Wellington Thwala – författare

This book takes a pragmatic approach to develop the competitive advantage of indigenous construction firms in the Global South, using Ghana as a case study. It provides readers with two major practical insights. The first focuses on the theoretical underpinning of firms’ competitive advantage and develops a competitive advantage model for indigenous construction firms. This competitive advantage conceptual framework aids in explaining the main and sub-attributes underpinning the competitive advantage of indigenous construction firms as well as providing the basis for assessing a firm’s competitiveness. Secondly, it highlights and addresses theoretical gaps in existing competitive advantage studies deemed essential for indigenous construction firms. Finally, a detailed two-stage Delphi study in the Ghanaian construction industry is presented as a case study.

The book is therefore of interest to researchers in construction management, strategic management, civil engineering, business administration, marketing, entrepreneurial and economic studies. It is an essential manual for owners and managers of construction businesses. It is also useful for government departments and non-governmental agencies seeking innovative ways to develop the capacity of indigenous firms and/or contractors to make them more responsive to competitive bidding scenarios, delivery of projects, and satisfying the needs of the industry’s stakeholders.

This book takes a pragmatic approach to develop the competitive advantage of indigenous construction firms in the Global South, using Ghana as a case study. It provides readers with two major practical insights. The first focuses on the theoretical underpinning of firms’ competitive advantage and develops a competitive advantage model for indigenous construction firms. This competitive advantage conceptual framework aids in explaining the main and sub-attributes underpinning the competitive advantage of indigenous construction firms as well as providing the basis for assessing a firm’s competitiveness. Secondly, it highlights and addresses theoretical gaps in existing competitive advantage studies deemed essential for indigenous construction firms. Finally, a detailed two-stage Delphi study in the Ghanaian construction industry is presented as a case study.

The book is therefore of interest to researchers in construction management, strategic management, civil engineering, business administration, marketing, entrepreneurial and economic studies. It is an essential manual for owners and managers of construction businesses. It is also useful for government departments and non-governmental agencies seeking innovative ways to develop the capacity of indigenous firms and/or contractors to make them more responsive to competitive bidding scenarios, delivery of projects, and satisfying the needs of the industry’s stakeholders.

This book explores construction digitalisation, particularly in developing countries. The book conceptualises a digitalisation capability maturity model that will enable construction organisations to self-assess and benchmark their digital capabilities in their quest for digital transformation.

Digitalisation offers a significant solution to the age-long problems of the construction industry. Research shows that when construction organisations transform from a traditional service delivery approach to a more digitalised approach, significant improvement in project delivery and better competitive advantage for these organisations will be attained. The attainment of these benefits is evident in developed countries where the digitalisation of construction activities continues apace. Unfortunately, the story is not the same for construction organisations in developing economies. While some organisations might be willing to be digitally transformed, most have no clue how to go about it. To this end, this book provides guidelines for construction organisations seeking to transform their entities digitally. Its content is a valuable read for construction company owners as it provides a model which they can use in the digitalisation of their activities. Also, regulatory bodies in the construction industry can adopt the capabilities identified in the book as essential prerequisites for their members. Furthermore, the book serves as excellent theoretical background reading for management researchers seeking to expand their knowledge on the digitalisation of the construction industry and other associated industries.

This book explores construction digitalisation, particularly in developing countries. The book conceptualises a digitalisation capability maturity model that will enable construction organisations to self-assess and benchmark their digital capabilities in their quest for digital transformation.

Digitalisation offers a significant solution to the age-long problems of the construction industry. Research shows that when construction organisations transform from a traditional service delivery approach to a more digitalised approach, significant improvement in project delivery and better competitive advantage for these organisations will be attained. The attainment of these benefits is evident in developed countries where the digitalisation of construction activities continues apace. Unfortunately, the story is not the same for construction organisations in developing economies. While some organisations might be willing to be digitally transformed, most have no clue how to go about it. To this end, this book provides guidelines for construction organisations seeking to transform their entities digitally. Its content is a valuable read for construction company owners as it provides a model which they can use in the digitalisation of their activities. Also, regulatory bodies in the construction industry can adopt the capabilities identified in the book as essential prerequisites for their members. Furthermore, the book serves as excellent theoretical background reading for management researchers seeking to expand their knowledge on the digitalisation of the construction industry and other associated industries.

The central aim of this book is to investigate and develop frameworks to aid effective maintenance management of municipal buildings in the education sector of developing economies. Using the South African education sector as a case study, this book provides readers with two major practical insights. Firstly, it focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of maintenance management research and introduces a maintenance management model through the development of a conceptual framework. This framework aids in explaining the factors underpinning the maintenance of municipal buildings but can also be used in the assessment and management of other public buildings. Secondly, the book highlights and addresses theoretical gaps in existing studies essential for the maintenance management of buildings in developing economies, providing a stimulus for future research.

