Umeokafor, N and Windapo, A (2018) Challenges to and opportunities for establishing a qualitative approach to built environment research in higher education institutions. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 16(4), pp. 557-580. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: There are serious implications for adopting inappropriate research strategies and methods, and this is evident in the Built Environment (BE) given the under adoption of qualitative strategies in some countries. Therefore, based on empirical evidence from Nigeria, the purpose of this study is to examine the challenges to and opportunities for establishing Qualitative Approach (QA) to BE research in higher education institutions (HEIs) and to develop an improvement framework for QA. Design/methodology/approach: Academics and research students in the BE research of Nigerian HEIs were interviewed and the data analysed thematically. Based on the findings, including recommendations from the respondents, a framework for improving the use of QA in BE research was developed and academics evaluated it for workability. Findings: This study reveals that the challenges to QA in BE research include information constraints, socio-cultural issues and the negative attitudes of senior academics to QA. The opportunities include the realisation for a paradigm shift, the characteristics of the socio-cultural context and features of BE and the general potentials of QA. The proposed framework encompasses encouraging and providing a platform for international collaboration between academics in developing and developed countries, and preferential treatment for QA. It also enables regulatory and incentive mechanisms, which will act as drivers. Practical implications: This study provides stakeholders in academia with knowledge and a detailed guideline for establishing QA to research in the BE. Originality/value: This study provides a country context-based detailed guide for establishing QA in HEIs BE research towards ensuring that research strategies adopted in BE research are fit for purpose, in turn are aligned to addressing problems in the society. There is little or no study of this nature in BE.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | academia; built environment; higher education; qualitative research; socio-cultural indicators |
| Index terms: | higher education institution, platform, qualitative approach, Nigeria, higher education, paradigm, academia, built environment, workability, society, developing and developed country, strategy, qualitative research, methodology, collaboration, evidence, built environment research |
| Subjects: | design methods, evaluation and assessment methods, research design and methodology, Geography, digital design, management, economic development, education and knowledge transfer, research methods, communities and social development, infrastructure and transport systems, research management, educational institutions |
| Topics: | Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Education, Design Practice, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, International Construction |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here