339 research outputs found
Addressing Issues across Organisational Boundaries in Construction Projects
Includes bibliographical references.The extensive and increasing specialisation in all sectors of the construction industry has prompted much criticism due to the common absence of sufficient coordination and collaboration of the separate organisations culminating in accusations that such fragmentation leads to poor performance.This paper focuses on the managerial issues which emerge due to the diversity of individual organisations which must be assembled to execute engineering construction projects. Managing any organisational interface is notoriously problematic and has prompted the generation oftheories concerning management of boundaries – including boundary spanning and boundary objects. This paper examines the theory, research perspectives and findings to date and
relates them to the management of engineering construction projects. It is concluded that recognition of performance interdependence amongst project participants is an essential underpinning of cooperationand development and use of appropriate boundary management through boundary spanning and boundary objects can foster interaction and coordination even with participants‟ retention of their individual goals
Le projet organisant : vers une ontologie du projet d'aménagement
Codirection: Dr. Gonzalo LizarraldeLes projets d’aménagement souffrent de problèmes de performance et de décalages significatifs entre ce qui est planifié et est effectivement réalisé. L’objectif principal de la thèse est d’examiner le phénomène permettant au projet d’aménagement de s’organiser et de se réaliser. L’hypothèse générale avance que : Les projets influencent, transforment et créent les organisations qui les réalisent, selon un processus dynamique et récursif de structuration et d’organisation. Ce processus d’« organisation active » génère des transformations – organisationnelles et processuelles – liées à la nature même du projet.
Pour vérifier cette hypothèse générale, une grille des ontologies a été élaborée, sur la base de quatre champs de connaissances, soit : (a) l’organisation et ses structures ; (b) le projet et ses processus ; (c) l’artefact et sa conception et ; (d) la dynamique des acteurs. La mise en relation de ces champs de connaissances fait appel à l’approche systémique à l’intérieur du cadre paradigmatique de la complexité.
La méthodologie se déploie en trois volets, répartis sur les cinq articles de la thèse : l’article no1 présente une exploration théorique de la problématique ; les articles no2, 3 et 4 déploient des études de cas et des case survey ; l’article no5 propose une étude de cas longitudinale, s’échelonnant sur trois ans, visant l’élaboration de la cartographie des processus décisionnels.
Les cinq articles de la thèse explorent les enjeux suivant : (no1) l’approche par le design et la dynamique des acteurs ; (no2) l’informalité des communications et de la coordination ; (no3) les facteurs de contingences qui influencent la « structuration » de la multiorganisation temporaire – MOT; (no4) les typologies de la MOT, et ; (no5) l’itérativité des processus décisionnels et leurs influences sur les structures organisationnelles.
Sept résultats permettent de valider les sous-hypothèses : qu’un processus d’« organisation active » génère des transformations – organisationnelles et processuelles – liées à la nature même du projet. Aussi, le projet d’aménagement : (1) est réalisé autant par des approches de gestion traditionnellement formelles et linéaires que par des processus de conception – qui sont, eux, non linéaires et auto-organisants, articulés à partir d’approches systémiques ; (2) amène à repenser ses propres processus de réalisation, et ; (3) constitue un facteur de contingence et influence la structure de la MOT créée pour développer le projet lui-même.
La thèse révèle la diversité et la complexité des processus et des configurations organisationnelles, contribuant à produire une représentation multidimensionnelle de la conduite effective du projet. Trois contributions importantes, ouvrant la voie à de nouvelles recherches, découlent de ces conclusions, soit : (1) la construction du cadre des ontologies du projet et son articulation par les outils de la systémique ; (2) l’existence des constellations interorganisationnelles et des typologies de la MOT, et ; (3) l’énoncé du concept du « projet organisant » voulant que le projet « s’organise et organise » les processus et les organisations, par le jeu multiple des acteurs.Construction projects are often affected by lower levels of performance and significant gaps between what is planned and what is actually realized.
