Rateb J. Sweis

Factors Affecting Baseline Productivity in Masonry Construction: A Comparative Study in the US, UK and Jordan

Abstract This paper presents a comparative study of masonry construction productivity among three countries, namely United States, United Kingdom, and Jordan. It aims at quantifying factors that cause significant changes in baseline productivity. This is done by theoretically reviewing, quantifying, and comparing the baselines among the three selected countries. Analysis showed the quantified differences in the baseline value from one country to another are due mainly to skills and work methods used especially the labor component that is frequently assigned to material handling.

The impact of total quality management practices on employee empowerment in the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia: a study of King Khalid Hospital

The impact of TQM practices on employee empowerment has not been investigated in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this unique study is to examine the impact of TQM predictors (i.e., training, teamwork, top management commitment, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction) on employee empowerment in Saudi healthcare. A proposed research model and hypotheses are developed based on a comprehensive literature review and tested by using a questionnaire-based survey, distributed to collect data from employees working at King Khalid Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Results indicate that TQM practices when implemented have a favourable impact on employee empowerment. The study concluded that empowerment levels look healthy and stronger under existence of effective training programmes, cooperation and teamwork, committed top management, continuously improved process, and satisfied customers. The main limitation of this study is that it is conducted with one hospital. The academic and managerial implications of the findings for managers, decision-makers and researchers are discussed and further research directions are offered.

Assessment of droughts in Jordan: The Yarmouk and Zarqa basins

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify drought conditions in Jordan in the period 1960‐2006 for two major basins – the Yarmouk and the Zarqa. This study aims to look at the long‐term drought conditions (hydrological droughts) and to investigate the possibility of changes in the monthly precipitation pattern for the period of 1997‐2006, as this period has suffered from the average slightly dry conditions for the two basins.Design/methodology/approach – The Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) is used to assess drought conditions in the Yarmouk and Zarqa basins. The SPI is applied on an annual basis to assess the hydrological long‐term droughts. Average monthly precipitation is used as the input to the SPI procedure.Findings – The SPI is applied on an annual basis (12 months) SPI‐12. Results of the SPI‐12 assessment show that the years 1978, 1995, and 1999 represented extremely dry conditions in both basins. The years 1989 and 1993 represented severely dry conditions in the Zarqa basin and extreme...

Benchmarking of TQM: the case of Hikma Pharmaceuticals company

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of internal benchmarking through the evaluation of quality management in two quality departments (Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC)) in a pharmaceutical company by utilizing total quality index (TQI). Design/methodology/approach – In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose a structured questionnaire was used to assess the gap between the ideal and current status of the quality management system. The mean differences between the current and ideal states for the eight critical factors were compared for the two departments using t-test. Findings – There is difference in the actual and ideal scores on three out of eight critical factors between the QA and QC departments. Practical implications – The internal benchmarking process which was applied in this case study can be applied in other pharmaceutical companies in order to improve the status of the quality management system and achieve competitive advantage. Originality...

Project management factors affecting the enterprise resource planning projects’ performance in Jordan

Purpose This purpose of this research is to investigate the project management factors that are affecting the enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects’ performance in Jordan. Based on the conducted literature review, four project management areas were selected for this research: the communication management, the human resource management, the time management and the risk management. Design/methodology/approach In total, 24 Jordanian ERP projects were surveyed through designing a questionnaire that was distributed to project managers. Moreover, interviews were conducted with both the project manager of the largest ERP project in Jordan and a consultant of one of the Big 5 consulting firms. Findings The interviews’ results confirmed the effect of the four project management areas on the ERP project performance which is consistent with the questionnaire results except for the risk management. Originality/value No similar studies were found in Jordan. Moreover, this subject was tackled by only a few studies, so more research is recommended to investigate the project management factors that are affecting the ERP projects’ performance. It is also recommended that future studies extend this research on factors other than project management factors.

