Dr Neema Kavishe

Despite the advocated benefits of housing project public-private partnerships (PPPs) such as alleviating the housing problems within the developing countries, the PPPs implementation has yielded mixed results with a number of developing countries facing project management challenges, including high termination rates of PPPs projects. This clearly demonstrates a need for undertaking more PPP empirical studies around the readiness assessment for implementing PPPs. To address the identified knowledge gaps, this study which is underpinned by the theoretical lenses of innovation diffusion theory, seeks to assess and investigate issues around the Tanzanian practitioner's readiness for PPP adoption. This research is empirically informed from semi-structured interviews with ten public and private sector practitioners within the Tanzania housing sector. The standard qualitative technique of content analysis was used for the data as collected. The findings show that the main 4 challenges, which are nested within the structural, relational and cognitive issues affecting the readiness process as: (i) lack of awareness and usage of PPPs framework models during the feasibility and subsequent implementation process; (ii) limited knowledge and skills required for PPPs practitioners exacerbated by poor capacity building; (iii) lack of engagement of experts during the viability and assessment process; and (iv) poor selection process of private partners. The main readiness strategies and approaches were structured around the following: (i) timing and preparation for adoption of strategies; (ii) undertaking of feasibility studies; (iii) usage of PPP frameworks; (iv) utilisation of experts in the assessment process; (v) enhanced capacity building; and (vi) selection of private partners. The results of this study foster a better understanding of the readiness assessment strategies and approaches for successfully implementing PPPs in housing projects. Subsequently, this could lead to improved performance outcomes within a sector and economy acknowledged as having earlier PPPs project terminations.

Construction sector is an investment-led sector hence revolves around how to best allocate capital to maximize the returns. Bidding decision is critical to both foreign and local contractors and cannot be undertaken through perception or feeling, rather the bidder has to go through several decision-making process involving the consideration of both internal and external factors. Submitting a lot of non-winning bids in responding to request for tender is costly and also can damage contractor's reputation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the bid no bid decision of foreign contractors in Tanzania. A quantitative approach using survey-based questionnaire was used to collect data. The study revealed that "Financial capability of the client", "Terms of payment", "Client payment history""Project type"and "Project size", were the most top 5 significant factors identified by the foreign contractors. The results of this study will foster a better understanding of the factors influencing bid no bid decision of foreign contractors in Tanzania and also increase the awareness of existing decision-making practices and play a critical role in the future decisions of the construction companies, where foreign bidders need to evaluate the next opportunities encountered. Moreover, awareness of these identified "bid/no bid"factors would enable foreign contractors to select projects with greater likelihood of success in the future, which result in financial benefits and higher performance. Lastly, the consciousness of these factors might contribute to improving the contractor's behaviors when bidding in a competitive market.

Despite the popularity of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a means of alleviating social housing and infrastructural needs and improving service delivery in both developing and developed economies, the lack of capacity remains one of the major problems in implementing PPPs particularly in developing economies. Empirical studies around capacity building for PPPs are also limited. To address the identified knowledge gaps, this study seeks to examine the challenges impacting the capacity building for the Tanzanian PPP projects, as well as explore the strength of interactions between challenges. Questionnaire survey approach was used to collect data from 81 PPP Tanzanian practitioners who were purposely targeted. Response data was subjected to descriptive statistics, parametric and non-parametric tests to examine the differences in the perception of the identified capacity building challenges, and inherent relationships amongst them. Ensuing descriptive and empirical analysis demonstrated a disparity in the ranking of the 8 challenges among those with and without PPP experience, with 4 having statistically significant differences. Based on the overall sample, the highly ranked seven challenges (mean score > 3.50) in ascending order were: 1) limited local people with experience; 2) lack of resources; 3) lack of successful PPP projects; 4) lack of permanent PPP trainers; 5) higher costs in conducting PPP training, 6) lack of hands-on training; and 7) inadequate qualifications. The least ranked was lack of political will for promoting PPPs. The major finding from the correlation analysis was the existence of the strong and positive correlation between 'inadequate qualifications' and 'lack of hands-on training'. Suggested solutions were nested within the training and education, lessons learnt through PPP project exemplars, benchmarking of PPP projects through local and foreign visit categories. The results of this study foster a better understanding of the different mechanisms for overcoming the capacity building challenges.

