Bayram Er

Health and Safety Perception of Workers in Turkey: A Survey of Construction Sites

This study reports the general health and safety (HS) conditions in the Turkish construction industry from the perspective of construction labor. Toward this aim, a questionnaire survey was carried out with 800 workers employed in 32 construction projects in Turkey. Contractors were found to neglect their legal liabilities in paying workers’ insurance premiums. Also, they overlooked safety training and were reluctant to hiring physicians at construction sites and investing in personal protective equipment (PPE). As the real constructors of projects, workers did not attach adequate importance to occupational training. In addition, they were not willing to use some PPE. Key participants of HS affairs such as workers, contractors, unions, and government should comprehend their drawbacks to overcome the current dangerous view of the industry. In this regard, related government bodies should compel contractors and workers to adapt to the relatively new regulations on occupational HS.

Quality function deployment in the speculative house-building market: how to satisfy high-income customers

This paper presents a study that reports a detailed process of ‘quality function deployment’, considering an ultra-luxury villa project. It is based on a questionnaire survey that was applied to 42 residents and seven top managers. The results highlight real expectations of high-income residents. Residents were not satisfied with the ‘sauna’, ‘sports areas’, and ‘fitness centre’ despite the fact that these were among the least important expectations. However, residents were satisfied with the ‘security of the complex’, ‘architectural design’, and ‘quality of the end-products’. If some expectations (i.e. ‘areas for common use’, ‘playing areas for children’, and ‘quality of the end-products’) achieve better technical standards in the next projects, demand for luxury residences will likely be improved. Consequently, 25 expectations and corresponding findings constitute a preliminary framework for an expectations agenda for such projects for builders who wish to improve marketing practices.