P. Tunji-Olayeni, K. Kajimo-Shakantu, T. O. Ayodele, O. Babalola
{"title":"Promoting construction for sustainability transformation: the perspective of institutional theory","authors":"P. Tunji-Olayeni, K. Kajimo-Shakantu, T. O. Ayodele, O. Babalola","doi":"10.1108/ijbpa-07-2022-0104","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"PurposeSustainability transformation in the construction industry is vital for the attainment of sustainable development goals. While conventional construction has been at the expense of social and economic sustainability, sustainable construction can enhance environmental, social and economic outcomes for the construction industry and society at large. However, the industry struggles with new initiates because its stakeholders are products of unique institutions which shape their decisions and intentions to adopt new practices. This study assessed the institutional pressures that influence the adoption of sustainable construction to enhance our understanding of other factors that can promote and accelerate the adoption of sustainable construction.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a quantitative research design with the use of online questionnaires to elicit information from construction professionals in South Africa. Descriptive statistics of frequencies, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data obtained from the survey. Linear regression was also used to assess the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction.FindingsMimetic pressures were found to have a significant influence on the adoption of sustainable construction. The decision to adopt sustainable construction was based on the sustainability actions of industry leaders (mimetic pressure). Normative and coercive pressures had no significant influence on the adoption of sustainable construction.Practical implicationsMimetic pressure from competitors and normative pressures is already exerting some pressure on stakeholders to adopt sustainable construction. However, there cannot be a long-term commitment that will yield the needed sustainability transformations without additional normative pressure from learned societies and coercive pressure from the government. As one of the pioneering works from the global south, this study provides empirical validations of the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction. It also enhances understanding of how institutional pressures from the social context can promote and accelerate the adoption of sustainable construction.Originality/valueThe findings present one of the pioneering efforts to empirically validate the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction.","PeriodicalId":44905,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2023-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijbpa-07-2022-0104","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
PurposeSustainability transformation in the construction industry is vital for the attainment of sustainable development goals. While conventional construction has been at the expense of social and economic sustainability, sustainable construction can enhance environmental, social and economic outcomes for the construction industry and society at large. However, the industry struggles with new initiates because its stakeholders are products of unique institutions which shape their decisions and intentions to adopt new practices. This study assessed the institutional pressures that influence the adoption of sustainable construction to enhance our understanding of other factors that can promote and accelerate the adoption of sustainable construction.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a quantitative research design with the use of online questionnaires to elicit information from construction professionals in South Africa. Descriptive statistics of frequencies, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data obtained from the survey. Linear regression was also used to assess the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction.FindingsMimetic pressures were found to have a significant influence on the adoption of sustainable construction. The decision to adopt sustainable construction was based on the sustainability actions of industry leaders (mimetic pressure). Normative and coercive pressures had no significant influence on the adoption of sustainable construction.Practical implicationsMimetic pressure from competitors and normative pressures is already exerting some pressure on stakeholders to adopt sustainable construction. However, there cannot be a long-term commitment that will yield the needed sustainability transformations without additional normative pressure from learned societies and coercive pressure from the government. As one of the pioneering works from the global south, this study provides empirical validations of the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction. It also enhances understanding of how institutional pressures from the social context can promote and accelerate the adoption of sustainable construction.Originality/valueThe findings present one of the pioneering efforts to empirically validate the influence of institutional pressures on the adoption of sustainable construction.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation publishes findings on contemporary and original research towards sustaining, maintaining and managing existing buildings. The journal provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of buildings, their performance and adaptation in order to develop appropriate technical and management solutions. This requires an holistic understanding of the complex interactions between the materials, components, occupants, design and environment, demanding the application and development of methodologies for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in this multidisciplinary area. With rapid technological developments, a changing climate and more extreme weather, coupled with developing societal demands, the challenges to the professions responsible are complex and varied; solutions need to be rigorously researched and tested to navigate the dynamic context in which today''s buildings are to be sustained. Within this context, the scope and coverage of the journal incorporates the following indicative topics: • Behavioural and human responses • Building defects and prognosis • Building adaptation and retrofit • Building conservation and restoration • Building Information Modelling (BIM) • Building and planning regulations and legislation • Building technology • Conflict avoidance, management and disputes resolution • Digital information and communication technologies • Education and training • Environmental performance • Energy management • Health, safety and welfare issues • Healthy enclosures • Innovations and innovative technologies • Law and practice of dilapidation • Maintenance and refurbishment • Materials testing • Policy formulation and development • Project management • Resilience • Structural considerations • Surveying methodologies and techniques • Sustainability and climate change • Valuation and financial investment