
Matthew IkuabeUniversity of the Witwatersrand | wits · School of Construction Economics and Management
Matthew Ikuabe
Doctor of Philosophy
About
106
Publications
22,272
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508
Citations
Introduction
Additional affiliations
January 2015 - July 2024
Education
August 2019 - March 2022
January 2016 - March 2018
Publications
Publications (106)
The study presents the findings of assessing work-life balance (WLB) strategies for Builders in the Nigerian construction industry. A quantitative approach was employed, aided by using a well-structured questionnaire that elicited responses from Builders in the Nigerian construction industry, to assess the improvement strategies adopted by Builders...
Evidence from practice and literature indicates that the South African construction industry faces various challenges. Notably, the traditional methodologies deployed for project delivery continues failing to attain projects’ objectives. Lean construction promotes developing and accomplishing construction projects within its envisaged goals by depl...
The construction industry plays a significant role in the aggregate output formation of any nation's economy. Financing construction projects are capital intensive, and most developing countries' low gross domestic savings necessitate seeking alternative routes for construction project financing. One such route is encouraging the flow of Foreign Di...
Purpose
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) offer improved delivery of facilities management (FM) mandates through their advanced computational capabilities. Using second-order multivariate analysis, this study explores the drivers of the espousal of this digital technology for FM.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a deductive approach under...
Purpose
It is no news that Chinese construction companies are highly motivated to invest in Africa in terms of infrastructure and construction. This influx from the beginning of the millennium marked a game-changer for infrastructural development in most African countries. This study, therefore, explores how the partnership between China and Africa...
Sustainability assessment is a formidable template for evaluating plans, policies, and activities toward the drive and actualisation of sustainable development. It helps appraise the steps taken and projected actions to align policies within the tenets of sustainability. However, the construction industry in South Africa appears to be on the back f...
The primary objective of this study survey is to close knowledge gaps by measuring the responses from construction experts and investigating the significant effects of using digital technologies in construction information management (CIM). This is attributed to the lack of thorough knowledge among construction professionals on the implications and...
The target date for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, one of the 2030 UN Agenda [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)], is fast approaching. Studies have shown that the construction industry has a role in achieving many SDGs, including Goal 5 in developing countries. However, studies regarding achieving Goal 5 (Gender Equality) in the indus...
The growing world population has propelled the need for more infrastructure development, creating an imbalance between the few skilled workers available and jobs in the market. This situation, therefore, brings about the need for more workers to obtain the practical knowledge required to perform the available jobs in the industry. Therefore, this s...
Purpose
While existing research has explored the association between supervisor support and turnover intention among construction workers, there is a notable gap in the literature concerning the potential mediating role of work engagement in elucidating this relationship, warranting further investigation. The paper, hence, aims to examine the media...
Purpose
In most developing countries, the delivery of construction project is still characterised by inefficiencies resulting from the use of outdated methods and techniques, which retards project performance. Hence, the call for the implementation of innovative technologies such as humanoids in the execution of construction projects as it has been...
This study presents a scientometric review conducted to define and delineate utilization of embedded systems in construction project delivery. This was done with the view of providing directions for future studies as well as stimulating a wider debate among construction stakeholders on the use of embedded systems in the industry. The study adopted...
Stakeholders in the construction industry have over the years made frantic efforts in seeking solutions to the problems facing the industry. The advent of technological innovations such as machine learning applications seek to abate some of these challenges by modernizing construction processes and activities, and ultimately improving on constructi...
Building information modelling (BIM) adoption in the construction industry has become a fundamental ingredient for best practices globally. The benefits have been established In many BIM leading countries. However, due to many challenges, most developing countries are still struggling to achieve industry-wide diffusion. On this premise, this study...
The uptake of digital technologies for construction activities seek to proffer solutions to some of the challenges plaguing the delivery of construction projects. Organisational leadership players a vital role in the drive for the espousal of digital technologies in construction management. This study evaluates the factors affecting the pursuit of...
Purpose
Through its advanced computational capabilities, cyber–physical systems (CPS) proffer solutions to some of the cultural challenges plaguing the effective delivery of facilities management (FM) mandates. This study aims to explore the drivers for the uptake of CPS for FM functions using a qualitative approach – the Delphi technique.
