The recommended way to assess the trustworthiness of a qualitative study in-volving content analysis would be considered from four perspectives: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004 and Bengtsson, 2016, both cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018).
FIGURE 20 Illustration of the relationship of top-down and bottom-up pressures regarding CER in YIT Infrastructure projects
Credibility
Credibility encompasses aspects such as applicability and neutrality (Tynjälä, 1991, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018) as well as the assessment of whether the study participants have been described sufficiently and whether the data is reliable (Parkkila et al., 2000, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018). The alignment of the researcher’s interpretation with the studied individuals’ and systems’ per-ceptions is also a part of credibility (Eskola & Suoranta, 1996, as cited by Tuomi
& Sarajärvi, 2018). Furthermore, the alignment between the researcher’s recon-struction of the studied individuals’ or systems’ reality and their true reality, is one aspect of credibility (Niiranen, 1990 and Tynjälä, 1991, both cited by Tuomi
& Sarajärvi, 2018).
The individuals and groups heard during this study have been documented in enough detail to demonstrate the diversity of sources from different organiza-tional departments and levels. Furthermore, the number of sources was sufficient.
In fact, during the study process, it became apparent that even a smaller number of sources might have been enough to answer the research questions. The partic-ipants were chosen through snowball sampling and were all working in YIT Group level or YIT Infrastructure projects organization. All the interviewees were either developing YIT’s strategic direction or the EMS or using the EMS in practice. Therefore, the full range of contributors to EMS implementation were included in the studied sample.
The diversity of the sample can thus be regarded sufficient in the Finnish context. However, the studied system, YIT Infrastructure projects organization, operates outside Finland, too. In this study, there were participants from all the countries YIT Infrastructure projects operates in. However, the coverage of the data concerning other countries but Finland can be questioned, since it did not extend from the country EMS developers and managers to the practical imple-menters of it. In other words, project and site personnel from the other countries were not interviewed in this study. This creates a bias in the results, discussion and conclusions toward the Finnish context. Thus, when planning the concrete actions and next development steps based on this study in the case organization, the overemphasis on the Finnish reality must be considered.
The data described above was collected using multiple means: one-to-one interviews, focus group interviews, meetings and observation. Furthermore, the theoretical background for the case was rather wide and included synthesizing many theories within the fields of change management and environmental regu-latory and management instruments. The use of multiple sources, methods and theories, i.e. triangulation (Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018), has been found to contribute to the credibility of a case study (Flick, 1992 and Peräkylä, 1997, both cited by Riege, 2003).
The systematic combining, i.e. the continuous interplay between theory, the case, the empirical world and the framework (Dubois & Gadde, 2002) during the collection of the data as well as during the analysis of the data and the findings, can be seen as the cross-checking of the results. This has been stated to foster the
credibility of the study. In practice, this meant that besides continuously exam-ining the relevant theory during the data collection as well as the analysis of the data and the findings, I was working in the organization, facing new experiences, meeting professionals and constantly learning. This helped me formulate a full picture of both system from both social and technical perspectives.
Transferability
Eskola and Suoranta (1996, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018) have questioned the possibility of utter transferability due to the diversity of social reality. How-ever, they too, believe that the study results can be transferrable to other contexts within certain terms. Parkkila et al. (2000, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018,
“Laadullisen tutkimuksen suhde luotettavuuskysymyksiin”, para. 5) describe these terms as a “corresponding external context”. Niiranen (1990, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018, “Laadullisen tutkimuksen suhde luotettavuuskysy-myksiin”, para. 5) and Tynjälä (1991, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018, “Laa-dullisen tutkimuksen suhde luotettavuuskysymyksiin”, para. 5) have a similar view, that is, they describe transferability as “the possibility to transfer the results to another context, depending on the similarity of the studied context and the context where the results are applied”.
According to Yin (1994, as cited by Riege, 2003), comparing findings with existing literature with the aim of finding similar outlines and generalizing the previous findings and conclusions in the specific context of the study, contributes to the transferability of a study. This has been done in the discussions section of this study. Furthermore, according to Riege (2003), having predetermined tions increases the transferability of a study. In this study, both the research ques-tions and the interview quesques-tions were predetermined.
Due to the case-specific nature of the study as well as the fact that it was primarily focused on finding the best solutions for the case of YIT Infrastructure projects, the transferability of the results and conclusions of this study is intrinsi-cally limited. However, based on the connections made between this study and the existing literature addressing similar questions in the context of construction industry, it can be said that the findings and conclusions of this study could give ideas and direction to others in corresponding contexts.
