George Ofori - Böcker

Developing countries face the challenge of maintaining economic growth and socio-economic development, at the core of which sits the construction industry. Considerable research on construction in developing countries took place in the 1970's and 1980's, but little since, a gap which this book fills. Including contributions from prominent academics and practitioners in Australia, China, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK, this is a truly international analysis of a subject of global interest. The most insightful and relevant of recent research on topics such as Millennium Development Goals, the informal construction sector, human resource development, technology, finance and social change, are all addressed in the context of the construction industry in the developing world. Also considered are other key aspects of construction industry development such as institution building, nurturing of contractors and consultants and championing of industry development programmes. While the challenge has grown and the needs have become even more pressing, the research to date has rarely presented effective solutions. Focussing on those aspects of the construction industry most crucial to development, this is a much needed up-to-date study that sheds new light on a variety of concepts and issues.This is essential reading for researchers, professionals and students interested in the construction industry in developing countries. Readers of this book will be interested in its companion volume; Contemporary Issues of Construction in Developing Countries.

This book presents a new framework for leadership in the construction industry which draws from the authentic leadership construct. The framework has three major themes: self-leadership, self-transcendent leadership, and sustainable leadership.Despite its significance, leadership has not been given due importance in the construction industry as focus is placed on managerial functionalism. At the project level, even with the technological advances in the industry in recent years, construction is realized in the form of people undertaking distinct interdependent activities which require effective leadership. The industry faces many challenges including: demanding client requirements and project parameters; more stringent regulations, codes and systems; intense competition in the industry; and threats from disruptive enterprise. In such a complex environment, technology-driven and tool-based project and corporate management is insufficient. It must be complemented by a strategic, genuine, stakeholder-focused and ethical leadership.Leadership in the Construction Industry is based on a study on authentic leadership and its development in Singapore. Leadership theories and concepts are reviewed; the importance of leadership in the construction industry is discussed; and the grounded theory approach which was applied in the study is explained. Many eminent construction professionals in Singapore were interviewed in the field study. Emerging from the experiences of the leaders documented in this book are three major themes: (1) self-leadership: how leaders engage in various self-related processes such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and role modeling. (2) self-transcendent leadership: how leaders go beyond leading themselves to leading others through servant leadership, shared leadership, spiritual leadership, and socially-responsible leadership; and, finally, (3) sustainable leadership or the strategies leaders employ to make the impact of their leadership lasting. A synthesis of these themes and their implications for leadership development is presented before the book concludes with some recommendations for current and aspiring leaders about how they can engage with them. This book is essential reading for all construction practitioners from all backgrounds; and researchers on leadership and management in construction.

This book presents a new framework for leadership in the construction industry which draws from the authentic leadership construct. The framework has three major themes: self-leadership, self-transcendent leadership, and sustainable leadership.Despite its significance, leadership has not been given due importance in the construction industry as focus is placed on managerial functionalism. At the project level, even with the technological advances in the industry in recent years, construction is realized in the form of people undertaking distinct interdependent activities which require effective leadership. The industry faces many challenges including: demanding client requirements and project parameters; more stringent regulations, codes and systems; intense competition in the industry; and threats from disruptive enterprise. In such a complex environment, technology-driven and tool-based project and corporate management is insufficient. It must be complemented by a strategic, genuine, stakeholder-focused and ethical leadership.Leadership in the Construction Industry is based on a study on authentic leadership and its development in Singapore. Leadership theories and concepts are reviewed; the importance of leadership in the construction industry is discussed; and the grounded theory approach which was applied in the study is explained. Many eminent construction professionals in Singapore were interviewed in the field study. Emerging from the experiences of the leaders documented in this book are three major themes: (1) self-leadership: how leaders engage in various self-related processes such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and role modeling. (2) self-transcendent leadership: how leaders go beyond leading themselves to leading others through servant leadership, shared leadership, spiritual leadership, and socially-responsible leadership; and, finally, (3) sustainable leadership or the strategies leaders employ to make the impact of their leadership lasting. A synthesis of these themes and their implications for leadership development is presented before the book concludes with some recommendations for current and aspiring leaders about how they can engage with them. This book is essential reading for all construction practitioners from all backgrounds; and researchers on leadership and management in construction.

Economic growth and socio-economic development are particuliarly important for developing countries, and the construction industry plays a central role in driving both of these.Traditionally the issues faced have been assumed to be merely offshoots of those encountered in industrialised nations and are usually discussed only in this context. In addition, research in construction management and economics has generally failed to take proper account of the unique or highly emphasised characteristics of the industries in developing countries, or their economic and social environment. This volume challenges underlying assumptions and focuses on the distinct characteristics of construction in developing countries. In so doing it considers the issues from the perspective of the developing countries themselves to present a strong contemporary picture for researchers.It forms a companion volume to New Perspectives on Construction in Developing Countries which provides an update on the generic subjects relating to the construction industry in developing countries, and covers new concepts and issues.

