Describing Or Locating The Middle East Is For Many A Dubious Exercise: Literature Review Dissertation, UCD, Ireland

 Introduction to the Middle Eastern Region 

Describing or locating the middle east is for many a dubious exercise.  The area and its characteristics that are used to determine and outline this region have varied enormously over time.  Even a casual check of a digital map shows that the Middle East and the numerous standards we use to define it are changing, puncturing our memories, but persisting vaguely for a reason.

The Orient is not only adjacent to Europe, but it is also the place of Europe’s richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the other. Moreover, the Orient has helped to define Europe (or the West), (Said, E., 1978). Said’s, E., 1978. Orientalism (book)

Even so, the region is established and growing, frequently surprising us with newer immense attractions that redefine it as a destination.  In fact, popular and political discussions on the region and its adjacent neighbors are so routine that we rarely consider their origins or social constructs and connotations, (Culcasi, K., 2010), . . . . but I have to confess that I don’t know for certain where the Middle East is”, (Brian Whitaker, 2004).

Justification, Aims & Objectives

 When you look to the literature for a solution, you may rely on other people’s literature reviews, or you may seek out primary research reports until you find one that seems to fit your situation (Mertens, D.M.,2014).

What’s presented is 50% of what I’ve written.  The objective was not to regurgitate in a paraphrastic manner, but a perspective not considered It combines it with current publishing and discusses it using overlooked viewpoints.  I wrote the J&O before compiling all chapters together, it’s more than likely that once combined, it won’t read right.

Where a specific area was first considered, the viewpoint shifted as research expanded.  The concept was and to a point, still is: ‘Construction Delays on large-scaled projects in The Middle East.  Taking a broad, but defined title allowed for a wider search parameter as each country in the region would offer completely different results.

The lack of contradictory articles makes the review more difficult and less compelling in summation.  It’s possible to add at a later stage a chapter on Digital Construction Trends (types & their relevant applications) and possibly a chapter on Construction & Tender BoQs, as I believe it forms the basis (coupled with inadequate procurement and accounts management) of all delays and cost overruns.

The research recognized a lack of originality in initial content, basically, everyone said the same thing in a different way, only very few provided any ideas outside of this, which by default indicated a gap in the industry.  The single most commonly overused phase found during research reading was, “ . . . delays and cost overruns”.  Normally, this would make for the basis of a promising topic; and with more time, and an unlimited number of people to question it is highly possible to arrive at a different set of results.  However, the thesis would stay from its objective with the lack of people to interview directly related to this issue.

With a draft body of a primary literature review complete, the focus of interest narrowed in favor of a more define topic, e.g. infrastructure construction in a post-conflict environment.  Road construction is not of particular interest, however, if the context was Israel or Afghanistan, the associated political ramifications, multinational funding, economics of distribution, increased security measures, procurement routes, contract types, sourcing raw materials, logistics, etc., would be of more reading interest.

So, a dissertation on Infrastructure works in post-conflict environments \ Construction as a foreign policy.  Having researched this area in some considerable depth and written some trial articles, I’ll attempt to include different country’s involvement in projects, e.g. China and the Silk Road as contrasting material to maintain interest without taking away from the main objective.

That being said; the main issue with completing a topic of foreign policy is obtaining relevant analytics from credible sources over a period of time to compare multiple results, decipher them, correlate them, and present the findings.  However, with other assignments to complete, time being a constant constraint may become a subject of possible research in the future.

Aims & Objectives 

1.  Identify A Project Specific Type That Is More Vulnerable To Delays Than Others.
2. Speculate If A Particular Country Type Is More Susceptible In Delays Than Others.
3. Establish The Root Causes Of Delays On Projects In The Middle East.
4. Identify Where And At What Stage In The Construction Process Delays Begin.
5. Theorize How To Prevent Or Mitigate Against Issues Arising Or Encountered When A Delay Begins.
6. Compile And Present The Data From The Semi-Structured Interviews From In-Field Professionals.
7. Provide A Visual Framework To Implement Change From The Findings (Graphic) And Discuss.