Factors affecting quality in the Jordanian housing sector

Purpose - – The purpose of this study is to measure the perceptions of both architects and contractors regarding the factors affecting quality in the Jordanian housing sector. Design/methodology/approach - – Twenty quality factors were identified from the literature and ranked by respondents. Next, the weighted indices for importance and frequency of quality variables were calculated. The quality variables were ranked according to their severity index. Finally, the principal component and factor analysis methodology was employed to arrive at the most prominent factors. Findings - – Major factors affecting quality were human resource management, customer satisfaction, uses of technology and supplier management. Although both samples of architects and contractors chose the factor “uses of technology” as the common factor, the Originality/value - – This study’s findings build on prior research conducted in different countries. The major factors identified in this study are compared to other similar studies’ findings, thereby adding to the available literature on factors affecting quality in the housing sector in developing countries.

The Relationship between Information Technology Adoption and Job Satisfaction in the Jordanian Construction Industry

Despite the popularity of Information Technology and job satisfaction research, little empirical evidence exists of the relationship between IT adoption and job satisfaction within the Jordanian construction industry. This research fills these knowledge gaps by exploring the relationship between IT adoption and job satisfaction from the perspective of construction companies, contractors, consultants, and architectural and engineering firms in Jordan. Measures were developed using MSQ and IT Barometer surveys. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed to investigate this relationship among different companies from the Jordanian construction sector. Descriptive statistics were obtained and hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis. Results show that more investment in technology would increase employee job satisfaction regarding intrinsic, extrinsic, and general perspectives.

Assessment of factors affecting maintenance management of hospital buildings in Jordan

The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the factors affecting maintenance management performance of hospital buildings in Amman, Jordan. Besides, the operational state was evaluated and the practices of maintenance management were assessed.,In total, 70 items were identified through a rigorous literature review, grouped into seven categories, and a framework was developed. Besides, practices of maintenance management were assessed and the operational state was evaluated. The data were collected through distributing questionnaires to maintenance department staff in all public and private hospitals in Amman, Jordan. In total, 219 questionnaires were obtained and the data were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. As well, descriptive, correlation, and inferential analysis were performed.,The analysis proved that 14 items representing four factors had significant effect on maintenance management performance and a new framework was established. Additionally, the results showed that Amman’s hospitals were found to be in an average condition and maintenance management practices were assessed to be efficient.,There is a gap in the literature in terms of researching the factors affecting the maintenance management of the Jordanian hospitals which has been a subject of extensive interest to many. A framework of the factors affecting maintenance has been proposed for the country of Jordan which the authors hope that would be developed further in future studies.

Total quality management practices and organisational performance in Jordanian courier services

The research papers which are related to services are limited in Jordan. Since the Jordanian economy is heavily dependent on the services sector, such research may enhance the quality of this sector. This study aims to examine the relationship between TQM practices and the organisational performance in the Jordanian courier service firms, and to determine which of the studied practices control the performance wheel. The methodology used is based on a cross sectional study carried out using a questionnaire survey. The survey is distributed to a sample of departments in a leading courier service firm in Jordan. Analysis has showed that TQM practices correlate positively with organisational performance, with a significant positive value for continuous improvement practice. Hence, managers should consider TQM practices as a way to enhance performance, allocate resources and develop an environment that supports continuous improvement ideas.

Benchmarking of TQM practices in INGOs: a literature review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to aggregate significant part of debates in the field of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) toward performance improvement by benchmarking of the Total Quality Management (TQM) practices, and to propose TQM-Benchmarking model as a seed for future research in the context of INGOs. Design/methodology/approach – TQM practices for INGOs were first identified based on critical synthesis of the literature for both, existing for-profit TQM literature and the INGOs field-specific quality and accountability frameworks, initiatives, and practices (Jordan introduced as an example) followed by solicitation of the opinions of experts and colleagues through personal interviews and focus group discussions to define the proposed TQM-Benchmarking model. Findings – TQM-Benchmarking model of six practices vital to INGOs performance are proposed by this review including leadership and management commitment, beneficiaries focus and participation, partnership management ...