Developing countries face the challenge of maintaining economic growth and socio-economic development, at the core of which sits the construction industry. Considerable research on construction in developing countries took place in the 1970's and 1980's, but little since, a gap which this book fills. Including contributions from prominent academics and practitioners in Australia, China, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK, this is a truly international analysis of a subject of global interest. The most insightful and relevant of recent research on topics such as Millennium Development Goals, the informal construction sector, human resource development, technology, finance and social change, are all addressed in the context of the construction industry in the developing world. Also considered are other key aspects of construction industry development such as institution building, nurturing of contractors and consultants and championing of industry development programmes. While the challenge has grown and the needs have become even more pressing, the research to date has rarely presented effective solutions. Focussing on those aspects of the construction industry most crucial to development, this is a much needed up-to-date study that sheds new light on a variety of concepts and issues.This is essential reading for researchers, professionals and students interested in the construction industry in developing countries. Readers of this book will be interested in its companion volume; Contemporary Issues of Construction in Developing Countries.

Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements presents a detailed and comprehensive examination of the relationship between labour and the built environment, and synergises these critical focus areas in innovative ways. This unrivalled edited collection of chapters analyses problems and presents possible solutions related to the employment and conditions of workers in the construction industry. It provides comprehensive coverage of the relationship between the global workforce and the built environment and is divided into four topical areas: how labour and the built environment relate to development; employment generation in the built environment; quality of employment in the built environment; and the impact of the built environment on labour in other sectors. Underpinning the entire book is the premise that the way the built environment is produced, and its main products – buildings, cities and towns – have an impact on large numbers of workers. At the same time, the quality of the built environment requires construction workers who are well trained and with good working conditions. While cities and towns are the engines of economic growth, they will not be able to fulfil their economic potential if poverty in the workforce is not addressed. Those who are unemployed, underemployed or work in unfavourable conditions cannot fully contribute to production, and at the same time are limited in their ability to purchase goods and services – therefore limiting economic growth and restricting improvements in their living standards. In addition, investments in infrastructure, housing and inner-city redevelopment cannot be sustainable if labour issues – i.e., poverty – are not addressed. This book aims at analysing this complex set of issues comprehensively and will be essential reading to a wide range of researchers across the interdisciplinary intersections of construction, business and management, economic development, urban studies, sociology, political science and project management.

This innovative Research Companion considers the history, nature and status of construction economics, and its need for development as a field in order to be recognised as a distinct discipline. It presents a state-of-the-art review of construction economics, identifying areas for further research. Contributors explore topics that have been under-discussed in the literature, including the philosophy of construction economics and its practice in classical antiquity. Chapters also offer new takes on the development of the construction industry, the economics of housing, construction labour and the economics of informatics applications. Comprehensive in outlook, the Research Companion goes on to provide in-depth analyses of procurement, bidding, stakeholder management, construction data, transaction costs and sustainability in construction. The Research Companion will be critical reading for scholars and students of construction economics, construction management, cost engineering, quantity surveying, urban economics and institutional economics. Its use of empirical research and exploration of the methods of analysis used in construction economics will also be beneficial for administrators of the construction industry and practitioners in these fields.

Economic growth and socio-economic development are particuliarly important for developing countries, and the construction industry plays a central role in driving both of these.Traditionally the issues faced have been assumed to be merely offshoots of those encountered in industrialised nations and are usually discussed only in this context. In addition, research in construction management and economics has generally failed to take proper account of the unique or highly emphasised characteristics of the industries in developing countries, or their economic and social environment. This volume challenges underlying assumptions and focuses on the distinct characteristics of construction in developing countries. In so doing it considers the issues from the perspective of the developing countries themselves to present a strong contemporary picture for researchers.It forms a companion volume to New Perspectives on Construction in Developing Countries which provides an update on the generic subjects relating to the construction industry in developing countries, and covers new concepts and issues.

This innovative Research Companion considers the history, nature and status of construction economics, and its need for development as a field in order to be recognised as a distinct discipline. It presents a state-of-the-art review of construction economics, identifying areas for further research. Contributors explore topics that have been under-discussed in the literature, including the philosophy of construction economics and its practice in classical antiquity. Chapters also offer new takes on the development of the construction industry, the economics of housing, construction labour and the economics of informatics applications. Comprehensive in outlook, the Research Companion goes on to provide in-depth analyses of procurement, bidding, stakeholder management, construction data, transaction costs and sustainability in construction. The Research Companion will be critical reading for scholars and students of construction economics, construction management, cost engineering, quantity surveying, urban economics and institutional economics. Its use of empirical research and exploration of the methods of analysis used in construction economics will also be beneficial for administrators of the construction industry and practitioners in these fields.

This book presents a state-of-the-art account of the recent developments and needs for project management in developing countries. It adds to the current state of knowledge on project management in general by capturing current trends, how they widen the content and scope of the field, and why there is a need for a specialist body of knowledge for developing countries. Eminent experts in this domain address the specific nature and demands of project management in developing countries, in the context of its scope and priorities, and discuss the relationships between this emerging field and established bodies of knowledge. The book also addresses the future of project management in developing countries and how this might influence mainstream project management. This important book will be an essential reference for practitioners, students, researchers and policymakers engaged in how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of project management in developing countries.

This is a compilation of some of the best research papers of students from the MSc (Environmental Management) programme at the National University of Singapore from 2001-2006. They have been edited for brevity and cover a wide range of topics encompassing Corporate Environmental Management, the Conservation of Biological Diversity, Land use Planning, the Marine Environment, the Environment and Economic Development, Energy Sustainability, as well as Urban Pollution and Waste Management. These issues are examined in the context of different Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This book provides perspectives of the many challenges that confront environmental managers, and ventures to suggest some solutions.