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Project governance has been linked to project success because top management support is necessary for projects to succeed. However, top managers are time poor and it is not clear which project governance mechanisms are effective for project success. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue and identify project governance mechanisms that correlate with success.

This is a quantitative study. A theoretical model of project governance was developed and tested with secondary industry data gathered from 51 global organisations and 66,817 responses.

The results found five project governance mechanisms (Vision, Change, Sponsor, KPI and Monitor) significantly correlate with project success and are effective at different stages in the project lifecycle.

Earlier research has found a relationship between project governance and project success but it has not been specific enough to guide top managers in practice. This is the first research to take this next step and identify project governance mechanisms that correlate with project success. One finding of this research that has particular value is the identification of when in the project lifecycle a particular governance mechanism is most effective.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge management and growth performance of construction companies.

In total, 600 questionnaires were sent to selected individuals in grade G7 construction companies. A total of 110 completed questionnaires were returned and deemed usable. The collected data were processed and analysed by partial least-squares (PLS) path modelling with SmartPLS 2.0 software. This technique was selected because it is appropriate for exploratory studies, such as the current one, where hypothesised relationships between variables have not been tested.

The findings show a positive relationship between knowledge management and growth performance in construction companies. The results of this study are valuable in establishing a valid and reliable survey instrument, especially for construction companies.

The results of this study can be can be utilised as a basis for strategic choices by top management, to enable a company to grow. Right decisions are crucial to enable construction companies to remain competitive, and develop in a challenging business environment.

The paper furthers understanding of how knowledge management influence growth performance in construction industry. This aspect has been little studied both in theoretical and empirical studies.

Smart card-based E-payment systems are receiving increasing attention as the number of implementations is witnessed on the rise globally. Understanding of user adoption behavior of E-payment systems that employ smart card technology becomes a research area that is of particular value and interest to both IS researchers and professionals. However, research interest focuses mostly on why a smart card-based E-payment system results in a failure or how the system could have grown into a success. This signals the fact that researchers have not had much opportunity to critically review a smart card-based E-payment system that has gained wide support and overcome the hurdle of critical mass adoption. The Octopus in Hong Kong has provided a rare opportunity for investigating smart card-based E-payment system because of its unprecedented success. This research seeks to thoroughly analyze the Octopus from technology adoption behavior perspectives.

Cultural impacts on adoption behavior are one of the key areas that this research posits to investigate. Since the present research is conducted in Hong Kong where a majority of population is Chinese ethnicity and yet is westernized in a number of aspects, assuming that users in Hong Kong are characterized by eastern or western culture is less useful. Explicit cultural characteristics at individual level are tapped into here instead of applying generalization of cultural beliefs to users to more accurately reflect cultural bias. In this vein, the technology acceptance model (TAM) is adapted, extended, and tested for its applicability cross-culturally in Hong Kong on the Octopus. Four cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede are included in this study, namely uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, individualism, and Confucian Dynamism (long-term orientation), to explore their influence on usage behavior through the mediation of perceived usefulness.

TAM is also integrated with the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to borrow two constructs in relation to innovative characteristics, namely relative advantage and compatibility, in order to enhance the explanatory power of the proposed research model. Besides, the normative accountability of the research model is strengthened by embracing two social influences, namely subjective norm and image. As the last antecedent to perceived usefulness, prior experience serves to bring in the time variation factor to allow level of prior experience to exert both direct and moderating effects on perceived usefulness.

The resulting research model is analyzed by partial least squares (PLS)-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The research findings reveal that all cultural dimensions demonstrate direct effect on perceived usefulness though the influence of uncertainty avoidance is found marginally significant. Other constructs on innovative characteristics and social influences are validated to be significant as hypothesized. Prior experience does indeed significantly moderate the two influences that perceived usefulness receives from relative advantage and compatibility, respectively. The research model has demonstrated convincing explanatory power and so may be employed for further studies in other contexts. In particular, cultural effects play a key role in contributing to the uniqueness of the model, enabling it to be an effective tool to help critically understand increasingly internationalized IS system development and implementation efforts. This research also suggests several practical implications in view of the findings that could better inform managerial decisions for designing, implementing, or promoting smart card-based E-payment system.

Construction is an information and knowledge driven industry. Construction firms all over the world are increasingly being challenged by high‐cost pressure, shortened project cycles and increasing competition. Within a business environment, where fast and reliable access to knowledge is a key success factor, the efficient handling of organisational knowledge is crucial. The purpose of this paper is to look at ways knowledge and expertise are managed in project‐based firms, based on three case studies. The knowledge management (KM) effort established in these cases studies is analysed. Finally, the findings from the case studies from the perspective of the construction firm are presented.

The research methodology of the study is that of interpretative case study and grounded theory based on a strong empirical foundation, on which new theoretical insight into KM as an autonomous action is developed. Case study research is one of the most widely‐used research designs in qualitative research. The grounded theory method develops theory from data collected through direct contact with research situations. The methodology looks at large, successful companies already using KM, which not typical companies, but which provide useful insights for others.

