International Journal of Environmental Research & Earth Science, 2023
Contractors play a major role in the successful delivery of construction projects. The performanc... more Contractors play a major role in the successful delivery of construction projects. The performance of contractors in the execution of public sector building projects is crucial as these projects are capital-intensive. While several studies have explored project performance, there are limited studies on the factors that influence contractors' performance in the execution of public sector projects in northern Nigeria. Based on this notion, this study assessed the factors influencing contractors' performance in delivering public sector projects. The study adopted a quantitative approach with a structured questionnaire used to collect data from registered contractors in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that delays in payment of contractors and difficulty in obtaining financial aid negatively influence contractors' performance the most, while management skills and planning of contractors and timely payment of contractors positively influence contractors' performance the most. The measures that improve the delivery of public sector building projects the most are sufficient funding for contractors to execute building projects and prompt payment by clients. The findings of the study will assist government agencies overseeing public sector building projects and financial institutions in effectively putting in place policies that will enhance the availability of funds for contractors to execute public sector projects.
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Jul 7, 2023
Purpose
The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional... more Purpose
The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional well-being and makes it difficult for the construction industry to attract and retain its workforce. The current study seeks to integrate the current knowledge focused on work–life balance (WLB) in the industry into an understandable whole.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretivist philosophical approach was adopted using a bibliometric review and a narrative review of existing studies from both Scopus and Google databases. The Visualisation of Similarities viewer (VOSviewer) was used to prepare co-occurrence maps from the bibliographic data garnered.
Findings
The study reveals that the prominent factors influencing the WLB of the construction workforce are organizational culture, salary earned, heavy workload, long working hours and inflexible working time. The recent WLB discourse is on organisational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace dynamics. While WLB areas for further exploration are job stress, safety performance, employee attrition and an ageing workforce. Meanwhile, Africa and South America are still lagging in WLB research.
Practical implications
The findings reported here will assist stakeholders in identifying appropriate WLB initiatives that can be used to improve the well-being of the construction workforce. Also, the gaps in knowledge for further research were highlighted.
Originality/value
The findings reveal current trends and a road map for future studies on WLB in construction. It also reveals prominent factors influencing the WLB of workers in the construction industry.
E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the applic... more E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the application of ICT tools for the of acquisition, purchase or supply of goods and services through electronic processes such as e-tendering, e-awarding, e-auction, and e-sourcing by a private or public organisation. Studies have shown that e-Procurement improves competence and performance within the construction industry globally as against the traditional procurement system. In Nigeria, reports on the awareness and implementation of e-Procurement is divergent as some studies reported a good awareness; while others reported that awareness as rather low and slow especially among contracting firms. There is also limited research on the risk factors associated with e-Procurement adoption. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing contractors' perception of the risk factors associated with e-procurement adoption. Data for the study were from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire from 75 contracting in Kaduna State, Nigeria was the source of primary data. Secondary data include published and unpublished sources. Primary data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes that there is a good awareness of e-Procurement among contractors. Findings also show that contracting firms identified online fraud, cyber-crimes, lack of legal framework in place and lack of widely accepted standard of e-procurement practice as some of the risks associated with e-Procurement adoption. The study recommends that the government should provide a legal framework and regulatory control for e-Procurement adoption and there should be adequate internet security for all e-Procurement transaction. Construction stakeholders should also be enlightened on existing internet security that ensures the safety, security and integrity of e-Procurement transactions.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ), 2020
The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professio... more The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professionals which have affected the performance of the industry negatively especially the negative image it projects the construction industry. Extant studies on unethical practices focused on the effects and types of unethical practices with some going further to study measures that can be adopted to curb unethical practices. In the Nigerian construction industry, limited studies exist on measures to curb unethical practices. The aim of this study is to identify the most prevalent unethical practices among construction industry professionals and suitable measures adopted to curb them. This study conducted a desktop literature review of literature from 2003 to 2019 on unethical practices, prevalent unethical practices and measures adopted to curb unethical practices within the construction industry. The major findings of this study are: although unethical practices are difficult and challenging to contain, they can be curbed; 23 prevalent unethical practices within the construction industry were found and the most prevalent ones are bribery, collusive tendering, bid cutting, conflict of interest and fraud. The study found that most measures adopted to curb unethical practices are responsibility-based in nature. These responsibilities are expected of all stakeholders-Governments of countries, professional bodies/institutions, construction organizations and construction professionals. The most advocated measures to curb unethical practices are leadership by example, zero-tolerance policy for unethical practices, implementation of code of ethics and training/retraining construction professionals on codes of ethics, promotion of ethical construction culture and appropriate prosecution of professionals involved in unethical practices.
In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing te... more In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing tertiary institutions' hostel accommodation to the private sector. Through National University Commission (NUC), Nigerian government invited the private sector to participate in the provision of students' hostel accommodation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT) a variant of Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement. After a decade it has been discovered that only a few hostels have been built in a number of some institutions. What could have stampeded the much applauded idea? What issues are therein to address? Could this help the national economic growth? Hence, this paper aims at assessing the challenges face by the students and the developers of these hostel accommodations by carrying out a case study of Kaduna State University students' hostel accommodation. The study constructed a set of 66 structured questionnaire, which were administered in some student hostels; and a set of 49 questionnaire was designed and administered to Developers, Student Affairs Division and Physical Planning of the university, which 50 and 30 were returned respectively. Data collected were presented through the use of tables, ratios, ranking, averages and percentages. The study revealed that there is a level of dissatisfaction with the state and condition of the available students' accommodation facilities which are grossly inadequate. The inadequacy of the existing facilities has not eradicated the high occupancy ratio and some sanitation challenges that existed before. While the developers feel the concession period given the high cost of construction materials and the equity ratio is hindering them from fully committing their resources to the scheme. In any case, this is not good for the national economic. It is recommended that government should bear the equity 9and provide amenities and other necessary facilities to the hostels and create fair level playing ground for all.
