Assignment Sample on Research Designs and Methods
Title
Challenges faced by the Laborers of the Construction Industry: A study on the United Kingdom
Rationale
Context and Professional setting
The output of the UK construction industry increased by 8.2% in May 2020 compared to that of April 2020. In monetary terms, the value of this output was around £626 Million. The key reason behind this has been identified to be increasing demand within the construction sector. The industry that undertakes public housing repair and maintenance operations witnessed a fall of 9.5 %, and other public networks fell by 2.7 %. On a financial basis, these losses amounted to up to £33 Million and £17 Million (Allcoat, 2020). The construction industry has been identified as one of the major contributors to the UK economy.
The industry employs around 3.1 million people in the United Kingdom, which comprises 9% of the entire human workforce. Job creation within the industry has been the fastest ever since March 2019 (Allcoat, 2020). The construction activities have regained their potential and are growing at the quickest pace, especially within the private sector of the UK. The practical setting of the study revolves around the challenges faced by labor within the UK construction industry. There are a variety of challenges that have to be confronted by these rivers that often go unaddressed with the impact on the sector’s output.
Literature Review
As per the views of Aboagye-Nimo et. al. (2019), lack of productivity is one of the major challenges faced by the UK’s construction industry for a very long time. The level of productivity has remained stagnant for the past few decades. This marketplace is highly saturated in the current scenario. Competition has been identified as the major factor that contributes to the saturation of the UK construction industry. While undertaking a big construction project, more than half of the labor time is wasted in waiting for materials, equipment, break, traveling to the site, and other works that are associated with the activities. This has also led to shrinkage of margins within the industry and stagnation of productivity without generating any appreciable profit level.
On the other hand, Hossain et. al. (2020) argued that laborers also have to face a lack of communication. Any problem or issue that is being met within the construction industry happens due to any mistake or error within the communication. It is suggested that effective communication should be undertaken among the project stakeholders on a consistent basis. The laborers are presently functioning within the error where they can get hold of a lot of methods and platforms that can streamline the communication.
Justification and Case for the Research
The present research is needed because the challenges within the construction industry are never investigated from the viewpoint of the laborers. Thereby, it is very important to undertake this investigation so as to get clarity about the challenges within the construction industry of the UK in reference to the problems faced by the labor. This will also enable future researchers or readers to expand their perspectives and try to undertake viewpoints from all angles (Ozerand Piatt, 2017).
It is necessary to undertake this study within the present time because, as highlighted above, the construction industry of the UK is expanding at a faster Pace. If that growth has to be maintained, effective advancements will have to be brought. Advancement in technology can only be inculcated when the laborers, which comprise almost the entire workforce of the industry, are satisfied.
Potential, Value, and Impact of the Research
The value and importance of the present research would be very high for those functioning within the UK’s construction industry. These entities might be contractors, laborers, house builders, Architects, or any other stakeholder associated with the same. The impact of the researcher will be that this study would provide high clarity to all these entities and expand their perspective while undertaking challenges faced within the industry and inculcate the viewpoint of laborers.
Research Focus
Aim: To study the challenges faced by the laborers within the construction industry of the United Kingdom.
Objectives:
- To review the challenges faced by laborers within the construction industry.
- To identify the relationship between challenges faced by the laborers and the UK construction industry.
- To sample the laborers and HR Managers of the UK construction industry in order to gain clarity over the challenges.
- To rationalize the level of difficulty that the laborers are undertaking.
- To synthesize recommendations for resolving the challenges faced by laborers within the construction industry of the UK.
Research Design
Theoretical basis of research design
Within the present study, descriptive Research Design will be used to systematically and accurately describe a particular situation, population, or phenomenon. Using a descriptive Research Design, the researcher can employ a wide variety of methods for investigating the variables of the research topic. It can also answer questions that start with where, when, how, and what but is incapable of answering those questions that commence with why. Descriptive studies are highly easy, quick, and cheap to conduct (Snyder, 2019). This is so because a high level of exposure towards data can be undertaken at any level. The researcher can prove your immense amount of information as and when needed.
The laborers of the construction industry are facing few issues that could be found out by using social interaction as a tool. In addition to this, the construction workers also face a lot of problems related to hangout and well-being. As per objectivism, the workers are required to perform a certain task by catering to the rules and regulations even when they do not get paid adequately. The UK construction industry is currently within its disruptive technology phase and is on the way to adapt innovative technologies.
