39,731 research outputs found
The Future for Architects?
In this study Building Futures sets out to explore the future role of architects, asking: who will design our buildings in 2025; what roles will those trained in architecture be doing then and how will architectural practice have changed as a result? Through a series of one-to-one interviews and round table sessions the study aims to examine the breadth of those who shape the built environment: including traditional architects and those working in expanded fields of practice, as well as clients, consultants and contractors. The resulting speculations should be an opportunity for discussion and interrogation- an exploration of the imminent changes likely to affect the industry over the next 15 years
The problem of middle income trap in the context of the Polish economy
Middle income trap is a phenomenon that occurs at the time of entry of the economy in the cycle of overheating, which in turn leads to economic stagnation or even recession in developing countries. This phenomenon is most common among the developing countries aspiring to catch up with developed countries in economic development. The purpose of this article is to analyze the degree of risk of the Polish economy of middle income trap. Furthermore, in the article it has been indicated action of the economic authorities in Poland, which are unavoidable in order not to fall into middle income trap. To achieve this objective the following research methods were used: a review of the scientific literature and methods of statistical presentation of economic phenomena. The paper identified a number of factors which pose a real threat of falling into the middle income trap in Poland. The originality of this study lies in noticing and highlighting the significance of the middle income trap problem for the Polish economy
Recommended from our members
Contracting for quality or local fixes? Two personal medical services pilots
Can procurement affect design performance?
There is an emerging view in the construction industry that better performance or better value for money can be achieved by integrating teamwork for planning, design and construction of building projects. There are though, two opposing perspectives regarding how changes in traditional design practices should occur. Advocates of sustainable construction in North America posit that it is a matter of evolving processes, moving from a sequential to an iterative
approach to design, whereas the British government supports the view that a change in how projects are procured is required to transform the context that dictates relationships among the members of the team. The objective of the research is to study the influence of procurement on
the performance of integrated design teams. It analyses, through case studies representing these two perspectives, the influence of procurement on the performance of integrated teams. The research is conclusive in that it is the context created by contractual relationship, and not the
process set up for conducting integrated design, that most influence team efficiency. It demonstrates that traditional procurement processes reinforce socio-cognitive barriers that hinder team efficiency. It also illustrates how new procurement modes can transform the dynamics of relationships between the client and the members of the supply chain, and have a positive impact on team performance
Recommended from our members
The fee tendering and service quality issue revisited
Purpose - It is a little over twenty years since mandatory fee scales were abolished by UK professional bodies. During this period fee levels have fluctuated with economic demand, and new procurement strategies such as partnering have been developed, but there is still a widespread view in industry, that fee levels are too low. This view is shared by many professionals, and perhaps more surprisingly by clients, even in the current construction and property boom. The research reported in this paper investigates the link between competitive fee tendering and clientsâ perceptions of service quality in the UK Property Industry. The main hypothesis is that there is a causal relationship between service quality and the method of appointment of the professional. Design/methodology/approach - The research involved unstructured interviews with clients and professionals and a postal questionnaire study of one hundred and thirty three UK based clients. The questionnaire study was a repeat of a similar survey conducted eight years previously in very different economic conditions. The public and private sector clients each assessed the service quality received from a professional using a measurement scale developed from the generic service industry instrument SERVQUAL. The scale is used to test the main hypothesis and four sub-hypotheses. There were twice as many private sector clients completing the questionnaires as there were public sector clients and the largest group of professionals assessed were General Practice Chartered Surveyors. Findings - The results of the recent study are similar to the earlier one (in that evidence of the predicted relationship is not provided by the data) but there are some interesting differences in the results of both studies â fee tendering has declined in popularity, direct appointment has increased, but less than 5% of the commissions were let on a partnered basis. Practical implications â Property managers and other professionals
Commodity Futures Contract Viability: A Multidisciplinary Approach
We propose a development process of commodity futures contracts in which the decisions and wishes of potential customers are investigated simultaneously with the necessary technical properties that need to be met for trading to take place. Within this framework the relationship between trading volume and hedging effectiveness is examined taking both basis risk and market depth risk into account, and the relationship between owner-manager's characteristics and the probability of using futures is examined, taking latent variables and the heterogeneity of owner-managers into account. The relationships are tested on a set of data gathered in a stratified sample of 440 owner-managers by means of computer-assisted personal interviews and on transaction-specific futures data. Structural equation models and multiple regression models are used to validate the relationships. The hedging effectiveness and the variables that play a role in the owner-manager's use of futures are related to the tools of the exchange.Futures Contracts Design; Multidisciplinarity; Hedging Effectiveness; Choice Behavior; Measurement Error; Segments; Futures Exchange Toolbox
The knowledge domain of chain and network science
This editorial paper aims to provide a framework to categorise and evaluate the domain of Chain and Network Science (CNS), and to provide an envelope for the research and management agenda. The authors strongly feel that although considerable progress has been made over the past couple of years in the development of the CNS domain, a number of important and exciting challenges are still waiting to be tackled. This paper provides a definition of the object of study of CNS, its central problem area, the organisation and governance of chain and network co-operation, and the relationships between chain organisation and technology development, market dynamics, and the economy and society at large. It indicates relevant sources of knowledge among the various academic disciplines. It touches upon CNS problem solving by identifying areas for knowledge development and CNS tool construction
Reform and Regional Integration of Professional Services in East Africa
Professional services matter for development in East Africa. Business services, including professional services, are among the most dynamic services sectors; and are a key input for other sectors. Greater use of professional services by East African firms is associated with higher labor productivity. But there is a large gap between the potential contribution these services could make and the meager contribution they make today. National markets for professionals and professional services in East Africa remain underdeveloped, whereas regional markets are fragmented by restrictive policies and regulatory heterogeneity. An effective reform agenda will require policy action in four areas: education, regulation of professional services, trade policy, and labor mobility at both the national and international levels.reform, regional integration, professional services, Africa, East Africa, development, business services, labor, productivity, trade policy, labor mobility
The role of network administrative organizations in the development of social capital in inter-organizational food networks
This paper is concerned with the role of network administrative organizations (NAOs) in the development of social capital in interâorganizational networks aiming at supporting their members to innovate in the food sector through interacting with one another. A multiâcase study approach is used whereby three Belgian interâorganizational networks are investigated i.e. Wagralim, RéseauâClub and Flanders Food. Our study shows that there are many options available to NAOs to build social capital within the networks they are responsible for; options which we propose to categorize in three main distinct groups: creation of boundary objects, careful selection of members and effective communication.</p
- âŠ