Construction Projects in Saudi Arabia - Assignment Example

Describe the number of participants and important characteristics (such as age, gender, location, affiliation, level of fitness, intellectual ability etc.). Specify any inclusion/exclusion criteria to be used.

Participants of the proposed study include the employees of the construction companies from public as well private sector of Saudi Arabia. Employees’ designation include as chief executive, general manager, consultant and technical employees. Employees other than technical staff who have no knowledge about the pros and cons of the construction projects, project delays and mitigation strategies will be excluded. Because, Saudi Arabia is a Islamic Kingdom and construction teams recruit the male, so participants’ gender will be male. Proposed study will focus main 8-10 construction companies from Riyadh and its surrounding areas. Questionnaire will be distributed among 5 to 8 employees from each of the organization. An employee who is affiliated with the construction projects within an organization and aged more than 20 years will be the possible participants of the study.

• RECRUITMENT

Please state clearly how the participants will be identified, approached and recruited. Include any relationship between the investigator(s) and participant(s) (e.g. instructor-student).

Note: Attach a copy of any poster(s), advertisement(s) or letter(s) to be used for recruitment.

Participants are identified from their organizations. Every construction organization in Saudi Arabia has its legal status and established offices in Riyadh. Personally the management of the construction teams will be approached and informed them about proposed study’s purposes and its possible outcomes.

• CONSENT

a) Describe the process that the investigator(s) will be using to obtain valid consent. If consent is not to be obtained explain why. If the participants are minors (children) or for other reasons are not competent to consent, describe the proposed alternate source of consent, including any permission / information letter to be provided to the person(s) providing the consent.

A participation information sheet containing the research project purposes, name of university of Birmingham, contact information (University telephone number and email address) will be submitted to the office of the participants’ organization. Intention behind this sheet is to seek the prior consent of the organizations’ managements. Personal visits will be made to ensure the consent of the participants.

Note: Attach a copy of the Participant Information Sheet, the Consent Form, the content of any interview script (if applicable) and any other material that will be used in the consent process.

b) Will the participants be deceived in any way about the purpose of the study?Yes No

If yes, please describe the nature and extent of the deception involved. Include how and when the deception will be revealed, and who will administer this feedback.

Neither management nor any other employees of the target organization will be deceived. Nothing will be kept secret about purposes of the proposed study.

• PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK

Explain what feedback/ information will be provided to the participants after participation in the research. (For example, a more complete description of the purpose of the research, or access to the results of the research).

Purposes of the study will be given in the printed form to the management of target organizations. However, results of the study will be offered to the participants when the project is online. A link should be sent to the office of the every organization, so they can access and see the actual outcomes of the proposed study.

• PARTICIPANT WITHDRAWAL

a) Describe how the participants will be informed of their right to withdraw from the project.

Typically this would be done through the Information Sheet or verbally at the start of an interview.

A participant can withdraw from the participation to fill the questionnaire through the information sheet. Participants can verbally withdraw from their participation.

b) Explain any consequences for the participant of withdrawing from the study and indicate what will be done with the participant’s data if they withdraw.

Every participant is given option to withdraw from study. Every participant will be informed that provided information will not be disclosed to any third party. However, data cannot be withdrawn when a participant has filled the questionnaire forms.

• COMPENSATION

Will participants receive compensation for participation?

i) Financial(i.e. payment)Yes No

ii) Non-financial(i.e. gifts or other inducements)Yes No

If Yes to either i) or ii) above, please provide details.

Nothing will be given to any participant as financial compensation or non-financial compensation.

If participants choose to withdraw, how will you deal with compensation?

Because, it is a student project and no participant expects its compensation or gift.

• CONFIDENTIALITY

a)Will all participants be anonymous?Yes No

b)Will all data be treated as confidential?Yes No

Note: Participants’ identity/data will be confidential if an assigned ID code or number is used, but it will not be anonymous. Anonymous data cannot be traced back to an individual participant.

Describe the procedures to be used to ensure anonymity of participants and/or confidentiality of data both during the conduct of the research and in the release of its findings.

A participant is only identified by the designation. However, a code number will be given to every participant’s questionnaire. No other information about participant (name, employee number and contact number) is required. All information of a participant will be kept confidential.

