Utilisation of order processing technology for logistics process improvement in the Nigerian construction industry

Studies have shown that adoption of sustainable construction practice would result in a substantial reduction in the greenhouse emissions from the construction industry. Evolving a sustainable development practice is an emergent concern for the construction industry in both developing and developed countries. Sustainable construction is concerned with site planning and design, community, indoor air quality, energy, materials, water, commissioning and marketability for the benefit of mankind. This requires enormous efforts from all the stakeholders in the industry. Sustainable construction efforts in the Nigerian construction industry have been ineffective as a result of a number of barriers that prevent a smooth transition to sustainable construction practice in the country. The aim of this study is to assess the potential barriers that hinder effective adoption of sustainable construction practice in the Nigerian Construction Industry, with a view to exploring how these barriers can be overcome and thereby achieving sustainable construction in the country. A cross-sectional questionnaire was adopted for the survey. Purposive sampling technique was used to elicit 105 copies of questionnaires from various construction professionals based in Lagos state, Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, relative importance index and ranking. The results revealed that key barriers to sustainable construction in the Nigerian Construction Industry are poor government support for sustainable construction, lack of relevant laws and regulations to drive sustainable construction, lack of demand for sustainable construction from clients, low level of awareness of sustainable construction and fear of the cost of adopting sustainable construction. Based on the findings from this study, it was recommended that government should assume a greater role in the popularisation and application of sustainable strategy. The barriers identified and the suggestions made to minimize barriers to the adoption of sustainable construction in Nigeria should offer an enabling environment for stakeholders in construction sector to smoothly adopt sustainable construction for the benefit of humanity. Keywords: adoption, barriers, construction industry, Nigeria, sustainable construction

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been considered the “next revolution in supply chain management” (Srivastava, 2004, p. 60). Current research and development related to RFID focuses on the manufacturing and retail sectors with the aim of improving supply chain efficiency. After the manufacturing and retail sectors, health care is considered to be the next sector for RFID (Ericson, 2004). RFID technology’s potential to improve asset management in the health sector is considerable, especially with respect to asset management optimization. In fact, health expenses have increased substantially in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in recent years. In Canada, the public health budget amounted to $91.4 billion (CAD) for the year 2005–2006 compared to $79.9 billion in 2003–2004 (CIHI, 2005). Moreover, the health care industry has been the focus of intense public policy attention. In order to curb this upward trend, the public heath sector in Canada is subject to strict budget constraints. Among the different alternatives for reducing expenditures, the improvement of asset management within the different health institutions appears to be worthwhile. RFID technology seems to be a viable alternative to help hospitals effectively manage and locate medical equipment and other assets, track files, capture charges, detect and deter counterfeit products, and maintain and manage materials. In other words, health care organizations would benefit particularly from RFID applications. The main objective of this study is to investigate the potential for RFID technology within one specific supply chain in the health care sector.B ased on a field study conducted in a large nonprofit hospital, this article tests some scenarios for integrating RFID technology in the context of two warehousing activities. We will first introduce the context of the health care sector and the current applications of RFID technology in that sector. The next section presents the methodological approach that was used in the study. The research findings and their implications are then discussed. Finally, some closing remarks are made.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. RFID stands for Radiofrequency Identification. The acronym refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. RFID technology, initially explored in the 1980s, became more accessible and widely implemented by the early 2000s.Libraries Libraries have long served as essential institutions for knowledge preservation and dissemination, traditionally relying on physical resources like books and journals. RFID systems consist of tags, readers, and integrated software. The integration of RFID technology represents a significant advancement in library services, enhancing efficiency and user experience. A notable development in this area is RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, which has significantly enhanced library management and user experience. RFID technology utilizes radio waves to identify and track objects, such as library materials, automatically. The advent of digital technology has revolutionized libraries, transforming them into dynamic hubs of information and community engagement. RFID technology provides several benefits, including improved user experience, operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and optimized resource utilization. The evolution of library technology began with mechanical cataloguing systems, progressing to automated systems and Integrated Library Systems (ILS). In a library setting, RFID technology improves inventory control, self-checkout systems, and security. While challenges exist, the benefits of RFID technology in improving library operations and services are substantial. RFID technology in libraries offers significant enhancements across various operational aspects. The adoption of RFID in libraries has led to benefits such as faster inventory checks, reduced checkout times, and enhanced security against theft. This technological evolution encompasses digital cataloguing systems, online databases, e-books, and automated circulation systems, among other advancements. Self-checkout systems improve user convenience by allowing patrons to borrow materials independently. RFID also enhances security through anti-theft measures and enables real-time data collection for operational insights and personalized services.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe the costs and process of implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to manage and control the rotation of returnable transport items. Owing to the novelty of using RFID in logistics and supply chain management, in-depth case studies were conducted at two global firms in the retail industry to investigate how and why organisations implement and assess RFID technology. These case studies provide insights into how RFID benefits have been attainable in practice, and indicate that the cost of introducing RFID technology is not generally a barrier. As a result, this paper proposes an inductively derived stage model of the RFID implementation process. In this, implications for management are identified and discussed to guide managers in the process of implementing RFID technology.

