bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The principle of environmentalization in agrarian law
Authors: Yermolenko Volodymyr
Published: August 2023

The article considers the importance of ecologization of modern agricultural production in the context of increasing use of toxic substances of chemical or biological origin, which requires directing modern agricultural production towards ecologization of artificial and natural production factors, making these issues of extreme relevance. The author presents the conceptual and categorical transformation of the environmental aspects of agriculture, which alternately took the form of a principle of agrarian law, first as the principle of greening of labour activity in agriculture, then as the principle of greening of agriculture, the environmental orientation of entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector, and even later as the principle of greening of agriculture, and finally as the principle of greening of agrarian legislation. The author also presents other variants of the author’s positions, among which the author considers the ecologization of agrarian law or the principles of agrarian law themselves, as well as the State agricultural policy. Proceeding from the general legal nature of the principles, the implementation of which requires embodiment in the regulatory provisions of legislation, the author substantiates the priority of formulating the principle of ecologization of agrarian legislation. At the same time, the author provides examples of greening of the content of statutory agrarian laws, as well as non-greened statutory laws, which indicates that the principle under consideration is incompletely implemented in agrarian legislation. The author analyses the array of functional agrarian laws in certain areas of activity, which in terms of quantitative measurement and scope of coverage prevail over the greening of status laws.
Establishment of legal regulation in the field of securing the status of territorial communities as subjects of communal land ownership
Authors: Nastina Olga
Published: August 2023

The article examines the formation of the right of communal ownership of land, the establishment of legal regulation in the field of consolidation of the status of territorial communities as subjects of communal ownership, the impact of decentralization processes on the legal regime of land of territorial communities and united territorial communities, and the definition of scientific approaches to the formation of a model of communal ownership of land in Ukraine. The author highlights the inconsistency of legislators in defining the principles of building the institution of communal land ownership, the lack of a well-grounded concept of communal property rights, and the legislative contradictions in approaches to creating sustainable local self-government in Ukraine based on the priority of land interests of territorial communities. The author pays special attention to the prerequisites for determining the constitutional status of territorial communities, legislative consolidation of the grounds for the formation of communal land ownership in the State and solving the problem of the absence of a definition of “right of communal land ownership” in the current legislation. The author focuses on the legitimization of the powers to exercise the right of communal ownership by addressing the issue of land and legal competence of territorial communities, improving their status as entities exercising the right of communal ownership of land directly or through local self-government bodies, and exercising the right of communal ownership of land in the manner prescribed by land law. The study found that the Constitution of Ukraine has provided the necessary prerequisites for the establishment of a fundamentally new land system in the area of communal ownership of community land. An important scientific task in modern conditions is to improve the legal regulation of the land and legal competence of territorial communities as subjects of communal land ownership for sustainable development of territories. It is determined that acceleration of administrative and land reforms will contribute to the full legitimization of amalgamated territorial communities and the establishment of territorial communities as equal subjects of land ownership.
Use of antibiotics in organic livestock farming: Some aspects of legal regulation
Authors: Novak Tamara
Published: August 2023