Unethical practices have been a reoccurring menace in the construction industry globally, with it... more Unethical practices have been a reoccurring menace in the construction industry globally, with its negative impact reported in existing studies. While several studies have explored issues touching on ethics, ethics compliance and unethical practices within the construction industry, the problems persist especially in developing countries. It is based on this notion that this study assessed the possible measures that could help curb unethical practices in the construction industry with specific reference to Quantity Surveyors (QS). The study adopted a quantitative approach with structured questionnaires used to garner information from registered QS in Nigeria. Data analysis was done using relevant descriptive and multivariate analysis. The reliability of the instrument used was also tested using Cronbach alpha test. The findings revealed that while QS are no strangers to unethical practices, most cases are not reported to the appropriate authorities. The most prevalent of these pract...
The performance of students in Nigeria is on the decline. Several factors have influence on stude... more The performance of students in Nigeria is on the decline. Several factors have influence on students' performance. This study investigated the impact of students' social lifestyle on their academic performance. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study's instrument for data collection was questionnaire. While respondents were selected using the purposive sampling technique. 169 Quantity Surveying students of 200-500 levels of study were administered the questionnaire. The hypotheses formulated for the study were tested using the Kendall Tau B correlation. The questionnaires were completed with 168 usable for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The relationships between variables were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) specifically the Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations, to ascertain the relationship between students' involvement in unionism, students holding a faculty or departmental position and time spent on social media and academic performance. The findings indicate there is a significant relationship between students' involvement in unionism, holding a faculty or departmental position and academic performance. While the time spent on social media had no significant influence on academic performance. The study recommends that students be discrete and act with moderation when getting involved in unionism and holding a faculty or departmental position.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professio... more The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professionals which have affected the performance of the industry negatively especially the negative image it projects the construction industry. Extant studies on unethical practices focused on the effects and types of unethical practices with some going further to study measures that can be adopted to curb unethical practices. In the Nigerian construction industry, limited studies exist on measures to curb unethical practices. The aim of this study is to identify the most prevalent unethical practices among construction industry professionals and suitable measures adopted to curb them. This study conducted a desktop literature review of literature from 2003 to 2019 on unethical practices, prevalent unethical practices and measures adopted to curb unethical practices within the construction industry. The major findings of this study are: although unethical practices are difficult and challenging to contain, they can be curbed; 23 prevalent unethical practices within the construction industry were found and the most prevalent ones are bribery, collusive tendering, bid cutting, conflict of interest and fraud. The study found that most measures adopted to curb unethical practices are responsibility-based in nature. These responsibilities are expected of all stakeholders-Governments of countries, professional bodies/institutions, construction organizations and construction professionals. The most advocated measures to curb unethical practices are leadership by example, zero-tolerance policy for unethical practices, implementation of code of ethics and training/retraining construction professionals on codes of ethics, promotion of ethical construction culture and appropriate prosecution of professionals involved in unethical practices.
Environmental Design and Management International Conference, 2019
Studies have shown that Lean Construction improves workflow reliability, planning and control, p... more Studies have shown that Lean Construction improves workflow reliability, planning and control, particularly in countries like USA, UK, Korea and Brazil. It is also useful in achieving project duration reduction, improving cost and quality performance. Researchers have investigated the implementation of lean construction within several developed and emerging economies with several benefits outlined. However, studies on its implementation within the Nigerian Construction industry (NCI) are scarce. This study appraised the implementation of lean construction methods in the Nigerian construction industry with a view to investigating its adoption and evaluating the most adopted lean construction methods. The population for the study was registered construction professionals within Kaduna State and the sample size was arrived at using the Kish (1965) sampling formula. Hence, the sample size was 82 construction professionals who were project team members in various construction projects. The questionnaire survey was the research design used to collect data. A semi-structured questionnaire was self-administered to the 82 construction professionals and 64 retrieved and used for analysis. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics method including frequency and percentages. Findings revealed that most construction firms are aware of lean construction methods and the most adopted is the last planner system. Some of the barriers associated with the implementation of lean construction methods are lack of management commitment and support, lack of technical skills and training. Some of the viable ways of improving the implementation of lean construction methods are organizing seminars and workshops on lean construction. The study recommends that there should be proper documentation lean construction implementation principles on every construction project to have data for further researches.
Academic-related stress among students of tertiary institutions is serious and quite alarming and... more Academic-related stress among students of tertiary institutions is serious and quite alarming and if unattended to, could result to negative outcomes such as mental health problems, suicide and drug abuse. Managing stress can help students cope with it and even improve their academic performance. This study explored stress coping strategies among Quantity surveying students of Kaduna State University. A survey approach was adopted using questionnaire to collect the needed data. A total of 169 students of 200, 300 and 400 levels of study who were registered students of Kaduna State University and have written at least one semester examination were administered with the questionnaire while the data collected were analyzed using the descriptive statistics of frequency, tables and percentages. The results of the study revealed that most students adopt more than one stress coping strategy in dealing with stress. Further findings shows that the most adopted stress coping strategies among students are sleeping, engaging in religious activities and hanging out with friends. The study recommended that a qualitative in-depth study be carried out on the stress coping strategies adopted among students to ascertain pattern, time spent and specific outcomes of these strategies on academic performance.
