Construction is a labour-intensive industry. As poor productivity of construction labour is one of the causes of cost and time overruns in construction projects, it is of critical importance to the performance and profitability of construction projects and the overall economy of any country. This paper aimed to identify and rank factors affecting construction labour productivity in Yemen. A survey questionnaire was structured and distributed to architectural and structural engineers who were working on construction projects. The questionnaire included 52 predefined factors, which were categorized into four primary groups: human/labour, management, technical and technological, and external. The relative importance index (RII) was determined and the factors were ranked. The results showed that the group of technical and technological factors ranked first among the four groups. The top five factors identified were the most significant in their effect on construction labour productivity in Yemen: (1) labour's experience and skills, (2) availability of materials in site, (3) leadership and efficiency in site management, (4) availability of materials in the market, and (5) political and security situation. The findings of this study will provide awareness and a better understanding of factors affecting labour productivity in construction projects in Yemen.

The construction industry is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, since it directly and indirectly contributes to several other industries. It has been observed that delays in the decision making of important stakeholders negatively impact construction projects. Thus, this has multiple consequences on project performance. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to identify the primary causes of delayed decision-making and offer a decision support model for timely construction project decisions. For factor identification, a comprehensive literature analysis was conducted, followed by an analysis of questionnaire responses of ninety-one professionals. For data analysis, the relative importance index (RII) method was applied. The results indicate that client decision-making delays pose a substantial obstacle for building projects. The early decision-making process is impacted by a lack of technical competence, incomplete paperwork, poor leadership, and coordination/communication issues. The proposed model could also assist project practitioners in improving their project decision making. This research study encourages stakeholders to create and implement an efficient decision-making procedure for timely project decisions. A procedure for decision making that is successful could decrease delays in the decision-making process and prevent conflicts and disputes in projects.

Hyderabad’s recreational amenities have made limited progress in comparison to the development of its industrial and commercial sectors. People require parks to unwind from their hectic lives. Parks can be a healthy location to host social events and can enhance community bonds. The evaluation of park accessibility has not been considered over the years in Hyderabad. Hyderabad is the eighth largest settlement in Pakistan and the second largest in the Sindh province. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the spatial accessibility of the urban parks situated in the city’s distinct locations. The spatial distribution of parks throughout the city was determined in this research. This study evaluated how accessible urban parks are to users by conducting a buffer analysis with ArcGIS-10.8. The questionnaire survey was conducted to record the participants’ opinions about the existing conditions of the parks with a sample size of 400. There was a total of 28 inaccessible urban parks found in Hyderabad. The total facility coverage was decided to be 0.80%. This value is extremely low as per local standards. Therefore, this study recommends the planned development of 40–45 parks to reach the standard level of 18% of the park coverage area. This study suggests that government officials should take pivotal measures to better maintain parks. This research is significant in the advanced modern world because natural areas, such as parks, can offer social and psychological benefits to society. The accessibility of parks is essential for the prosperity of citizens and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The findings of this research may contribute to SDGs 3 and 11, i.e., good health and well-being and sustainable cities and communities.

Prefabricated construction is being pursued globally as a critically important sustainable construction technology. Prefabricated construction technology (PCT) provides opportunities to effectively manage construction waste and offers venues to address the poor productivity and lackluster performance of construction projects, which are often expected to miss their budget and schedule constraints. Despite the significant benefits inherent in the adoption of PCT, research has shown an unimpressive exploitation of this technology in the building sector. A modified version of the popular technology acceptance model (TAM) was used to understand Pakistan’s building construction industry stakeholder’s acceptance of PCT and the factors that influence its usage. Data were collected from 250 building construction experts in the industry to test the hypotheses derived from the proposed model. Data analysis using covariance-based structural equation modeling revealed that construction industry stakeholders’ perceptions of perceived ease-of-use, perceived usefulness, trust, and satisfaction all strongly influenced PCT acceptance behavior. Moreover, results also confirmed the total direct and indirect effects of the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use of behavioral intention toward using PCT, with trust and user satisfaction as mediators. The results of this research are expected to serve as a guide for the construction industry stakeholders to effectively plan, strategize, encourage, and increase the adoption of PCT to achieve sustainable construction outcomes in the building construction sector.

In the last few years, the fields of management, social psychology, and business operations have all paid a large amount of attention to the academic idea of job satisfaction. This paper looks at more than a decade of research into what makes people happy at work and what happens to them as a result. Companies have started to realize that their employees are their most valuable asset in this time of rapid change. There is no specific model of the job satisfaction of construction workers in developing countries. Thus, this paper evaluates the different job satisfaction models and also proposes an integrated job satisfaction model for construction industry workers. The data were collected from experts in the construction industry using a questionnaire survey and almost 290 experts participated in this research to assist in the development of the model. The data were analyzed using SPSS. The model was developed and validated using Smart PLS. Eight key aspects were found to be very important to improving the job satisfaction of construction workers in developing countries. Job compensation packages given to construction workers, work–life balance, career growth, and job security are the top key features investigated in this study. It is concluded that satisfied and motivated employees are imperative for the construction business, and that this is also a key factor that separates successful companies from others. The findings of this paper contribute to UN-SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and UN-SDG 9 “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure”.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, unveiled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 25 April 2016, aims to diversify the economy beyond oil dependency and engender robust foreign direct investment (FDI). This research investigates the primary economic challenges impeding foreign investors from entering the Saudi market and devises effective strategies to sustain FDI inflows. The study employs a comprehensive methodology, including an extensive literature review spanning from 2016 to 2023, supported by quantitative statistical analysis using a Multiple Linear Regression Model and qualitative insights derived from Delphi interviews with industry experts. The study’s outcomes reveal a significant disparity between the targeted FDI growth from 3.8% to 5.7% of GDP and the existing trajectory, highlighting pressing economic challenges that require immediate attention. Key findings indicate that factors such as population growth, government spending, and trade openness significantly influence FDI dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the positive impact of investment protection agreements. The integration of qualitative methodologies further elucidates the importance of robust legal frameworks and regulatory reforms in fostering an investor-friendly environment. Overall, this research provides strategic recommendations for improving the investment landscape in Saudi Arabia, aligning with the broader goals of Vision 2030, and enhancing the country’s attractiveness as a global investment destination. The commitment to fostering a conducive investment ecosystem serves as a pivotal mechanism for driving economic growth and achieving sustainable development goals within the Kingdom.