The article analyses the national and international legal framework for the use of antibiotics in organic livestock farming and formulates conclusions and proposals aimed at improving the current agricultural legislation in this area. It is determined that the reform of Ukrainian legislation on veterinary medicine and feed takes into account the main international requirements for regulating the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, in particular Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.12.2018 on veterinary medicinal products and repealing Directive 2001/82/EC. For the effective implementation of legislative requirements in practice, the author substantiates the need to continue work in the following areas: development of bylaws in the field of antimicrobial use in animal husbandry; collection, accumulation and analysis of information on the volume and types of antibiotics used by agricultural producers; development of improved animal husbandry technologies without the use of antimicrobial agents, taking into account the positive experience of other countries; dissemination of knowledge about such technologies among the subjects of animal husbandry. As a result of the study of the current legislation in the field of organic agricultural production, it was concluded that the legal regulation of the use of antibiotics in organic livestock farming generally meets international requirements, namely such basic documents as Commission Regulation (EC) No. 889/2008 of 5.09.2008 “Detailed rules on organic production, labelling and control to implement Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products” and Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 on organic. To improve the mechanism of control and traceability of the use of antibiotics in the treatment of farm animals in organic livestock, it is proposed to: accelerate the work on the adoption of the Procedure for the Use of Antimicrobial Products in Veterinary Medicine; supplement the Procedure (detailed rules) for organic production and circulation of organic products with provisions on the requirements for documentary evidence of the use of antimicrobial products by operators, and the storage periods for relevant documents.
Subjects of legal relations in the field of organic agricultural production: General characteristics
Authors: Novak Tamara , Мelnyk Viktoriia
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to the definition of the concept and types of subjects of legal relations in the field of organic agricultural production based on the analysis of doctrinal approaches and provisions of national and international legislation. Applying the “from the general to the specific” approach, the author examines the concepts of “subjects of legal relations”, “subjects of agrarian legal relations”, and “subjects of legal relations in the field of organic agricultural production”. It is concluded that the concept of “agricultural producer” is generalized and covers all producers of such products, regardless of the object of production and other characteristics of this entity and the production process. The author formulates the concept of “producer of organic products (raw materials)” as a subject of agrarian legal relations which independently owns and disposes of separate property, in the property complex of which the main means of production is a natural object – agricultural land used by it for the production of organic products, and processing of raw materials of plant and animal origin, or a fishery facility for the production and processing of aquaculture facilities to ensure food security, subject to environmental safety requirements. The author identifies the basic constitutive features of organic producers (raw materials): the availability of a certificate of conformity and inclusion in the registers in accordance with the law. It is substantiated that the main subjects of legal relations in the field of organic agricultural production are individuals and legal entities engaged in the production and/or circulation of products in accordance with the requirements of legislation in the field of organic production, circulation and labelling of organic products. The auxiliary subjects of legal relations in the area under study are certification bodies, public authorities vested with the authority to regulate and control such activities, as well as processing, procurement, marketing, supply, service and other agricultural business entities, and the public.
Issues related to the realization of non-property human rights in the field of health protection
Authors: Horislavska Inna
Published: August 2023

The World Health Organization notes the main issue that needs to be addressed – patient safety as prevention, avoidance, minimization of adverse effects of treatment. Normatively established obligation of the provider of the medical service (i.e. on its own initiative, which does not require prior consent or coordination with the patient) to provide information to the consumer. In the article, on the basis of an analysis of existing national legislation, judicial cases and theoretical, legal sources, explores issues relating to the realization and safeguarding of personal non-property rights that ensure the natural existence of an individual (art. 282- 286 of the Civil Code of Ukraine) and legal mechanisms for protecting consumers' rights to information in the field of health care. The case law and the practice of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in resolving cases on recognition and protection of the right to information about the state of health of a person are studied. Reasoned the proposals to address the shortcomings of legal regulation in the study area. The purpose of the article is an analysis of legislation and case law on the exercise of personal non-property rights in the field of health care. The issues of compliance with the regulatory requirements for the confidentiality of medical information in sick leaves, which still remain unresolved, are considered, especially considering the formation of a web-based service to ensure information interaction of the electronic health care system with the Electronic Register of sick leaves. Medical information, that is, a certificate of the state of health of a person, his or her medical history, the purpose of the proposed research and treatment, the prognosis of the possible development of the disease, including the existence of a risk to life and health, According to its legal regime refers to confidential, that is, information with restricted access. He introduction of effective legal mechanisms should help to improve the level of protection of rights, freedoms and interests of citizens. The issue of obtaining information on the state of health of a person by its heirs is a promising one and one that requires amendments to the legislation.
Information support of scientific research: Legal aspect
Authors: Hres Oleksandr
Published: August 2023

