5,730 research outputs found
Benefits of visual management in construction: cases from the transportation sector in England
Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of Visual Management (VM) systems in transportation construction projects in England.
Design/methodology/approach:
Following a comprehensive literature review, the benefits of VM were investigated through action and case study research executed within two construction projects in England.
Findings:
The main findings are; VM can contribute to (i) increased self-management, (ii) better team coordination, (iii) better promises or an increasing Plan Percent Complete (PPC), (iv) easier control for the management, and (v) improved workplace conditions in the transportation sector. It is important for the management to obtain the engagement of their workforce for VM through increased participation and demonstrating the actual benefits. However, managerial monitoring and control on the systems should not be underestimated.
Originality/value:
The transportation sector in England has been systematically deploying lean construction techniques in its operations for a while. One of those lean techniques is a close-range visual communication strategy called Visual Management (VM). The literature on the VM implementation in construction is scarce and generally limited to the building construction context. This paper documents the benefits of VM systems for the transportation sector by using data captured through both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The paper also identifies a set of recommendations for similar research efforts in the transportation context in the future
The future of big data in facilities management : opportunities and challenges
Purpose: This paper explores the current condition of the Big Data concept with its related barriers, drivers, opportunities and perceptions in the AEC industry with an emphasis on Facilities Management (FM).
Design/methodology/approach: Following a comprehensive literature review, the Big Data concept was investigated through two scoping workshops with industry experts and academics.
Findings: The value in data analytics and Big Data is perceived by the industry; yet the industry needs guidance and leadership. Also, the industry recognises the imbalance between data capturing and data analytics. Large IT vendors’ developing AEC industry focused analytics solutions and better interoperability among different vendors are needed. The general concerns for Big Data analytics mostly apply to the AEC industry as well. Additionally however, the industry suffers from a structural fragmentation for data integration with many small-sized companies operating in its supply chains. This paper also identifies a number of drivers, challenges and way-forwards that calls for future actions for Big Data in FM in the AEC industry.
Originality/value: The nature of data in the business world has dramatically changed over the past 20 years. This phenomenon is often broadly dubbed as “Big Data” with its distinctive characteristics, opportunities and challenges. Some industries have already started to effectively exploit “Big Data” in their business operations. However, despite many perceived benefits, the AEC industry has been slow in discussing and adopting the Big Data concept. Empirical research efforts investigating Big Data for the AEC industry are also scarce. This paper aims at outlining the benefits, challenges and future directions (what to do) for Big Data in the AEC industry with a FM focus
Classification of Spherically Symmetric Static Spacetimes according to their Matter Collineations
The spherically symmetric static spacetimes are classified according to their
matter collineations. These are studied when the energy-momentum tensor is
degenerate and also when it is non-degenerate. We have found a case where the
energy-momentum tensor is degenerate but the group of matter collineations is
finite. For the non-degenerate case, we obtain either {\it four}, {\it five},
{\it six} or {\it ten} independent matter collineations in which four are
isometries and the rest are proper. We conclude that the matter collineations
coincide with the Ricci collineations but the constraint equations are
different which on solving can provide physically interesting cosmological
solutions.Comment: 15 pages, no figure, Late
Improved measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B0 -> J/Psi pi0 decays
We report improved measurements of time-dependent CP violation parameters for
decay. This analysis is based on 535 million
pairs accumulated at the resonance with the Belle
detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. From the distribution
of proper time intervals between the two B decays, we obtain the following CP
violation parameters and , which are consistent with Standard Model
expectations.Comment: Resubmitted to PRD(RC), including 4 figures, 6pages Revision has been
made according to communication with PRD referee
Measurements of Branching Fractions and Polarization in B > K^* rho Decays
We present results of a study of the charmless vector-vector decays B^0 ->
K^{*0} rho^0 and B^+ ->K^{*0} rho^+. The results are based on a 140 fb^{-1}
data sample collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^-
collider. We obtain the branching fraction B(B^+ -> K^{*0} rho^+)=(6.6 +-
2.2(stat.) +- 0.8 (syst.)) x 10^{-6}, and set upper limits on the branching
fractions B(B^0 -> K^{*0} rho^0) f_0(980)
K^{*0})<5.2 x 10^{-6}. We also perform a helicity analysis of the rho and K^*
vector mesons in the decay B^+ -> K^{*0} rho^+, and obtain the longitudinal
polarization fraction R_0(B^+ -> K^{*0} rho^+)=0.50 +-
0.19(stat.)+0.05-0.07}(syst.).Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to ICHEP04, Beijing, Chin
Evidence for at Belle
We present a measurement of the branching fraction for the Cabibbo- and
color-suppressed decay based on a data sample of
events collected at the resonance
with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. We
observe a signal of events with a significance of
including systematic uncertainties. The measured branching fraction is
.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Dalitz analysis of the three-body charmless decays B+=>K+Pi+Pi- and B+=>K+K+K-
We report results on the Dalitz analysis of three-body charmless B+=>K+Pi+Pi-
and B+=>K+K+K- decays based on a 140 fb data sample collected with the
Belle detector. Measurements of branching fractions for quasi-two-body decays
to scalar-pseudoscalar states: B+ => f0(980)K+, B+ => K*_0(1430)^0 Pi+, and to
vector-pseudoscalar states: B+ => K*(892)^0 Pi+, B+ => rho(770)K+, B+ =>
phi(1020)K+ are presented. Upper limits on decays to some pseudoscalar-tensor
final states are reported. We also report the measurement of the B+ => chi_c0
K+ branching fraction in two chi_c0 decays channels: chi_c0 => Pi+Pi- and
chi_c0 => K+K-.Comment: 32 pages, 14 figures. Submitted to PR
Search for decays with semileptonic tagging at Belle
We present the results of a search for the rare decays , where stands for and . The results are
obtained with pairs collected with the Belle
detector at the KEKB collider. We reconstruct one meson in a
semileptonic decay and require a single meson but nothing else on the
signal side. We observe no significant signal and set upper limits on the
branching fractions. The limits set on the , , , ,
, and channels
are the world's most stringent.Comment: Submitted to PR
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