If participant anonymity or confidentiality is not appropriate to this research project, explain, providing details of how all participants will be advised of the fact that data will not be anonymous or confidential.

Only the code mark on each of the questionnaire form will lead towards the identification of the participants. However, this code mark will not be disclosed to any other person.

• STORAGE, ACCESS AND DISPOSAL OF DATA

Describe what research data will be stored, where, for what period of time, the measures that will be put in place to ensure security of the data, who will have access to the data, and the method and timing of disposal of the data.

Data collected from participant is responsibly stored. Data collected from participants should be kept password protected, encrypted. Data taken from participants will be not stored online. All data collected from participants is disposed of and finished after it is analysed. However, traceability and verification requirements are noted as given in the guidelines.

• ARE ANY OTHER APPROVALS REQUIRED?

e.g. Criminal Records (DBS) checks, Animal or Medical information approval or Company approval for commercially confidential information

YES

NO

If yes, please specify whose approval is required and how this will be obtained.

No accidental or dispute record will be required from participants. Technical information pertaining to delay causes in construction projects and strategies used for mitigation of delays in construction projects are asked from participants.

• RISKS

a) Outline any potential risks to INDIVIDUALS, including research staff, research participants, other individuals not involved in the research and the measures that will be taken to minimise any risks and the procedures to be adopted in the event of mishap

A semi-structured questionnaire with close ended does not have any risk for participants of the research. Nothing will be asked about the lapse made by the target construction companies. No participants is expected to have any concerns from this questionnaire, because some of the employees fear of the answering the questions made about their organization. Prior permission of the organizations’ management will be ensured.

b) Outline any potential risks to THE ENVIRONMENT and/or SOCIETY and the measures that will be taken to minimise any risks and the procedures to be adopted in the event of mishap.

Because, participants have to fill the questionnaire form and no extra labour work that endangers the lives of the people who are directly or indirectly involved in the project work is assigned to participants.

• ARE THERE ANY OTHER ETHICAL ISSUES RAISED BY THE RESEARCH?

Yes No

If yes, please specify

No other ethical issues have been raised by the research. Unethical conduct from owners of the construction companies may create concerns for the researchers during the conduct of the research. However, this concern can be overcome by visiting the offices of the target companies. If someone is not agreed with the researchers, he should be convinced about the advantages of current research’s outcomes.

• CHECKLIST

Please mark if the study involves any of the following:

• Vulnerable groups, such as children and young people aged under 18 years, those with learning disability, or cognitive impairments (No)

• Research that induces or results in or causes anxiety, stress, pain or physical discomfort, or poses a risk of harm to participants (which is more than is expected from everyday life) (No)

• Risk to the personal safety of the researcher (No)

• Deception or research that is conducted without full and informed consent of the participants at time study is carried out (No)

• Administration of a chemical agent or vaccines or other substances (including vitamins or food substances) to human participants. (No)

• Production and/or use of genetically modified plants or microbes (No)

• Results that may have an adverse impact on the environment or food safety (No)

• Results that may be used to develop chemical or biological weapons(No)

Please check that the following documents are attached to your application.

ATTACHED

NOT APPLICABLE

Recruitment advertisement

Participant information sheet

Consent form

Questionnaire

Interview Schedule/Questions/Script

• DECLARATION BY APPLICANTS

I submit this application on the basis that the information it contains is confidential and will be used by the

for the purposes of ethical review and monitoring of the research project described

herein, and to satisfy reporting requirements to regulatory bodies. The information will not be used for any

other purpose without my prior consent.

I declare that:

• The information in this form together with any accompanying information is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and I take full responsibility for it.
• I undertake to abide by University Code of Practice for Research (http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/legislation/docs/COP_Research.pdf) alongside any other relevant professional bodies’ codes of conduct and/or ethical guidelines.
• I will report any changes affecting the ethical aspects of the project to the module coordinator.
• I will report any adverse or unforeseen events which occur to the module coordinator.

Name of student:

Date:

Please now save your completed form, print a copy for your records, and then email a copy to the module co-ordinator for approval. As noted above, please do not submit a paper copy.