The article deals with the concept of “information” and its interpretation by both scholars and the Law of Ukraine “On Information”. The main directions of the state information policy are indicated. The main types of information are outlined. The author emphasizes the need to expand the direction of ensuring the development of information activities, without limiting this direction to the technical component of scientific activity. The importance of information support in conducting scientific research is indicated. The importance of information for the life of mankind is emphasized. It is indicated that scientific and technical information covers the results obtained in the process of scientific and research, research and development, design and technological, production and public activities, recorded in a form that ensures their reproduction, use and dissemination. It is stressed the need to expand the direction of information development, not limiting this area only by technical component of scientific activity and ignoring the humanitarian direction, because the information concerning scientific activity in general, including in the humanities, in the sphere of social sciences and in other scientific spheres is left out of consideration. It is noted that the main base of the scientific and technical information is formed with information resources, which are a systematic collection of scientific and technical literature and documents (books, brochures, periodicals, patent and design documentation, industrial catalogues, deposited manuscripts, scientific and research reports) fixed on papers or other storages. The main types of information activities and areas of information are given. The importance of information support in conducting scientific research is indicated and the search for the necessary information is of great significance for the effective conduct of scientific research, as the researcher spends about 50% of his time on the process of finding information. The importance of the information for humanity is highlighted.
General features of the system of principles of agrarian law
Authors: Yermolenko Volodymyr
Published: August 2023

In this article, it is discussed the features of the system of modern principles of agrarian law. The attention is paid to the lack of unity and significant differences between the author’s individual positions when formulating a system of such principles, both in the qualitative and quantitative aspects. It is revealed the reason for this situation, which consists in the opposition of objective-subjective beginnings in the nature of the agrarian law principles. It is the predominance of the subjective component that leads to the diversity of principles proposed by scientists, which need to be discovered, rather than invented. The discrepancy between the subjective vision of scientists and the objective nature of the principles causes the inefficiency of norms, which are the result of implementation of such principles in the normative array. Insufficient level of disclosure of the theoretical aspects for the formation of the agrarian law principles leads to their identification with the tasks of agrarian law as a branch. It is stated that the majority of scientists introduce a two-level differentiation of the principles of agrarian law into the general and sectoral (special) ones. Attention is also paid to the lack of principles of inter-sectoral level in most of the systems proposed today, which leads to unnecessary duplication at the level of sectoral (special) principles. At the same time, it is criticized the identification of general legal and constitutional principles used in the theory of agrarian law. It is substantiated the introduction of a six-level structure of the system of principles of agrarian law in the context of general one (international and national (constitutional), inter-sectoral, sectoral, sub-sectoral, institutional and sub-institutional principles).
Natural resource and resource-based relations: the hierarchy of industries and the relationship between subjects
Authors: Deineha Maryna , Marinich Volodymyr
Published: August 2023