Design/...
A critical factor in the economic growth of any nation is its infrastructural development. For most developing countries, such as South Africa, the infrastructural deficit has been experienced over the years mainly due to low gross domestic savings. A viable tool in shoring up for the shortfalls of infrastructural investment is the private finance...
Health and safety culture has received a lot of attention across the construction industry. The effect of poor health and safety culture includes but not limited to decreased productivity, cost implication, among others. Although many studies have been conducted on construction health and safety culture, however, there exists a dearth of systematic...
The pursuit of effective delivery of construction projects still appears to be a mirage due to challenges associated with project management. Several of these encumbrances are encountered due to outdated and uncoordinated methods deployed for construction projects. Implementing smart construction sites (SCS) is a panacea to some of these hurdles. T...
The delivery of any construction project is the outcome of economic exchange, usually involving multiple actors. This economic exchange is attributed to costs other than the traditional cost elements of project delivery and is referred to as transaction costs. Optimizing construction transaction costs is a vital constituent in the deliberations of...
The revolutionary drive ushered in by the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is altering the traditional modes of delivering construction projects. This has influenced leadership skills which are portrayed as a fundamental tenet for the successful accomplishment of construction projects. Against this backdrop, this study evaluates the critical lead...
The study aims to assess the challenges posed to the competitiveness of South African construction contractors in other African countries. This was instituted to formulate a pathway for the penetration of South African contractors into the business environment of other African countries. The study employed a quantitative method underpinned by a pos...
Overcoming the hurdles to achieving GreenBIM is critical to achieving its implementation. This is not an isolated case, as the construction industry is known to be slow to attain digital adoption due to various challenges. This study is important for identifying and overcoming the various barriers to achieving sustainability in the construction ind...
The construction industry is attributed to its slow compliance with the uptake of technological innovations. This has inhibited the industry from attaining projected heights characterised by these technologies' espousal. Construction 4.0 serves as a vehicle for the digital transformation of the methods and processes involved in construction project...
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an intelligent environment utilised by the Architecture Engineering and Construction Industry (AEC) to simplify and improve sustainability in construction works. The construction industry suffers in terms of project performance and success rate on a global and national scale due to a lack of proper planning....
Sustainability and the ability to manage waste in the construction industry are critical to the construction industry efficiency. It is also important as it preserves the environment. The study adopted a quantitative approach via a well-structured questionnaire to identify the barriers to achieving the circular economy in the south African construc...
Purpose
Nigeria has one of the highest graduate unemployment rates in Africa, and there is no comprehensive policy framework to address it. Evidence shows that integrating craftsmanship into higher education academic programmes can enhance graduate employability. Therefore, there is a need to integrate it into the built environment programmes at in...
Purpose
The quest for improved facilities management (FM) delivery is receiving immense focus through the incorporation of innovative technologies such as cyber-physical systems (CPS). The system’s high computational capabilities can aid in the abatement of some of the challenges plaguing FM functions. However, the requisite ingredients for the upt...
The 4th industrial revolution (4IR) is transforming the traditional modes of systems delivery to be more effective and efficient. This is leveraged from the application of advanced technological methods which are attributed to sophisticated computational capabilities such as Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs). For facilities management (FM), the busines...
Purpose
Incorporating digital technologies such cyber-physical systems (CPS) for facilities management (FM) functions is fast gaining attention. However, the rudiments for the effective espousal of such an innovative technology for the delivery of FM tasks have not received scholarly attention. In FM, the business environment is a vital component i...
One of the core mandates of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the abatement of global warming. The challenge of global warming is hugely influenced by the discharge of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and carbon emissions are known to be a major contributor to the greenhouse gases. Activities and processes engaged by building occupants...
Purpose
Joint ventures (JVs) serve as a viable tool in mitigating some of the challenges posed to the effective delivery of construction projects. However, JVs are highly susceptible to failure in most developing countries. Therefore, this study seeks to unravel the critical factors influencing the failure of JVs in the South African construction i...
There has been a massive focus on digital technologies and trends that come with digitalisation as the conventional way of doing work is fast becoming obsolete. The benefits of embracing digital transformation have been a difficult process for the construction industry to assess in order to improve their operations and work output. The South Africa...
