FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES AMONG SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE CONSTRUCTION FIRMS IN NIGER - DELTA, NIGERIA

Purpose: The need to improve the adoption of sustainability practices cannot be over- emphasized. This study assessed the factors influencing the adoption of sustainability practices among small, medium and large construction firms in Niger- Delta, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach: Survey design approach was adopted in this study. Data were obtained using 1179 copies of structured questionnaire, administered by the researcher and research assistants. The research data were collected on a five-point scale of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and were assigned to the options of very low influence, low influence, moderate influence, high influence and very influence respectively. Methods of data analysis were simple percentage, and mean score and Kruskal Wallis test.

Findings: The finding from the study indicated that there is no significant variation in the perception of small, medium and large construction firms on factors influencing the adoption of sustainability practices in Niger-Delta, Nigeria. In line with this result, the study affirmed that the first three drivers that have high influence on the adoption of sustainability practices among small, medium and large construction firms in Niger-Delta are organisation's cultural values, amount of resources allocated to sustainability and organisation's structure and system. The study also assessed the enablers of adoption of sustainability among the firms and concludes that capacity building and development has very high influence on the adoption of sustainability practices among small, medium and large firms while lack of education and lack of training are the barriers that have very high influence on the adoption of sustainability practices among small, medium and large firms. The study concluded that lack of top management support highly influenced the adoption of sustainability practices among small, medium and large construction firms in Niger-Delta, Nigeria.

Originality/value: The outcome of this article will help construction firms and construction stakeholders at large to know the drivers, enablers and barriers influencing the adoption of  sustainability practices among small, medium and large construction firms in Niger Delta, Nigeria.