Siti Rashidah Mohd Nasir

Perspective of Stakeholders on Flash Flood in Kuala Lumpur

This chapter describes the perspective of stakeholders on flash flood in Kuala Lumpur. This chapter includes how to identify major causes of flash flood, major effects of flash flood, and suitable mitigation options to reduce flash flood in Kuala Lumpur. The questionnaire survey has been used to collect data from targeted respondents. The targeted respondents are government, consultant, and academic institutions who are involved in flood projects. The result shows that the major causes of flash flood in Kuala Lumpur include blocking of drainage channel, increase of surface runoff, uncontrolled urbanization, poor drainage maintenance, and inadequate drainage system. The results also show the major effects of flash flood in Kuala Lumpur are damage to property, damage to business premises, damage to roads, interruption to the utility services, and interruption to the transportation services. All three groups of the respondents agreed that the suitable mitigation includes frequent maintenance of drainage system, construction of flood diversion, control of land use activities, installation of flood bypass, limitation of deforestation, and enhanced and stringent acts on flash flood. The findings of this study will assist the local authorities to select suitable mitigation plans.

Factors influencing Malaysian construction firms in venturing into international market

A tremendous demand of development worldwide has gained interest of Malaysian construction firms to venture into international construction domain. Identifying and analyzing major determinants of the firms internal and external factors are crucial in order to ease the complexity in global market expansion. This paper identifies the relative importance of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) related to the internationalization of Malaysian contractors. Responses were received from thirty one (31) Class A and Grade 7 Malaysian construction firms registered with CIDB Malaysia in 2010. The findings reveal that “good track record”, “specialist expertise” and “international network” were the most influential strength factors for the firms to effectively compete in international market. However, “shortage of financial resources” as well as “material and labor resources” contributed to the weaknesses in exploring international market. The study also reveals that “opening up new market”, “technological advancement” and “beneficiary international agreements” offered huge opportunities in overseas market. Nevertheless, factors such as “bribery in the host country”, “increase of interest rate” and “lack of awareness” were perceived as the threats due to difficulties in dealing with moral problems, financial risks and unfamiliar environment within the host country. Finally, this study is of relevance to Malaysian construction firms as it systematically highlights the internal and external factors those may affect their performance in international market. These findings may assist them to make necessary preparatory works by enhancing the strengths, reducing the weaknesses, seizing the opportunities and facing the threats in international market, as these elements are consistently changing.

Linking Entry Timing (ET) and Entry Mode (EM) Decisions in International Market Expansion by Malaysian Construction Firm: Toward the Development of ETEM Model

Neglecting to properly choose the right combination of entry mode and entry timing strategies can lead to poor performance in international business ventures. The paper focuses on the linking of entry timing (ET) and entry mode (EM) decisions and the factors influencing both decisions. By consolidating the findings for both entry decisions, an ETEM model to guide the construction firms to access the targeted markets will be developed. The questionnaire surveys were sent to 115 Malaysian construction firms listed under Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia with 39.1 % response rate. The logistic regression (LR) model revealed that the majority of construction firms have chosen to be the late movers (LMs). Factor analysis carried out shows that the factors significantly influenced the firms’ entry timing decision as LMs are the firm’s international experience, level of knowledge, research and development intensity, competencies in project management, specialist expertise and technology, and financing capacity. The multinomial logistic regression (MLR) model has shown that majority of the construction firms preferred both equity (EQ) and non-equity (NEQ) entry modes. The factor analysis revealed that the factors that significantly influenced the firms’ entry mode decisions to choose both types of entry mode are the firm’s management of quality and risk attitudes, strong resources, experience in similar works, ability to assess market signals and opportunities, superior management and organizational dynamic capabilities, availability of partner/alliance, and existence of strict time limitations. The consolidation of findings shows that the majority of the Malaysian construction firms were the late movers, and they preferred both EQ and NEQ entry modes. Hence, this study contributes to an improved understanding of particular relationships that exist between the entry timing and entry mode decisions made by firms into international market.

Using PLS-SEM Path Modeling to Determine Factors Influencing Performance of Malaysian Construction Firms in International Markets

International market expansion into foreign markets has become increasingly important for construction firms. In this borderless world, no market is safe from foreign competition. This situation is also evident for the construction firms, as international construction is not a new phenomenon. Hence, firms have to be prepared and adopt effective strategies to face various challenges in unfamiliar environments and most importantly be able to sustain and perform in new business ventures. The main aim of this research is to determine the factors influencing the performance of the Malaysian construction firms in international markets. Questionnaire surveys were sent to 115 construction companies registered with CIDB Malaysia. A structural equation modeling (SEM) using partial least square (SMART PLS 2.0) was used to determine significant factors influencing performance of the firms. The confirmatory factor analysis carried out through SEM-PLS analysis has revealed that firm factors have significantly influenced the firm’s performance. The findings based on loadings generated by the PLS-SEM model revealed the eleven significant factors influencing the firm’s performance are the firm’s ability to assess market signals and opportunities, long-term and strong management strategic orientation and objectives, superior management and organizational dynamic capabilities, firm’s financing capacity and competencies, strong resources related to level of knowledge and Research and Development, profit targets, level of knowledge and international experience, product differentiation (strong brand name), reputation, good track record and competitive advantage. The five significant performance factors are based on the acquirements of competitive advantages, return of investment, prestige, stability, business expansion and security of the firm.

Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat Attributes of Malaysian Construction Firms in International Market

Competitive and saturated construction markets has led many domestic firms to expand internationally. Hence, the firms must adopt a superior and an effective strategy in order to endure the increasing dynamics and uncertainties in the foreign markets. In the early stage of strategic planning, one of the basic but important steps is to identify the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) attributes of the firms before they expand internationally. This process is very crucial to help the firms to manage and ease the inherent complexities and difficulties within international market domain. In this study, survey questionnaires were sent to 109 Malaysian construction firms listed under Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) with 21 % response rate. Relative importance index (RII) was used to rank the SWOT attributes. The findings revealed the following ranked attributes: Strengths—project management skill, financial strength and specialist expertise; Weaknesses—shortage of financial resources, shortage of labor and material resources and lack of research and development; Opportunities—increased in profitability, opening up new market and accessibility to new service areas; Threats—inflation and currency fluctuations, policy, law and regulations of host country and increase of interest rate. This study illustrates the identification of the most important SWOTs that exist in international construction operations. Hence, the findings would offer valuable information and practical guidance to construction firms in their preparatory works to internationalize.

Application of Automation Technology in Malaysian Construction Industry

Automation Technology has been widely used in the construction by developed country such as Japan and South Korea because of its good performance and beyond satisfactory in project workmanship. However, in Malaysian construction industry, Automation Technology is poorly accepted by the construction players. Implementation of Automation Technology may assist in reducing problems such as labor shortage, high fatalities in accidents and low quality which are among the major factors lead to project delay. Thus, this paper studies the acceptance of Automation Technology among the contractors and the limitations and barriers of the Automation Technology implementation. Questionnaires were distributed to Class A contractor in Kuala Lumpur area. The results of this study will shed some lights to the construction players in implementing Automation Technology in Malaysian construction industry, thus strategies to move forward can be recommended.