This thesis aims to examine the phenomenon that allows the built environment project to organize itself and carry out its objectives. The hypothesis states that: projects influence, transform and create the organizations that conduct them, following a dynamic and iterative process, referred to as «self- organizing » and « structuring ». This « active organizing » process generates transformations – organizational and structural – conditioned by the very nature of the project itself.
To validate this hypothesis, an ontological frame, based on four categories of analysis has been devised, including: (a) organization and structures; (b) the project and its processes; (c) the artefact and its design, and; (d) actors’ dynamic. These fields are put in relations using systemic principles and tools within the paradigmatic frame of complexity.
The methodology includes three steps, deployed along five articles : article no1 presents the research problem and theoretical framework; articles no2, 3 and 4 use case studies and case surveys for the study of various aspects of the organizational structures; article no5 presents a longitudinal case study, spanning three years, which examined decision processes.
The five articles explore the following topics: (no1) the design thinking approach to projects and actors’ dynamic behavior ; (no2) the informality of communications and coordination ; (no3) contingency factors that influence the « structuring » of the temporary multiorganization – TMO; (no4) the typologies of the TMO, and ; (no5) the study of iterative processes and their influence on organizational structures.
Seven results validate sub-hypotheses that state that: a process of «self-organization » generates transformations – organizational and processual – linked to the specific nature of the project. Therefore, the project : (1) is conducted by both formalized and often linear management approaches as well as iterative design process, the former being non-linear and self-organizing and responding to systemic principles ; (2) contributes to create its own processes of development, and ; (3) constitutes a contingency factor that influences the structuring of the TMO that is created to conduct the project itself.
This analysis reveals the diversity and complexity of organizational processes and structures, producing a multidimensional representation of project behaviour. Three important contributions are drawn from these conclusions : (1) the frame of ontologies of the project and its underlying systemic functioning ; (2) the existence of inter-organizational work constellations and a typology of six TMO configurations, and ; (3) the statement of the « organizing project » that, through the « self-organization » approach, « organizes » itself and the processes and organization that are created to conduct it, through actors’ multiple roles
Ontologies in medicinal chemistry: current status and future challenges
[Abstract] Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the amount and availability of data in the diverse areas of medicinal chemistry, making it possible to achieve significant advances in fields such as the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of compounds. However, with this data explosion, the storage, management and analysis of available data to extract relevant information has become even a more complex task that offers challenging research issues to Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientists. Ontologies have emerged in AI as a key tool to formally represent and semantically organize aspects of the real world. Beyond glossaries or thesauri, ontologies facilitate communication between experts and allow the application of computational techniques to extract useful information from available data. In medicinal chemistry, multiple ontologies have been developed during the last years which contain knowledge about chemical compounds and processes of synthesis of pharmaceutical products. This article reviews the principal standards and ontologies in medicinal chemistry, analyzes their main applications and suggests future directions.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; FIS-PI10/02180Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo; 209RT0366Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; CN2012/217Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; CN2011/034Galicia. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; CN2012/21
Process algebra approach to parallel DBMS performance modelling
Abstract unavailable please refer to PD
Self-describing and data propagation model for data distribution service
Abstract. To realize real-time information sharing in generic platforms, it is especially important to support dynamic message structure changes. For the case of IDL, it is necessary to rewrite applications to change data sample structures. In this paper, we propose a dynamic reconfiguration scheme of data sample structures for DDS. Instead of using IDL, which is the static data sample structure model of DDS, we use a self describing model using data sample schema, as a dynamic data sample structure model to support dynamic reconfiguration of data sample structures. We also propose a data propagation model to provide data persistency in distributed environments. We guarantee persistency by transferring data samples through relay nodes to the receiving nodes, which have not participated in the data distribution network at the data sample distribution time. The proposed schemes can be utilized to support data sample structure changes during operation time and to provide data persistency in various environments, such as real-time enterprise environments and connection-less internet environments
