Decentralized Decision Making for Limited Resource Allocation Using a Private Blockchain Network in an IoT (Internet of Things) Environment with Conflicting Agents

Blockchains have gotten popular in recent times, owing to the security, anonymity, and lack of any third-party involvement. Blockchains essentially are record keeping tools that record any transactions between involved parties. One of the key aspects of handling and navigating of any autonomous traffic on the streets, is secured and simple means of communication. This thesis explores distribution of minimum resources between multiple autonomous agents, by settling conflicts using events of random nature. The thesis focusses on two specific events, tossing of a coin and the game of rock, paper, and scissors (RPS). An improvement on the traditional game of RPS is further suggested, called rock, paper, scissors, and hammer (RPSH). And then seamless communication interface to enable secure interaction is setup using blockchains with smart contracts. A new method of information exchange called Sealed Envelope Exchange is proposed to eliminate any involvement of third-party agents in the monitoring of conflict resolution. A scenario of assigning the sole remaining parking spot in a filled parking space, between two vehicles is simulated and then the conflict is resolved in a fair manner without involving a third-party agent. This is achieved by playing a fair game of RPSH by using blockchains and simulating cross chain interaction to ensure that any messages and transactions during the game are secured

BIM implementation and project coordination in design-build procurement

Various procurement methods have been proposed as being more appropriate for implementing BIM. Simultaneously, BIM implementation affects the project coordination. Whereas many approaches to BIM implementation have considered integrated procurement, not all are applicable to various local markets. Particularly in the Netherlands, BIM implementation is characterized by 'ground-up' and self-regulated initiatives. This paper aims to explore and identify the relationship between design-build procurement and the emerging coordination structures from BIM. Exploratory case study research has been undertaken. The findings included two main coordination structures: centralized and decentralized. These two structures subsequently carry implications for various construction firms and their respective business models, as well as BIM implementation in general

Disputing through Agents: Cooperation and Conflict between Lawyers in Litigation

Do lawyers facilitate dispute resolution or do they instead exacerbate conflict and pose a barrier to the efficient resolution of disputes? A distinctive characteristic of our formal mechanisms of conflict resolution is that clients carry on their disputes through lawyers. Yet, at a time when the role of lawyers in dispute resolution has captured not only public but political attention, social scientists have remained largely uninterested in the influence of lawyers on the disputing process. This is not to say that academics have ignored the growth in civil litigation in the United States. Economists have developed an extensive literature that models one or another aspect of the litigation and settlement process. But the economic literature, with rare exceptions, shares a troublesome feature. Almost by convention, litigation is modeled as a two-person game between principals, thereby abstracting away the legal system's central institutional characteristic-litigation is carried out by agents

Contracting for innovation : vertical disintegration and interfirm collaboration

Rapidly innovating industries are not behaving the way theory expects. Conventional industrial organization theory predicts that, when parties in a supply chain have to make transaction-specific investments, the risk of opportunism will drive them away from contracts and toward vertical integration. Despite the conventional theory, however, contemporary practice is moving in the other direction. Instead of vertical integration, we observe vertical disintegration in a significant number of industries, as producers recognize that they cannot themselves maintain cutting-edge technology in every field required for the success of their products. In doing this, the parties are developing forms of contracting beyond the reach of contract theory models. In this Article, we connect the emerging contract practice to theory, learning from what has happened in the real world to frame a theoretical explanation of this cross-organizational innovation and to reconceptualize the boundaries of the firm accordingly. We argue that the vertical disintegration of the supply chain in many industries is mediated neither by fully specified technical interfaces that allow suppliers to produce a modular piece of the ultimate product, nor by entirely implicit relational contracts supported only by norms of reciprocity and the expectation of future dealings. Rather, we suggest that the change in the boundary of the firm has given rise to a new form of contracting between firms -- what we call "contracting for innovation." This pattern braids explicit and implicit contracting to support iterative collaborative innovation by raising switching costs. These costs, represented by the parties' parallel transaction-specific investments in knowledge about their collaborators' capacities, deter opportunism under circumstances where explicit contracting, renegotiation, and the anticipation of future dealings cannot

Proactive management of construction claims: a case in support of the construction extension guide to PMBOK®

A Research Report Submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Project Management in Construction, September 2017Problem Statement As a background, several studies on construction claims management in the construction industry conducted in recent times highlighted deficiencies in current construction claims management approaches. Most of the research suggests a need for improvement in the efficiency of construction claims management processes. Claims management is an integral part of the entire project management and should be considered inherent in the administrative process of any construction project. Currently, the practice in construction claims management and dispute resolution generally reflects a one size fits all approach. Claims can be planned at tender stage. Hence, the problem statement is that the lack of efficient construction claims management processes poses risks on a construction project which produces the need to manage it proactively and efficiently. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether construction administrators such as Project Managers, Contract Managers, Construction Managers and Construction Claims Consultants involved in construction claims management process are aware of the Construction Extension Guide to PMBOK® which presented a proactive administration of construction claims. Research Methodology The research approach used in this study was a cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire. A combination of both online questionnaire and face to face interviews were conducted. The targeted population consisted of professionals with experience in construction claims management and project management. Out of 84 questionnaires sent out, 42 were returned which amounted to 50% response rate. The 42 respondents comprised of 11 project managers, 2 construction managers, 6 6 contract managers, 5 construction claims consultants, and 17 others who have not specified their roles. The research, being a cross-sectional study was carried out only once. Questionnaires were sent out and received within a two-month period and the interviews were conducted in two weeks thereafter. Quantitative data were collected from 42 respondents and from the 42 quantitative data respondents, 9 respondents were interviewed face to face for collecting qualitative data. Quantitative research uses mainly deductive reasoning while qualitative research uses mainly inductive reasoning. This research used both the deductive and inductive reasoning in analysing data. The research used descriptive method of analysis. The descriptive method is a straightforward calculation that shows how the respondents are distributed on all the items of the investigation. Research Findings The research findings indicated that project managers, contract managers, construction managers and construction claims consultants, even though they may be aware of the construction extension guide to the PBMOK, rarely make reference to it as a proactive project management tool for construction claims. In addition, the result pointed out that the Construction Extension Guide to the PMBOK® is an important tool in the management of construction claims.XL201