This article studies the place of natural resource law and the resource-based branches of law in the system of law; it was proposed a hierarchy of these branches and outlined the relationship between the subjects of natural resource and resource-based relations. The qualitatively homogeneous natural resource relations are defined as the subject of legal regulation of natural resource law, which develop regarding the use and restoration of natural resources – a legally defined part of the natural environment that has signs of natural origin and is in ecological relationship with the environment and with each other, which are used or can be used as a source satisfaction of human needs. All natural resources, as well as relations on their use and restoration are closely interconnected. This bond will always be inseparable and mutual. It has been established that in the system of natural resource law, the public relations regarding the use and restoration of individual natural resources are actually its sub-sectors and provide a differentiated approach to the environmentally sound use of each of the relevant natural resources. Natural resource law is not a conglomeration of land, water, forest, subsoil law, but it is their qualitative unity based on a single nature, development factors and the internal structure of social relations. It has been concluded that neither the long history of legislation development, nor a significant amount of normative legal acts (that are sources of resource-based industries) are grounds for denying the inseparable and mutual connection of resource-based branches of law with each other and with the natural resource law, and the objective need to single out an independent area of natural resource law.
General characteristics of internal and external agrarian financial legal relations
Authors: Pakholiuk Anatolii
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to singling out the specific features of internal and external agrarian financial legal relations. It is proved that the features of the first group of legal relations are due to the organizational and legal form of business entities in which they arise, change and terminate. These features are established in the legislation that regulates the legal status of these entities. In particular, it determines the procedure for the formation of property funds of agricultural enterprises, the distribution of financial result (profit) among the founders and participants (members) (for example, the payment of dividends (in business entities), dividends and patronage dividends (in agricultural cooperatives), as well as making a deductions in these funds. At the same time, internal documents are adopted in such enterprises, on the basis of which such distribution is made. In addition, the procedure for exercising control over their financial and economic activities is regulated. The procedure for making settlements with members (participants) is also specific in the case of termination of the business entity’s activity or withdrawal of its members (participants). The opinion is substantiated that the peculiarities of external agrarian financial legal relations are caused by the nature of activity carried out by the business entity. Therefore, these relations are regulated by agrarian legislation in the field of state financial support for agriculture and the social sphere of the village; implementation of certain types of agricultural activities; insurance and crediting of agricultural producers. According to the author’s opinion, such legal relations include: the settlement legal relations; credit legal relations (including legal relations of monetary leasing); insurance legal relations; relations with the state and local budgets (regarding the payment of taxes and other obligatory payments and fees; obtaining the state financial support); investment legal relations.
Occupational safety when working with pesticides: The state of legal security
Authors: Novak Tamara
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to the analysis of current state of the legal security of labor protection when working with pesticides, as well as the formulation of conclusions and proposals based on it, aimed at improving the current legislation in this area. It has been established that currently in Ukraine, there is a process of updating legislation in the area under study. In particular, through the adoption of regulatory acts governing the rules of labor protection when working with certain types of chemicals (for example, ammonium nitrate). As a result of a study of the current legislation in the field of labor protection when working with pesticides, it has been concluded that the basic documents (SSR 8.8.1.2.001-98 “Transportation, storage and use of pesticides in the national economy” and DSanPiN 8.8.1.2.3.4-000- 2001 “Permissible doses, concentrations, quantities and levels of pesticides in agricultural raw materials, food products, air of the working area, atmospheric air, water of water ponds, soil”) are not able to properly regulate the relevant relationships due to their outdated provisions. The main shortcomings of SSR 8.8.1.2.001-98 are identified: reference in its content to already inactive regulations on labor protection, non-compliance with modern developments in the field of hygiene and toxicology of pesticides; unreasonably detailed regulation, which entails an excessive burden on business entities and leads to formalism in the implementation of provisions of this document by employers; incorrectly “rigid” regulation of the choice of means of personal protection for work with pesticides. It has been determined the directions of improvement of legislation in the field of labor protection when working with pesticides. Among them: the introduction of a risk-based approach to the organization of labor protection, including in the field of agriculture; borrowing positive international experience in the field of awareness of interested parties about the hygienic regulation of the use of pesticides, the necessary safety measures for working with the use of such substances.
Current state of activity of public governance bodies in the field of waste management
Authors: Svitlychnyi Oleksandr , Havrylyuk Oleksandr
Published: August 2023

The article is dedicated to the study of the activities of public administration authorities in the field of legal waste handling. Normative legal acts are analyzed, scientific opinions on the important role of administrative authorities are presented, the role of administrative law in the researched sphere is emphasized. It is proved that the regulation of relations in the field of waste handling is impossible without a system of public administration entities, which in accordance with laws and other regulations, within their competence are designed to solve the tasks of the state. It is identified that in addition to the executive authorities, other subjects of administrative law that do not belong to public authorities can have certain administrative functions in the field of waste handling. They can be legal entities and collective entities that have the status of a legal entity. In some cases, regulations may provide for the involvement of individuals of private law to implement management functions in the field of waste handling.
Administrative responsibility for violations in the fieldof natural environment protection
Authors: Kidalov Serhii , Snizhna Valeriia
Published: August 2023

The scientific work studies the features of administrative responsibility for violations in the field of natural environmental protection. It is investigated the issues, essence, features and measures of administrative coercion in the field of nature protection, the system and types of administrative penalties, the causes and conditions for committing violations in the field of ecology. In addition, in the scientific article, it is made an attempt to analyze the main mechanisms for prevention of the administrative violations in this area. Based on this analysis, the authors provide their own conclusions regarding the improvement of administrative and legal mechanism for natural environmental protection.
Legal aspects of the development of gastronomic tourism in Ukraine
Authors: Hafurova Olena , Siuiva Iryna
Published: August 2023

Стаття присвячена окремим правовим аспектам розвитку гастрономічного туризму в Україні. Аналізуються стан та перспективи законодавчого забезпечення розвитку гастрономічного туризму в Україні. Досліджуються особливості надання послуг в сфері гастрономічного туризму особистими селянськими господарствами. Піднімається проблема правового регулювання реєстрації потужностей з виробництва та/або обігу харчових продуктів особами, які здійснюють харчування туристів. Зроблено висновок, що норми Закону України «Про основні принципи та вимоги до безпечності та якості харчових продуктів» щодо реєстрації таких потужностей не розповсюджується на власників особистих селянських господарств.
Legal provision of prevention and combating land flooding in Ukraine
Authors: Deineha Maryna
Published: August 2023