This study investigates and ranks the critical capacity building challenges (CBC) impacting the Tanzanian public–private partnerships (PPPs) projects. The strength of interactions between CBC is established, with practical solution proposals offered and benchmarked with previous studies. A total of 8 CBC were identified from a scoping review. Data was then collected from 81 PPP practitioners, and subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The results demonstrated a disparity of ranking of the 8 CBC among those with and without PPP experience, with the most highly ranked 4 CBC identified as ‘limited local people with experience’, ‘lack of resources’; ‘lack of successful PPP projects’, and ‘lack of permanent PPP trainers’. The least ranked was ‘lack of political will for promoting PPPs’. Strong and positive correlation between ‘inadequate qualifications’ and ‘lack of hands-on training’ was established. Suggested solutions were broadly classified in the following four categories: (1) Training and education; (2) Benchmarking and lessons learnt; (3) Knowledge transfer and experience sharing; and (4) Institutional reforms; and supportive enabling environments. The results of this study foster better understanding of the facets of capacity building, provides PPP stakeholders with solutions for mitigating and addressing the challenges during the PPP project lifecycle.

Despite the absence of a PPP legal framework Tanzania has adopted PPP in a few sectors including the housing sector. For a number of years the country has been facing a severe shortage of adequate housing. The government advised its housing agencies to adopt PPP strategies in order to deliver more adequate houses, yet the deficiency remains high and progress is slow. Therefore the objective of this paper is to identify major challenges hindering HPPP in Tanzania. A questionnaire survey and interviews were used to collect data. The sample was purposely selected whereby a total of 28 responses and 13 interviewees were obtained, which were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study discovered that the partnership opportunity in the housing sector has been unsuccessful and is being abused because of the lack of partnership skills as well as inadequate policies among other factors. Despite the failures experienced, PPP is still considered a viable arrangement if PPP principles and customized framework models are adopted. Therefore since this paper is part of the ongoing research, the next stage will use the findings obtained to develop and propose a PPP process model that will guide the projects in order to address the identified challenges.

National Housing Corporation (NHC) a public sector in Tanzania, adopted Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy since 1980s, with the aim of re-developing its condemned buildings, increase its property portfolio and market share. However these Joint Venture (JV) projects encountered a number of challenges causing some projects to fail. This study aims to identify the challenges and assess the effectiveness of NHC-JV projects. In other words the study entails to know if the JV projects were beneficial to the corporation and the public at large. The following criteria such as quality of buildings increase in rental income, tenants' satisfaction and timely completion will be used to measure the success. A mixed method approach was used to collect data. The sample was purposely selected. The study was further reinforced by theory of constraints and equity theory. The obtained findings indicates that NHC-JV projects were not as effective as planned due to non-adherence to the rules and regulations, bad determination of initial shareholding ratio, weak contracts and inadequate management of the projects. Nevertheless some benefits such as improvement of the quality of buildings and increase in rental income were realized. Hence, this study recommends careful selection of potential partners, close monitoring and evaluation of projects.

The National Housing Cooperation (NHC) and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) are public sectors in Tanzania which have adopted Public Private Partnership (PPP) as an alternative housing delivery strategy. NHC PPP projects have been carried out in Tanzania since the 1980s and 1990s in the form of Joint Ventures (JVs) prior to the formulation of PPP policy, guidelines and the act. But the NSSF started its housing PPP project in 2013. However, since inception of the formulation of policy guidelines, there have been limited empirical studies undertaken to identify motivation factors in undertaking PPP housing projects. In order to bridge that knowledge gap, the aim of this study is to identify the motivating factors for adopting PPPs in housing projects. Based on the infancy of PPP in Tanzania, the sample was purposely selected whereby 10 semi structured interviews were conducted and data was analysed by content analysis. The following findings; lack of capital, benefit to enjoy the economies of scale, fear to lose condemned properties, increasing revenue, opportunity to own land in prime location, challenges from other investors, the feel of security when partnering with public sector, resource and risk sharing were identified as the motivational factors influencing the sectors (public or private) to adopt P Therefore, this study recommends that, in order to enhance the motivational factors to yield successful outcomes in terms of housing cost, quality and quantity, it is imperative to seek the views of both the private and public sector practitioners. There is a need for government to provide support, utilize its PPP unit to assess viability of such projects, amend the PPP laws and policy, and put in place a PPP housing policy to improve, encourage and support private sector participation.