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology successfully integrates radio transmitter and receiver, small size memory space and control circuitry to remotely store and retrieve data via wireless RF transceiver. As low-cost RFID tag can be massively manufactured by semiconductor industry, new applications associated with RFID technology have emerged rapidly such as inventory tracking, book storage and management, and airport baggage handling. Generally an RFID system is composed of many RFID tags (or tagged objects), at least one RFID reader, and one backend application system with database. An RFID tag gains its operation energy from query signals that are radio waves transmitted by RFID reader. Once a tag responds the query with its stored information to RFID reader, usually a unique identity number or string, the RFID system can recognize the tag carrier and perform required business logic operation. As RFID technique is widely used in supply chain management, the corresponding RFID application systems are expected to process and manage large amount of tagged objects at a predefined period of time regularly. Therefore, for large-scaled RFID applications, tag reading throughput is very critical since it will affect the total data processing time. To measure tag reading throughput of a RFID system, two performance criteria are usually adopted: tag reading delay and reader energy consumption [5]. As RFID reader and tag always communicate over a shared wireless channel, it is very easy to have signal collisions during a normal tag identification process when multiple tags exist in reader’s interrogation area. Signal collision results in query or data retransmission and eventually increases communication overhead and time delay of tag identification. Hence, an efficient tag collision arbitration mechanism is very important and critical for RFID systems to achieve effective performance. Existing RFID tag identification schemes can be classified into aloha-based solutions [3, 10, 12-13, 16, 21, 23-24] and tree-based solutions [1, 2, 4, 6-9, 14-15, 17-20, 22]. In aloha-based schemes, a reader estimates the number of tags in its interrogation area and broadcasts the total number of timeslots to each tag. Then each RFID tag randomly selects its own timeslot to transmit its ID without knowing which timeslots have been selected by other tags. By distributing tag responses to distinct timeslots instead of getting all tag responses at the same time, aloha-based schemes effectively reduce the probability of signal collision. However, aloha-based schemes have tag starvation problem in which certain tags may not

Construction industry is one of the main drivers of financial development in numerous countries not leaving out Nigeria. The industry faces a long rundown of ethics/moral difficulties identified with practices from its professionals. So therefore, the supposition study of this report demonstrated that there are basic conduct of concern with respect to unethical practices among Quantity Surveyors in Nigerian construction industry. The motivation behind this paper is to evaluate the level of unethical conduct among Quantity Surveyors by featuring most normal unethical conduct by Quantity Surveyors in their administrations conveyance in the Nigerian construction industry. Questionnaires enumerating 21 unethical practices by Quantity Surveyors which were sent to professionals in construction firms within the Nigerian construction industry to assess. Altogether, 114 legitimate reactions were investigated by mean item score and exploratory factor analysis. In view of the mean score, “Supplanting”, “Concealing of professional errors” and “Conflict of interest” are the most widely recognized unethical behaviour and conduct of Quantity Surveyors in their administrations conveyance in the investigation territory. From the aftereffects of factor analysis, six main practices were extracted, these are: Dishonesty, Insincerity, Financial mismanagement, Information leaking, Negligence, and Conflict of interest. While this study fills in as significant wellspring of reference for general learning on ethical behavior and moral conduct of Quantity surveyors in construction industry. The methodology utilized in this study can be replicated by different professionals in the construction industry like Architect, Contractors, Builders and the Engineers. This can likewise be duplicated in different areas for further studies. Moreover, further studies may utilize more techniques in gathered the information. . For this study, only questionnaire survey is utilized. Using several techniques will make the outcomes more adaptable and precise. Method such as interview, comparing data and many more can be adopted, this may explore the connections between the principal factors and their related factors. This study has given valuable data with respect to unethical conduct by Quantity Surveyors. However, the restriction is characteristic in the number of respondents in the investigation which is constrained just to the exploration zone. This study will be important wellspring of reference for general learning on ethical conduct of Quantity surveyors in Nigerian construction industry for researchers and various stakeholders in the industry. This study will be advantageous to all relevant parties that associated with the construction industry extending from those engaged with scholastic research, understudy and experts in the construction industry. The result introduced in this study give adequate confirmation and valuable pointers to illuminate a few confusions about unethical conduct in the construction industry.