Due to global warming, overregulation of water bodies, disruption of water runoff, unsatisfactory functioning or complete absence of drainage systems, reduction of forest areas, Ukraine will not avoid the problems related to land flooding. The harmful effects of water are caused by both global factors, such as warming and melting of glaciers, and regional features, namely the system of water exchange between water bodies, changes in precipitation and river flow. Land flooding is a phenomenon that cannot be completely prevented. However, human activity increases its probability and impact. The risk of flooding and the extent of damage caused, as well as the impact on the health and socio-economic situation of those affected, will continue to increase because of climate change. Inadequate river management, construction in freshet-prone areas, and the growing population living in these areas further exacerbate the effects of land flooding. Ukraine has already taken appropriate steps to implement the provisions of international acts in the field of preventing and combating land flooding in national legislation. However, the quality of implementation of national programs in the defined area leaves much to be desired, as most of the measures, unfortunately, are not implemented. Failure to comply with measures in certain amounts creates high risks of land flooding, as a result of which the population and the national economy suffer multimillion-dollar losses.
Classification and clustering of buildings for understanding urban dynamics
Authors: Perez Joan , Fusco Giovanni , Sadahiro Yukio
Published: August 2023

This paper presents different methods implemented with the aim of studying urban dynamics at the building level. Building types are identified within a comprehensive vector-based building inventory, spanning over at least two time points. First, basic morphometric indicators are computed for each building: area, floor-area, number of neighbors, elongation, and convexity. Based on the availability of expert knowledge, different types of classification and clustering are performed: supervised tree-like classificatory model, expert-constrained k-means and combined SOM-HCA. A grid is superimposed on the test region of Osaka (Japan) and the number of building types per cell and for each period is computed, as well as the differences between each period. Mappings are then performed, showing that building types have specific locations and dynamics. In some extreme cases, a specific building type can even gradually replace a type on a declining dynamic. Questions of data preparation, and clustering validation are also dealt with, underlining the interest of assessing the spatial distribution of clusters.
Applicability of bim technology for enhancing the lean construction process in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Madusha M.D.Y. , Francis M. ,   School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, University of Western Sydney, Australia, Liyanawatta T.N. ,   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is widely implemented in construction industries around the world, providing many benefits. BIM has brought significant improvements in productivity, accuracy, and efficiency. Lean is an innovative construction management method that is closely linked to the overall lifecycle of a project to ensure its success. Lean and BIM are two different concepts used to enhance the value and quality of overall construction projects. The combination of these two concepts has been used to eliminate waste and encourage a streamlined workflow ensuring the delivery of value to the customers. But still, there is a lagging that can be identified in the applicability of BIM for enhancing the lean construction process in local scenarios. Therefore, the study explored the applicability of BIM technology for the lean construction process in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, a comprehensive literature survey and three case studies were conducted to collect data. Subsequently, the collected data were analysed using content analysis with the use of NVivo software. The study indicates that 12 lean techniques which have been implemented in local construction projects and 9 BIM-related software encourage the establishment of lean principles. The study further revealed, 7 common challenges while integrating of Lean-BIM and 9 solutions to overcome the challenges identified. Finally, a framework was developed based on the research findings to identify the current situation of the applicability of BIM technology for enhancing the lean construction process in Sri Lanka.
Applicability of blockchain technology in the Sri Lankan construction industry
Authors:   Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment & Spatial Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Bandara K.P.S.P.K.
Published: August 2023