Construction contracts acquisition is highly competitive and the process involves taking risks. The scenario sometimes leads to situations whereby contractors deploy different ploys to recoup financial proceeds unduly particularly when the risks undertaken do not match up with the remuneration as expected. This study sets out to examine the mitigat...
BIM implementation by organisations is a bit challenging for many organisations. It has become an essential yardstick for project execution in the construction industry. However, many organisations struggle to achieve its implementation as they are still in the chaotic stage due to the BIM introduction. However, the knowledge of the inherent value...
In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being employed in various parts of the engineering industries for project development, project management, surveying, among others. UAVs can also be adopted in construction for pre-planning, proper surveying of the given area, checking or inspecting site safety and quality monitoring. Based on th...
As the designs of construction projects become more complex, there is a corresponding increase in the difficulty encountered in project monitoring. Hence, it is advisable to integrate innovative technologies such as the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to abate some of the problems encountered in the delivery of construction projects. This p...
Purpose
The importance of robotics and automation (R&A) in delivering a safe built environment cannot be overemphasised. This is because R&A systems can execute a hazardous job function that the construction workforce may not execute. Based on this knowledge, this study aims to present the result of an assessment of the impediments to the deploymen...
The South African construction industry has grown in leaps and
bounds over the years despite the numerous challenges experienced. However, the perennial issues plaguing the industry still persist and efforts are being made to mitigate their occurrence. Lean construction as a strategic project management tool for construction activities and process...
Globally, development projects faced severe problems because of various forms of corruption issues in the construction industry. Studies showed that anti-corruption agencies help to mitigate corrupt practices. However, there is a scarcity of studies regarding agencies' role on construction projects. Therefore, this paper investigated the moderating...
This paper aims to assess the behavioural intention of construction organisations to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the delivery of construction projects. Using the unified theory of technology adoption and use of technology (UTAUT) model, the study strives to improve project delivery by adopting beneficial digital technologies.
The study a...
The use of technological innovations has been touted to be beneficial in the delivery of construction projects. Particularly, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is widely regarded to be of immense advantage for the management of construction projects. This study focused on evaluating the barriers to the use of RFID technology for the...
Maturity models assess the prevailing capability level and proffer the necessary capabilities for effective adoption in a systematic roadmap. This is considered essential to achieve diffusion of the emerging technologies. The paper provides a guide to maturity model development in the digitisation era. This study adopted scientometrics and meta-syn...
Studies have shown that culture is one of the significant elements that influence the behavior of doing things the right way, without which there is a hindrance to the attainment of set goals. It has also been stated that culture is essential to maintaining public buildings, which is significant to national development. However, the level of abando...
With the use of cyber-physical systems (CPS) advanced computational capabilities, the
delivery of facilities management (FM) mandates are efficiently and effectively conducted. Since performance measurement is an important yardstick in ascertaining the outcome of FM approaches, this study assesses the performance measurement indicators that influen...
The global expansion of construction joint ventures (JVs) signifies the drive to proffer solutions to some of the challenges confronting the delivery of projects in the construction industry. However, irrespective of the potential benefits resulting from JV formation for construction project delivery, it is yet associated with risks that possess si...
Most industries are embracing digitalisation as a result of the fourth industrial revolution. However, the construction industry has lagged in this bid as it only recently embraced technological innovations. In recent times, quantity surveying firms are continually adopting technological innovation in their work practices. The current study will pr...
The inefficiencies plaguing construction processes have negatively impacted the delivery of construction projects. The South African construction industry is not exempted from this as it is still characterized with overwhelming ineffectiveness in construction project actualization. Lean construction offers a variety of innovative concepts that aids...
Planning is not only the most basic of all the managerial functions, it also determines how the other functions will be implemented. With efficient project planning, utilisation of administrations, and hierarchical strategies, proper project operations can be sequenced to achieve a successful project delivery. This research study set out to apprais...
One of the key indicators of the viability of the economy of any nation is the aggregate output of its construction industry. To this end, it is highly encouraged that significant investment portions of any country should be devoted to capital investment to spur development and ultimately boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, capital pro...