Dani Salleh

Adoption level of sustainable construction practices: A study on Malaysia’s construction stakeholders

Purpose - For this research, the concept of sustainability had been divided into two different perspectives which include the financial sustainability performance (economics aspect) and non financial sustainability performance (environment and social aspect). Design/methodology/approach – A survey method was employed due to the reason that it is the most appropriate research design to obtain personal and social facts, beliefs, and attitude on a large scale. Since the data of analysis is done at the company level, the unit of analysis for this research is the construction stakeholder’s organization. Findings – The result of this study shows that the adoption level of financial sustainability is better than non financial sustainability. Originality / value – This paper attempts to identify the current level of sustainable construction performance among the Malaysian construction stakeholders.

Stakeholder perceptions of secondary education quality in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Purpose This study aims to obtain stakeholder perceptions of secondary education quality in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was used by conducting interviews. Data were purposively collected from a sample of 15 education stakeholders in Sokoto State, and analyzed to extract major themes using the NVivo software program. Findings The results of the interviews suggested that high-quality education is defined by the following seven dimensions that fell under a systems-based framework: the provision of adequate instructional materials, the provision of educational infrastructure, imparting the “right” knowledge, meeting education “yardsticks”, provision of teacher support and welfare, creating a conducive learning atmosphere and availability of high-quality teachers. Research limitations/implications The research is confined to the Sokoto State only. Although the findings may be applicable to other states of the Nigerian federation, the qualitative research design limits generalization beyond the present data. The research has methodological limitations in that only a qualitative approach was used in obtaining and analyzing the data. Practical implications This study presents dimensions of, and a definition of, secondary education quality, as perceived by education stakeholders in Sokoto State, Nigeria. This systems-based definition could be useful to the government in re-designing its educational plans and ensuring quality in secondary education programs. Once fully applied in the educational system, issues of low-quality education and graduation of unprepared students can be addressed more systematically. The goal of admitting more competent school leavers into tertiary institutions could also be pursued actively. Other social challenges, such as juvenile delinquency, can likewise be addressed. The study draws attention of those responsible for education provision in Nigeria to look inward to focus on those dimensions that need prompt and urgent improvements so that education quality can be ensured for a better society. Originality/value This study provides a systems-based framework of educational quality to guide school improvement efforts in Nigerian secondary schools that reflect values of regional stakeholders. This study demonstrates an easy-to-apply method for deriving educational quality indicators with stakeholder involvement. The dimensions obtained are supported by theory and the literature discussed.