Construction is one of the most significant drivers of economic growth for any nation. In addition to contributing heavily to economic development, it is one of the world's biggest industries. The industry's productivity or effectiveness has often been in doubt whether the industry is productive or effective. To upgrade the standards of the construction industry, different digital tools and software have been introduced. Among numerous innovative technologies spreading across the construction industry, blockchain is emerging as a breakthrough in streamlining the structure and development of various processes. Therefore, this research tends to study how blockchain technology can improve the key performance indicators in the construction industry via various blockchain applications that can be utilized in the construction industry. The correlation and the impact between the applications of blockchain and the construction industry performance were analysed through statistical analysis via SPSS software. A qualitative expert opinion survey with ten construction experts who have experience in blockchain technology, selected through purposive sampling to collect data in Sri Lankan context, was conducted to collect suggestions and recommendations to implement blockchain in the Sri Lankan construction industry. The gathered data was analysed using the content analysis method. The barriers that Sri Lanka must overcome to adopt blockchain technology and the way to mitigate them were included in the study. How can Sri Lanka be prepared to adopt blockchain technology and what applications can be applied in the Sri Lankan construction industry were discussed in this study.
Applicability of drive-thru banking facility for the new normal setup: a case of covid-19 pandamic in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Eutech Cybernetic Lanka Pvt. Ltd, Sri Lanka, Fernando WDN , Sridarran P. , Yatawatta Y.J.M. ,   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

Banks play an important role in economic growth and social welfare enhancement. However, the COVID-19 epidemic had an unanticipated significant impact on enterprises and organisations. Nonetheless, due to the crucial nature of their services, banks should continue to operate. As a result, to increase efficiency and profitability, the banking industry has embraced cutting-edge technology and access techniques. One of the most popular methods in the worldwide banking sector is drive-thru banking. However, in Sri Lanka, no particular emphasis has been paid to this type of facility, and there has been no adequate study on this topic addressing the applicability of drive-thru banking facility. A detailed literature analysis was conducted to review the concept and important components of drive-thru banking, as well as elements of the banking business globally and regarding to the Sri Lanka. Case studies and a survey were used to continue the study using the qualitative research approach. The study examined how each of the implementation factors, such as enablers, barriers, benefits, limitations, requirements, and customer perspectives on this facility, affected the applicability. Accordingly, certain factors such as high initial costs, supplier and maintenance constraints, carparking limitations, queue control, and accessibility need to be addressed. The study concludes that by considering these implementation variables, drive-thru banking can yield positive outcomes for both customers and bankers. The study recommends that banks in Sri Lanka explore the potential of drive-thru banking facilities and adopt them as a means of improving their services and meeting customer needs in a changing landscape.
Applicability of recycling and resource recovery for solid waste of Sri Lankan supermarkets
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Bandara K.G.M.B. , Gowsiga M. , Asmone A.S. , Dilogini R.A.A. ,   Department of Facilities Management, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

Every day, supermarkets create municipal solid waste, which makes up about 25% of all solid waste made in urban areas of Sri Lanka. Poor waste management in Sri Lankan supermarkets can have a big effect on greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and public health by contaminating water, soil, and the air. To address this challenge, recycling, and resource recovery are two of the best sustainable waste management practices. Hence, the study aims to investigate the applicability of recycling and resource recovery techniques for Sri Lankan supermarket solid wastes. The research choice adopted in this study was a mixed method with a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. A questionnaire survey with 70 participants from top-level management, middle management, and the front-line staff was conducted to identify waste types and management practices, and a semi-structured interview with three professionals who have experience in this field was conducted to validate the survey. Further statistical analysis and manual content analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the main waste types generated by Sri Lankan supermarkets are food, plastic, polythene, paper, and cardboard. Biogas and composting were found to be the most applicable on-site resource recovery techniques for these types of waste, and other techniques such as gasification, deinking for paper recycling, and recycling of plastic and polythene waste required the involvement of third-party resource recovery plants. The study can aid researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in coming up with and using waste management policies, laws, and guidelines for Sri Lankan supermarkets and other similar contexts.
Application of experiential knowledge and personal constructs into construction claims management
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Piyumra R.A.D. , Disaratna P.A.P.V.D.S.
Published: August 2023

