Industrial and work futures research

Researchers in the industrial and work futures research cluster believe that sustainable development can’t be achieved without reforming industrial and work environments. Moving toward the sustainable future built environment and the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the industrial and future work environments.

Technologies like smart mobile devices, 3D printing, sensors, cognitive computing and the internet of things (IoT) are changing the way companies design, manufacture and deliver products and services. In parallel, digital disruption and social networking have changed the way organisations operate, hire, manage and support their workforce. However, the industrial and future work environment goes beyond technology-driven change; it also supports organisations to optimise their operation without undermining sustainable development.

Research in industrial and future work environments creates an opportunity to harness converging technologies to create healthier, safer, more inclusive and human-centred work environments, in particular for the New Zealand construction industry.

Previous successful funding included:

  • 2020 AUT Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies Contestable Research Fund. $10,000 for the project “Development of a portable and low-cost Artificial Intelligence-aided tool to facilitate ergonomic lifting training”
  • BRANZ 2019/2020 Building Research Levy Prospectus. $130,000 for the project “Are You Ready to be monitored at work? – A Study of Real–time Monitoring Technology Adoption in New Zealand”
  • National Science Challenge 11 Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities | Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamāhorahora – Industry Research Area. $970,000
  • 2018-2019 Regional governmental funding for developing an app to find and select innovative suppliers. RGA – Hanze University together with the company InnovatieSpotter. Equivalent of NZD$80,000
  • 2013-2016 Research programme on procurement in SMEs. Dutch Procurement Association NEVI; Hanze University in collaboration with Windesheim University. Equivalent of NZD$300,000
  • Md ElDeeb and Thein Zaw Ko, research assistants and Master of Engineering Project Management graduates. Literature review on procurement models for growth-oriented SMEs and startups. Supervisor: Dr Anne Staal.
  • Md ElDeeb, Master of Engineering Project Management. Sustainable Procurement QuickScan for SMEs. Supervisor: Dr Anne Staal.
  • Thein Zaw Ko, Master of Engineering Project Management. How to select innovative suppliers in manufacturing. Supervisor: Dr Anne Staal.
  • Liz McGill, prospective PhD student. Procurement maturity model for scale up SMEs – how to align the supply chain with the company’s growth ambitions.
  • Kim Veldhuizen & Laura Veeken, master’s degree students at Hanze University, Netherlands. Aligning sustainable procurement in SMEs with the help of the Business Model Canvas. Supervisors: Dr Anne Staal, AUT, and Rene Bergsma, Hanze.
  • Paula Haluskova, master’s degree student at Hanze University, Netherlands. Analyse ISO 20400 uptake in Europe, or suggest quickscans for SMEs that facilitate ISO 20400 procurement tools. Supervisors: Dr Anne Staal, AUT, and Dr A Mehrtens, Hanze.
  • Maryse Fahmi, Master of Construction Management. Key interactions of Safety Egress in Early Architecture Design in Hospitals. Supervisor: Dr Mahesh Babu.
  • Haau Ching Wong, Master of Construction Management. Legislative Improvement in Construction Health and Safety in New Zealand. Supervisor: Dr Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Simon J Barber, Master of Construction Management. Not cut and paste: Understanding Key
  • Health and Safety Processes. Supervisor: Dr Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Patrick Mabvurira, Master of Engineering Project Management. A Systematic Approach to Applying Aviation Safety Principles to Mitigate Failures in Engineering Projects in New Zealand. Supervisor: Dr Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Nikil Jakob George, Master of Construction Management. Impact of Work Stress on the Mental Wellbeing of Workers in Construction Sites in New Zealand. Supervisor: Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Goldis Abdolmaleki, PhD. Development of retention strategies for New Zealand construction professionals. Supervisor: Dr Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Anish Uday Sule, Master of Construction Management. Life Cycle Management for Procurement of Construction Project. Supervisor: Dr Nariman Ghodrati.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J. (2020, November). A critical review of the system-wide in the construction industry: Paper presented at Imaginable Futures: Design Thinking, and the Scientific Method -The 54th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) 2020, Virtual Conference, 26 & 27 November 2020, Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Kumar.S. (2020, November) Environment, Resource and Surroundings (ERS) based Dynamic Project Schedule Model for the Road Construction Industry in New Zealand (NZ): Paper presented at Imaginable Futures: Design Thinking, and the Scientific Method-The 54th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) 2020, Virtual Conference, 26 & 27 November 2020, Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2020, August). Waste reduction using lean tools in a multicultural environment Journal of Cleaner Production (2020): Volume 265, 121681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121681.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2019, March). Improving productivity and staff wellbeing at a manufacturing facility in India using integrated lean and humans factors/ergonomics: paper presented. ICEMSO 2019: 21st International Conference on Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Operations, Sydney, Australia ,28 - 29 Mar 2019.