Keith Cattell | University of Cape Town (original) (raw)

Papers by Keith Cattell

Journal of Management in Engineering

Negotiation Journal, 2005

Dissatisfaction with the traditional methods of litigation and arbitration for set tling disputes... more Dissatisfaction with the traditional methods of litigation and arbitration for set tling disputes has led to an increase in the growth of alternative dispute reso lution (ADR) processes. Presently mediation is the ADR process most frequently used for settling disputes that arise within the South African construction indus try. This paper presents the findings of an investigation into the practice of mediation in the South African construction industry. The main findings of the investigation were that the mediators are more intent on resolving the dispute for the parties, than assisting the parties in seeking their own settlement to the dispute. The majority of the respondents place greater emphasis on the im portance of their technical expertise, authority and their understanding of the matter in dispute rather than on moving the parties towards an in depth understanding of each other's perspectives on the matter in dispute. Finally, it is concluded that the process being employed by mediators in the South African construction industry is not consistent with the generally accepted principles of the mediation process.

Facilities, 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of completed case studies of two ma... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of completed case studies of two major multi‐channel grocery retailers in South Africa. The aim of the research was to establish the potential that online grocery retail has to undermine traditional retail by decreasing foot traffic and undermining rental income.Design/methodology/approachThe growth of online shopping in the retail sector is a matter of concern for those involved in the development and management of shopping centres. Non‐probability convenience sampling was employed to interview shoppers in the five largest regional shopping centres in Cape Town tenanted by the two major grocery “e‐tailers” in South Africa.FindingsThe findings show that the online grocery market is an expanding market segment. Furthermore, diminished foot traffic is likely to affect the ability of smaller retailers to pay turnover rentals. Miller's revised rent model is adapted and used to illustrate the potential savings that may be ...

Facilities, 2002

This paper reports on a pilot study of three major owners of and/or tenants in retail and office ... more This paper reports on a pilot study of three major owners of and/or tenants in retail and office space in South Africa. The study sought to establish: whether or not long-range strategic planning occurs; whether future space requirements are included in strategic planning; and whether ...

The Handbook of Business and Corruption, 2017

In this chapter, the nature and extent of corruption in the construction industry is considered f... more In this chapter, the nature and extent of corruption in the construction industry is considered from a worldwide perspective, but particularly in the context of research conducted in South Africa. The definition of corruption is expanded to include conflict of interest and unethical conduct. Corruption in the construction industry is found to be universal and pervasive, occurring in all areas, at all stages, at all levels, and in all forms. A simple triangular model of corruption is replaced by a more complex four-dimensional risk-based model. The challenge for the construction industry, in combating corruption, will essentially require multilateral action in all four dimensions of the enhanced model: eliminating and reducing opportunities where possible; relieving the pressures to commit corrupt acts; rebutting the rationales and arguments used to excuse corruption; and substantially improving and innovating more forensic methods of detection. While the decision to engage in corruption is risk-based, particularly in terms of the capacity to evade detection; in essence corruption is a cultural and moral issue for society.

The current survey of CIOB members reported here was conducted in 2016 with the purpose of updati... more The current survey of CIOB members reported here was conducted in 2016 with the purpose of updating an earlier survey of occupational stress in the construction industry conducted by the CIOB in 2006. While the main aim was to present a more current picture of workplace stress and its effects on mental health, we also aimed to improve rigour by using a psychometrically validated scale, the A Shortened Stress Evaluation Tool (ASSET). Two core scales, 6 Essentials and Psychological Well-being were used and compared with the normative data derived from the General Working Population (GWP) 2015 database. Only two of the 6 Essentials scales, i.e. Control and Job security & change, showed construction professionals to be typical compared to the norm group. The Resources & communication and Job conditions scales measured them as approaching high-risk, and the Balanced workload and Work relationships scales were atypical, indicating high-risk areas. The two Psychological Well-being subscale...

