3659 research outputs found
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The university-community cooperation framework: Science Hub case study
Full text linkThis article presents a university-community cooperation framework developed and tested through the Science Hub UŁ (SH) pilot project, implemented at the University of Łódź in Poland between October 2022 and October 2024. Funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the initiative aimed to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration by engaging students, academics and external partners such as businesses, public institutions and NGOs in tripartite teams tasked with addressing real-world challenges. A total of 41 collaborative projects were carried out across a range of disciplines including the natural, social and human sciences, with several interdisciplinary and inter-university projects also undertaken.
The article outlines the operational framework, stakeholder engagement strategies and support mechanisms introduced during the project’s implementation, including call for proposals, tailored training, mentoring and communication efforts. The initiative not only enhanced institutional capacity for cooperation but also fostered the development of enduring partnerships, generated new research and educational outputs and contributed to building the university’s societal impact portfolio.
The SH project also addressed the broader national context in which cooperation with the socioeconomic environment is legally mandated and assessed through education and research evaluation systems. By reflecting on the lessons learnt including challenges related to sustainability, recognition of contributors and the need for strategic alignment this article offers practical recommendations for embedding such initiatives within the structures of higher education institutions. It concludes by positioning the SH as a replicable model that can inform similar efforts both in Poland and internationally, especially in contexts seeking to operationalise meaningful university-community engagement
Enlightening the Critical Factors affecting the Solvency of Indian Construction Industry: An Empirical Analysis using Multivariate Discriminant Analysis and Logistic Regression : Enlightening the Critical Factors affecting the Solvency of Indian Construction Industry: An Empirical Analysis using Multivariate Discriminant Analysis and Logistic Regression
No full textThe present research work\u27s purpose is to examine the vital factors that affect the solvency of the Indian construction sector. The two different parameters of solvency, namely debt to total assets (DTA) and cash flow to total liabilities (CFTL), are used in the present study. These two solvency indicators have been categorized using zero and one numerical values. One indicates financially sound companies, and zero indicates weak companies with poor solvency ratios. The different financial ratios, namely, profitability, liquidity, leverages, and turnovers, are used as predictors or explanatory variables of insolvency of Indian construction companies. The study employs multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) and binary logistic regression to predict the factors accountable for the insolvency of the Indian construction sector. The empirical findings of MDA and logistic regression show significant discrimination in the solvency position of construction companies according to their different financial performance parameters, namely, profitability, liquidity, leverage, and management efficiency. Since there are two categories of companies as per their solvency position. So one discriminant function is created and found significant at 5% levels for two different solvency parameters. In the case of the first measure of solvency (DTA), turnover liquidity leverage ratios are the critical indicators for predicting the solvency of the Indian construction industry. Findings of MDA indicate that in the case of the second parameter of solvency (CFTL), profitability and management efficiency significantly discriminate between solvent and solvent companies. The logistic regression findings show that In the case of the first measure (DTA), leverage, liquidity, and management efficiency significantly distinct two sets of construction companies.
In the case of the second measure of solvency (CFTL), profitability, management efficiency significantly discriminate solvency of two sets of companies. Overall the findings of MDA and logistic regression are consistent with each other. The outcomes of the study will be helpful to policymakers\u27 different stakeholders. Society will also be benefitted by knowing the critical factors responsible for companies that are likely to become insolvent. Accordingly, the policymakers may issue financial assistance, subsidies, and advice to concerned companies
A methodological framework to assess the employment impacts of transport infrastructure construction