Despite the vast documentation of the PPP research in many countries, the PPP research in the context of Tanzania is lacking, let along the housing sector of Tanzania. To address this knowledge gap, the purpose of this paper is to identify the driving forces for adopting PPPs in Tanzanian housing projects. Second is to examine how driving forces differ between the public and private sector respondents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 public and private sector practitioners to collect data and the interview transcripts were analysed using NVivo (version 10 package). Direct content analysis was used to validate the findings and provide in-depth insights into the findings. The results shows that out of the 19 driving forces identified, the top 3 driving forces for PPP adoption in Tanzania for the public sector respondents are ‘the need for redeveloping condemned properties’, ‘lack of enough financial capacity to undertake housing projects’ and ‘fear to lose their condemned properties’. In contrast, the top driving forces for the private sector are ‘prime location’ and ‘being a previous tenant’.

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are being viewed as the next best alternative procurement option in the construction sector, particularly in developing countries such as Tanzania. This preliminary study aims to investigate the following aspects of PPP (PPPH) housing project delivery: (1) cost and affordability; (2) the influence of sustainability factors; and (3) the associated benefits which, despite the plethora of PPP-related studies, few have specifically examined. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 28 stakeholders from Tanzania. Frequency analysis and one-sample t-tests were used to rank and identify the significant factors and outcomes of HPPP adoption. The most critical cost and affordability factors were that PPP procurement: (1) is economical compared to traditional methods; (2) offers value for money; and (3) can facilitate affordable housing supply outcomes. The major sustainability factors were beginning sustainability assessment from the feasibility stage and considering sustainability in project viability evaluation. Encouraging private sector innovation and management skills, risk sharing and value for money were found to be among HPPP delivery benefits. These findings provide insights for PPP policy and practitioners in understanding the significant factors in PPPH delivery.

Despite the emergence of studies on critical success factors (CSFs) for public-private partnerships (PPPs) implementation within developing countries, there is a paucity of studies that examine CSFs barriers within the context of developing countries, particularly the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) such as Kenya. This paper aims to investigate the perceptions of Kenyan public and private stakeholder’s concerning the CSFs to the implementation of PPPs in infrastructure and housing projects. A quantitative approach using survey-based questionnaire is adopted. CSFs identified from literature review were empirically tested by data collected using a sample survey of 27 Kenyan stakeholders. Response data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Results show that “acceptance and support given by the community”, “project feasibility”, “the laws, regulations and guidelines put in place”, “available financial market” and “having a well organised and committed public agency” were the highly ranked CSFs. In contrast, “effective and enough resource allocation and management”, “transparency and equity in the procurement process”, and “proper and efficient training of employees” were the least ranked CSFs. These findings can be used as a road-map for the successful implementation of PPPs, provides insights on the CSFs of PPPs in infrastructure and housing projects across the Kenyan construction sector.

Despite the advocated benefits of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) such as alleviating the housing problems within the developing countries, the PPP implementation process is fraught with several challenges; including project management (PM) related ones. Tanzania, like many developing countries, has higher PPP projects termination rates in comparison to the global average. This suggests a lack of effective PM practices and principles integration. To bridge that knowledge gap, this study applies the theoretical lenses of innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to identify the extent of integration of PM practices and principles during the implementation of PPPs in Tanzanian housing projects. A qualitative approach comprising 10 semi-structured interviews was conducted among PPP practitioners. Directed content analysis was employed for the analysis. Based on frequency of citations, 14 PPPs sustainable PM practices and principles for PPPs implementation are identified. The three most relevant practices and principles were: official and unofficial site visits, documenting the inspections, and site meetings. Assessing the actual work done against the schedule of works was identified as the prevalent project performance of PPP. The results are expected to further nurture an improved appreciation of the best integration PM practices and principles associated with successfully implementing PPPs in housing projects.

The supply of adequate houses is still a big challenge in many developing countries, particularly in Africa, where the population and urbanization rate is continuously growing. Increasingly Governments in many developing countries have adopted public–private partnerships (PPPs) to meet their housing needs. However despite the adoption, problems still remain and the progress is slow. Various studies have examined the ranges of issues that have produced the poor results in delivering PPP projects in developing countries. However; no tool (framework) has been developed to address these challenges for a successful outcome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to present a validated PPP framework which will address the identified challenges in order to improve housing delivery. The proposed housing PPP framework was empirically validated by 12 PPP experts who were purposely selected in order to ascertain its applicability, effectiveness and adaptability. The results of the validation showed that the proposed measures within the housing PPP (HPPP) framework all rated above the test value, thus demonstrating its viability. The implication of the findings is the applicability of the HPPP framework in assisting the stakeholders address the existing challenges. Second, the framework has the potential of providing valuable guidance and roadmaps for successful delivery of PPP housing projects in developing countries.