This paper analyses KM effort, based on three case studies and offers recommendations and insights for enhancing KM in construction firms.

Construction firms need to be aware of the advantages of KM initiatives and practices. KM requires an environment that allows workers to create, capture, share, and leverage knowledge to improve performance. Firms are increasingly utilizing interdisciplinary organisational structures in which employees share knowledge and expertise within and between groups in order to cope with complex tasks.

This paper presents the findings from case studies of three large, high‐performing project‐based firms, involving exploratory, open‐ended interviews with managers at various levels, and identifies key KM implementation issues in construction firms; it also provides valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing the capture, sharing and use of corporate knowledge assets.

Efficient project execution is a key business objective in many domains and particularly so for capital projects in the construction industry. Each construction project is unique in terms of how specialist professionals manage knowledge. Construction projects generate a large body of knowledge for sharing and reuse within the construction organization and across projects. In addition, projects provide opportunities for new knowledge to emerge in a cross‐functional, team‐work context. There are many factors in the construction industry that can influence the execution of construction projects, both positively and negatively, and so it is increasingly important to anticipate risks and implement the best solutions. Therefore, the preparation of the project before execution is crucial for any construction firm. This paper sets out to improve project preparation for execution in large construction firms. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to look at ways by which construction projects are prepared, based on the empirical data collected from five case studies. It also seeks to provide and discuss a model of a knowledge management (KM) system aimed at improving the preparation of large construction projects.

The prerequisite for developing a KM solution in which project knowledge can be used to enable and improve project‐preparation processes is identifying the sources and nature of knowledge and its flow from a particular source to a specific destination. In order to understand the source flow of project knowledge, a qualitative case study approach was undertaken whereby various actors, knowledge retention practices, access and retrieval of knowledge, and issues in sharing knowledge were identified and analyzed. Case study research is one of the most widely used research designs in qualitative research. The methodology looks at five large construction projects, but not typical projects, which nonetheless provide useful insights for developing KM solutions aimed at improving project preparation.

This paper discusses how to improve project preparation in construction projects with KM and presents a KM model aimed at improving project preparation.

Construction firms need to be aware of the advantages of KM initiatives and practices in project organizations. KM requires an organisation environment that allows workers to create, capture, share, and leverage knowledge to improve project preparation.

This paper presents a new framework for managing project knowledge needed for undertaking project preparation. The knowledge map and the content of the knowledge base may be changed to fit the organization to be applied.

Purpose: This study investigates internal/own shock in the domestic market and three external volatility spillovers from India, the UK, and the USA to the Sri Lanka stock market.

Need for the Study: The external market’s internal/own shocks and volatility spillovers influence portfolio choices in domestic stock market returns. Hence, it is required to investigate the internal shock in the domestic market and the external volatility spillovers from other countries.

Methodology: This study employs a quantitative method using ARMA(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model. All Share Price Index (ASPI) is the proxy for the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) stock return. It uses daily time-series data from 1^st April 2010 to 21^st June 2023.

Findings: The findings revealed that internal/own and external shocks substantially impact the stock price volatility in CSE. Significant volatility clusters and persistence with extended memory in ASPI confirm internal/own shock in the market. Furthermore, CSE receives significant volatility shock from the USA, confirming external shock. This study’s findings highlight the importance of considering internal and external shocks in portfolio decision-making.

Practical Implications: Understanding the influence of internal shocks helps investors manage their portfolios and adapt to market volatility. Recognising significant volatility spillovers from external markets, especially the USA, informs diversification strategies. From a policy standpoint, the study emphasises the need for robust regulations and risk management measures to address shocks in domestic and global markets. This study adds value to the literature by assessing the sources of volatility shocks in the CSE, employing the ARMA-GARCH, a sophisticated econometrics model, to capture stock returns volatility, enhancing understanding of the CSE’s volatility dynamics.

This paper aims to improve the housing affordability by measuring the housing affordability in a resource-rich economy and studying the impact of implementing new policies.

This paper seeks to test the impact of new policies introduced to the Kuwaiti housing market to improve affordability. In 2008, the Kuwaiti parliament introduced two policies: a tax on empty lands and, forbidding companies to own or develop residential lands or houses.

By constructing the housing affordability index and the price-to-income multiplier using observations from 2004 until 2017, it has been found that affordability has worsened over time regardless of the new policies introduced in 2008. Housing in Kuwait became “severely unaffordable” (equivalent to London in the UK, San Diego in USA and Toronto in Canada).

Even with its unique condition, as a rich country, small population and availability of white land and other resources, the affordability worsened over time. Introducing new policies without solving the central issue of housing supply challenges seems not worth it. This paper is the first of its kind on the Kuwait housing market, and it provides a valuable foundation for future research on this market and similar markets in the region.