The achievement of value is a policy directive of the government for the delivery of public infra... more The achievement of value is a policy directive of the government for the delivery of public infrastructure, projects products and services in South Africa. Two web-based opinion surveys were conducted to explore the awareness and practice of value management among the built environment professions and the manufacturing industry. The findings show a dated grasp of value management and limited practice in both industries. Manufacturing industry groups showed a greater readiness to use value management principles to extend value achievement beyond simple function and cost drivers; and were more inclined to see the potential of modern IT applications in the search for value.

Construction Management and Economics, 2016

Research into workplace stress in the construction industry has been dominated by studies underta... more Research into workplace stress in the construction industry has been dominated by studies undertaken in Hong Kong, England and Australia, with relatively little attention having been paid to African countries. A purposively selected sample of thirty-six construction professionals (comprising architects, project managers, construction managers, engineers and quantity surveyors) based in Cape Town, South Africa, were surveyed regarding their perceptions about, and experiences of, workplace stress. The purpose was to identify and rank job demand, job control and job support factors and to analyse these by gender and professional grouping, both in terms of how respondents perceived them, as well as in terms of how frequently they had experienced them. The main finding was that respondents' perceptions about the importance of job demand, job control and job support factors were largely consistent with their own experience of these factors. Distinguishing between perceptions and experience of stressors and moderators of stress was, however, considered valuable because the fact that differences were found indicates the need for precision in the design of scales. The highest ranked factors were, respectively, 'critical time constraints', 'volume of work' and 'adequate compensation (salary)'. Women and men ranked items differently, as did the various professional groups. The main conclusions were that the construction project environment is a time-pressured, complex, environment in which work-life balance is negatively affected, particularly for women. Control over the type, flow and volume of work were perceived to be the main moderators of stress, whilst salary and career path opportunities were perceived to be the main job support moderators of stress. The applicability of using the job demand-control-support framework was confirmed given that the main stressors, control and support moderators were found to be to be largely consistent with the findings of previous studies. Future research taking a gendered approach should anticipate issues important to female respondents and should consider the benefits of qualitative methods. The design of research focusing on construction professionals should consider using the project team as the unit of analysis to ensure that the influence of the interconnectedness of participants' roles is taken into account.

AIDS care, Jan 2, 2016

Customary beliefs about the cause/s of AIDS are significantly related to whether or not individua... more Customary beliefs about the cause/s of AIDS are significantly related to whether or not individuals will undergo HIV testing. This study examined the cultural beliefs of construction workers in terms of their demographic and lifestyle behavioural characteristics, and their AIDS-related knowledge and stigma attitudes, to help inform improved work-based AIDS-education interventions by construction firms. A total of 512 workers drawn from 6 firms operating on 18 construction sites in the Western Cape province participated in the study. Thirty-seven per cent of participants either endorsed customary beliefs/explanations about the cause of AIDS, or were unsure. AIDS-related knowledge proved a significant differentiator of participants endorsing customary beliefs (aOR = 0.8, 95% CI, 0.6-1.0), or being unsure (aOR = 0.5, 95% CI, 0.4-0.6), compared to participants not endorsing such beliefs. Stigma (aOR = 1.3, 95% CI, 1.1-1.7) proved a significant differentiator of participants with more po...

Acta Structilia, 2013

This article examines the workplace discrimination and harassment experiences of professional qua... more This article examines the workplace discrimination and harassment experiences of professional quantity surveyors in South Africa and explores the relationship between harassment, discrimination and perceived workplace stress. An online survey is administered and 177 responses (12.2% of the target population) received. Descriptive and inferential statistics are used to analyse the response data. A minority of respondent quantity surveyors claim to experience workplace harassment and discrimination on gender and ethnic grounds. Respondents also indicate that they feel underpaid and that their ethnicity adversely affects their job security. The article reports on sexual harassment and gender-based harassment and discrimination. Harassment and discrimination are found to correlate with higher perceived levels of workplace stress. Strategies designed to address and counter harassment and discrimination in quantity-surveying practices should be implemented or reinforced as part of broader stress management programmes. Employers have a major role to play in this, but professional associations should also take part. Previous research into work stress focused on the experiences of workers in developed countries. This research provides insight into the problem of workplace harassment and discrimination in the unique context of post-apartheid South Africa. It supports the link between harassment and discrimination and perceived levels of personal stress in this context.