7 - Intelligent apparel product cross-selling using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for fashion retailing

RFID technology and its diverse applications: A brief exposition with a proposed Machine Learning approach

Even invented and applied initially during the World War II, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technologies [1] have attracted much attention recently. Precisely speaking, RFID technologies have been applied very widely in some proprietary or closed systems, for example, animal control [2], portal control (access badges), etc. in last decades. The main advantages of RFID application are, storing item data in an electronic way even for further update, data access by electromagnetic wave in a wireless manner, and allowing quick multiple accesses to RFID tags. Based on the diverse applications, different spectrum bands are allocated, for example, LF (125 134.2 kHz and 140 148.5 kHz) for animal control, HF (13.56MHz) for electronic ticket, and UHF (868 MHz-928 MHz) for logistics, etc. Most of the frequencies are located in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands [1]. However, RFID was emphasized again mainly because of the need of supply chain [3]. By proposing a standard for the format of electronic data used for goods items, of which EPC (Electronic Product Code) [4] is an example, the products can be registered at once when they are shipped out from the factories in one country, and be released when they are checked out at the counter of a supermarket in the other country in the world. These products might have been transferred through Customs of many countries and carried by different traffic means. When being through these check points, the related data stored in the tags are updated. This is called “product tracking” and is to be carried out in an “Internet of Thing (IOT)” [5]. This Chapter is to have a review on the technology theme – how to provide low-cost RFID Tags, when RFID technology is to be applied into the logistics area where the RFID tags are supposed to be not re-usable and to be as “zero-cost” as possible. Generally speaking, there are three major parts composing a RFID Tag’s total cost, namely, antenna, chip and assembly for them. The cost of antenna, in addition to the design phase, is mainly dependent on the manufacturing process. Therefore, manufacturing process should be focused if antenna’s cost, then the tag, is concerned. This is the theme of this Chapter. Not like the other antenna applications, for example, wireless LAN or mobile phone, in which antennas need to be compliant to the end products’ appearance by following the market trend. In the tag antenna industry, on the contrary, it does not need to design or modify the tag antenna often. The tag antenna just needs to electrically match the chip used in the beginning of design. It is not necessary for tag providers to prepare a wide product spectrum in the market. Again, not like the mobile phone industry, RFID tag’s players just

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the drivers influencing the integration of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) in the Nigerian construction industry to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that shape the adoption and utilization of this transformative technology within the sector. Design/methodology/approach This objective was achieved through a quantitative research approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire to systematically gather data from various stakeholders in the Nigerian construction sector. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, alongside inferential statistical techniques like the Kruskal-Wallis H-test, the Shapiro-Wilk test and exploratory factor analysis. Findings The most highly ranked drivers for DLT within the construction industry are security and fraud resistance, traceability and transparency, government support, compliance and reporting and trust building. Further analysis unveiled five distinct factors of application areas, namely: technological and operational drivers, economic and financial drivers, regulatory and government drivers, collaborative and stakeholder drivers and environmental and sustainability drivers. Practical implications The practical implications emphasize the need for construction industry stakeholders to focus on security, transparency and trust-building when considering DLT adoption. This study also offers valuable insights for investors and technology providers seeking opportunities in the Nigerian construction sector. Originality/value This study sheds light on the factors most critical for DLT adoption in the Nigerian construction sector. Unlike previous research, this study pinpoints security and fraud resistance, along with traceability and transparency, as the most influential drivers. This highlights the Nigerian construction industry’s particular vulnerability to fraud and its emphasis on clear audit trails.

As the expanding of the production scale, the efficiency and the stability of the manufacturing line begin to dominate the key role in manufacturing industry accompany the material monitor. It is learned that effective and correct operation will save a lot of producing cost. Therefore, in this paper, a monitor and control system framework architecture based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is presented according to specific manufacturing requirement of discrete product line in China. In this system, the RFID technology is supposed to be combined with real time database and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) etc. It is applied to enhance the automation of the manufacturing with RFID technology. A case in point is the application of the framework in one clothing factory. The feedback indicates that with the help of the RFID technology based system the productivity of cloth producing has been increased. It not only provides a stable manufacturing process and an accuracy management method for producing timely, but also increases the automation level of the manufacturing line. It can be reconfigured to determine the production facility's positions automatically.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in library management system and services in Bangladesh. This study followed survey and interview methods of data collection through a structured questionnaire. The population of study was all nine libraries in Bangladesh where RFID technology has been installed. The study reveals that all nine libraries are using RFID technology, namely, anti-theft detection Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) gate, staff-work station and RFID tag. In addition to these, some of them are using kiosk, converter, level printer, book drop station, digital library assistance (DLA) and RFID smart card for entrance. The significance numbers of library users employ the RFID system and services and it is increasing gradually, but some of the RFID machines like level printer, book drop station and DLA are under-utilized because of lack of trained staff, patron’s doubt on new technology and less demand on using them in house-keeping library operation.