Everyone should have an unrestricted access to public built spaces, People with Disability (PWD) ... more Everyone should have an unrestricted access to public built spaces, People with Disability (PWD) have often lamented on the discrimination they face in gaining entrance to public spaces. This discrimination limits them from fully achieving their daily goals and aspirations. The cases of poliomyelitis and insurgency which leave victims who mostly children as paraplegics in some parts of Nigeria implies that over the coming years the number of PWD in Nigeria will increase. This research seeks to explore the discrimination faced by PWD which emanates from the design and construction in public built spaces with a view to creating more awareness among construction professionals to design and construct a built environment which admits all persons irrespective of their ability or disability status. An online opinion survey was conducted among construction professionals and a total of 120 respondents' voluntary participated in the survey. Analysis of retrieved data revealed that though construction professionals are aware of disability standards in the design and construction of the built environment, they still do not construct public spaces to accommodate the needs of all users by installing appropriate access facilities. The data further showed that construction professionals agree that the various professional bodies saddled with the responsibility of regulating practices should also include in their terms of reference the responsibility of creating more awareness among professionals and also enforcing the human right access to buildings. The research also concludes that construction professionals must view the discrimination faced by PWD in the built environment as a collective responsibility, it must not be left on only the designers but all who are involved in the building process must ensure that access is granted to PWD in the built environment.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing te... more In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing tertiary institutions' hostel accommodation to the private sector. Through National University Commission (NUC), Nigerian government invited the private sector to participate in the provision of students' hostel accommodation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT) a variant of Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement. After a decade it has been discovered that only a few hostels have been built in a number of some institutions. What could have stampeded the much applauded idea? What issues are therein to address? Could this help the national economic growth? Hence, this paper aims at assessing the challenges face by the students and the developers of these hostel accommodations by carrying out a case study of Kaduna State University students' hostel accommodation. The study constructed a set of 66 structured questionnaire, which were administered in some student hostels; and a set of 49 questionnaire was designed and administered to Developers, Student Affairs Division and Physical Planning of the university, which 50 and 30 were returned respectively. Data collected were presented through the use of tables, ratios, ranking, averages and percentages. The study revealed that there is a level of dissatisfaction with the state and condition of the available students' accommodation facilities which are grossly inadequate. The inadequacy of the existing facilities has not eradicated the high occupancy ratio and some sanitation challenges that existed before. While the developers feel the concession period given the high cost of construction materials and the equity ratio is hindering them from fully committing their resources to the scheme. In any case, this is not good for the national economic. It is recommended that government should bear the equity 9and provide amenities and other necessary facilities to the hostels and create fair level playing ground for all.
African Journal of Earth and Environmental SCiences, 2020
E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the applic... more E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the application of ICT tools for the of acquisition, purchase or supply of goods and services through electronic processes such as e-tendering, e-awarding, e-auction, and e-sourcing by a private or public organisation. Studies have shown that e-Procurement improves competence and performance within the construction industry globally as against the traditional procurement system. In Nigeria, reports on the awareness and implementation of e-Procurement is divergent as some studies reported a good awareness; while others reported that awareness as rather low and slow especially among contracting firms. There is also limited research on the risk factors associated with e-Procurement adoption. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing contractors' perception of the risk factors associated with e-procurement adoption. Data for the study were from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire from 75 contracting in Kaduna State, Nigeria was the source of primary data. Secondary data include published and unpublished sources. Primary data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes that there is a good awareness of e-Procurement among contractors. Findings also show that contracting firms identified online fraud, cyber-crimes, lack of legal framework in place and lack of widely accepted standard of e-procurement practice as some of the risks associated with e-Procurement adoption. The study recommends that the government should provide a legal framework and regulatory control for e-Procurement adoption and there should be adequate internet security for all e-Procurement transaction. Construction stakeholders should also be enlightened on existing internet security that ensures the safety, security and integrity of e-Procurement transactions.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
Studies have shown that the construction industry is the most risky of all industries in term of ... more Studies have shown that the construction industry is the most risky of all industries in term of conflicts, claims and dispute arising primarily due to lack of communication, distrust, interpretation of contracts, claims, uncertainties based on imbalance in risk allocations. The adoption of dispute resolution practice in the construction and other industry had help to save time and money for the parties in dispute and maintains the relationship between the parties. The study appraised the dispute resolution practice in the construction industry within Kaduna State, Nigeria. The method of study involved questionnaire survey and analysed employing the mean scores with relative ranking. A structured questionnaire was issued to a sample size comprising 72 firms drawn from a finite population of 199 Nigerian consulting firms operating within the Kaduna State. The result of the study revealed causes of disputes are payment delay, financial failure and design error. The study also revealed that negotiation and arbitration are the most importantly preferred dispute resolution methods. The study concluded that construction industry should minimize or avoid disputes by clearly understanding the contract document. The study recommends that the stakeholder in the construction industry should embrace dispute resolution strategies to manage dispute, and to foster cordial working relationship between the parties involved.
