Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915
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Item Benefits, constraints and enablers of modular offsite construction (MOSC) in New Zealand high-rise buildings(Emerald, 2023) Shahzad WM; Reddy SM; Kahandawa R; Rotimi JOBPurpose: The ascendancy of modular offsite construction (MOSC) over traditional construction methods is well known. Despite the known potential of this construction approach, its adoption is minimal in New Zealand construction industry. This article investigates the potential benefits of using MOSC for delivery of high-rise buildings in New Zealand, underlying factors responsible for its low uptake and the measures that can facilitate its improved uptake. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilised a mixed research approach. An empirical questionnaire survey was carried out with New Zealand construction industry professionals with expertise in MOSC. Factor analysis of survey data was carried out using SPSS software. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with subject matter experts to get further insights and expand the survey findings. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Study identified benefits of MOSC, thus establishing potential of its uptake for high-rise building construction. Constraining factors were investigated, most pronounced being low level of skills in construction industry to design, manufacture and integrate supply chain of MOSC, high initial investment, high cost of importing modules and negative perception about offsite manufactured buildings. This study also highlighted the enablers to improve uptake of MOSC. These enablers included; loan and mortgage policies to suit MOSC paradigm, building regulations to support OSC industry, increased support from the government and awareness and acceptance of standardised building designs among the clients. Originality/value: Originality of this paper harps from little to no research carried out to investigate use of MOSC for high-rise buildings in New Zealand context.Item Lean and BIM Implementation Barriers in New Zealand Construction Practice(MDPI AG, 2022) Likita AJ; Jelodar MB; Vishnupriya V; Rotimi JOB; Vilasini NThe construction sector is lagging behind other industries in terms of efficiency and value achievement. Several building sector initiatives are introduced to improve productivity and project value enhancement. Significant developments such as Lean principles and BIM tools have been applied in the construction sector to achieve efficiency and enhanced productivity while minimizing waste. Lean principles in construction practice are a developing research area, and BIM tools have been widely used in construction project delivery and communications. Although these concepts are beneficial, barriers to their integration and joint implementation have not previously been explored. The paper investigates barriers to implementing Lean and BIM and their interrelationships in the New Zealand construction industry. A three-step triangulation methodology was used in the study to validate the findings. The study used an extensive literature review process, case studies, and expert interviews to consolidate the findings. Barriers to Lean and BIM implementation in construction practice were identified, which include strong cultural resistance, lack of Lean-BIM understanding, resistance to change, lack of knowledge of the Lean-BIM method, and lack of support from senior staff in New Zealand organizations. The effect of implementing Lean-BIM principles is discussed, as are recommendations for implementing the method in construction practice.Item Moderating effect of equity sensitivity on behavior-outcome relationships in construction dispute negotiation(1/05/2011) Yiu TW; Law YMThis study builds on Adam's equity theory by examining the moderating effects of equity sensitivity (i.e., a person's perception of what is equitable or inequitable) on behavior-outcome relationships among negotiators in construction dispute negotiation. First, an equity sensitivity construct is developed. This construct reveals that most construction negotiators are entitleds, also known as takers, at the negotiation table. Moderated multiple regression (MMR) is used to test the moderating effects of equity sensitivity. The MMR models affirm that the nature of behavior-outcome relationships varies, depending on the perception of equity. An entitled construction negotiator is found to be a versatile moderator who fosters satisfactory negotiation outcomes. The models show that negotiators are able to predict inequitable responses and to take measures to forestall or deal with different inequitable situations. This study indicates the merit of further study of equity theory in the context of construction dispute negotiation. Future challenges in this area include the examination of the equity restoration responses of negotiators to create an equitable environment. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.Item Does leadership style differ between a post-disaster and non-disaster response project? A study of three major projects in New Zealand(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2019-09) Witton F; Rasheed EO; Rotimi JOBPurpose–The leadership styles of three major infrastructure projects within New Zealand were determined and comparatively analysed to ascertain whether the leadership style employed in a post-disaster recovery project would differ significantly from a normal infrastructure project. A multifactor leadership questionnaire was administered to project leaders and personnel of the three infrastructure projects. The statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in leadership styles were determined using one-way ANOVA analytical tool in STATISTICA 13. Results showed all three projects have strong transformational and transactional leadership traits. There were similarities in leadership style amongst the projects. None of the projects had a significant laissez-faire leadership style. Hence there is no significant difference in leadership style between a disaster recovery project and a normal project. Plausible reasons and implications are provided to support these findings. This study provides insight into leadership styles employed in projects in New Zealand, which could assist in the decision-making process for new and existing projects. Future studies could investigate the effect a combination of leadership styles will have on project success and staff retention. More studies are required across New Zealand to verify the generalizability of the current study findings.Item Application of equity sensitivity theory to problem-solving approaches in construction dispute negotiation(1/01/2011) Yiu TW; Keung CW; Wong KLThis study applies equity sensitivity theory to investigate how the sensitivity of negotiators to perceived equity or inequity varies with their perception of the adoption of problem-solving approaches (PSAs) in negotiation in the construction industry. Drawing upon this theory, we identify three classes of negotiators: benevolents (known as "givers"), equity sensitives, and entitleds (known as "takers"). Our results suggest that most of the negotiators in our sample are entitleds. The study also provides statistical evidence that the perception of the adoption of PSAs appears to be associated with the degree of equity sensitivity of negotiators. For instance, benevolents demonstrate a significantly stronger preference for the adoption of PSAs and are thus able to obtain a higher level of negotiation satisfaction compared to the other types of negotiators. These findings are particularly relevant to the corporate managers of construction organizations, who may want to consider the inherent equity sensitivity traits of their negotiators before sending them to the negotiating table. © 2011 ASCE.Item Catastrophic transitions of construction contracting behavior(24/11/2008) Cheung SO; Yiu TW; Leung AYT; Chiu OKThe ways to manage a construction project very much depend on the attitude of the people involved. Collectively this is identified as construction contracting behavior (CCB). The CCB of the construction industry is adversarial as pinpointed in many industry-wide reviews. A more cooperative project delivery approach has therefore been advocated. In fact, drive for efficiency provides the incentive for cooperation. Nevertheless, members of a project team, in representing their respective organizations, are often in conflict. The dichotomous pair of cooperation and aggression forces therefore coexist. It is not uncommon to note that CCB turns aggressive as the construction activities of a project intensify. This change is often sudden and thus matches well with the phenomenon of hysteresis described by the catastrophe theory (CT). It is hypothesized that the dynamics of CCB can be modeled by CT. The three-variable CT models include CCB (as dependent variable), cooperation forces (as normal factor) and aggression forces (as splitting factor). With data collected from a survey fitted by the Cuspfit program, it was found that trust intensity is an effective normal factor. Contract incompleteness and competitive inertia are splitting factors that trigger aggression. © 2008 ASCE.Item How do personality traits affect construction dispute negotiation? Study of Big Five Personality Model(1/03/2011) Yiu TW; Lee HKThis paper provides some leads as to how personality traits affect negotiating behaviors and negotiation outcomes in a construction dispute negotiation. To achieve this, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The Big Five Personality Model was used to measure the personality traits of construction negotiators. Factors of negotiating behaviors and negotiation outcomes were developed. By interrelating these three elements, moderated multiple regression (MMR) was used to examine how personality traits affect the relationships between negotiating behaviors and negotiation outcomes. The results suggest that 16 MMR models are of significant moderating effects on these relationships. Among them, the top five MMR models with relatively strong moderating effects are identified. These models reveal that the personality traits of extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness can significantly moderate the relationships of negotiating behaviors and negotiation outcomes. In addition, their moderating effects are plotted to examine their natures. Effective zones of extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness are identified to show precisely how these personality traits can effectively facilitate positive negotiation outcomes. These results provide construction organizations with indicators to which type of personality traits can help improve negotiation outcomes and optimize the overall performance of construction dispute negotiations. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.Item The perceived benefits of apps by construction professionals in New Zealand(MDPI AG, 1/12/2017) Liu T; Mbachu J; Mathrani A; Jones B; McDonald BThe construction sector is a key driver of economic growth in New Zealand; however, its productivity is still considered to be low. Prior research has suggested that information and communication technology (ICT) can help enhance efficiency and productivity. However, there is little research on the use of mobile technologies by New Zealand construction workforce. This paper reports findings of an exploratory study with the objective of examining the perceived benefits regarding uptake of apps in New Zealand construction sector. Using self-administered questionnaire survey, feedback was received from the major construction trade and professional organisations in New Zealand. Survey data was analyzed using descriptive, one-sample t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. Results showed that iPhone and Android phone currently dominate the smartphone market in New Zealand construction industry. The top three application areas are site photos, health and safety reporting and timekeeping. The benefits of mobile apps were widely confirmed by the construction professionals. The benefit of “better client relationship management and satisfaction” has substantial correlation with overall productivity improvement and best predictor of the overall productivity improvement. These findings provide a starting point for further research aimed at improving the uptake and full leveraging of mobile technologies to improve the dwindling productivity trend in New Zealand construction industry.Item Heater choice, dampness and mould growth in 26 New Zealand homes: A study of propensity for mould growth using encapsulated fungal spores(MDPI AG, 2015) Boulic M; Phipps RA; Cunningham MJ; Cleland DJ; Fjallstrom P; Keiko P; Howden-Champan PThe relationship between the use of unflued gas heaters (UGH, N = 14) and heat pump heaters (HP, N = 12) located in the living rooms, and mould growth on the living room and bedroom walls, of 26 New Zealand (NZ) occupied homes was investigated during winter. Two methods were employed to evaluate the potential of mould growth on walls: (i) measurement of daily hyphal growth rate using a fungal detector (encapsulated fungal spores); and (ii) estimation of fungal contamination based on a four level scale visual inspection. The average wall psychrometric conditions were significantly different between the two heater type groups, in both the living rooms and the bedrooms with the UGH user homes being colder and damper than HP user homes. The UGHs were found to be a significant additional source of moisture in the living rooms which dramatically increased the capacity for fungi to grow on wall surfaces. The average daily hyphal growth rates were 4 and 16 times higher in the living rooms and in the bedrooms of the UGH user homes, respectively. Results from both mould detection methods gave good agreement, showing that the use of a fungal detector was an efficient method to predict the potential of mould growth on the inside of the external walls in NZ homes.Item Does the Number of Occupants in an Office Influence Individual Perceptions of Comfort and Productivity?-New Evidence from 5000 Office Workers(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 25/03/2019) Rasheed E; Khoshbakht M; Baird GPurpose—The purpose of this article is to present evidence of occupants’ perception of their work environment in five different office types (Solo, Duo, 2–4, 5–8 and 8Plus offices). The study examined the influence of the number of office occupants on individual perception of indoor environment quality (IEQ) in office environments. Design/methodology/approach—A dataset of 5000 respondents in 67 commercial and institutional office buildings was analysed using IBM SPSS v23. The dataset contained user response on the BUS Methodology questionnaire that is designed to retrieve occupants’ perception of their work environments. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis were conducted to calculate the impact of the office environment on occupants’ perception of comfort and productivity. Findings - This study showed that occupants in Solo and Duo offices perceived higher satisfaction with their environment (except for temperature in summer), better health and productivity; and more control over the office environment than those in 5–8 and 8Plus offices. Occupants in 8Plus offices were most satisfied with the temperature in summer. It was also noted that the IEQ factors that predicted comfort were observed to not predict productivity. Noise was the only IEQ factor that had predictive power for both comfort and productivity in all the office spaces. Originality/value—This article provides intriguing findings on occupants’ perception of various types of office environment that contributes significantly to the debate on open-plan versus cellular office environments.