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2015

AbstractHIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and antibody testing (VCT) is the cornerstone of HIV/AIDS p... more AbstractHIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and antibody testing (VCT) is the cornerstone of HIV/AIDS prevention. Prevalence rates for the infection in the South African construction industry exceed those of most other sectors. Little is known about the testing status of different categories of construction workers. A field-administered questionnaire survey gathered data from 512 site-based construction employees in the Western Cape, South Africa. Bivariate tests of association and bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were used to explore demographic determinants of testing. The results indicate that (1) age, gender, employment type, and firm predict testing status, with older workers, females, permanent workers, and workers employed by firms with proactive intervention management more likely to have been tested than their counterparts; (2) education and race are not determinants of testing status; (3) workers aged 30 years and younger are the least likely to have been tested, particularly thos...

Workplace harassment and discrimination negatively affect the wellbeing of workers. An opinion su... more Workplace harassment and discrimination negatively affect the wellbeing of workers. An opinion survey of professionals working in the South African construction industry was carried out to explore their experiences of harassment and discrimination, and to determine whether or not gender and ethnicity play a significant part in unacceptable workplace behaviours perpetrated by line managers and colleagues. Data from 676 professional architects, civil engineers, quantity surveyors and project and construction managers were collected. While the overall levels of harassment and discrimination were not found to be high, the negative experiences of women and professionals in ethnic groups other than white were significantly more frequent than those reported by 'White' males. The findings suggest that professional firms in the construction industry, assisted by professional associations, should take a more active stance in adopting policies against harassment and discrimination, and...

International Journal of Construction Management, 2013

HIV/AIDS infection in the workforce is a threat to the South Africa construction industry. A web-... more HIV/AIDS infection in the workforce is a threat to the South Africa construction industry. A web-based questionnaire survey of construction firms in the Western Cape explored workplace HIV/AIDS interventions. Extending previous quantitative analysis, thematic analysis is used to explore the qualitative verbatim comments offered by survey participants. Five themes are identified: understanding the problem of HIV/AIDS in relation to the firm; interventions by the firm; barriers to interventions; success of interventions; and future intentions. Many firms are still in denial regarding the threat of HIV/AIDS. Interventions focus primarily on awareness and prevention campaigns, with less attention given to treatment programmes. Some firms, notably larger firms, have developed HIV/AIDS policies, and have implemented or outsourced awareness, prevention and treatment programmes as a good business model. Barriers to interventions relate to lack of senior management support, risk of breaches of confidentiality, stigma, and anticipated cost. Success of interventions is uneven, but firms not currently mounting intervention programmes indicate their intentions to do so in future. A cascading and unified national, industry-level and organisational strategy is needed. Firms successfully managing their HIV/AIDS response should share their experience with those firms struggling to respond or which are not yet doing so at all.

AIDS care, Jan 17, 2015

With an infection rate estimated at 14%, the South African construction industry is one of the ec... more With an infection rate estimated at 14%, the South African construction industry is one of the economic sectors most adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Construction workers are considered a high-risk group. The provision and uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is critical to reducing transmission rates. This study examined the testing behaviour of site-based construction workers in terms of demographic and lifestyle risk behaviour characteristics to help inform better strategies for work-based interventions by construction firms. A total of 512 workers drawn from six firms operating on 18 construction sites in the Western Cape province participated in the study. Twenty-seven per cent of the participants reported never having been tested for HIV. Results indicate that females (aOR = 4.45, 95% CI, 1.25-15.82), older workers (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI, 1.08-1.81), permanent workers (aOR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.11-2.50) and workers whom had previously used a condom (aOR = 1.9...

