A tool for effective transferring of knowledge and technology in contracting organizations

The project-based nature of contracting organizations creates a learning opportunity from most of its activities. Although knowledge helps to gain valuable experience from construction projects, due to its complex and unique nature, organizations do not systematically secure knowledge for later usage. Due to that, contracting organizations create significant discontinuities in flows of knowledge within members, tasks and tools. Therefore, for contracting organizations to make the use of its knowledge, a mechanism for managing knowledge has to exist. That mechanism should include efficient transferring of knowledge throughout the organization. Such transferring can occur through the organization’s various activities and organizations stand to benefit if these activities are done strategically not only to acquire, but also to share and transfer knowledge and ultimately enhance performance. Today, the construction industry is moving towards sustainable solutions for projects. Therefore, necessity of knowledge transferring mechanism has become much more important than ever. The study has henceforth analyzed the knowledge transfer process of contracting organizations in Sri Lanka and explored how these organizations facilitate transfer of knowledge. Three contracting organizations were selected among C1 contractors in Sri Lanka for this case study and the research problem was examined through semi-structured interviews of the key participants of the organizations. The analyses from findings support the propositions set forth in the study: the importance of the knowledge transfer process in contracting organizations, the situational nature of the knowledge being transferred, effects, barriers and measures for its effectiveness for knowledge transfer initiatives. In effect, the study builds a knowledge transfer process reflected in contracting organizations in Sri Lanka by mapping case study findings to the conceptual model and a model for sustainable business process of contracting organizations. Recommendations for contracting organizations at policy and functional level are made based on the findings. Fundamentally, contracting organizations should adapt knowledge transfer process to its organizational strategy to achieve success in their business through sustainable solution

Integrating Distributed Sources of Information for Construction Cost Estimating using Semantic Web and Semantic Web Service technologies

A construction project requires collaboration of several organizations such as owner, designer, contractor, and material supplier organizations. These organizations need to exchange information to enhance their teamwork. Understanding the information received from other organizations requires specialized human resources. Construction cost estimating is one of the processes that requires information from several sources including a building information model (BIM) created by designers, estimating assembly and work item information maintained by contractors, and construction material cost data provided by material suppliers. Currently, it is not easy to integrate the information necessary for cost estimating over the Internet. This paper discusses a new approach to construction cost estimating that uses Semantic Web technology. Semantic Web technology provides an infrastructure and a data modeling format that enables accessing, combining, and sharing information over the Internet in a machine processable format. The estimating approach presented in this paper relies on BIM, estimating knowledge, and construction material cost data expressed in a web ontology language. The approach presented in this paper makes the various sources of estimating data accessible as Simple Protocol and Resource Description Framework Query Language (SPARQL) endpoints or Semantic Web Services. We present an estimating application that integrates distributed information provided by project designers, contractors, and material suppliers for preparing cost estimates. The purpose of this paper is not to fully automate the estimating process but to streamline it by reducing human involvement in repetitive cost estimating activities

Major project team learning:examining building information modelling

The speed of technological advancement of software development drives the need for individual and team learning to exploit these developments for competitive advantage. Using a major long term redevelopment as a case study a review of learning processes and project team learning in the context of a voluntary approach to adopting of BIM prior to 2016 is examined. The speed of adoption of BIM across a large redevelopment project covering several years is variable and the differences of preparedness between team members from different organisations raises the question of how effective the project team can be in sharing learning and increasing the speed of adoption of BIM. The benefits of understanding the project environment as a formal learning context are recognised where teams are working in partnering arrangements but the focus is usually on post project review of what went wrong with little time to critically evaluate other variables. Knowledge Management has the potential to help understand and then facilitate greater participation amongst stakeholders in project team learning. The research team undertook decision mapping and knowledge elicitation techniques and applied these to the Dundee Waterfront to identify key factors relevant to successful project management, enabling the Waterfront Project Team to understand current practice. The effectiveness of project team learning in relation to BIM within this long-term major redevelopment is influenced by positive motivational drivers for individuals to learn how to use and apply BIM, the level of organisational support for learning and professional development and the project information and communication systems. In practice the current approach to sharing of knowledge within the project team indicates a fragmented approach in relation to the adoption and application of BIM to managing construction projects

Bridging the Innovation Divide: An Agenda for Disseminating Technology Innovations within the Nonprofit Sector

Examines technology practices -- such as neighborhood information systems, electronic advocacy, Internet-based micro enterprise support, and digital inclusion initiatives -- that strengthen the capacity of nonprofits and community organizations

Knowledge Transfer Needs and Methods

INE/AUTC 12.3

Sanitation as a Business: Unclogging the Blockages

The first Unclogging the Blockages conference took place in Kampala, Uganda in February 2014 with the aim of putting on the table some of the major challenges facing the scale up of sustainable sanitation as well as collaborating towards innovaive soluions. This report summarizes the discussions and takeaway messages from the conference, including concrete action plans developed around a number of thematic areas. [KEY FINDINGS]Market based approaches are key to addressing some of the main barriers for scaling sustainable sanitation solutions. Participants came away with a much richer understanding of the principles and key tenets of sanitation as a business. A push for greater integration in sanitation programming between the housing, energy, business, health, and education sectors will allow for sustainable city and district-wide sanitation services.Unlocking finance for businesses and households and embedding monitoring within all work is critical. One interesting outcome of the group work was a suggestion to form a Global Sanitation Financing Alliance.Supporting sanitation businesses to be successful in the realities of the market requires on-the-ground, real time, market-focused technology development and R&D. A variety of these technologies were on display at the meeting

Protecting Shoreland and Riparian Buffers Workshop (2007)

The New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) organized and implemented a workshop on protecting shoreland and riparian buffers. A number of other organizations, including three regional planning commissions, NH Fish and Game Department, NH Department of Environmental Services, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and UNH Cooperative Extension, were involved in the planning and execution of the workshop. The workshop was designed to provide information and tools to encourage greater municipal regulatory protections for buffers. The workshop was held three times in October and November 2007 and attended by 75 people, primarily planning board and conservation commission members