Sustainable Improvement in Infrastructure Development in Developing Countries: Which way forward?

Editorial June 2023

Abstract

Infrastructure development remains a key driver for improved productivity and economic growth globally, especially in developing countries. However, this encounters significant setbacks; hence, the United Nations has set relevant sustainable development goals. This may explain why the authors of the articles in this regular issue focus on construction tender price inflation, lean construction techniques, Crystalline Silica Dust, Sustainable Construction Transition (SCT) Policy, and building contract administration, demonstrating the challenges that infrastructure development globally faces but with a focus on developing countries. They argue that these challenges must be addressed for a sustainable improvement in infrastructure development in developing countries. For example, one of the authors (Musa et al. 2023) argues that a better understanding of the level of awareness and barriers to lean construction techniques in countries such as Nigeria will contribute to sustainable infrastructure development. However, the problems that developing countries face, including establishing a functional regulatory system that will facilitate such ambition, have been found to be complex by authors, for example, Umeokafor (2017). The question remains: 'Which way forward? How do developing countries ensure and sustain the development of their infrastructure? While the authors in this issue attempt to answer this question, they also highlight areas that require more attention for pragmatic and robust solutions.

Welcome to the eleventh issue of the Journal of Construction Business and Management and the collection of five articles by 18 authors from Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia. Following this introduction is the discussion of the papers, followed by the conclusion.