Hospitals represent a significant part of healthcare systems and account for no less than 60% of the entire healthcare service in most of developed countries. Therefore, improving service in hospitals is an important element to the process of healthcare reform. Better use of resources, more consistent quality, and a higher service level are the keys to rationalise the huge expenditure in healthcare systems due to higher growth in demand. Even though massive spending has been directed towards hospital improvement in Ireland, services provided in Irish hospitals are ranked relatively low comparing to the other European countries. Growth of population, aging, European Union regulations, and demanding patients place more pressure on healthcare researchers to provide innovation solutions for Irish hospitals. In the last two decades, the use of technology had a significant impact on hospital performance in terms of responsiveness, quality, and management practices. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been successfully implemented in a number of hospital systems in many developed countries. It is an emerging technology for applications such as managing and tracking patients, equipment, and drugs. Integrating RFID technology into hospital systems allows a dramatic enhancement in hospital efficiency and effectiveness measures to happen. This paper gives a comprehensive review on the up-to-date applications of RFID technology in hospital systems. It includes a classification of RFID applications at different areas of hospitals. Inclusive analysis of the impact of RFID implementation on the overall performance of the hospitals is presented. As new technology, this paper looks into the challenges and problems facing the management in employing the technology. Recommendations on potential impact of using RFID in Irish hospitals are discussed.

Modern identification procedures such as radio frequency identification (RFID) are able to provide transparency in applications including supply chain, logistics and equipment management. The benefits of visibility and fast identification provided by RFID technology especially in supply chain management (SCM) reduce the risk of counterfeiting (Gao et al., 2004). There are two mainly ways in which RFID technology supports a visible and fast identification processes: 1) RFID allows for new, automated and secure ways to efficiently authenticate physical items; and 2) As many companies invest in networked RFID technology for varying supply chain applications, the item-level data can be gathered in any case (Lehtonen et al., 2006). Despite these benefits, RFID technology is still not widely implemented. The main reasons are, firstly, the difficult are, firstly, the difficult technical aspects of implementation resulting in high setup costs, secondly, growing security and privacy concerns. Our focus in this paper is to discuss the second reason for the low take-up of RFID technology, that is, security and privacy concerns. We argue that without applying maximum security and privacy, trustworthiness between supply chain partners will be minimal. As a result, the effectiveness and collaboration of traditional supply chain environment with RFID technology cannot be achieved. Given that humans cannot read the RFID tags on items and the tags themselves maintain no history of past readings, the challenge of security and privacy in this technology is related to the nature of RFID tags and their functionality (Juels, 2005). A retailer inventory that is labeled with unprotected tags may be monitored and read by unauthorised readers. The inventory data holds significant financial value for commercial organisations and their competitors. Once data has been accessed by unauthorised users, it can be cloned on empty tags, giving rise to the counterfeiting issue. Counterfeiting in the form of cloned or fraudulent RFID tags is the consequence of a lack of security measures and trustworthiness among the supply chain partners when RFID technology is used to automate their business transactions. Privacy violations stem from the fact that when goods are tagged, the manufacturers, retailers and consumers will be able to track the goods beyond point-of-sale (POS) because they have associated data. Even if the tags only contain product codes rather than unique serial numbers, a consumer’s taste in brands “constellation” can betray their identity.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has ushered in a new era of technological advancements that are transforming industries worldwide. One such technology that is revolutionizing the construction industry is mechatronics, which has the propensity to enhance the operations, activities, productivity and efficiency of the sector’s activities. Despite the numerous advantages of mechatronic technologies, their successful implementation in the context of developing countries poses unique challenges and considerations. Therefore, this study seeks to identify and evaluate the critical success factors (CSFs) for mechatronics implementation in architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) projects. Existing CSFs were extracted from extant studies, which helped formulate the questionnaire disseminated to 372 construction professionals in Nigeria, including architects, builders, quantity surveyors, and engineers (mechanical, civil, electrical). The methodology also employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which facilitated the identification of key themes within the data. Through this application, six clusters of CSFs were revealed: organizational factors, financial considerations, technological aspects, collaboration and knowledge sharing, regulatory and policy factors, and sustainability and environmental considerations. From a theoretical perspective, the identified clusters of critical success factors provide a comprehensive framework that encompasses various dimensions of successful mechatronics adoption in the Nigerian construction industry. This study advances scientific knowledge on CSFs for the adoption of mechatronic technologies in the Nigerian construction industry, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors that drive successful implementation. For policymakers, this study’s findings will be invaluable in shaping supportive policies and strategies that foster the widespread adoption of mechatronics in the construction sector.