Critical flow – towards a construction flow theory

This paper introduces the concept of Construction Physics as a more comprehensive way of understanding the construction process from a flow perspective. It establishes a preliminary definition of the term and investigates briefly the present knowledge, flow models and methods for their management. From this it argues that the state of the art does not fully cover the whole process and proposes a holistic view of the flow of all prerequisites feeding the process. It introduces the key term Critical Flow and concludes by recommending areas that should be investigated as a joint IGLC research, development and testing programme

A study into continuous improvement initiative sustainability

The idea of continuous improvement is familiar to most managers and there are many examples of how its use can increase a company’s overall performance. However, while numerous companies have adopted the approach, very few have seen the long term sustainability of such programmes. This paper reports on research that was carried out into the sustainability of continuous improvement initiatives. A case study was carried out in a manufacturing company that had been using the approach for five years. The case study identified several factors that helped to sustain the initiative but it also revealed some elements that had a negative impact

Seal integrity and the impact on food waste

An investigation into the contribution that inadequate heat sealing of food packaging might make to the generation of food waste, in the supply chain and the househol

Construction Physics

At the 14th annual conference in the International Group for Lean Construction in 2006 the authors presented the concept of construction as a process being fed by a number of flows out of which one is the critical one deciding the speed with which the process takes place. This contribution takes the idea further and sets out by discussing production in general and the underlying mental flow models associated with this understanding. It then suggests a new model for the understanding of the nature of project production with a focus on all the flows feeding this complex process. It continues by discussing the nature of the flows and at the same time looks at the impact of their variability at the project level. And finally it looks at the present tools for project management and their suitability in a process understanding of the project where particularly the nature of Last Planner is discussed

Hypermedia Information Systems in Industry

The requirements for industrial strength hypermedia are well known. If hypermedia applications are to be used successfully in the industrial environment, then considerable effort is required to integrate them into with the organisation’s current business practices. This implies that any proposed model must be simple to maintain and implement, as well as bringing real benefits to the organisation as a whole. This article discusses the development of such a system, its implementation and evaluation to support manufacturing operations at Pirelli Cables, Eastleigh

Does Management Matter? Evidence from India

A long-standing question in social science is to what extent differences in management cause differences in firm performance. To investigate this we ran a management field experiment on large Indian textile firms. We provided free consulting on modern management practices to a randomly chosen set of treatment plants and compared their performance to the control plants. We find that adopting these management practices had three main effects. First, it raised average productivity by 11% through improved quality and efficiency and reduced inventory. Second, it increased decentralization of decision making, as better information flow enabled owners to delegate more decisions to middle managers. Third, it increased the use of computers, necessitated by the data collection and analysis involved in modern management. Since these practices were profitable this raises the question of why firms had not adopted these before. Our results suggest that informational barriers were a primary factor in explaining this lack of adoption. Modern management is a technology that diffuses slowly between firms, with many Indian firms initially unaware of its existence or impact. Since competition was limited by constraints on firm entry and growth, badly managed firms were not rapidly driven from the market.management, organization, IT, productivity and India

Assessment Report 2013 Hansoll Textile, Nicaragua AA0000000320

This document is part of a digital collection provided by the Martin P. Catherwood Library, ILR School, Cornell University, pertaining to the effects of globalization on the workplace worldwide. Special emphasis is placed on labor rights, working conditions, labor market changes, and union organizing.FLA_2013_Hansoll_AR_Nicaragua_AA0000000320.pdf: 66 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Does management matter ? evidence from India

A long-standing question in social science is to what extent differences in management cause differences in firm performance. To investigate this, the authors ran a management field experiment on large Indian textile firms, providing free consulting on modern management practices to a randomly chosen set of treatment plants and compared their performance to the control plants. They find that adopting these management practices had three main effects. First, it raised average productivity by 11 percent through improved quality and efficiency and reduced inventory. Second, it increased decentralization of decision making, as better information flow enabled owners to delegate more decisions to middle managers. Third, it increased the use of computers, necessitated by the data collection and analysis involved in modern management. Since these practices were profitable this raises the question of why firms had not adopted these before. Their results suggest that informational barriers were a primary factor in explaining this lack of adoption. Modern management is a technology that diffuses slowly between firms, with many Indian firms initially unaware of its existence or impact. Since competition was limited by constraints on firm entry and growth, badly managed firms were not rapidly driven from the market.Labor Policies,E-Business,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Rural Development Knowledge&Information Systems,Labor Markets

Does Management Matter? Evidence From India

A long-standing question in social science is to what extent differences in management cause differences in firm performance. To investigate this we ran a management field experiment on large Indian textile firms. We provided free consulting on modern management practices to a randomly chosen set of treatment plants and compared their performance to the control plants. We find that adopting these management practices had three main effects. First, it raised average productivity by 11% through improved quality and efficiency and reduced inventory. Second, it increased decentralization of decision making, as better information flow enabled owners to delegate more decisions to middle managers. Third, it increased the use of computers, necessitated by the data collection and analysis involved in modern management. Since these practices were profitable this raises the question of why firms had not adopted these before. Our results suggest that informational barriers were a primary factor in explaining this lack of adoption. Modern management is a technology that diffuses slowly between firms, with many Indian firms initially unaware of its existence or impact. Since competition was limited by constraints on firm entry and growth, badly managed firms were not rapidly driven from the market.management, organization, IT, productivity and India