The book will be of interest to researchers in construction management, building technology, estate management, civil engineering, architecture, and urban and regional planning. It is an essential manual for policymakers in the education sector, built environment, construction industry, facility maintenance, facility management and consultants at government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) charged with maintenance management of public infrastructures and assets.

The central aim of this book is to investigate and develop frameworks to aid effective maintenance management of municipal buildings in the education sector of developing economies. Using the South African education sector as a case study, this book provides readers with two major practical insights. Firstly, it focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of maintenance management research and introduces a maintenance management model through the development of a conceptual framework. This framework aids in explaining the factors underpinning the maintenance of municipal buildings but can also be used in the assessment and management of other public buildings. Secondly, the book highlights and addresses theoretical gaps in existing studies essential for the maintenance management of buildings in developing economies, providing a stimulus for future research.

The book will be of interest to researchers in construction management, building technology, estate management, civil engineering, architecture, and urban and regional planning. It is an essential manual for policymakers in the education sector, built environment, construction industry, facility maintenance, facility management and consultants at government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) charged with maintenance management of public infrastructures and assets.

This book explores residential satisfaction and housing policy trends in developing nations by using subsidised low-income housing examples in South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria as case studies. While there has been much documentation on the formation of residential satisfaction and the evolution of housing policy in developed nations, relatively little has been written about these topics in developing nations.

This book provides readers with two major practical insights: The first is focused on the theoretical underpinning of residential satisfaction and the formation of residential satisfaction in subsidised low-income housing through the development of a conceptual framework, while the second is focused on housing policy evolution and its trends in South Africa. In this section of the book, comparative overviews of public housing in two West African countries are provided with an emphasis on the philosophical basis for its development in these countries. The central aim of the book is to provide readers with ideas on residential satisfaction formation and housing policy trends in South Africa.

This book explores residential satisfaction and housing policy trends in developing nations by using subsidised low-income housing examples in South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria as case studies. While there has been much documentation on the formation of residential satisfaction and the evolution of housing policy in developed nations, relatively little has been written about these topics in developing nations.

This book provides readers with two major practical insights: The first is focused on the theoretical underpinning of residential satisfaction and the formation of residential satisfaction in subsidised low-income housing through the development of a conceptual framework, while the second is focused on housing policy evolution and its trends in South Africa. In this section of the book, comparative overviews of public housing in two West African countries are provided with an emphasis on the philosophical basis for its development in these countries. The central aim of the book is to provide readers with ideas on residential satisfaction formation and housing policy trends in South Africa.

This book explores the formation of small and medium-sized construction company''s (SME) compliance with health and safety issues in developing countries. Little has been written about the formation of SME contractors'' health and safety compliance for developing countries, especially, in the sub-sahara regions where construction and infrastructure development activities have significantly increased in order to serve the development mandate of those countries. Thus, this book will provides insight into construction safety for SMEs, as well as health and safety compliance, and its policy implementation trends and development.

This book explores the formation of small and medium-sized construction company''s (SME) compliance with health and safety issues in developing countries. Little has been written about the formation of SME contractors'' health and safety compliance for developing countries, especially, in the sub-sahara regions where construction and infrastructure development activities have significantly increased in order to serve the development mandate of those countries. Thus, this book will provides insight into construction safety for SMEs, as well as health and safety compliance, and its policy implementation trends and development.

This book gathers papers from the 11th Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) Postgraduate Research Conference, held on 28–30 July 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference provided an essential forum for reviewing and generating knowledge on Construction 4.0 and, consequently, highlighted processes and practices that allow us to deliver and operate built environment assets more effectively and efficiently by focusing on physical-to-digital and digital-to-physical transformation. The event addressed three broad themes: 

Given its scope, the book will be of interest to all construction industry and architectural professionals who want to learn about cutting-edge technologies applied to construction

This book discusses sustainable housing issues in urban areas throughout the Global South, revealing their complexity in terms of urban dynamics, housing markets and human interactions with the environment. Its main focus is on the location of graves within private residences, cemeteries in the immediate vicinity of private residences, and the implications of these factors for renters’ choices and rents. 

The book addresses the economics of land use for graves in connection with housing choices and the implications for the rented sector of the property market. By means of several model-based simulations, it demonstrates that the neoclassical economics remedy to the negative externality of graves in or near private residences remains generally unacceptable.  

Providing readers with a clear understanding of tenants’ priorities in their choice of housing, as well as a new approach to the negative externality of graves in the rented sector, the book will be of interest to policymakers, urban planners, investors in residential housing and land economists alike.