Sources highlight the poor organisational practices of the construction industry in many developing countries that result in low productivity levels in labour operations. This study aimed to identify the critical factors related to the management/organisational practices that significantly influence the labour productivity in Sri Lankan building construction projects based on the perspectives of engineers. The study methodology encompassed both qualitative and quantitative approaches through a comprehensive literature review, a questionnaire survey and a series of industry consultative meetings. The study determined 31 critical factors, where salary delays, low salaries for labourers, lack of labour training facilities, poor labour management and lack of labour motivation were found in the top five rankings. Statistical tests ensured the validity and reliability of the results. Overall findings highlight the need for reinforcing the current organisational policies of construction firms related to financial processes, communication approaches, resource management and performance management practices to the new normal situations. The study outcomes may push the industry to reduce the gap between the management policies and labour operations. Though the study findings are limited to the Sri Lankan construction sector, some of them may also be tested in other developing countries in similar scenarios.
Various sources highlight that the ineffective work-based training methods in construction site procedures have been the primary cause for the construction firms experiencing labour skill shortages in many developing countries like Sri Lanka. This study attempts to investigate developing mobile application tools for systematically applying work-based training practices, performance evaluation methods and grading mechanisms in the practices on construction sites for labourers. With the aid of problem-focused and action-oriented communication techniques, a comprehensive study methodology was adopted through a sequential procedure, including literature studies, expert discussions/reviews and mobile application development practices. The study approach specifically lays a mechanism linking with efficacious/valuable models and systems offered in recent studies. The study findings display the sketches of user interface visual designs and data flow procedures for integrating the labour training components through mobile application tools within a constructive mechanism. Importantly, labour performance, labour grading/classification and labour productivity levels have been emphasised as the major units of analysis in the application of the proposed mechanism and tools. The validity and reliability of the proposed mechanism and tools were ensured using comprehensive approaches. The study opens a new window to implement constructive approaches, innovative practices and operational systems linking with organisational vision and mission elements within the direct scope of productivity and performance improvement in the direction of expanding the industrial and institutional linkages nationally and internationally towards the economic recovery, social development and sustainability of a nation. Though the study findings directly contribute to the construction sector of developing countries like Sri Lanka, the study outcomes may create considerable impacts in other developing industry sectors within a similar scope.
Despite the growing interest in open innovation, previous studies have ignored the role of firms' strategic capability in evoking open innovation, especially in low and medium-low technology (LMT) firms from technologically less advanced countries. This study rectifies this problem by examining the impact of technology orientation on the implementation of inbound open innovation. Also, assessing the effect of the environment on the relationship between technology orientation and inbound open innovation, this study considers technology turbulence and market potential. The hierarchical regression analysis, based on cross-sectional survey data collected from 272 LMT firms in Sri Lanka reveals that LMT firms adopt inbound open innovation at a moderate level. LMT firms value technology and face above-average level technology turbulence and market potential. Results show that both technology orientation and market potential have a significant positive effect on the implementation of inbound open innovation, but no evidence from technology turbulence. Also, technology turbulence negatively, and market potential positively moderate the relationship between technology orientation and inbound open innovation. The findings indicate that LMT firms in Sri Lanka should exploit technologically superior products to meet customers' needs and attract the market. Also, technology orientation plays a salient role in attractive markets but not in technologically turbulent environments.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.