South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession 10th International Research Conference, 2018
The continuous decline of students' performance in Nigerian universities, especially in Built Env... more The continuous decline of students' performance in Nigerian universities, especially in Built Environment related courses, has been a major concern to all stakeholders. This paper assessed the factors influencing the performance of Quantity Surveying (QS) students of Kaduna State University, Nigeria. The questionnaire was developed and administered to 169 students in 200-500 levels of study as target respondents. Completed questionnaires were returned and data retrieved was subjected to further analysis using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to ascertain the relationship between student's level of study, their gender, age, and the initial choice of QS at the point of entry. Student's perception of how interesting the course of study is, lecture attendance and personal study of lecture notes/materials were also analysed to ascertain their influence on students' performance. Findings indicated that student's age has no effect on academic performance while a student's level of study slightly affects performance. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that students' perception of the study of QS as interesting affects their performance. The study recommends that School Administrators offer only candidates who have interest in QS a place to study QS. Lecturers and practitioners of QS should also mentor the students as they go higher in their levels of study.
5th Research Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, 2020
Women possess skills and competencies that makes them relevant and gives them the capacity to fil... more Women possess skills and competencies that makes them relevant and gives them the capacity to fill in the skills shortage gap experienced in the construction industry. However, their participation in the industry is low especially in professional roles as they face difficulties affecting their recruitment and retention. Moreover, studies on women as professionals within the industry is scant. The participation of women Quantity Surveyors within the construction industry was explored. The study adopted a quantitative approach with structured questionnaire used to gather information from registered women Quantity Surveyors in the country. The data collected was analysed using the percentage and mean methods of descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that a high percentage of the women Quantity Surveyors studied are practising Quantity Surveyors who have worked on construction sites. However, women Quantity Surveyors still experience gender discrimination during recruitment. In order to overcome the myriads of difficulties faced, women take up jobs in firms with flexible work schedule rather than jobs in firms with rigid/hectic schedule. The study recommends that the government and Quantity Surveying bodies promulgate and enforce laws to mitigate gender discrimination during recruitment in both private and public organisations. The findings of this study provide insight into the participation of professional women; and will assist the professional bodies and researchers in the construction industry in exploring measures and policies that encourage women participation in the industry.
14th Organization, Technology and Management in Construction (OTMC), 2019
Quantity Surveyors (QSs) are professionals within the Architectural, Engineering and Construction... more Quantity Surveyors (QSs) are professionals within the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry whose services are global and cuts across cost management, procurement and contractual issues. The performance of students in Nigerian tertiary institutions especially those within the Built Environment has been a major concern to all stakeholders. However, researches in this area within the Nigerian Construction Industry are scarce. The study appraised Quantity Surveying students' performance at Kaduna State University, Nigeria in an attempt to understand the root cause of decline in performance. A questionnaire survey was developed and administered to 169 students in 200-500 levels of study. The questionnaires were 100% completed with 168 usable for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The relationships between variables were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) specifically the Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations, to ascertain the relationship between student's level of study, their gender and age. Parent's economic status, student's source of livelihood and student's engagement in extra stream of income were also analyzed to ascertain their influence on students' performance. Findings indicate that the students' performance is on the decline as indicated in their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). The study also revealed that parents' economic status, students' source of livelihood and engagement in extra stream of income while studying had no impact on students' academic performance.
Performance measurement (PM) is crucial to the construction industry (CI) in order to improve the... more Performance measurement (PM) is crucial to the construction industry (CI) in order to improve the performance of the industry and most importantly as a tool for continuous improvement. Unfortunately, unlike several CI in the West, especially in the UK, US, Chile and Brazil, most firms in Nigerian CI are still holding on to the traditional approach to PM which has been widely criticised. The study appraised the PM practice of construction firms in Nigeria. A questionnaire survey was conducted on randomly selected small and medium sized construction firms in Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 50 questionnaires were distributed and 23 were returned and used for analysis. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics method including tabulation, percentages and charts. The results of the study revealed that most construction firms are interested in how they perform and do measure their performance. The study also shows that most of the construction firms still rely on financial measures (which has been highly criticised). Findings from the study also indicate a low awareness/implementation of PM and PM concepts. The most adopted PM framework was found to be the Balanced Scorecard. It is recommended that proper documentation and efficient information system of construction firms' overall function be encouraged within the Nigerian Construction Industry.
International Journal of Environmental Research & Earth Science, 2023
Contractors play a major role in the successful delivery of construction projects. The performanc... more Contractors play a major role in the successful delivery of construction projects. The performance of contractors in the execution of public sector building projects is crucial as these projects are capital-intensive. While several studies have explored project performance, there are limited studies on the factors that influence contractors' performance in the execution of public sector projects in northern Nigeria. Based on this notion, this study assessed the factors influencing contractors' performance in delivering public sector projects. The study adopted a quantitative approach with a structured questionnaire used to collect data from registered contractors in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that delays in payment of contractors and difficulty in obtaining financial aid negatively influence contractors' performance the most, while management skills and planning of contractors and timely payment of contractors positively influence contractors' performance the most. The measures that improve the delivery of public sector building projects the most are sufficient funding for contractors to execute building projects and prompt payment by clients. The findings of the study will assist government agencies overseeing public sector building projects and financial institutions in effectively putting in place policies that will enhance the availability of funds for contractors to execute public sector projects.
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Jul 7, 2023
Purpose
The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional... more Purpose
The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional well-being and makes it difficult for the construction industry to attract and retain its workforce. The current study seeks to integrate the current knowledge focused on work–life balance (WLB) in the industry into an understandable whole.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretivist philosophical approach was adopted using a bibliometric review and a narrative review of existing studies from both Scopus and Google databases. The Visualisation of Similarities viewer (VOSviewer) was used to prepare co-occurrence maps from the bibliographic data garnered.
