the United Kingdom (UK). However, this finding is hardly surprising due to the requirements in the UK, which have made the adoption of BIM mandatory on all publicly funded projects and are at level 2 BIM. The other highly ranked countries by origins of studies on the adoption of BIM by SMEs were found to be Australia and the United States of America (USA), all of which are developed nations or economies. Some key BIM in SME research trends (adoption, enforcement, benefits, strategies, skills gap, awareness, education and training, and technology) were identified and evaluated.
Research limitations/implications
The results presented in this journal are only applicable to SMEs in the AEC sector. As a result of little available literature on the adoption of BIM in developing countries, the articles have been drawn from developed countries. The dataset was mainly extracted from the Scopus database for the analysis.
Originality/value
An accomplished series content analysis of the implementation and adoption of BIM by SMEs from international construction journals were reported. The study makes significant and emergent contribution by building on the foundation of BIM research in SMEs as well as providing a reference point for the interpretation of findings, as well as directions for future research.
Details
Keywords
Chioma Sylvia Okoro, Malusi Nkambule and Andre Kruger
Sourcing decisions are important considerations in organizations’ strategic and policy resolutions. Given sometimes conflicting factors such as cost and financial implications…
Abstract
Purpose
Sourcing decisions are important considerations in organizations’ strategic and policy resolutions. Given sometimes conflicting factors such as cost and financial implications, individual perceptions and motivation, health and safety of facility users, and organizational objectives, finding a balance and basis for making such decisions, presently and in future, is crucial. This paper aims to investigate the quality of services delivered by an insourced cleaning service team in a higher learning institution. The objective of the study is to establish the condition of the facilities (restrooms) in the institution, and thus the quality of services delivered by the insourced team.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a descriptive approach including observation and scoring to obtain and analyse information about the state of five restrooms on two campuses of the institution.
Findings
Findings revealed that the condition of the restrooms inspected over a period of five weeks was good, except for a week where there was low water supply on the sampled campuses. Further findings revealed that restrooms provided in the library were paid more attention to.
Practical implications
The findings from the study are envisaged to assist facilities management stakeholders and organizations’ management in making decisions on sourcing services and supporting core business functions.
Originality/value
Better decision-making can be made to improve the quality of services provided by sourcing teams, which will contribute to supporting core strategies and increasing value-add and image of organizations.
Details