Decentralized wastewater systems (DWWSs) are an alternative to the ever-expanding sanitation problems in developing countries. This systematic review aims to identify the decentralized wastewater management system practices in developing countries. The PRISMA methodology and the archival research methods were used to identify papers published in the last 20 years through Scopus and Google Scholar. The results showed that about 45% of the studies conducted performance analyses of different types of decentralized wastewater systems, indicating a relatively average rate of practice and implementation of decentralization in various developing countries, even though there are constraints that hinder the adoption of the systems.

Sustainable practice is considered a significant practice in modern construction for infrastructure development as it promotes economic growth and improves quality of life. Despite the importance of sustainable practices in construction, few studies have explored the implementation of these practices in low-income countries like Malawi. Therefore, this study aims to assess the extent of the implementation of sustainable construction practices (SCPs) in building infrastructure projects in Malawi. Following an in-depth literature review, 22 sustainable construction practices and 13 drivers were identified. A survey of 193 construction professionals was conducted, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Relative Importance Index (RII). The findings revealed that economic practices such as efficient allocation of resources, use of quick construction tools and a coordinated supply chain in the construction process are widely implemented with emphasis on the economic aspect of sustainability for infrastructure projects in Malawi. The study further identified global trends and industry standards, social and health benefits, market demand and awareness and access to green technologies and innovation as the main drivers for adopting and implementing SCPs in Malawi. This study provides policymakers and stakeholders with valuable insights to develop policy regulations that would improve the sustainability performance of infrastructure projects.

Despite the noble and aspirational intent of the targets set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from the global perspective, there is no single country which has completely managed to achieve these targets. However, anecdotal, and empirical evidence suggests a disparity in the progress with developed countries in Europe and North American having made great strides in actualising some of SGD’s targets. In contrast, developing countries, particularly those in sub- Saharan Africa are continuously faced with a myriad of implementation challenges. Critical of these is urbanization, which is considered among the key hindrances towards achieving the SDG 11 due to urban population growth, leading to many countries struggling to meet the population needs such as housing, education, transportation, sanitation, energy, healthcare, and employment amongst others. Therefore, this chapter will focus on SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) with emphasis on developing viable solutions intended to address its first target and indicator, namely that of “ensuring access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”. This indicator is one of the major challenges affecting sub-Saharan Africa region due to little progress made to improve the slum dwellers lives. Using Tanzania as a case study due to its rapid growth in population currently projected at 60 million in 2020, and urbanisation which has contributed towards inadequate housing for a number of decades, the chapter will use theoretical lenses such as Giddens Structuration Theory provide insights into understanding the drivers (influencing the implementation), challenges (for eradication) and practices (for implementing) affordable housing as a solution to addressing some of the objectives of SDGs 11. The chapter will draw on several case studies, definitions, concepts, theoretical models, and applications from a few selected developing countries. Some best practices for actualising Affordable Housing are also proposed.

The implementation of sustainable construction practices (SCPs) has been identified as a significant approach to promoting and enhancing the sustainability performance of infrastructure projects globally. However, the adoption and implementation of SCPs in low-income countries like Malawi is still in its early stages and has faced several challenges. Therefore, this study aims to provide an empirical analysis of the challenges hindering the implementation of SCPs in building infrastructure projects in Malawi. The study employed a systematic review and a quantitative method with a questionnaire survey among 193 construction professionals within the Malawian construction industry. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, One-Sample t-test and exploratory factor analysis. The results revealed that higher costs of sustainable building processes, lack of information on sustainable building products, and higher costs of sustainable building materials are the most critical challenges to the implementation of SCPs in Malawi. The factor analysis further revealed that institutional limitation was the most critical component, followed by inadequate technical experience, and the least critical component was financial. This study provides practical insights for policy reforms, robust regulatory frameworks, and well-equipped institutions with the necessary expertise to promote the widespread adoption and successful implementation of SCPs in the construction industry.

