Al-Omari, J A (1992) Critique of aspects of development theory using construction industry as a capital-surplus developing economy as an exemplar. PhD thesis, University of Reading, UK.
Abstract
The present study seeks to identify the main factors influencing Abu Dhabi's construction industry and its contribution to development. The study begins by questioning the relevance of existing research on construction in developing countries. This is based on a number of preliminary indications which suggest that there are significant gaps in existing research thus undermining its applicability to Abu Dhabi. The study proceeds to examine Abu Dhabi's construction industry In 9 areas. These were selected following a preliminary field survey in Abu Dhabi. In each area, the main factors influencing the construction industry in Abu Dhabi, and creating problems or underpinning solutions are identified and examined. The research findings indicate that whilst economic constraints. In many developing countries have driven existing research to focus and over-estimate the importance of economic factors and related models, Abu Dhabi's experience highlights the importance of non-economic factors. It is suggested that the discovery of oil, by eliminating financial constraints, has heightened the importance of socio-cultural, politico-administrative and geophysical factors. This means that Abu Dhabi's social composition, cultural values, political institutions and climatic characteristics exert significant bearing on the construction industry and its contribution to development. Abu Dhabi's interaction with the outside world, and its ability to continually modify and update its development policies are two further factors influencing both development and construction. Finally, the successful implementation of development policies has been observed to be dependent on the pace of development and the existence of role models. A new development model which categorises all the main factors influencing construction in Abu Dhabi into several inter-related components is developed. In this new model, construction's contribution to development is defined as being that of a service sector to other economic sectors, rather than an economic engine as suggested by existing research.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Abu Dhabi; construction sector; developing countries; development theory; economic analysis; economic development |
| Index terms: | construction industry, economic factor, critique, role model, interaction, economic analysis, survey, economic development, construction sector, development theory, developing country, implementation, developing economy, estimate |
| Subjects: | development economics, contractual arrangements, data collection methods, behavioral psychology, financial and cost management, socioeconomic concepts, design analysis, evaluation and assessment methods, industry analysis, economic development, sociology, economic concepts |
| Topics: | Cost Management, Governance, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Design Practice, Sustainability, International Construction, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 CTEA |
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