3659 research outputs found
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Shaping Pedagogy Through Practice: Reflections on the Spanish Program in International Studies at UTS
Full text linkAs the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) celebrates 30 years of the Bachelor of International Studies (BIS), I reflect on my journey leading the Spanish program. This reflection examines the implementation of genre-based pedagogy inspired by Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which has been instrumental in bridging gaps in traditional teaching methods and fostering academic literacy. Drawing on collaborations with Spanish universities and integrating cutting-edge resources, I have witnessed the transformative impact of these initiatives on students\u27 preparation for in-country study and their ability to navigate academic and cultural challenges. These experiences have also shaped my teaching philosophy, highlighting the value of research-informed practices in enhancing language proficiency and intercultural competence
Experimenting with twilight learnings and twilight writings for community engagement
Full text linkThis contribution explores community engagement through the collaborative practice ‘Twilight Learnings – Seasonal experiments in the Tiny House on Wheels (THoW)’. In this article, we show that a reflective community can start to emerge through sharing experiences and knowledges in a confined space that is simultaneously connected to society in a fractal scaling (O’Brien et al. 2023) way. Some of the participants grew so fond of reflecting together on hope, allies, uncertainties, pain and frustrations, that they continued to build the community by articulating themselves through follow-up interviews and through writing together in different ways.
We document hidden and ‘marginal’ stages of a research process allowing longer timeframes so that practitioners and scholars can write together in a slow science (Stengers 2018) approach. This article mainly explores three aspects of community engagement: 1) reporting on community-based research and practice and reflective experiences in a workshop in the THoW; 2) reflecting on collective writing processes through performative writing 3) meta-reflecting on scaling and performativity. In other words, this article contributes to how knowledge production and world-making can go together through community engagement that extends into writing
Talk matters: local council debates over electoral reform for Indigenous representation in Canada and New Zealand
No full textThis study looks at recent city council debates over introducing Indigenous seats in Canadian and New Zealand municipalities, asking whether debate is respectful and focused on relevant issues, and agreements are decisive and consequential. Despite very different national contexts and local government systems, overall we find similar arguments across the two countries. And while deliberation is generally civil and principled among councils as a whole, individual councillors who voted against Indigenous representation tended to argue in ways that are potentially polarising. We relate our observations to wider arguments about the exclusion of urban Indigenous peoples from local policymaking and the importance of making rational inputs available for citizens’ judgement and decision.
Protection of Yei Tribe’s Sago Food Processing as Traditional Knowledge: An Archive-Based Effort on Digitization
No full textCommunal intellectual property on traditional knowledge, in the South Papua region, has not been adequately identified. This research focuses on the importance of digitized archives for the protection and preservation of traditional knowledge on the processing of Yei tribal sago snacks. This socio-legal study uses an ethnographic study approach. The results found that the Yei tribe’s sago food processing practices fulfil the elements for protection as traditional knowledge including methods or processes, skills, and/or sago processing skills as traditional food even though they have not been recorded and registered in the communal intellectual property database on traditional knowledge. In this era of globalization, there is a need for documentation and publication based on digitized archives for the entire practice of processing sago snacks so as to produce digital copies available on the internet or other devices to ensure accessibility, sustainability and preservation of traditional knowledge that can later be passed on to the next generation
Impact of Construction Project Failure on Key Project Stakeholders: Assessing the Perspectives of Professionals in Lagos Metropolis
No full textConstruction project delivery fosters progress and development in society, whereas failures can lead to diverse and sometimes severe consequences, particularly for the most affected stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the multifaceted effects of construction project failure, with an emphasis on understanding their impact on key stakeholders, including clients, the general public, contractors, and consultants, in the context of developing countries such as Nigeria. Data were collected through a purposively administered questionnaire survey of stakeholders consisting of clients, contractors, and consultants in Lagos, Nigeria. Analysis was done using thematic analysis, the relative importance index, and Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient. The findings reveal that the financial and economic impact, characterized by loss of revenue, bankruptcy, and cost escalation, stands as the most significant consequence of project failure. Among the stakeholders, clients were perceived as being most severely affected by the failure of construction projects, followed by the general public, contractors, and consultants. This study using qualitative analysis provided broad categories that encompass the identified effects of construction project failure, offering a foundational template for future research. The research findings on the disproportionate impact of project failures on clients, positioning them as the primary affected stakeholder group, are pivotal. This information shifts the focus toward understanding the unique challenges faced by clients in construction project failures. Lastly, delving into the effects of construction project failure underscores the need for robust management strategies to mitigate these impacts, particularly for the most vulnerable stakeholders
Organizational culture and its impact on employees’ safety
No full textWorkplace safety in the construction industry, particularly in developing countries, remains a critical concern owing to the high rates of accidents and fatalities. This study investigates how organizational culture influences employee safety in the construction industry, focusing on developing economies. The practical significance of this study lies in bridging the knowledge gap regarding how the different dimensions of cultural artifacts, espoused values, and assumptions affect safety outcomes. Utilizing a quantitative research approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires from 30 contractors from the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG) in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple regression analysis, examined the relationship between cultural elements and safety performance. The findings revealed that all three dimensions of organizational culture (artifacts, espoused values, and assumptions) contribute significantly to enhanced safety outcomes, with symbols and dress codes emerging as strong predictors of safety practices. However, challenges remain in integrating espoused values into daily operations and adapting cultural assumptions to the evolving conditions. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence that organizational culture is pivotal in promoting safety in high-risk industries. These practical implications suggest that organizations should reinforce cultural symbols and values, foster leadership involvement, and continuously monitor safety practices to create safer work environments. These results are particularly important for developing economies where improving workplace safety can contribute to broader economic development