The implementation of sustainable construction practices (SCPs) is recognised as a significant approach to enhancing the sustainability performance of infrastructure projects globally. However, the adoption and implementation of SCPs in low-income countries like Malawi remain in its early stages due to several challenges. This study provides an empirical analysis of the challenges hindering the implementation of SCPs in building infrastructure projects in Malawi. The study employed a systematic review and a quantitative method with a questionnaire survey among 193 construction professionals within the Malawian construction industry. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, and exploratory factor analysis. The results revealed that higher costs of sustainable building processes, lack of information on sustainable building products, and higher costs of sustainable building materials are the major challenges for SCPs implementation in Malawi. The factor analysis further revealed that institutional limitations were the most critical, followed by inadequate technical experience, while financial constraints were the least significant challenge. These findings emphasise the urgent need to provide financial incentives, capacity-building programs for industry professionals, and supportive regulatory frameworks to facilitate the implementation of SCPs. This study provides practical insights for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance the sustainability of infrastructure projects in the construction sector.

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) create investment opportunities by optimising the combined use of private and public resources for project financing. They bring technical expertise, foster innovation, enhance efficiency, and enable effective risk sharing. Additionally, PPPs have the potential to deliver value for money (VfM) throughout the lifecycle of the project, offering a compelling alternative to traditional public procurement methods. While studies on VfM assessment in PPP arrangement exist, there is a limited body of literature that thoroughly examines best practices for assessing VfM. This study employs a systematic literature review to examine the approaches used for assessing VfM in PPP infrastructure projects. A total of 28 peer-reviewed publications from Scopus database and Google Scholar were identified and analysed. The findings reveal that public sector comparator, cost benefit analysis, competitive bidding method and outline business case are mainly used to assess VfM in PPPs. Furthermore, researchers highlighted the necessity for combined use of qualitative and quantitative factors in VfM assessment process. The findings contribute insights that will lead to the development of hybrid models for VfM assessment in PPP projects.

The construction industry is among the fastest growing industries in Tanzania, thus making the integration between the construction industry and the environment inevitable. Activities of the industry poses considerable destruction to the environment and peoples’ lives. The purpose of this study is to examine the critical challenges construction industry professionals face in undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). A mixed method approach was adopted. Quantitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics whereas qualitative data was analysed through content analysis. Based on the findings, the top three identified challenges included Stakeholders inadequate knowledge regarding the environmental protection laws; environmentally friendly materials not specified/known by stakeholders and lack of government enforcement and support. The results of this study will foster better understanding of the challenges to enable the development of solutions towards addressing the identified challenges and the improvement of EIA practice in Tanzania. Also, the mitigation of the challenges will enhance environmental sustainability within the developing countries such as Tanzania.

The construction industry in Thailand has significant impact upon the nation’s economic growth. However, the industry has been threatened by corruption which is a major cause of Thailand’s middle-income trap. The aim of this research is to explore the nature of corrupt practices in the Thailand construction industry by examining the causes and strategies for preventing corruption through the lens of the principal-agent framework. The study adopts qualitative research approach through semi-structured interview with 12 professionals from the construction industry. The result of the study shows that corruption in the Thai construction industry is caused by factors such as personal behaviour, red-tape and conflicts of laws, organisational culture etc. Improving organisational system, decentralisation, ethical training, promoting ethical culture etc. are some of the measures that could be used in fighting corruption in the Thai construction industry. The study contributes to a body of knowledge that could help mitigate the detrimental consequences of corruption.

The circular economy has emerged as an alternative to the current linear model for solving global climate change challenges. Measuring circularity provides informed decision-making in circular procurement. However, a paucity of knowledge exists in circular procurement assessment methods in the built environment. This paper aims to map circular procurement assessment methods in the built environment for sustainable development. The study employed a systematic literature review and scientometric analysis to comprehensively understand circular procurement assessment methods in the built environment. Scientometric analysis was used to analyse the research patterns and trends quantitatively. A total of 146 research papers were retrieved from the Scopus database. VOSviewer was used to visualise relationships in the research. The results revealed the most prominent keywords: circular economy, life cycle, and sustainable development. The results reveal that few studies focus on circular procurement assessment methods in the built environment. The findings highlight the research gap in circular procurement assessment methods between the global north and the global south. This study significantly contributes to circular procurement assessment methods for decision-making in the built environment. Future research collaboration between scholars and institutions from the global north and the global south is encouraged for enhanced research in sustainable development.