Within the ontological consideration, the research would be based on objectivism that will enable the research tool to find out the issues the laborers are facing. For completing the results in the desired manner, the researcher must undertake its epistemological considerations (Mohajan, 2018). In the present study, qualitative interviews and surveys and the quantitative literature review will be conducted.
Indications of Methodological Approach
The research would be completed using mixed methods of primary and secondary data collection. Research methods are a very important element when it comes to developing proposals because they display the road map. Mixed methods are usually referred to as a research methodology that includes primary and secondary data and gives equal importance to them (Zangirolami-Raimundo et. al. 2018).
Data Collections and Analysis Methods
Within the present study, primary data will be collected by questionnaires. Close-ended questionnaires will be asked from the ten laborers, whereas open-ended questionnaires will undertake the perspective of 3 HR managers of different construction companies in the UK. In addition to this, the secondary data collection will be done by reflecting upon the contents of relevant journals and books.
Ethical Issues
Ethical considerations that would be undertaken within the present study are as follows:
Involvement of Vulnerable Participant Group: the primary data would be collected from the HR managers and laborers working within the UK construction industry. They are vulnerable participants who grow within the present study because their personal information is disseminated. Their authorities can impose the negative implications for answering what is expected of them.
Informed Consent: while taking interviews or service the purpose of the study and the weight is going to impact the UK construction industry will be disseminated to the participants so that they are aware of the ways in which their data would be used and how it will impact society on a larger level.
Anonymity: as mentioned above, it is essential to protect the participants’ identity to avoid any negative implications that may come along (Navalta et. al. 2019).
If the researcher encounters any ethical issues, they will be mitigated by taking guidance from the authorities at the University and following the suitable path in the best way. This is so because the professors are experienced professionals and have ample knowledge to restrict the researcher from undertaking any action that may backfire.
Workplan and Research Timetable
Timeline
| Activities to be completed / Timeline | 1-2 Week | 3-4 Week | 5-6 Week | 7-8 Week | 9-10 Week | 11-12 Week | 13-14 Week | 15-16 Week | 17-18 Week |
| Developing an Outline of the background of the study | |||||||||
| Conducting an extensive literature review for supporting the research | |||||||||
| Collecting primary data through the survey and interview | |||||||||
| Analyzing the data obtained from both the sources and deriving results | |||||||||
| Final Evaluation and Interpretation of the results obtained. | |||||||||
| Development of effective recommendations for solving the issues encountered by the laborers of the UK Construction industry | |||||||||
| Submitting the 1st Draft of the study | |||||||||
| Integrating the Changes suggested by the professor | |||||||||
| Submitting the final study |
Explanation
The Gantt chart displays the activities that have to be completed in reference to the timeline that ranges up to 18 weeks to stop their activities comments from developing an outline of the background of the study and end up at submitting the final research when calculating the changes suggested by the professor. The fourth activity, which involves analyzing data obtained from both the sources and driving results, would be carried out by putting into use a strategy for effective data analysis. It would take around 3 to 4 weeks to complete this because the researcher would have to undertake viewpoints from primary and secondary data sources to complete this action.
Developing effective recommendations for solving the issues encountered by the laborer of the UK construction industry will involve developing a plan aimed at resolving the problems of the laborer. They comprise almost the entire workforce of the industry and suffer from a lot of issues that prohibit them from working up to their fullest potential with motivation. This will enable all the major construction companies of the UK to analyze the way in which they treat their laborers and improve their working conditions for driving more productivity and growth to the business operations.
References
Books and Journals
Hossain, M. U., Ng, S. T., Antwi-Afari, P., and Amor, B. (2020). Circular economy and the construction industry: Existing trends, challenges and prospective framework for sustainable construction. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 130, 109948.
Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23-48.
Navalta, J. W., Stone, W. J., and Lyons, T. S. (2019). Ethical issues relating to scientific discovery in exercise science. International Journal of Exercise Science, 12(1), 1.
Ozer, E. J., and Piatt, A. A. (2017). Adolescent Participation in Research: Innovation, rationale and next steps.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333-339.
Zangirolami-Raimundo, J., Echeimberg, J. D. O., and Leone, C. (2018). Research methodology topics: Cross-sectional studies. Journal of Human Growth and Development, 28(3), 356-360.
Online
Allcoat, J. (2020). Construction output in Great Britain: May 2020. [Online] Available Through <https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/bulletins/constructionoutputingreatbritain/may2020#:~:text=Construction%20output%20grew%20by%208.2,%25%20(%C2%A317%20million)> [Accessed on 25th April 2021]
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