Full text linkThe aim of this study was to suggest a methodological evaluation framework for assessing the employment impacts of transport infrastructure construction. The applicability and usability of different ex-ante employment impact assessment methods were evaluated. Commonly, the employment impacts during construction are used as a justification for investment decisions. In this study, we tested three commonly used methods to estimate the employment impacts during the construction of three real-life case studies and compared the results to the known impacts of these projects. The results indicate that transport infrastructure construction is not an effective means of employment policy nationwide. This is partly due to insufficient labor supply in the infrastructure engineering and construction industries. A higher employment rate on a national level would require an increase in labor supply instead of an increase in labor demand. However, even though the national net impact on employment was close to zero, the gross regional impact on employment would still be useful information in project planning. The methodological framework, presented in this paper, helps to manage the employment impacts of transport infrastructure construction in a proper context
Carbon footprint assessment of a precast concrete yard: A case study from Thailand
Full text linkDespite the significant contribution of precast concrete yards to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Thai construction industry, research on their carbon footprint is limited. This study assessed the carbon footprint of a precast concrete yard in Thailand, from 1 January to 31 December, 2022, during which 2,054.60 m3 of precast concrete products were produced. The total carbon footprint for 2022 was 915.489 tCO2e, with emissions categorized into Scope 1 (0.74%), Scope 2 (1.18%), and Scope 3 (98.08%). Notably, ready-mix concrete consumption emerged as the primary hotspot, contributing 70.59% of total emissions. The GHG emissions-to-production volume ratio for 2022 was 0.445580 tCO2e per m3, with a potential 0.44% reduction achievable by maximizing production volume. The study presented a GHG emission ratio of purchased goods (raw materials) to the production process for precast concrete (1:0.0136), facilitating estimates of emissions based on raw material data. Three key challenges in assessing carbon footprints in Thailand’s construction sector were identified: (1) limited carbon footprint data for construction materials, (2) inadequate data for general products, and (3) gaps in GHG emission factors for truck transportation in the Thai National Life Cycle Inventory Database. The identified GHG emission hotspots serve as critical starting points for strategies to manage and mitigate emissions in the case study yard and similar facilities, including optimizing ready-mix concrete usage and prioritizing environmentally responsible manufacturers. These insights, along with the identified challenges, offer valuable guidance for future assessments of organizational carbon footprints in the construction sector and the embodied carbon of buildings
Pre-Contract Measures to Avoid Potential Disputes in the New Zealand Construction Industry
Full text linkNew Zealand (NZ) construction industry suffers from negative implications of disputes in construction projects similar to any other country. Hence, the importance of avoiding disputes has become a vital topic to discuss and research. Avoiding disputes in construction projects has always been challenging, and very few studies have addressed this area and none have investigated possible pre-contract steps to avoid potential disputes in the New Zealand construction industry. To address this research gap, this study has been designed, and it has only been limited to construction projects in NZ that followed the traditional procurement path. Fourteen professionals in the NZ construction industry with significant experience and knowledge in construction disputes were interviewed, and the data gathered was analysed qualitatively. 84 Pre-contract measures to avoid potential construction related disputes have been identified under 5 themes (themes of causes of disputes). The most responsible party/parties and most applicable pre-contract stage/s for each dispute avoidance step has also been presented. Clarity & communication, risk management, proper documentation & standardization, review & continuous improvements and collaboration are the main underlying characteristics of the identified avoidance measures. Amongst the identified avoidance measures, clear scope documentation and expectation management meetings were mostly highlighted by the respondents. The proposed dispute avoidance measures could be useful for Principals, tenderers, and consultants in NZ in avoiding potential disputes. Moreover, this study has paved further research paths to investigate dispute avoidance strategies for other procurement paths (other than traditional procurement path) and to further study on practically workable ways of documenting the construction scope clearly.  
Risk Pricing in Construction Tenders - How, Who, What
Full text link[2025-11-05: This article is the corrected version of an article that appeared in vol. 7 no. 2 of this journal; see https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v7i2.10170 for the retraction notice. A minor correction has also been made in this document to the spelling of the authors\u27 names.]