While previous studies have highlighted the importance of incorporating environmental sustainability in building designs, there is a paucity of studies which assess the extent to which design teams in developing countries consider environmental sustainability at the building design stage. Therefore, using Zambia as a case study, this study examined the extent to which infrastructure design teams in a developing country consider environmental sustainability at the design stage. The study employed a qualitative research approach using structured interviews because there are hardly any studies which have explored the extent to which designers incorporate environmental sustainability in infrastructure designs in developing countries. The data were analysed thematically using the ATLAS.ti software. The results show that environmental sustainability is not an important design consideration because it is secondary to functional, technical and aesthetic considerations. Environmental considerations are also made in an ad-hoc manner and when it is cost effective for the project. Regulatory requirements pertaining to environmental protection are adhered to without any cost considerations. It was therefore theorised that building design teams in developing countries make technical, functional and aesthetic consideration during the infrastructure design stage ahead of environmental considerations. There is a paucity of studies that have investigated whether building infrastructure designers consider issues of environmental sustainability at the design stage in developing countries. The findings have practical implications on how developing countries can foster environmental sustainability at the design stage and avoid generating a building infrastructure stock that will require environmental resilience adaptation in the future.

Environment protection legislation is often inadequate and poorly implemented in Africa even though literature shows that it is important for environmental protection. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies which examine the catalytic role of legislation in the building infrastructure sustainability agenda. Therefore, to bridge that knowledge gap, this study examined the adequacy of environment protection legislation for building infrastructure projects in Zambia and their associated challenges and solutions. The study used an exploratory qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders on environment protection. The study theorises that environment protection legislation in Zambia is fairly adequate but with inadequacies in its implementation, some with omitted content, and poor understanding of the importance of environment protection. Solutions include increasing the level of implementation of the legislation and championing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment. The findings have implications for sustainability transitioning in Africa.

While governments remain accountable for the delivery of infrastructure services, given the paucity of public resources, studies have recommended the use of private sector finance (PSF) as an alternative approach to delivering sustainable infrastructure both in developed and developing economies. Despite the recommendation, there has been very little use of PSF in delivering public projects, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study explores the constraining factors for the use of PSF in the delivery of public infrastructure in Tanzania and proposes recommendations. A total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholders delivering public infrastructure services. Interviewees were purposefully selected. Data were analyzed through conceptual content analysis. The findings reveal that the top five constraining factors were inadequate knowledge and skills, lack of policy to support or suffice PSF, bureaucracy or delays of approvals, lack of proper models for PSF, and lack of skilled people or existence of a big national skill gap. Thus, the identified constraints provided useful insights and were used as a road map for suggesting appropriate solutions to enhance the use of PSF. Furthermore, this is the first study to empirically explore the constraining factors for PSF in delivering infrastructure projects in the Tanzanian context.

Purpose Governments in developing countries seeking to meet their infrastructure backlog are increasingly turning to public–private partnerships (PPP) due to a lack of public funds. However, while there are factors which drive the current uptake of projects, there are challenges with attracting private finance, and it is not clear what incentives can be used to attract more private participation, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, this study aims to examine challenges, drivers and incentives that affect private participation in PPP projects in Zambia. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews with participants who had first-hand experience working on the administration of PPP projects. The participants were predominantly from the public sector, and so the results are largely a public sector perspective on the matter. Findings The findings show that bureaucracy and a poor business environment emanating from poor policies, long procedures and a poor economic environment are the main challenges affecting PPP projects. The current demand for the projects is being driven by a stable business and economic environment while incentives include enhancing the business environment by improving procedures and policies. Originality/value The study contributes to extant literature by proposing an overarching theory about the challenges affecting the implementation of PPP projects in Zambia, in particular, and in SSA, in general. The results show areas where governments and government agencies responsible for PPP projects can focus attention to promote private participation.