Construction industry is known as a knowledge-intensive, where much of construction knowledge is tacit in nature based on experience. Nevertheless, sharing and applying of Experiential Knowledge (EK) and Personal Constructs (PC) to managing construction projects is lacking. Construction projects will inevitably involve claims, where due to presence of knowledge deficits of professionals in the industry, Claims Management (CM) has become a challenging task for contractors. Thus, the research aimed to explore the applicability of integrated EK and PC approach within the organisational culture towards successful CM practice. A qualitative approach inclusive semi-structured detailed expert interviews was attained in pursuing the research aim as the data collection tool. Data collection was limited to Grade C1 and above contractors in Sri Lanka. Literature findings disclosed the significance of applying previous project experience, role of organisational culture and role of PC in the construction industry. Expert interviewees established that CM is a knowledge-intensive core practice in the construction sector. Accordingly, the research study developed a framework indicating the relationships and applicability of Experiential Learning (EL), PC, Knowledge Sharing (KS) and Shared Learning concepts along with reusable project knowledge and EK towards each phase of CM process within the knowledge centred organisational culture.
Comparative cost assessment of drywall technologies in disaster-induced housing reconstruction
Authors:   Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Australia, Hulathdoowage N.D. , Chandanie H. ,   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

The stagnant process of disaster-induced housing reconstruction (DHR) in Sri Lanka (SL) and the reluctance of victims and donors to use expensive technologies for DHR even if disaster-resilient, led to this research. Thus, the research aimed at conducting a comparative cost analysis of different drywall technologies in DHR as alternatives for fulfilling the growing demand for DHR; in doing so, this paper contextualised a mixed research design comprehending a twofold empirical study, which includes a preliminary-expert-interview survey and a questionnaire survey. Content analysis and statistical tools assisted the data analysis. Research outcomes revealed that labour cost-effectiveness, material availability, and sufficiency of unskilled labour are the most influential cost parameters. All ten drywall technologies are effective in terms of the initial cost and can further be tested to choose the best technology for a DHR. Novel aspects of this research are (i) evaluating various cost elements of different drywall technologies for DHR in Sri Lanka, and (ii) presenting research outcomes in a scorecard and a tiered list of drywall technologies, which facilitate choosing economically efficient drywall technologies to accelerate DHR. The scorecard is not restricted to DHR but it is widely practicable for other applications in SL.
Comparative study of work-related factors affecting mental well-being of male and female construction workers in Australia
Authors:   University of South Australia, Australia, Tennakoon M. , Samaraweera A. , Colangelo T. , Sharma S. , Tiller J. , Zeller J. , Gallage S.D. ,   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

The construction industry is long perceived as physically demanding, and less consideration has been given to the mental well-being of the construction workers. The increasing number of mental health concerns urges the research to expand their focus from work health, safety and accident prevention to the “physio-social effects” on workers’ well-being. Hence, this research aims to explore the effect of work-related factors on the mental well-being of male and female construction workers. After a thorough literature review to set the background, a qualitative research approach was adopted as the methodology. Sixteen participants across two cases were interviewed, and the sample is an equal representation of male and female construction workers in Australia. Factors affecting mental well-being are recognised under five themes through the content analysis of the case study results, including the machoism characteristics of the industry culture; the high-risk and fast-paced work environment; financial stability and financial literacy; uneven workload and unconventionally long working hours; and the involvement of the employer’s management in reassuring the mental well-being. The key implication is that the same inherent machismo cultural characteristics of the Australian construction industry distinctly affect the mental well-being of male and female construction workers. The unpredictability of casual and contract-based appointments causes low job security and financial stability among male workers leading to financial stress. The current study emphasises that a one-stop approach to address the mental health issues of male and female construction workers is ineffective and proposes further in-depth research under the emerged themes of the research.
Construction innovation towards sustainable construction project success in Sri Lanka
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Jayasena M.P.T.C. , Disaratna P.A.P.V.D.S. , Victar H.C.
Published: August 2023

Sustainable construction is important for creating buildings and structures that have less impact on the environment. To make sustainable construction more effective, new and innovative techniques need to be used. The success of sustainable construction projects depends on how well these innovations are applied. A study was conducted in Sri Lanka to investigate the use of construction innovations in sustainable construction projects and to find ways to improve their success. The study used a qualitative approach, which involved collecting data through semi-structured interviews and use manual content analysis to analyse collected data. However, the study also revealed that the level of innovation application in sustainable construction was not satisfactory in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, this research discovered strategies that can be used to overcome the challenges of sustainable construction projects in Sri Lanka by adopting construction innovations. These strategies include mitigating challenges to innovation adoption and finding ways to increase the use of innovations. By implementing these strategies, sustainable construction projects can be more successful in Sri Lanka leading to less impact on the environment.
Exploring state-of-the-art research on blockchain adoption in the construction industry: a systematic literature review
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Hirusheekesan S. , Kulatunga U. ,   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Wijayasiri A. ,   Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

