Evaluation of Socially Responsible Practices for Preventing Housing Project Challenges in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose - Housing represents one of the most basic needs of man therefore considering the number of deficit housing units which stands at over 23 million, the need increase supply becomes most imperative. To ensure effective and efficient delivery of housing, socially responsible practices can be employed in housing production to prevent challenges, hence the purpose of the study was to explore socially responsible practices adopted by construction firms for preventing challenges in housing projects, which will consequently enhance housing production.

Design/methodology/approach - The study adopted the descriptive research design, quantitative design method, case study research strategy and cross-sectional time horizon. The study collated variables and afterwards sampled opinions of construction professionals’, ‘as respondents’ in four construction firms in Abuja, Nigeria, so as to provide information on application of socially responsible practices in housing projects. The data analysis tools adopted were Mean Rating and Kruskal Wallis Test. A part of the 138 professionals sampled, ranked these practices afterwards.

Findings - The study revealed the five key practices in preventing housing project challenges to be: generating profit; managing projects within the confines of the law; ensuring an environmentally friendly project; community service/development and payment of taxes when due.

Research Limitations – The research limitations were three-fold being: difficulty in gaining access into some large construction firms for data collection; the inability to view some vital documents which would have provided more insight into CSR practices in the case studies, as the documents were termed ‘classified’; and the difficulty in interfacing with respondents as the research was conducted during the COVID 19 pandemic which had financial and time implications.

Theoretical/Social/Practical implications – The findings of the study further indicate that socially responsible practices are multiple and vary from one project phase to another. Inability to effectively utilize these practices in a housing project life cycle suggests cost and time implications which can derail or lead to project abandonment. Construction participants need to effectively and efficiently integrate these practices in housing project execution to ensure stakeholder and shareholder satisfaction. 

Originality/value - More than ever, there is need to distinctly categorize socially responsible practices into economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibility respectively in housing project service delivery and consider project peculiarities while adopting these practices. Furthermore, applying these practices constructively and logically suggests great potentials in preventing housing project challenges.