Project high performance work system for enabling high performing teams in construction
No full textModern construction organizations demand high-performing teams (HPTs) in their projects in order to face increasing performance challenges. On the one hand, they face significant performance challenges due to the competition in the industry in many forms, such as competitive bidding to receive projects. On the other hand, they need to manage the performance challenges posed by the complexities of the uncertain and volatile construction project environment to deliver projects successfully and build up strong organizational profiles to face such issues. At the same time, they must also follow the legislative requirements of their countries, which are focused on the big issues and challenges that exist in the contemporary construction industry. In order to enable HPTs, they need a high-performance work system (HPWS) that can facilitate their projects. However, although literature shows numerous studies on organizational HPWSs that consist of human resource management practices, only limited attention has been given to identifying such a system for the project context. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap through a quantitative research study. The project high-performance work system (PHPWS) was conceptualized using literature and tested using 221 responses to a questionnaire survey among team members in construction projects. The exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to analyze data to conclude this PHPWS. The findings facilitate the construction organizations to create the PHPWS for enabling HPTs in their projects and constitute a significant original contribution to the theory and practice in the construction management research domain
Artificial intelligence ethics in municipal and construction sectors: A literature review
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly used to improve the efficiency of public services such as building permit approvals, zoning management, and infrastructure inspections. However, this rapid integration has raised ethical concerns related to algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and data privacy. For example, automated zoning systems may inadvertently prioritize certain areas owing to biased data inputs. This paper presents a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis focused on ethical AI frameworks in municipal and construction-related services, particularly focusing on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where smart city initiatives are rapidly advancing. The review followed preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and drew on 102 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and EBSCOhost using keywords such as “AI ethics”, “smart cities”, and “public services”. The analysis highlights recurring ethical gaps in existing global frameworks, including limited adaptability to local cultural and regulatory environments. Drawing from best practices in the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Artificial Intelligence Principles, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Artificial Intelligence Ethics Guidelines, this study proposed a culturally sensitive governance framework tailored to the UAE context. The framework offers guidance for implementing ethical audits, transparency standards, and citizen feedback mechanisms. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers—such as the development of regulatory sandboxes—and industry stakeholders deploying AI in construction-related municipal services. This study supported the development of responsible AI practices that align with both global ethical standards and local governance needs, ultimately contributing to more trustworthy smart city services
Operational Effectiveness in Building Renovation Business: Best Practices for Profitable Execution
Full text linkThe operational side of business, such as processes, has been studied broadly in the construction industry. However, from the point of view of building renovation (BR) companies and their operational effectiveness, there is a research gap detected. These companies are becoming increasingly important in the construction industry due to the growth of BR needs, like energy efficiency improvements for existing buildings. Ensuring the continuity of BR companies is crucial to meet these increasing needs and that is where profitability plays an important role. Therefore, by comparing 2 cases, BR companies with high profitability (HP) and BR companies with low profitability (LP), we sought to identify best practices for operational effectiveness that enable a profitable BR business. To review the operational effectiveness, we used semi-structured interviews and 2 frameworks: operational excellence through the 4P model, and a model we created in this research, critical operational key elements (COKE) in the BR business. We detected that both HP and LP cases value the operational elements similarly, but there are clear differences in how the cases perceive and execute the elements. The HP case unconsciously seem to possess certain mainstreams of lean principles. The 4 best practices which we found, and that BR companies can utilize, are: focus on customers, be business-oriented, strive for simplicity and clarity and treasure employees and subcontractors. Additionally, the COKE model can be utilized in BR companies’ business development. For the academia, the COKE model offers a starting point for studying key operational elements in BR business
Global citizenship: International Studies Students in the Latin American and Spanish majors at UTS
Full text linkThis paper marks the 30th anniversary of the Bachelor of International Studies (BIS) at the University of Technology Sydney, highlighting its evolution and its role in fostering intercultural communication competency (ICC) and global citizenship. Focusing on the 12-month In-Country Studies and Fieldwork Project (ICSFP) in Hispanophone countries, it examines how students integrate linguistic proficiency, intercultural negotiation skills, and critical enquiry through immersive study abroad and scaffolded research projects. Drawing on examples such as a case study on ethnic community relations in Madrid, the paper illustrates how ICSFP participants engage with social justice issues and develop the capacity to act ethically in diverse cultural contexts. The findings demonstrate that the BIS, through its integration of language study, international experience, and guided research, produces graduates equipped with the awareness, adaptability, and responsibility characteristic of global citizens
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