Chigozie Victor Ndukwe
Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Construction
Biography
Chigozie Victor Ndukwe is a PhD candidate in Construction at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. He received his M.Sc. in Construction Project and Cost Management from Coventry University, United Kingdom in 2016. His M.Sc. studies was sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission Postgraduate Foreign Scholarship Scheme. Chigozie earned a Bachelor of Technology in Project Management from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria in 2012. He has over two years’ experience working for a builder in the Nigerian Construction industry.
Chigozie’s research focuses on the response of the government to the impacts of globalisation on the local construction supply chain. His other research interests include international trade policy, public-private partnerships and financial management in construction. He is a Graduate member of the Nigeria Institute of Management and a Development Research Fellow at Dataville Research LLC.
Thesis
Globalised supply chain in construction and its impacts on revenue income and jobs: the response of the Victorian state government
Economic globalisation has promoted international trade leading to the penetration of imports into the Australian market. The Australian construction industry that previously relied on domestic manufacturers have off-shored their supply chains in search of cheaper materials. As a result of this, local manufacturers have closed and laid-off thousands of workers. To salvage the situation, the Victorian state government intervened with the amended Local Jobs First Act 2003 that specifies a minimum local content for government projects.
Previous studies have indicated that the costs of local content policies are understated, and benefits overstated. This study aims to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the local content policy of the Victoria state government on the construction supply chain. A mixed method research method will be adopted. The quantitative part will analyse secondary economics, trade and employment data sourced from IBISWorld, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and contractors while the qualitative phase will analyse interview data collected from management staff of main contractors and sub-contractors, suppliers and manufacturers; and management staff in relevant government agencies. Expected results include the extent of import of construction materials into the local market; actual costs and benefits of the local content policy; and an informed judgement of the appropriateness of the local content policy.