Blockchain is often considered a potential disrupter in how industries operate, due to its decentralised nature and several other salient features like enhanced security, transparency, traceability, immutability etc. The Construction Industry, though regarded as a late adopter of technologies, is striving to harness blockchain to improve its processes. The subsequent research initiatives, however, are scattered around several application areas, with different levels of maturity. This would prove troublesome for a potential researcher to identify a suitable research gap and carry out impactful research. Addressing this, the study attempts to identify the evolution of blockchain research in the construction industry and its current and future trends through a systematic literature review. The review identified that blockchain research is gaining popularity in construction sector exponentially and is expected to continue that pace. The developed countries are dominating these application oriented researches while developing economies are lacking behind. Research on adopting blockchain in procurement and design and construction processes has been done substantially while newer topics are evolving since the beginning of this decade, focusing on the sustainability initiatives of the sector and fusing other digital technologies with blockchain. It is believed that while procurement and design related researches iterate their findings, these new topics would define the blockchain researches in the years to come. Also, attention should be paid on holistically evaluating the blockchain solutions considering not only the technological aspect but also the sustainability, resilience and the productivity of the industry, which is yet to be observed in the studies.
A Taxonomy of waterproofing systems for high-rise building projects in the tropics
Authors:   Department of Facilities Management, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Senarathne HNY , Asmone AS ,   Department of Facilities Management, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Published: August 2023

The building construction is the most significant sector that has acquired significant attention in recent years among the various construction industries and the necessity of erection of high-rise buildings was emphasised because of the restricted space in urban areas. Since the unique and complex characteristics are involved in a building project, the structure must be strong enough in terms of its durability, stability as well as the appearance. Accordingly, water is the most persistent opponent of a high-rise building, and gradually, building components might erode, compromising their structure and requiring costly repairs. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the choice of the best waterproofing system in high-rise building projects in the tropics. Semi structured interviews were used to determine how the factors affected the choice of waterproofing. All respondents were project managers or engineers with extensive backgrounds in the building sector and expertise in waterproofing. Collected data were analysed using manual content analysis. The taxonomy was created using the opinions of experts and contractors on the choice of waterproofing. The most important category in the Taxonomy was related to detailing technology, while the least important category was related to legal requirements and compliance.
Issues caused by employment of migrant workers in the Sri Lankan construction industry
Authors:   Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Nawarathna W.G.H.K. , Abeynayake M.D.T.E. , Illeperuma I.E.
Published: August 2023

Construction is one of the industries with a very high growth rate in Sri Lanka. With this growth, recent decades have seen a considerable rise in the number of migrant workers because of globalisation, wars, conflicts, poverty, and economic developments. While this wave offers the construction industry, organisations, and migrants many benefits, it also has drawbacks. Due to several reasons, migration has an impact on the Sri Lankan construction industry. However, this migration has several negative consequences and difficulties for the industry. Therefore, it is vital to recognise them and offer solutions. This paper discussed issues caused by the employment of migrant workers in the Sri Lankan construction industry, and research aimed to develop strategies to mitigate the issues caused by migrant workers in the Sri Lankan Construction Industry. The study used a mixed-methods approach, collecting data through questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. Through a questionnaire survey, the research findings identified the top 13 issues brought on by the employment of migrant workers in Sri Lanka. "Communication issues," "Language barriers," "Competition for jobs," "Outflow of currency," and "Spread of Diseases" are the top five most important issues. Through expert interviews, the definitive significant management methods for those identified significant concerns were developed. The suggested solutions are divided into two categories: Strategies that construction organisations can use to overcome the issues and Strategies that the Sri Lankan government can use to overcome the issues Implementing training sessions, forming support groups, improving visual communication, modifying Sri Lankan government rules and regulations, and promoting an open Health and safety culture are the key strategies suggested in this study.