Editorial: Quality in Challenging Times

Graham Brewer

School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW2308, Australia

Corresponding author: Graham Brewer, School of Architecture and Built Environment, Univesity of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW2308, Australia, Graham.brewer@newcastle.edu.au

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v23i3/4.8963

Article History: Received 08/12/2023; Revised 08/12/2023; Accepted 09/12/2023; Published 23/12/2023

Whilst Construction Economics and Building prides itself on a fast publication turnaround (and this Issue’s content predominantly contains papers that have been submitted/resubmitted since April 2023) it is inevitable that these reflect research that was conducted during the challenges posed by the Covid 19 pandemic. That this has been possible is a testament to the commitment of these authors.

Moreover, the academics who generously donated their time to review/re-review both these papers, and those that were ultimately rejected or recommended for resubmission, were doing so at a time when their own universities were grappling – and continue to grapple – with the fallout from the pandemic. Invariably, this has resulted in increased expectations and workloads; the quality of the finished papers therefore reflects their commitment to academic standards despite all pressures to the contrary.

Given these conditions and the additional constraints they place on authors and reviewers alike, it is gratifying to see sustained quality and an increase in the quantity, and diversity of topics that are being investigated, predominantly in the context of the developing world.

Whilst there clearly can be no preplanned focus to a standard issue of the Journal, it is possible for broad themes to emerge from a larger tranche of papers and indeed, this Issue appears to have surfaced four of them:

Firstly, research into industry and workforce challenges, specifically a declining workforce in the US roofing industry, and the vulnerability of informal workers in the Indonesian construction sector have revealed strategies to attract, retain, and protect these employees.

Secondly, investigating issues of labour training and consequent performance improvement have been addressed in the Indian context, presenting the development of systematic training components and the consequent, demonstrable performance improvement across multiple elements of competence.

Thirdly, researching contractual, operational, and commercial influences on project viability and delivery to deliver lower numbers of disputes and improved project performance in New Zealand, improved organisational culture and project delivery in India, and improved commercial viability of infrastructure projects in Indonesia through novel revenue generation.

Lastly, innovative research conceptualisation and methodology has been used variously to incorporate qualitative data analysis in system dynamics modelling in Nigeria, to identify the underlying rationale behind anticorruption systems and their effectiveness (also in the Nigerian context), and to investigate barriers and adoption to digitalisation in the Jordanian AEC sector.

I hope you both enjoy and gain value from reading this issue.

I will also take this opportunity to wish you and yours a happy and peaceful end to 2023, before looking forward to renewing our common bond through academic endeavour in 2024!

Stay safe, be well.