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2017, November). A critical review of the organisational waste in the construction industry: Paper presented at the 5th annual series of the New Zealand Built Environment Research Symposium (NZBERS) Oct -2017, AUT- Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2017, September). Improving productivity and staff well-being at a manufacturing facility in India using integrated Lean and HFE principles:  Paper Presented at HFESNZ conference September -2017, Wellington, New Zealand.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2017, September). Stress reduction through digital technology in manufacturing: poster presented at AUT post graduate research symposium, Auckland, 17 Aug 2017 - 18 Aug 2017. AUT university. 17 Aug 2017.
  • Mahesh Babu, P., Seadon, J., & Moore, D. (2017, May). Stress reduction through digital technology in manufacturing. Poster presented at MaD for the Future 2017: A National Conference for Innovation in Manufacturing and Design, Auckland, New Zealand.
  • Mahesh Babu, P. (2016, April). E ­ Receiving: Concept to Use Cyber Space & Wave Frequency Technologies. Paper presented at ICDAMS: Paper #279 - Saveetha University Conference Proceedings, 2nd International Conference on Design, Analysis, Manufacturing & Simulation, Chennai, India.
  • Rotimi, F. E., Tookey, J., & Rotimi, J. O. (2015). Evaluating defect reporting in new residential buildings in New Zealand. Buildings, 5(1), 39-55.
  • Rotimi, F. E., Tookey, J. E., & Rotimi, J. O. B. (2015). Homeowners and developers relationships: exploring the cordiality factor. Structural Survey.
  • Tagiilima, J. & Rotimi F. E. (2018). Analysing building compliance reports: A New Zealand study. Australasian Universities Building Education Association (AUBEA) Conference, Singapore 26-28 September. Pp. 38-47
  • Tagiilima, J. & Rotimi F. E. (2020). Reasons for failures in inspection reports for residential builds. In proceedings of the ASEA-SEC-5 Conference on Emerging Technologies and Sustainability Principles in Structural Engineering and Construction, Christchurch, New Zealand. 30 Nov - 3 Dec. Pp. CON-29-1- CON-29-6.
  • Staal A, Allen B, Boersma M, Naismith N. Submission for the NZ Productivity Commission on frontier firms: The need for NZ frontier firms to manage relations with their innovative supply base. 05 Feb 2021. New Zealand Productivity Commission (Working Paper/Discussion)
  • Staal A, Naismith N, Allen B, Boersma M. Digital innovation and sustainable procurement tools for New Zealand SMEs 04 Dec 2020 (Working Paper/Discussion)
  • .Hagelaar G, Staal A, Holman R, Walhof G. (2015). The Nature of Embedded Purchasing Activities in SMEs – Results from a Dutch Multiple Case Study International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA), Amsterdam,
  • Staal, A., Hagelaar, G., Walhof, G., & Holman, R. (2016). Developing Risk-Based Procurement Management Tools for SMEs. Presented at ACERE 2016, QUT, Brisbane, Australia.
  • Staal, A., Tookey, J., Seadon, J., Mobach, M., & Walhof, G. (2015). How Innovative New Zealand firms Procure Technical Innovations for the Construction Industry: A Literature Review. Presented at USE 2015, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands.
  • Staal, A. A. G. (2019). Managing Innovative Suppliers: Exploring Company, Procurement, and Performance Variables in New Zealand Construction Supply Chains (Doctoral dissertation, Auckland University of Technology).
  • Ghodrati, N., Wing Yiu, T., Wilkinson, S., & Shahbazpour, M. (2018). Role of Management Strategies in Improving Labour Productivity in General Construction Projects in New Zealand: Managerial Perspective. Journal of Management in Engineering, 34(6). doi:10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000641
  • Ghodrati, N., Yiu, T. W., & Wilkinson, S. (2018). Unintended consequences of management strategies for improving labour productivity in construction industry. Journal of Safety Research, 67(December), 107-116. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2018.09.001
  • Ghodrati, N., Yiu, T. W., Wilkinson, S., & Shahbazpour, M. (2018). A new approach to predict safety outcomes in the construction industry. Safety Science, 109. doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2018.05.016
  • Wilkinson, S., Tookey, J., Potangaroa, R., MacGregor, C., Milicich, M., Ghodrati, N., Adafin, J., Stocchero, A. & Bayne, K. (2017). Transforming the building industry: State of Nation knowledge report. Working Paper for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities, Strategic Area 6: Transforming the Building Industry, pgs 106. Wellington: BBHTC/Urban Research Network
  • Ghodrati, N., Yiu, T. W., Wilkinson, S. (2015). High-reliability organization: A new concept to improve the construction industry performance and health and safety, COBRA 2015-RICS, 8-10 July 2015, Sydney, Australia.
  • Staal, A.  several working papers on sustainable procurement or on SME procurement
  • Staal, A.  (2019) PhD on managing innovative suppliers in construction supply chains.
  • Developing 3 toolsets for NZ SMEs on innovation and sustainable procurement. (Project proposal with Dr B Allen, Victoria University, Prof M Boersma, Hanze University of Applied Sciences; Associate Professor Nicola Naismith, Dr Anne Staal).
  • Better by design – helping to improve health, wellness and efficiency in the NZ Police
  • Toward Zero Harm, preventing accidents on construction site using wearable technologies

Researchers involved

Contact us

Dr Nariman Ghodrati
nariman.ghodrati@aut.ac.nz

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