Findings
The study reveals that the prominent factors influencing the WLB of the construction workforce are organizational culture, salary earned, heavy workload, long working hours and inflexible working time. The recent WLB discourse is on organisational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace dynamics. While WLB areas for further exploration are job stress, safety performance, employee attrition and an ageing workforce. Meanwhile, Africa and South America are still lagging in WLB research.
Practical implications
The findings reported here will assist stakeholders in identifying appropriate WLB initiatives that can be used to improve the well-being of the construction workforce. Also, the gaps in knowledge for further research were highlighted.
Originality/value
The findings reveal current trends and a road map for future studies on WLB in construction. It also reveals prominent factors influencing the WLB of workers in the construction industry.
E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the applic... more E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the application of ICT tools for the of acquisition, purchase or supply of goods and services through electronic processes such as e-tendering, e-awarding, e-auction, and e-sourcing by a private or public organisation. Studies have shown that e-Procurement improves competence and performance within the construction industry globally as against the traditional procurement system. In Nigeria, reports on the awareness and implementation of e-Procurement is divergent as some studies reported a good awareness; while others reported that awareness as rather low and slow especially among contracting firms. There is also limited research on the risk factors associated with e-Procurement adoption. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing contractors' perception of the risk factors associated with e-procurement adoption. Data for the study were from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire from 75 contracting in Kaduna State, Nigeria was the source of primary data. Secondary data include published and unpublished sources. Primary data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes that there is a good awareness of e-Procurement among contractors. Findings also show that contracting firms identified online fraud, cyber-crimes, lack of legal framework in place and lack of widely accepted standard of e-procurement practice as some of the risks associated with e-Procurement adoption. The study recommends that the government should provide a legal framework and regulatory control for e-Procurement adoption and there should be adequate internet security for all e-Procurement transaction. Construction stakeholders should also be enlightened on existing internet security that ensures the safety, security and integrity of e-Procurement transactions.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ), 2020
The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professio... more The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professionals which have affected the performance of the industry negatively especially the negative image it projects the construction industry. Extant studies on unethical practices focused on the effects and types of unethical practices with some going further to study measures that can be adopted to curb unethical practices. In the Nigerian construction industry, limited studies exist on measures to curb unethical practices. The aim of this study is to identify the most prevalent unethical practices among construction industry professionals and suitable measures adopted to curb them. This study conducted a desktop literature review of literature from 2003 to 2019 on unethical practices, prevalent unethical practices and measures adopted to curb unethical practices within the construction industry. The major findings of this study are: although unethical practices are difficult and challenging to contain, they can be curbed; 23 prevalent unethical practices within the construction industry were found and the most prevalent ones are bribery, collusive tendering, bid cutting, conflict of interest and fraud. The study found that most measures adopted to curb unethical practices are responsibility-based in nature. These responsibilities are expected of all stakeholders-Governments of countries, professional bodies/institutions, construction organizations and construction professionals. The most advocated measures to curb unethical practices are leadership by example, zero-tolerance policy for unethical practices, implementation of code of ethics and training/retraining construction professionals on codes of ethics, promotion of ethical construction culture and appropriate prosecution of professionals involved in unethical practices.
In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing te... more In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing tertiary institutions' hostel accommodation to the private sector. Through National University Commission (NUC), Nigerian government invited the private sector to participate in the provision of students' hostel accommodation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT) a variant of Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement. After a decade it has been discovered that only a few hostels have been built in a number of some institutions. What could have stampeded the much applauded idea? What issues are therein to address? Could this help the national economic growth? Hence, this paper aims at assessing the challenges face by the students and the developers of these hostel accommodations by carrying out a case study of Kaduna State University students' hostel accommodation. The study constructed a set of 66 structured questionnaire, which were administered in some student hostels; and a set of 49 questionnaire was designed and administered to Developers, Student Affairs Division and Physical Planning of the university, which 50 and 30 were returned respectively. Data collected were presented through the use of tables, ratios, ranking, averages and percentages. The study revealed that there is a level of dissatisfaction with the state and condition of the available students' accommodation facilities which are grossly inadequate. The inadequacy of the existing facilities has not eradicated the high occupancy ratio and some sanitation challenges that existed before. While the developers feel the concession period given the high cost of construction materials and the equity ratio is hindering them from fully committing their resources to the scheme. In any case, this is not good for the national economic. It is recommended that government should bear the equity 9and provide amenities and other necessary facilities to the hostels and create fair level playing ground for all.
Unethical practices have been a reoccurring menace in the construction industry globally, with it... more Unethical practices have been a reoccurring menace in the construction industry globally, with its negative impact reported in existing studies. While several studies have explored issues touching on ethics, ethics compliance and unethical practices within the construction industry, the problems persist especially in developing countries. It is based on this notion that this study assessed the possible measures that could help curb unethical practices in the construction industry with specific reference to Quantity Surveyors (QS). The study adopted a quantitative approach with structured questionnaires used to garner information from registered QS in Nigeria. Data analysis was done using relevant descriptive and multivariate analysis. The reliability of the instrument used was also tested using Cronbach alpha test. The findings revealed that while QS are no strangers to unethical practices, most cases are not reported to the appropriate authorities. The most prevalent of these pract...