Horizontal Integration: An Administrative Science Perspective on Cross-Border Cooperation in Europe
The European border regions perform a specific horizontal integration function. From the perspective of public administration theory, this publication lays the foundations for conceptualising the policy area of cross-border cooperation in Europe as a horizontal level of integration. To this end, the volume analyses the integration theory specifics of its genesis, the functional particularities of its governance with regard to the decentralised integration of different political-administrative, legal and cultural systems, as well as the patterns of emergent, transnational territorial institutionalism. Finally, administrative perspectives on the study of cross-border cooperation as a horizontal level of the European Administrative Area are also presented.Die Europäischen Grenzregionen erbringen eine spezifische horizontale Integrationsfunktion. Der Autor legt aus einem verwaltungswissenschaftlichen Blickwinkel heraus die Grundlage dafür, das Politikfeld der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit in Europa als horizontale Integrationsebene konzeptionell zu fassen. Der Band analysiert hierzu die integrationstheoretischen Spezifika ihrer Genese, die funktionalen Besonderheiten ihrer Governance im Hinblick auf die dezentrale Integration unterschiedlicher politisch-administrativer, rechtlicher und kultureller Systeme sowie die Muster eines emergenten, transnationalen territorialen Institutionalismus. Abschließend werden verwaltungswissenschaftliche Perspektiven zur Erforschung grenzüberschreitender Zusammenarbeit als horizontaler Ebene des Europäischen Verwaltungsraums aufgezeigt
TMA Handbook: A Guide to Successful Transportation Management Associations
Matilda Perry - wifehttps://stars.library.ucf.edu/cfm-ch-register-vol21/1483/thumbnail.jp
Empowerment through residence
What does it mean to empower people through the housing in which they live, and how is this empowerment to be achieved? These are the questions which are examined in this paper. Typologies of empowerment processes are devised in an attempt to make sense of the conceptual and empirical variety involved. The distinction between 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' empowerment orientations is argued to be particularly important for understanding the content, pattern and general direction of empowerment processes. Empowerments through knowledge, statute, resources, agreement and specific power transfer are then discussed in relation to specific housing contexts, in particular the context of social housing management. The utility of the typologies of empowerment processes is tested in application to specific tenant participation arrangements. It is concluded that resident empowerment is worth pursuing not only for its own sake, but for the benefits which it can bring to a wider society
The Evolution of Culture-Climate Interplay in Temporary Multi-Organisations: The Case of Construction Alliancing Projects
Organisational culture has been a long-standing debate in management research. However, in the field of construction project management, it is relatively under-explored. This is mainly due to the different organisational context of Temporary Multi-Organisations (TMOs). This research re-explores the notion of organisational culture in construction projects. Based on Darwin’s theory of evolution this research goes back to the very beginning; illustrating the exact meaning and dynamics of organisational culture in a construction TMO’s ecosystem. This research view an organisation and its forming of culture(s) as part of an evolutionary process. Thus, a critical realist’ view of causation is used as the foundation of the research design and methodology. Case study materials are provided from three Alliancing TMOs belonging to two major infrastructure clients in the UK. A designer culture model and the institutional theory are drawn upon to complement the basis of analysis for evolution. A qualitative research method is employed through semi-structured interviews and pre- and post-interview meetings. Other supporting documentations are also consulted. Three propositions and a postulate are generated and examined against the empirical data. Findings suggest that (i) the TMOs’ culture evolves through a set of recursive stages across the project lifecycle, (ii) the culture of the TMO undergoes several lifecycles during one lifespan of the project, and (iii) there are some evidence that culture at TMO level is learned, rationalised and routinised at corporate level. The postulate shows that it is plausible to predict the trajectory of how a TMO’s culture will evolve across the project lifecycle given a set of organisational features. In practice, findings suggest that hard artifacts alone are not able to sustain established culture throughout the project lifecycle. Awareness is needed to press the “refresh” button at times to maintain the desired culture and manage the evolution path
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