Construction projects are most commonly procured in Australia by means of a traditional design–tender–build model, whereby design is largely completed then contractors submit tenders in a competitive environment. Construction contractors must consider risks within their tenders. This paper reports the research findings into pricing for risk in competitive tenders by construction contractors. The research is based on structured interviews with 10 contracting personnel; supplemented by 23 responses of construction personnel from an online survey. Two common methods to price for risk are a trade-by-trade basis or an overall percentage or lump sum addition to the base estimate. Experience and intuition plays a significant role in pricing for risk in tenders and the number and type of people involved varies with project size, with greater involvement as project size increases. The most significant risks priced in tenders were: availability of resources; design or documentation errors; incomplete design; buildability issues; and inclement weather. The most significant project factors considered by contractors when pricing for risk in tenders are: value of liquidated damages; type of contract/procurement; completeness of documentation; project complexity; and current workload. These risks and project factors are primarily those over which the contractor has limited or no control
Technological imperatives for issues in certification of quality, progress, and payments in construction projects: A systematic review
Full text linkConstruction projects require certification of quality and progress of work and related payments to ensure successful completion. However, several issues related to quality, progress and payment certifications exist in the construction industry. A two-stage systematic review of literature was conducted to understand issues and appropriate solutions related to quality, progress, and payment certifications in construction projects. The literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, retrieved journal articles in Scopus and Web of Science, published between 2008 and 2023. In stage one, 1450 records were retrieved through search queries on prevalent issues and 50 articles were selected after applying inclusion criteria and screening. Stage two of the review sought technological imperatives that mapped to the pinpointed issues. 1262 search results were screened using the same criteria as the first stage, producing 45 articles. The studies related to quality and progress certification highlighted issues such as defects, failures, and rework, delayed project completion, and inaccurate documentation and reporting. Payment certification related articles discussed issues like payment delays and non-payments, payment disputes, and insolvency. Building Information Modelling, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology and smart contracts were highlighted as the major technological imperatives for solving these issues. These technologies support rigorous inspections, ensure compliance of building materials and products, enable contract fulfilment, and guarantee payments, thereby effectively addressing the issues. The study strongly advocates for blockchain and smart contracts as a comprehensive technological solution to overcome certification-related challenges in construction projects
Examining the decision criteria on BIM-LCA: A case study
Full text linkThe mainstay of the extant literature on BIM-LCA has concentrated on comparing two materials for building elements and selecting the most environmentally friendly option based on the quantitative results from the LCA analysis. This current approach, while useful, raises issues about its robustness, necessitating a critical analysis of the decision criteria and areas for improvement. Therefore, this study examines the BIM-LCA decision-making process to identify gaps for improvement. A case study approach was used, which focused on multiple flooring systems in an office building in Sydney. Revit, as a BIM tool, was used to model the design and the Tally® BIM plug-in application based on Sydney climatic data was used to perform TRACI LCA analysis. The results revealed that hardwood flooring systems performed well against the nylon-based carpet in some environmental impacts indicators (EIIs), i.e., global warming potential (7673.5 < 11159.18 Kg CO₂eq), ozone depletion (-2.9767E-07 < 4.63E-04 kg CFC-11eq), and renewable energy (177882.42> 5,766 MJ). Whilst nylon-based carpet performed better than hard finishes in other EIIs, i.e., acidification (37.5357 < 66.5156 SO₂eq), eutrophication (7.26639 < 7.34547 kg Neq), smog formation (465.1< 1355.75 Kg O₃eq) and non-renewable energy demand (185,720 <198251 MJ). The results show an inconclusive basis for decision-making. The findings led to discussing potential areas for improving the BIM-LCA decision-making process
Creative Civics in Higher Education: Evaluating Implementation of Artistic Activism Pedagogy through the Unstoppable Voters Faculty Fellowship
No full textThis study evaluates the pedagogical impact of the Center for Artistic Activism’s (C4AA) Creative Campaign Framework, as implemented through the 2024 Unstoppable Voters Faculty Fellowship. The fellowship was a United States-based initiative designed to foster creative, non-partisan civic engagement in higher education using C4AA trainings and materials as outlined in their Creative Campaign Framework. The fellowship supported a cohort of nine faculty members across seven institutions, ranging from research universities to liberal arts colleges and a historically black university, that integrated C4AA materials into courses spanning clinical psychology, political science, theatre, design and the visual arts. Using a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) model and grounded in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the study employed qualitative methods to examine how fellows adapted the Creative Campaign Framework, the strategies they used to engage students and the outcomes of their campus-based civic engagement projects. Key findings include the Framework’s adaptability across disciplines, student responses to this approach to creative civic learning and the opportunities and challenges of translating activist language to academic settings. This is the first study to assess the application of the C4AA’s artistic activism pedagogy in a coordinated higher education initiative, offering new insights into the potential of creative civics pedagogy using the C4AA Creative Campaign Framework as an impactful and adaptable approach to teaching democratic habits and civic engagement
Assessing the effectiveness of Ghana’s District Performance Assessment Tool: the view from local government
No full textThis study investigates the successes and challenges of Ghana’s District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT) for local governments, and offers recommendations to inform future policy. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed, and 24 staff were purposively sampled. The study found that DPAT has enabled local governments to improve their performance, and acts as a check to ensure that they follow good governance principles and comply with legal regulatory frameworks. The challenges of DPAT include the practicability of indicators, lack of an equitable system of assessment, inadequate understanding of indicators, composition of the national-level steering committee, human resource challenges, and inadequacy and delay in the release of funds. Furthermore, it was found that stakeholder engagement, equity in the assessment of performance, strict compliance with relevant laws, regular monitoring by regional consultative committees, and prompt disbursement of required funds are key factors that can help make DPAT more effective
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