EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES STRATEGY FOR COMBATING CORRUPTION IN EGYPT'S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY /Khaled AbdelHak Abdelaziz Al-Ansary

Supervisor:
Mohamed Mamdouh Awny

Thesis (PH.D.)—Nile University, Egypt, 2024 .

"Includes bibliographical references"

Contents:
Dissertation Approval Form....................................................................................II
Copyright ..............................................................................................................III
Dedication .............................................................................................................IV
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................V
Declaration ............................................................................................................VI
Abstract ...............................................................................................................VII
Table of Contents ...............................................................................................VIII
List of Figures ...................................................................................................... XI
List of Tables ...................................................................................................... XII
List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................ XIV
Chapter 1. Introduction.........................................................................................1
1.1. Brief overview of the construction industry in Egypt.......................................1
1.2. The importance of addressing corruption in the construction industry ............3
1.3. Construction industry in Egypt.........................................................................4
1.4. Need for a technology-driven framework to address corruption in the industry
..................................................................................................................................5
1.5. Structure of the dissertation ..............................................................................5
Chapter 2. Employing technology to combat corruption in the Egyptian
construction industry.............................................................................................8
2.1. Preface...............................................................................................................8
2.2. The Egyptian construction industry ................................................................11
2.3. Corruption in the construction industry ..........................................................13
2.3.1. Corruption in the context of the construction industry ................................13
2.3.2. Corruption in the construction industry forms and causes...........................18
2.4. Corruption in Egypt ........................................................................................21
2.5. The role of technology in fighting corruption.................................................25
2.5.1. Technology and its role in combating corruption ........................................25
2.5.2. The benefits of using technology in the fight against corruption ................29
2.5.3. Fighting corruption using technology..........................................................30
IX
2.5.4. Challenges and limitations of using technology ..........................................40
2.6. Literature gap..................................................................................................42
Chapter 3. Research methodology......................................................................43
3.1. Preface.............................................................................................................43
3.2. Problem statement...........................................................................................44
3.3. Research philosophy .......................................................................................44
3.4. The research questions....................................................................................45
3.5. The objectives of this research work ..............................................................46
3.5.1. The main objective.......................................................................................46
3.5.2. Research subobjectives................................................................................47
3.6. Research design ..............................................................................................47
3.6.1. Research sequential stages...........................................................................47
3.6.2. Sequence elaboration of the research...........................................................50
1. Data collection questionnaire.............................................................................52
3.6.3. Data analysis techniques..............................................................................56
Chapter 4. Results and discussions.....................................................................62
4.1. Preface.............................................................................................................62
4.2. Design of the questionnaire ............................................................................62
4.2.1. Advisory group 1..........................................................................................63
4.3. The results of the survey (questionnaire) step ................................................64
4.3.1. Demographic analysis: Age distribution of survey participants..................65
4.3.2. Occupational distribution of survey participants.........................................66
4.3.3. Specialization distribution of survey participants........................................67
4.3.4. Experience distribution in different construction disciplines ......................68
4.3.5. Root causes of corruption in the construction industry ...............................69
4.3.6. Incidence of corruption: Participant experiences in the construction industry
................................................................................................................................70
4.3.7. Impact of corruption ....................................................................................71
X
4.3.8. Identification of vulnerable areas to corrupt practices in the Egyptian
construction industry..............................................................................................72
4.3.9. Common types of corrupt practices in the Egyptian construction industry:
Insights from survey participants...........................................................................75
4.3.10. Strategies to prevent corruption in the Egyptian construction industry.....76
4.3.11. Key stakeholders and their impact on reducing corruption in the
construction industry..............................................................................................78
4.3.12. Technology adoption and opportunities for corruption prevention in the
construction industry..............................................................................................79
4.4. Designed of the benefits and risks assessment dimension of emerging
technologies ...........................................................................................................80
4.5. Advisory group 2 step ...................................................................................133
4.5.1. Background................................................................................................133
4.5.2. Methodology..............................................................................................133
4.5.3. Key outcomes.............................................................................................134
4.6. The semi-structured interviews step .............................................................135
4.6.1. Preface........................................................................................................135
4.6.2. Methodology..............................................................................................135
4.6.3. Data collection and analysis.......................................................................135
4.6.4. Interview protocol......................................................................................136
4.7. The results of the semi-structured interviews step........................................136
4.7.1. Statistical analysis......................................................................................136
4.7.2. Discussions of the results...........................................................................140
4.8. Prioritization strategy development ..............................................................170
Chapter 5. Conclusions and recommendations...............................................176
5.1. Conclusions...................................................................................................176
5.2. Framework of the strategy for combating corruption in Egypt’s construction
industry ................................................................................................................177
5.2.1. Introduction to the strategic framework.....................................................177
5.2.2. Defining the strategy framework ...............................................................178
5.2.3. Initiative leaders and their responsibilities ................................................179
XI
5.2.4. Role and selection of initiative leaders......................................................179
5.2.5. Stakeholder roles and responsibilities........................................................180
5.2.6. Strategic phases of the strategy framework ...............................................183
5.2.7. Recommendations......................................................................................187
5.2.8. Integration of stakeholders.........................................................................191
5.2.9. Limitations of the study .............................................................................191
5.3. The contribution of the research work ..........................................................192
5.4. Future research..............................................................................................194
REFERENCES...................................................................................................195
APPENDICES....................................................................................................200

Abstract:
Corruption remains a significant challenge in the Egyptian construction industry,
leading to financial losses, project delays, and substandard infrastructure. Emerging
technologies have the potential to mitigate corruption risks and improve industry
efficiency. This research aims to develop a technology-driven strategy for
combating corruption in the Egyptian construction industry. The study employed a
mixed-methods approach, including a literature review, a questionnaire survey, and
semi-structured interviews with industry experts. The findings revealed that
Building Information Modelling (BIM), and E-bidding systems are the most
feasible technologies for immediate implementation due to their high benefits and
low risks. Blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence, drones, and IoT
were identified as high benefit but high-risk technologies as well, that require
careful consideration of their potential risks and the appropriate risk management
strategies before implementation. Finally, autonomous vehicles and robotics are,
presently, considered low-benefit and high-risk technologies that may be postponed
or disregarded at the present time. In this study, a strategy is formulated to guide
the prioritization and implementation of suitable emerging technologies in the
Egyptian construction industry to combat corruption. By focusing on high-benefit
and low-risk technologies first, industry executives can ensure the most significant
benefits from technology implementation while minimizing potential risks.
Keywords: Corruption, Egyptian construction industry, Emerging technologies,
Prioritization framework, Building Information Modelling (BIM), E-bidding
systems, Blockchain, Artificial intelligence, Drones, IoT.

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