Alshahrani, A Y (2020) Interpretive investigation into the implementation of sustainable business models within Saudi housing construction industry. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
Sustainable Practices (SPs) in the Housing Construction Industry (HCI) have been the subject of significant innovation, resolving housing problems and reducing the negative impacts of the built environment. These enhancements have targeted the value creation process. Addressing isolated parts of the Business Models (BMs) used by Housing Construction Companies (HCCs). The BM approach describes the logic organisations create, deliver and capture value. However, ways in which HCCs can develop and introduce fundamental changes to create profitable Sustainable Business Models (SBMs) remain poorly researched. This research explores the transition to SBMs in the Saudi Arabian HCI empirically by adopting nine elements extracted from business and management. Twenty-two interviews take place with a diverse sample of three groups of stakeholders in the HCI. The emergent outcomes are validated and refined by focus group, following Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) procedures. A BM is considered sustainable when a business aligns socio-environmental responsibility with economic benefits by focussing on sustained value creation. For this, the role of clients/participants is key; they must be incentivised and engaged in the value chain to minimise waste and environmental damage for the long-term benefits of the organisation. The key outcomes show that the SBMs framework can link business cases with sustainability in an organised approach. This indicates that SBM transition needs changes in the business environment, i.e. , awareness, top management mindsets, political change, value chain upgrade, media support, engagement and collaboration with the public sector. Discussions on challenges facing implementation highlight the global challenges driven by a broad set of social, political, legal, economical, technological innovation and general trends towards a deteriorating environmental resource. The research establishes the association between various SBM elements, confirming that the SVP, TC and CS represent the groundwork of the SBMs framework. The guideline followed the experts recommendations to supports the implantation with set of recommendations begins with the cognisance of top management and promotes sustainable demand converted into SVPs. It highlights both the role of a panel to support the movement and the importance of identifying partner stakeholders for the transformation. Finally, the guideline recommends reviewing and monitoring points to be fed to top management.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | collaboration; focus group; innovation; interview; public sector; Saudi Arabia; stakeholders; sustainability; technological innovation; waste |
| Index terms: | housing, business case, value creation, top management, collaboration, mindset, movement, focus group, interview, implementation, built environment, business model, media, residential construction, investigation, technological innovation, monitoring, transformation, public sector, Saudi Arabia, sustainable practice, interpretive structural modelling, value chain |
| Subjects: | economic development, Geography, construction type, health behaviours and lifestyles, innovation and technology management, contractual arrangements, strategic project management, management, construction integration, value chain strategy, sustainable practices, sociology, administrative law, infrastructure and transport systems, data collection methods, business, control systems, data analysis and analytics |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Procurement, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Geographical Context, Legal Issues, Supply Chain Management, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Site Management, Organizational Design, Urban Studies |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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