The performance of students in Nigeria is on the decline. Several factors have influence on stude... more The performance of students in Nigeria is on the decline. Several factors have influence on students' performance. This study investigated the impact of students' social lifestyle on their academic performance. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study's instrument for data collection was questionnaire. While respondents were selected using the purposive sampling technique. 169 Quantity Surveying students of 200-500 levels of study were administered the questionnaire. The hypotheses formulated for the study were tested using the Kendall Tau B correlation. The questionnaires were completed with 168 usable for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The relationships between variables were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) specifically the Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations, to ascertain the relationship between students' involvement in unionism, students holding a faculty or departmental position and time spent on social media and academic performance. The findings indicate there is a significant relationship between students' involvement in unionism, holding a faculty or departmental position and academic performance. While the time spent on social media had no significant influence on academic performance. The study recommends that students be discrete and act with moderation when getting involved in unionism and holding a faculty or departmental position.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professio... more The construction industry is fraught with unethical practices traceable to construction professionals which have affected the performance of the industry negatively especially the negative image it projects the construction industry. Extant studies on unethical practices focused on the effects and types of unethical practices with some going further to study measures that can be adopted to curb unethical practices. In the Nigerian construction industry, limited studies exist on measures to curb unethical practices. The aim of this study is to identify the most prevalent unethical practices among construction industry professionals and suitable measures adopted to curb them. This study conducted a desktop literature review of literature from 2003 to 2019 on unethical practices, prevalent unethical practices and measures adopted to curb unethical practices within the construction industry. The major findings of this study are: although unethical practices are difficult and challenging to contain, they can be curbed; 23 prevalent unethical practices within the construction industry were found and the most prevalent ones are bribery, collusive tendering, bid cutting, conflict of interest and fraud. The study found that most measures adopted to curb unethical practices are responsibility-based in nature. These responsibilities are expected of all stakeholders-Governments of countries, professional bodies/institutions, construction organizations and construction professionals. The most advocated measures to curb unethical practices are leadership by example, zero-tolerance policy for unethical practices, implementation of code of ethics and training/retraining construction professionals on codes of ethics, promotion of ethical construction culture and appropriate prosecution of professionals involved in unethical practices.
Environmental Design and Management International Conference, 2019
Studies have shown that Lean Construction improves workflow reliability, planning and control, p... more Studies have shown that Lean Construction improves workflow reliability, planning and control, particularly in countries like USA, UK, Korea and Brazil. It is also useful in achieving project duration reduction, improving cost and quality performance. Researchers have investigated the implementation of lean construction within several developed and emerging economies with several benefits outlined. However, studies on its implementation within the Nigerian Construction industry (NCI) are scarce. This study appraised the implementation of lean construction methods in the Nigerian construction industry with a view to investigating its adoption and evaluating the most adopted lean construction methods. The population for the study was registered construction professionals within Kaduna State and the sample size was arrived at using the Kish (1965) sampling formula. Hence, the sample size was 82 construction professionals who were project team members in various construction projects. The questionnaire survey was the research design used to collect data. A semi-structured questionnaire was self-administered to the 82 construction professionals and 64 retrieved and used for analysis. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics method including frequency and percentages. Findings revealed that most construction firms are aware of lean construction methods and the most adopted is the last planner system. Some of the barriers associated with the implementation of lean construction methods are lack of management commitment and support, lack of technical skills and training. Some of the viable ways of improving the implementation of lean construction methods are organizing seminars and workshops on lean construction. The study recommends that there should be proper documentation lean construction implementation principles on every construction project to have data for further researches.
Academic-related stress among students of tertiary institutions is serious and quite alarming and... more Academic-related stress among students of tertiary institutions is serious and quite alarming and if unattended to, could result to negative outcomes such as mental health problems, suicide and drug abuse. Managing stress can help students cope with it and even improve their academic performance. This study explored stress coping strategies among Quantity surveying students of Kaduna State University. A survey approach was adopted using questionnaire to collect the needed data. A total of 169 students of 200, 300 and 400 levels of study who were registered students of Kaduna State University and have written at least one semester examination were administered with the questionnaire while the data collected were analyzed using the descriptive statistics of frequency, tables and percentages. The results of the study revealed that most students adopt more than one stress coping strategy in dealing with stress. Further findings shows that the most adopted stress coping strategies among students are sleeping, engaging in religious activities and hanging out with friends. The study recommended that a qualitative in-depth study be carried out on the stress coping strategies adopted among students to ascertain pattern, time spent and specific outcomes of these strategies on academic performance.