Construction Economics and Building, 2012

The focus of the cost management literature is almost exclusively on technical issues, with scant... more The focus of the cost management literature is almost exclusively on technical issues, with scant attention to its social, political and organisational dimensions. In this paper the authors document research examining the design team as a temporary management structure, with emphasis on the efficacy of the cost management system as a vehicle for attaining client objectives with respect to time, cost and quality. Soft systems methodology is used to explore the perceptions of stakeholders to the cost management system, thus developing conceptual models of the theory and practice of cost management. Significant differences were found to exist between the perceptions of individual stakeholders concerning design team participants, participants’ roles, and the very purpose of the cost management system. Recommendations are made for structural, attitudinal and procedural changes to the cost management system in order to facilitate its effective functioning in the achievement of the client’...

Management Decision, 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate the nature and extent of value management (VM) practice in... more PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate the nature and extent of value management (VM) practice in the South African manufacturing industry. It aims to explore engineers' and designers' awareness and understanding of VM and the nature and extent of the use of VM techniques within their companies.Design/methodology/approachA web‐based, online questionnaire survey is employed to establish value management practice within the manufacturing sector. Descriptive statistics are used to analyse the survey response data.FindingsThe results suggest that, while VM (and more particularly its value engineering antecedent) is generally known among engineers and designers in the manufacturing sector in South Africa, it is less widely practised. VM is seen predominantly as a cost reduction tool. This misperception, and the lack of awareness of the potential benefits of VM, must be remedied if the South African manufacturing industry is to remain competitive. The industry needs to adopt best ...

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 2008

PurposeThe main objective of this paper is to report the findings of a comparative study examinin... more PurposeThe main objective of this paper is to report the findings of a comparative study examining levels of job satisfaction of employees and employers in the quantity surveying profession in South Africa. Factors that have an impact on job satisfaction are explored. In addition, issues relating to gender at work and harassment and discrimination in the workplace are examined.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained via a web‐based, national questionnaire survey of the registered quantity surveyors. A response rate of 10 per cent was achieved. Of the 146 respondents, 43 per cent are salaried employees whilst 57 per cent are employers. Likert scales were used to measure respondent perceptions regarding factors influencing their job satisfaction, and to explore gender‐related issues at work and perceived instances of harassment and discrimination in the workplace.FindingsContrary to the published literature, employers and employees do not differ significantly in levels of job sa...

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 2014

ABSTRACT Many construction professionals experience high levels of stress. Workplace stress leads... more ABSTRACT Many construction professionals experience high levels of stress. Workplace stress leads to psychological, physiological, and sociological strain effects. Sufferers adopt different coping mechanisms in attempts to mitigate their condition. Using an online survey, opinions were sought from architects, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers in South Africa. The contribution of the research reported in this paper lies in its examination of the work stress experienced by construction professionals in a developing country characterized by economic hardship and social problems, such as inequality and crime. Most respondents experience high levels of stress at work. Architects (more than engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers) and female (more than male) professionals feel stressed. Psychological effects of workplace stress include the feeling of not being appreciated by others for a job well-done, feeling dissatisfied with one's own performance at work, and feeling tense at work. Physiological effects include disturbances to usual sleep patterns, difficulty in relaxing after hours, and difficulty in concentrating. Sociological effects include a strain on family life, social activities, and social relationships. A wide range of positive coping mechanisms (or countermeasures) is reported, including physical exercise in addition to intellectual and cultural activities. From a negative-coping perspective, consumption of alcohol is widespread, with more than one-third of respondents consuming 3-9 units/week. One in six respondents report smoking of up to 40 cigarettes/day, whereas use of narcotics (such as marijuana, cocaine, mandrax, ecstasy, heroin, and methamphetamine) at least once in the previous 12months is reported by 1 in 20. A duty-of-care ethos suggests that appropriate and carefully targeted stress-management strategies should be implemented by organizations within the construction industry. Further research is recommended to explore the effectiveness of organizational and personal stress-management interventions.