Dependability
Dependability of the results requires that an external party examines the research process (Niiranen, 1990, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018) as well as the con-sideration of external and other related factors that may cause variation (Tynjälä, 1991, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018). Some of these factors can be unex-pected, which the researcher must consider while conducting the research (Eskola & Suoranta, 1996, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018). According to Lin-coln and Guba (1985, as cited by Riege, 2003), the examination conducted by an external party takes place in the design phase of the research process. Its purpose
is to assesses, besides the matters mentioned above, the order, understandability and documentation of the process and to detect and prevent possible bias. When it comes to this study, the research proposal made in the beginning of the re-search process was assessed by the study supervisors from University of Jyväskylä and YIT Infrastructure projects as well as by the peer group consisting of other Master’s Thesis writers from University of Jyväskylä.
Confirmability
Confirmability means that an external party assesses the deliverables of the study (Niiranen, 1990, as cited by Tuomi & Sarajärvi, 2018). According to Riege (2003), the confirmability of a study is constructed by e.g. the detailed description of the study’s methods and procedures as well as the completeness and transparency of the study. The methodology and the process of the study are described in de-tail in chapter 5 of this document. The assessment of the trustworthiness of the study, together with the description of the process and methods contribute to the transparency of this study. The data gathered for this study was recorded and transcribed word for word, after which it was analysed. Furthermore, the obser-vations and meetings were documented using detailed notes. These matters can be understood to contribute to the confirmability of this study.
The final report of the study, i.e. this document, is fully available and open for anyone to read. Both during the writing process and just before its publication, the document has been reviewed by the study supervisors from University of Jyväskylä and YIT Infrastructure projects as well as by the peer group consisting of other Master’s Thesis writers from University of Jyväskylä. This kind of trans-parency has been stated to contribute to the trustworthiness of a research (Yin, 1994, as cited by Riege, 2003).
8.3 Suggestions for further research
Based on the literature review made as a part of this study, it appears that while the outcomes and motivations of the implementation of ISO 14001 EMS seem to be well studied, there is a lack of literature on what factors are related to the suc-cessful implementation of it, particularly in the context of construction industry (Chiarini, 2019). This study sheds light on this question, however, directionally, since the findings are case-specific. Based on this study, it can be concluded that the network of factors contributing to the successful implementation of the EMS and the development of CER in general, is complex and wide and seems to in-volve a lot of people-related, soft factors. Therefore, the case study method could be suggested for the research of this topic. However, to formulate a more general view of the topic, a method combining qualitative and quantitative means, such as the one Chiarini (2019) has used to estimate the situation in the Italian con-struction industry, could be used.
According to Martek et al. (2019), in contrast with the current view accord-ing to which the sustainability transition in construction industry is mainly hin-dered by technical aspects, a more considerable challenge is in fact formed by the underlying people-related factors related to it. Furthermore, Matinaro and Liu (2017) also state that, in the context of Finnish construction industry, the manage-ment of innovation, culture and people is not among the managemanage-ment priorities and more emphasis should be put on this kind of management. These findings are at least partly supported by this study, as well. Based on this study it can also be stated that the lack of leadership and the possibly resulting problems in em-ployee involvement may, together with the great external pressures that CER in construction industry faces, contribute to a ritual implementation of an EMS with no considerable CER performance improvements. Therefore, besides studying the technical solutions to enhance CER in construction industry, specific research focus should be targeted at how the people-related, soft factors, leadership and culture could contribute to improved CER.
Finally, according to Isaksson and Linderoth (2018) as well as Martek et al.
(2019), there are difficulties in balancing the TBL of sustainability in construction or more specifically, truly integrating CER in the projects (Isaksson & Linderoth, 2018). The problem seems to lie specifically in the lack of understanding of the long-term value of integrating CER in the project and on the other hand, the over-emphasis of the investment costs (Isaksson & Linderoth, 2018). More research should therefore be conducted to find out the long-term economic implications of integrating CER in construction projects. This could include piloting the use of a sustainability rating system. Furthermore, a case study involving a pilot of the use of an EMS and a sustainability rating system together could, when compared with a case of only using an EMS, shed light into whether and how a sustainabil-ity rating system would support the implementation of an EMS and increase its positive outcomes.
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