Richard Haigh

Bio: Richard Haigh is an academic researcher from University of Huddersfield. The author has contributed to research in topics: Disaster risk reduction & Emergency management. The author has an hindex of 27, co-authored 351 publications receiving 2990 citations. Previous affiliations of Richard Haigh include University of Moratuwa & University of Salford.

Tacit knowledge and organisational performance: construction industry perspective

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of tacit knowledge in construction and to underline the significant contribution of tacit knowledge towards the organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach - Includes a review of literature on principal insights of dominant views on knowledge and organisational resources to highlight the strategic nature of tacit knowledge. Further, intrinsic characteristics of the construction industry are discussed to underline the people factor and the role of the tacit knowledge. Findings - Valuable human and knowledge resources will be wasted unless organisations make better use of these prime resources. Tacit knowledge in particular is still considered to be relatively unexplored and proper understanding and management of this resource are of immense importance for better organisational performance. In this context, this paper reveals the labour and knowledge intensive nature of the construction industry and highlights the importance and the significant role of people factor and tacit knowledge in construction. Originality/value - Owing to paucity of literature and inadequate empirical research done, this paper provides the basis for more empirical research on finding importance of tacit knowledge towards organisational performance in the construction industry.

An integrative review of the built environment discipline's role in the development of society's resilience to disasters

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an integrative review of the literature to explore the nature of the built environment discipline's potential role in the development of society's resilience to disasters.Design/methodology/approach – The integrative literature review method is used to address this emerging topic and present a holistic conceptualisation of the literature. For the purpose of this review, the Business Source Premier (EBSCO), Emerald Management eJournals, Management & Organization Studies (CSA) and Science Direct (Elsevier) electronic databases are the main source for identifying studies, along with conference proceedings from the events of major built environment and disaster‐related networks.Findings – A review of the literature reveals that the built environment “discipline”, at each stage of the disaster management process, has invaluable expertise and a key role to play in the development of society's resilience to disasters. However, the collaborative definition of the ...

Attitudes and perceptions of construction workforce on construction waste in Sri Lanka

Abstract: Purpose – The construction industry consumes large amounts of natural resources, which are not properly utilised owing to the generation of waste. Construction waste has challenged the performance of the industry and its sustainable goals. The majority of the causes underlying material waste are directly or indirectly affected by the behaviour of the construction workforce. Waste occurs on site for a number of reasons, most of which can be prevented, particularly by changing the attitudes of the construction workforce. Therefore, the attitudes and perceptions of the construction workforce can influence the generation and implementation of waste management strategies. The research reported in this paper is based on a study aimed at evaluating the attitudes and perceptions of the construction workforce involved during the pre‐ and post‐contract stages towards minimising waste.Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire survey was carried out to understand and evaluate the attitudes and percepti...

SPICE: a business process diagnostics tool for construction projects

Abstract: The construction sector is under growing pressure to increase productivity and improve quality, most notably in reports by Latham (1994, Constructing the Team, HMSO, London) and Egan (1998, Rethinking Construction, HMSO, London). A major problem for construction companies is the lack of project predictability. One method of increasing predictability and delivering increased customer value is through the systematic management of construction processes. However, the industry has no methodological mechanism to assess process capability and prioritise process improvements. Standardized Process Improvement for Construction Enterprises (SPICE) is a research project that is attempting to develop a stepwise process improvement framework for the construction industry, utilizing experience from the software industry, and in particular the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), which has resulted in significant productivity improvements in the software industry. This paper introduces SPICE concepts and presents the results from two case studies conducted on design and build projects. These studies have provided further in‐sight into the relevance and accuracy of the framework, as well as its value for the construction sector.

Knowledge management practices in facilities organisations: a case study

Abstract: Purpose – The paper's purpose is to identify the key knowledge variables within a facilities management (FM) environment and to develop an understanding of how FM knowledge is generated and utilised within FM organisations.Design/methodology/approach – The paper includes a review of literature on, underlying trends in FM, knowledge management (KM) in general, and current status of KM in FM and outcomes of three expert interviews with two academics and a practitioner who had extensive knowledge and experience with FM organisations. A case study approach was followed in order to apply the intellectual capital framework to map the knowledge variables within the FM context.Findings – This paper highlights the main findings of the literature, expert interviews and the case study. The research recognised the intellectual capital framework as the means of identifying KM variables within the FM context. It reported the current practices of the case study organisation, strengths and weaknesses in relation to manag...

The knowledge-creating company : how Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation

Abstract: How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skilful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend, precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.

Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis

Abstract: การวจยเชงคณภาพ เปนเครองมอสำคญอยางหนงสำหรบทำความเขาใจสงคมและพฤตกรรมมนษย การวจยแบบการสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล กเปนหนงในหลายระเบยบวธการวจยเชงคณภาพทกำลงไดรบความสนใจ และเปนทนยมเพมสงขนเรอยๆ จากนกวชาการ และนกวจยในสาขาสงคมศาสตร และศาสตรอนๆ เชน พฤตกรรมศาสตร สงคมวทยา สาธารณสขศาสตร พยาบาลศาสตร จตวทยาสงคม ศกษาศาสตร รฐศาสตร และสารสนเทศศกษา ดงนน หนงสอเรอง “ConstructingGrounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis” หรอ “การสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล:แนวทางการปฏบตผานการวเคราะหเชงคณภาพ” จะชวยใหผอานมความรความเขาใจถงพฒนาการของปฏบตการวจยแบบสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล ตลอดจนแนวทาง และกระบวนการปฏบตการวจยอยางเปนระบบ จงเปนหนงสอทควรคาแกการอานโดยเฉพาะนกวจยรนใหม เพอเปนแนวทางในการนำความรความเขาใจไประยกตในงานวจยของตน อกทงนกวจยผเชยวชาญสามารถอานเพอขยายมโนทศนดานวจยใหกวางขวางขน

American Society for Testing and Materials

Abstract: The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an independent organization devoted to the development of standards.