Everyone should have an unrestricted access to public built spaces, People with Disability (PWD) ... more Everyone should have an unrestricted access to public built spaces, People with Disability (PWD) have often lamented on the discrimination they face in gaining entrance to public spaces. This discrimination limits them from fully achieving their daily goals and aspirations. The cases of poliomyelitis and insurgency which leave victims who mostly children as paraplegics in some parts of Nigeria implies that over the coming years the number of PWD in Nigeria will increase. This research seeks to explore the discrimination faced by PWD which emanates from the design and construction in public built spaces with a view to creating more awareness among construction professionals to design and construct a built environment which admits all persons irrespective of their ability or disability status. An online opinion survey was conducted among construction professionals and a total of 120 respondents' voluntary participated in the survey. Analysis of retrieved data revealed that though construction professionals are aware of disability standards in the design and construction of the built environment, they still do not construct public spaces to accommodate the needs of all users by installing appropriate access facilities. The data further showed that construction professionals agree that the various professional bodies saddled with the responsibility of regulating practices should also include in their terms of reference the responsibility of creating more awareness among professionals and also enforcing the human right access to buildings. The research also concludes that construction professionals must view the discrimination faced by PWD in the built environment as a collective responsibility, it must not be left on only the designers but all who are involved in the building process must ensure that access is granted to PWD in the built environment.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing te... more In the year 2004 the Nigerian government decided to relinquish her responsibility of financing tertiary institutions' hostel accommodation to the private sector. Through National University Commission (NUC), Nigerian government invited the private sector to participate in the provision of students' hostel accommodation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT) a variant of Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement. After a decade it has been discovered that only a few hostels have been built in a number of some institutions. What could have stampeded the much applauded idea? What issues are therein to address? Could this help the national economic growth? Hence, this paper aims at assessing the challenges face by the students and the developers of these hostel accommodations by carrying out a case study of Kaduna State University students' hostel accommodation. The study constructed a set of 66 structured questionnaire, which were administered in some student hostels; and a set of 49 questionnaire was designed and administered to Developers, Student Affairs Division and Physical Planning of the university, which 50 and 30 were returned respectively. Data collected were presented through the use of tables, ratios, ranking, averages and percentages. The study revealed that there is a level of dissatisfaction with the state and condition of the available students' accommodation facilities which are grossly inadequate. The inadequacy of the existing facilities has not eradicated the high occupancy ratio and some sanitation challenges that existed before. While the developers feel the concession period given the high cost of construction materials and the equity ratio is hindering them from fully committing their resources to the scheme. In any case, this is not good for the national economic. It is recommended that government should bear the equity 9and provide amenities and other necessary facilities to the hostels and create fair level playing ground for all.
African Journal of Earth and Environmental SCiences, 2020
E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the applic... more E-Procurement is more than just a system for making purchases online. e-Procurement is the application of ICT tools for the of acquisition, purchase or supply of goods and services through electronic processes such as e-tendering, e-awarding, e-auction, and e-sourcing by a private or public organisation. Studies have shown that e-Procurement improves competence and performance within the construction industry globally as against the traditional procurement system. In Nigeria, reports on the awareness and implementation of e-Procurement is divergent as some studies reported a good awareness; while others reported that awareness as rather low and slow especially among contracting firms. There is also limited research on the risk factors associated with e-Procurement adoption. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing contractors' perception of the risk factors associated with e-procurement adoption. Data for the study were from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire from 75 contracting in Kaduna State, Nigeria was the source of primary data. Secondary data include published and unpublished sources. Primary data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes that there is a good awareness of e-Procurement among contractors. Findings also show that contracting firms identified online fraud, cyber-crimes, lack of legal framework in place and lack of widely accepted standard of e-procurement practice as some of the risks associated with e-Procurement adoption. The study recommends that the government should provide a legal framework and regulatory control for e-Procurement adoption and there should be adequate internet security for all e-Procurement transaction. Construction stakeholders should also be enlightened on existing internet security that ensures the safety, security and integrity of e-Procurement transactions.
Kaduna State University Environmental Science Journal (KESJ) , 2020
Studies have shown that the construction industry is the most risky of all industries in term of ... more Studies have shown that the construction industry is the most risky of all industries in term of conflicts, claims and dispute arising primarily due to lack of communication, distrust, interpretation of contracts, claims, uncertainties based on imbalance in risk allocations. The adoption of dispute resolution practice in the construction and other industry had help to save time and money for the parties in dispute and maintains the relationship between the parties. The study appraised the dispute resolution practice in the construction industry within Kaduna State, Nigeria. The method of study involved questionnaire survey and analysed employing the mean scores with relative ranking. A structured questionnaire was issued to a sample size comprising 72 firms drawn from a finite population of 199 Nigerian consulting firms operating within the Kaduna State. The result of the study revealed causes of disputes are payment delay, financial failure and design error. The study also revealed that negotiation and arbitration are the most importantly preferred dispute resolution methods. The study concluded that construction industry should minimize or avoid disputes by clearly understanding the contract document. The study recommends that the stakeholder in the construction industry should embrace dispute resolution strategies to manage dispute, and to foster cordial working relationship between the parties involved.
South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession 10th International Research Conference, 2018
The continuous decline of students' performance in Nigerian universities, especially in Built Env... more The continuous decline of students' performance in Nigerian universities, especially in Built Environment related courses, has been a major concern to all stakeholders. This paper assessed the factors influencing the performance of Quantity Surveying (QS) students of Kaduna State University, Nigeria. The questionnaire was developed and administered to 169 students in 200-500 levels of study as target respondents. Completed questionnaires were returned and data retrieved was subjected to further analysis using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to ascertain the relationship between student's level of study, their gender, age, and the initial choice of QS at the point of entry. Student's perception of how interesting the course of study is, lecture attendance and personal study of lecture notes/materials were also analysed to ascertain their influence on students' performance. Findings indicated that student's age has no effect on academic performance while a student's level of study slightly affects performance. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that students' perception of the study of QS as interesting affects their performance. The study recommends that School Administrators offer only candidates who have interest in QS a place to study QS. Lecturers and practitioners of QS should also mentor the students as they go higher in their levels of study.
