An interpretivist approach for the development of a behavioural framework to support the adoption of waste minimisation behaviour of contractors : the case study of Jordan

Alhawamdeh, M

Abstract

In recent decades, with the rapid development of urbanisation and the acceleration of construction, renovation and demolition activities worldwide, enormous volumes of construction waste (CW) have been generated at a colossal rate. CW accounts for approximately 36% of the total solid waste received at landfill sites around the world, and therefore, presents a significant challenge to the sustainability of the construction industry, the country’s economy at large, and environmental sustainability worldwide. For Jordan, this issue is pertinent since the construction industry is still suffering from insufficient sustainability practices characterised by poor production, sub-standard performance and a wasteful culture. Therefore, construction waste minimisation (CWM) has become a pressing issue due to the scarcity of resources and a subsequent unsteady energy supply, which are two serious challenges facing Jordan today. This is, in addition to the poor economic situation in Jordan with CW considered a major financial burden on government spending having to deal with CW and its associated issues.
Different approaches and techniques have been established over the years by many researchers and practitioners worldwide, who have sought to determine optimal methods to support CWM. More recently, increasing attention has been placed on addressing the role of human factors in CWM, as the majority of the causes underlying CW are directly or indirectly affected by the behaviour of those working in the construction industry. The behaviour of contractors is a crucial element in the implementation of successful CWM measures, as many studies have emphasised their impact on the generation and minimisation of waste in construction projects.
However, a critical appraisal of the CW literature showed that adopting CWM behaviour depends on many factors that contribute to its success or failure, and each of these factors can exert a different level of influence. Accordingly, in reviewing existing behavioural adoption literature to aid the exploration and understanding of the potential factors influencing the behaviour of contractors towards CWM, it has been observed that nearly all adoption theories and frameworks have attracted strong criticism from researchers for being too simplistic and inadequate in successfully predicting CWM behaviour. Further, critics argue that the current behaviour adoption theories and frameworks have been established in developed countries and lack empirical evidence as to their applicability in the Middle-East region, particularly in Jordan; CWM behaviour is perceived and valued differently by different cultures. Consequently, this thesis describes the development of a behavioural framework (BF) that aims to address this research gap.
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The Delphi technique, incorporating a series of semi-structured interviews, was chosen as the primary research investigative method, for the discovery and building of the BF. Twelve respondents (the experts’ panel), with extensive knowledge of, and experience in, the Jordanian construction industry participated in two rounds of the Delphi study. They were able to offer a well-informed look at the current and potential status of the adoption of CWM behaviour among Jordanian contractors. The results of the Delphi study were then triangulated with the findings of the literature review in order to form the and develop the BF. Following this, a validation workshop was used, involving seven construction professionals, to validate and refine the BF so as to be of value to the Jordan context. The resulting BF consists of four constituent variables that work together to explain and predict CWM behaviour. These are: personal, technological, social and organisational variables; each of these variables include several factors influencing the behaviour of Jordanian contractors towards CWM. In total, 10 factors, which includes 31 subfactors, are identified and included in the framework. The BF advances a more holistic understanding of CWM behaviour, which will support the adoption of waste minimisation in Jordanian construction projects.

Citation

Alhawamdeh, M. An interpretivist approach for the development of a behavioural framework to support the adoption of waste minimisation behaviour of contractors : the case study of Jordan. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 6, 2021
• Award Date: Sep 8, 2020