The knowledge enablers of knowledge transfer: a study in the construction industries in Ghana

Dr De-Graft Owusu-Manu (BSc, PhD, FRRAG, FIPCSR, FaGE) is a Lecturer at the Department of Building Technology of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. He is a Co-Editor of the International Journal of Project Planning and Finance and the CEO of Construction Industry Development Institute. He has acted as a Consultant, Teacher and Researcher in a wide range of construction and management fields, with strong interests in all phases of project management. His other research interests are in the areas of corporate strategy, construction finance, financial management, construction management, project management, procurement management, construction education and curriculum development.

Professor David John Edwards, BSc (Hons), PhD, MCMPE, FIoQ, is a Professor of Plant and Machinery Management and Head of Research for the Built Environment at Birmingham City University. His research interests focus primarily on the management of plant and machinery in business throughout the industry. His work has been funded through engineering councils, government bodies (e.g., Health and Safety Executive, UK Home Office and Defence Logistic Organisation, UK Ministry of Defence) and an extensive network of industrial collaborations. He has published over 250 scientific research papers in leading international journals and numerous conference contributions and textbooks. He is a peer referee for 50 scientific journals and editorial board member of various journals and conference events. Although Prof David enjoys pure theoretical research work, he feels most comfortable with applied work that demonstrates immediate and tangible impact. Amongst his many awards, prizes and accolades, two are held most dearly, namely, Recipient of the Commander’s Coin, US Department of Defence (2011) for his work into hand–arm vibration and Chief for Education Development, Ashanti Kingdom, Ghana (2015-present), for ongoing research and education conducted in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He is currently working for staff at the Pentagon, USA, on the development of standards for safety management in the defence, automotive and aerospace industries.

Ms Erika Anneli Pärn [BSc (Hons), PgCE, PgCR] graduated with a degree in Architectural Technology and commenced an international career as a BIM Co-ordinator, working in China, Finland, India and UK. During this period, she worked for Chetwood Architects and oversaw the implementation of large-scale global warehouse developments and associated generative BIM models. E.A. Parn was employed as an Architectural Technology Lecturer at Birmingham City University in 2014 and commenced her PhD studies in 2016. Her PhD will involve computerization and machine learning algorithms to automate decision support for data facilities management teams. To date, E.A. Parn has published her research in several academic journals (including Automation in Construction) and has been a keynote speaker at several preeminent industrial and conference events.

Mr Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, BSc(Hons), MSc, graduated from the Department of Building Technology of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. He is currently undertaking highly innovative health and safety research under the tuition of Professor Heng Li at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as part of PhD studies. Specifically, his research looks at muscular skeletal ailments in construction workers and how it can be mitigated.

Professor Clinton Aigbavboa [HND, MTECH, PhD, MCIOB] is an Associate Professor at the Department of Construction Management & Quantity Surveying at the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment – University of Johannesburg. He is an Active Researcher with interest in the field of sustainable human development, with a research focus on the following areas: sustainable housing regeneration (urban renewal and informal housing), Life Cycle Assessment in the Construction Industry, leadership in low-income housing, post occupancy evaluation and green job creation. Prof Aigbavboa has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles in journals and conference proceedings, six book chapters. He is also an author of two research books. He is currently the Editor of the Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation (accredited by the DoHET) and has received national and international recognition in his field of research. The NRF rates him as a Young researcher with the potential of establishing himself within a five-year period. He was a recipient of the UJ Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for the most Promising Young Researcher of the Year in 2015.