5th Research Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, 2020
Women possess skills and competencies that makes them relevant and gives them the capacity to fil... more Women possess skills and competencies that makes them relevant and gives them the capacity to fill in the skills shortage gap experienced in the construction industry. However, their participation in the industry is low especially in professional roles as they face difficulties affecting their recruitment and retention. Moreover, studies on women as professionals within the industry is scant. The participation of women Quantity Surveyors within the construction industry was explored. The study adopted a quantitative approach with structured questionnaire used to gather information from registered women Quantity Surveyors in the country. The data collected was analysed using the percentage and mean methods of descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that a high percentage of the women Quantity Surveyors studied are practising Quantity Surveyors who have worked on construction sites. However, women Quantity Surveyors still experience gender discrimination during recruitment. In order to overcome the myriads of difficulties faced, women take up jobs in firms with flexible work schedule rather than jobs in firms with rigid/hectic schedule. The study recommends that the government and Quantity Surveying bodies promulgate and enforce laws to mitigate gender discrimination during recruitment in both private and public organisations. The findings of this study provide insight into the participation of professional women; and will assist the professional bodies and researchers in the construction industry in exploring measures and policies that encourage women participation in the industry.
14th Organization, Technology and Management in Construction (OTMC), 2019
Quantity Surveyors (QSs) are professionals within the Architectural, Engineering and Construction... more Quantity Surveyors (QSs) are professionals within the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry whose services are global and cuts across cost management, procurement and contractual issues. The performance of students in Nigerian tertiary institutions especially those within the Built Environment has been a major concern to all stakeholders. However, researches in this area within the Nigerian Construction Industry are scarce. The study appraised Quantity Surveying students' performance at Kaduna State University, Nigeria in an attempt to understand the root cause of decline in performance. A questionnaire survey was developed and administered to 169 students in 200-500 levels of study. The questionnaires were 100% completed with 168 usable for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools like percentage, frequency, and mean score. The relationships between variables were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) specifically the Kendall Taub-B and the Point-Biserial Correlations, to ascertain the relationship between student's level of study, their gender and age. Parent's economic status, student's source of livelihood and student's engagement in extra stream of income were also analyzed to ascertain their influence on students' performance. Findings indicate that the students' performance is on the decline as indicated in their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). The study also revealed that parents' economic status, students' source of livelihood and engagement in extra stream of income while studying had no impact on students' academic performance.
Performance measurement (PM) is crucial to the construction industry (CI) in order to improve the... more Performance measurement (PM) is crucial to the construction industry (CI) in order to improve the performance of the industry and most importantly as a tool for continuous improvement. Unfortunately, unlike several CI in the West, especially in the UK, US, Chile and Brazil, most firms in Nigerian CI are still holding on to the traditional approach to PM which has been widely criticised. The study appraised the PM practice of construction firms in Nigeria. A questionnaire survey was conducted on randomly selected small and medium sized construction firms in Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 50 questionnaires were distributed and 23 were returned and used for analysis. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics method including tabulation, percentages and charts. The results of the study revealed that most construction firms are interested in how they perform and do measure their performance. The study also shows that most of the construction firms still rely on financial measures (which has been highly criticised). Findings from the study also indicate a low awareness/implementation of PM and PM concepts. The most adopted PM framework was found to be the Balanced Scorecard. It is recommended that proper documentation and efficient information system of construction firms' overall function be encouraged within the Nigerian Construction Industry.
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The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional well-being and makes it difficult for the construction industry to attract and retain its workforce. The current study seeks to integrate the current knowledge focused on work–life balance (WLB) in the industry into an understandable whole.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretivist philosophical approach was adopted using a bibliometric review and a narrative review of existing studies from both Scopus and Google databases. The Visualisation of Similarities viewer (VOSviewer) was used to prepare co-occurrence maps from the bibliographic data garnered.
Findings
The study reveals that the prominent factors influencing the WLB of the construction workforce are organizational culture, salary earned, heavy workload, long working hours and inflexible working time. The recent WLB discourse is on organisational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace dynamics. While WLB areas for further exploration are job stress, safety performance, employee attrition and an ageing workforce. Meanwhile, Africa and South America are still lagging in WLB research.
Practical implications
The findings reported here will assist stakeholders in identifying appropriate WLB initiatives that can be used to improve the well-being of the construction workforce. Also, the gaps in knowledge for further research were highlighted.
Originality/value
The findings reveal current trends and a road map for future studies on WLB in construction. It also reveals prominent factors influencing the WLB of workers in the construction industry.
Conference Presentations
The nature of construction works has a negative impact on physical, mental and emotional well-being and makes it difficult for the construction industry to attract and retain its workforce. The current study seeks to integrate the current knowledge focused on work–life balance (WLB) in the industry into an understandable whole.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretivist philosophical approach was adopted using a bibliometric review and a narrative review of existing studies from both Scopus and Google databases. The Visualisation of Similarities viewer (VOSviewer) was used to prepare co-occurrence maps from the bibliographic data garnered.
Findings
The study reveals that the prominent factors influencing the WLB of the construction workforce are organizational culture, salary earned, heavy workload, long working hours and inflexible working time. The recent WLB discourse is on organisational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace dynamics. While WLB areas for further exploration are job stress, safety performance, employee attrition and an ageing workforce. Meanwhile, Africa and South America are still lagging in WLB research.
Practical implications
The findings reported here will assist stakeholders in identifying appropriate WLB initiatives that can be used to improve the well-being of the construction workforce. Also, the gaps in knowledge for further research were highlighted.
Originality/value
The findings reveal current trends and a road map for future studies on WLB in construction. It also reveals prominent factors influencing the WLB of workers in the construction industry.