Vertical integration is originally from the manufacturing industry. It is considered as a diversification strategy adopted in the construction industry as means of solving some of the existing problems associated with construction industry such as supply chain problems, fragmented process and absence of integration to mention a few. Based on existing literature, there is paucity of studies in this area. therefore, to bridge the knowledge gap the aim of this study is to identify driving factors and challenges encountered in the application of vertical integration in the Tanzanian construction industry. A qualitative research approach was adopted through a case study method whereby a total of 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed through content analysis. The findings showed that the top three driving factors were increase in competition, quality improvement and client satisfaction. Whereas, nature of contracts, high investment cost, decreased strategic flexibility and increased business risk were the most mentioned challenges. The results of this study will foster better understanding of the drivers and challenges encountered and suggest solutions so as to enhance the application of Vertical Integration in the Tanzanian Construction Industry

The nature of project clients and implementing agents is crucial to Local community stakeholder (LCS) participation in infrastructure development. However, few studies have explored this relationship. The questions regarding clients’ and implementing agents’ nature remain under-explored. Therefore, this article uses stakeholder theory to investigate the clients’ values and stakeholder participation in infrastructure development. A qualitative method used interviews with professionals from clients, consulting organisations and stakeholders to collect data in South Africa. The study revealed that LCS participation was related to client organisation’s values and nature. Equally, the stakeholder participation level influenced delivery of sustainable infrastructure. The significance of the study is that it reveals the gap in stakeholder management, an area extensively studied. Moreover, the study compels project sponsors and researchers to consider factors in clients’ and implementing agents’ organisations to improve stakeholder participation. The study redirects attention to client organisations’ nature and demonstrates the need for the right organisational attitude if stakeholder participation and sustainable infrastructure delivery are to be realised. This study may have important implications for policy and practice regarding stakeholder participation and sustainable infrastructure. However, limitations should be noted regarding the sample size.

The performance of sustainability in infrastructure projects continues to face challenges in its implementation and attainment in developing countries, one of which is the lack of appraisal tools and indicators for the assessment of sustainability. Studies indicate that there are no formal indicators for sustainability assessment on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, the lack of which limits the determination of whether projects implemented are sustainable or not. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the key sustainability assessment indicators used for road infrastructure projects in Tanzania. A concurrent mixed research approach was adopted in which the sample was purposively selected. A content analysis and descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 20.0) were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The findings indicate that 24 indicators are applicable to Tanzania. Among the highly ranked include “health and safety training to workers”, “health and safety personnel in the project team”, “site barriers and safety warning signs”, “personal protective equipment (PPE) provision”, and “waste collection”. The qualitative results further support the identified sustainability assessment indicators on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, with one new indicator of “air quality” emerging. The findings inform the government and other relevant stakeholders in the construction industry including planners, designers, and project managers of the key sustainability assessment indicators for roads, which would influence regulation as well as policies to improve the sustainability performance of road projects in Tanzania.

Studies have examined the benefits of broader use of digitalisation on the construction industry. However, there has been limited empirical explorations of the challenges of intra-organisational change due to digitalisation. A review of general change management literature shows that studies on organisation change have broadly focused on the reasons and the impact of the organisational change. This study is based on a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with industry leaders and uses the McKinsey 7S model as a theoretical lens to examine digitalisation-led intra-organisational change. Qualitative data from seven participants has been analysed both thematically and deductively, leading to the identification of the recurring patterns that align with the adopted theoretical framework. Findings include key challenges in achieving a common meaning of relative values, organisational structuring, leaders’ strategies and style, and the readiness of employees to change. The study provides further insights into the challenges associated with digitalisation at an organisational level, offering coherence on these challenges and enabling more informed decisions that are vital for an effective transformation.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify sustainability assessment indicators of road infrastructure projects by analyzing and synthesizing existing literature, considering that, despite being essential to achieving the sustainable development goals, sustainability performance in road infrastructure projects is a persistent challenge. Therefore, determining how sustainability can be assessed in these projects is crucial, necessitating a systematic review of the sustainability assessment indicators of road infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach Using PRISMA principles, 54 peer-reviewed papers from 2010 to 2022 were retrieved from three search databases (Scopus, Research for Life and Google Scholar) as part of a systematic literature review. Data analysis techniques included both descriptive and content analysis. Findings The study identified 22 indicators. The results emphasized that the sustainability of road infrastructure projects should consider all three sustainability dimensions to provide development while meeting human needs, preserving the planet Earth and enhancing economic growth. Similarly, indicators should be incorporated from the design phase to implement and attain sustainability successfully. Practical implications The outcome of this study will serve as a guide to road infrastructure stakeholders to understand the relevant sustainability indicators to assess the sustainability performance of their projects. Originality/value The study’s findings provide the sustainability assessment indicators for roads, which serve as a foundation for developing a sustainability assessment indicator framework for road infrastructure projects. Future research can look at establishing the indicators for the end-of-life phase of the project lifecycle.