EC55-700 Field Moisture Test for Determining when to Irrigate

Extension Circular 55-700: This is about how to perform a field moisture test for determining when to irrigate

Conflict efficacy: antecedents and consequences

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of PsychologyClive J. A. FullagarInterpersonal conflict has remained a pervasive and important issue in all organizations. Despite the prevalence of workplace conflict and high individual and organizational costs, hypotheses regarding the effects of operationalizing work conflict in different ways have been largely ignored and only indirectly investigated. Study 1 experimentally examined the extent to which the process of conflict resolution was affected by context (i.e., definitional differences). Results from 507 college student participants indicated that felt conflict was manipulated by subtly changing the definition of work conflict used in survey instructions. While the manipulation was somewhat effective, the effect size was weak. Ultimately, students’ perceptions about what the conflict was about directly predicted conflict intensity, frequency, efficacy, and some resolution preferences. Results from Study 1 help refute recent criticisms that operationalizing work conflict in different ways has created a fragmented literature base, and allowed for Study 2 to move away from measurement and design issues to the more pragmatic concern of investigating the newly established and important concept of conflict efficacy, including its antecedents and consequences. Although self-efficacy is one of the most popular constructs in psychology, little research has examined conflict efficacy, or one’s assessment of their ability to resolve interpersonal conflicts. Study 2, a cross-sectional study, tested a model in which conflict efficacy (CE) was the central research variable. Study 2 attempted to establish conflict resolution skills, mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, physiological arousal, and verbal persuasion as antecedents of CE, and negative interactions at work and positive social relationships at work as key outcomes of CE. Results from 137 college students indicated that the hypothesized sources of conflict efficacy were actually better predictors of positive work relationships than either task or domain CE. Negative interactions at work and positive social relationships were predicted by task CE. In addition, frequency of negative work interactions was found to moderate the effect of conflict avoidance preference on work relationships such that avoiding was negatively related to positive work relationships when the individual experienced frequent negative interactions at work, but non-significantly related when relatively less negative interactions at work were experienced

Benefits derived from use of DSM as part of the ADePT approach to managing engineering projects

Papers have been presented on the ADePT planning and management approach at DSM Conferences going back to 2000. The approach is now in widespread use in industrial applications, ranging from a US$4M building fit-out project to a £4Bn urban redevelopment project, and a number of practices have been established to ensure design planning and control is undertaken in the most effective way possible. The impacts of the approach’s use have recently been assessed, highlighting a number of areas where benefit is derived and showing a significant return on the investment required to implement the technique

Modelling and managing project complexity

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, like many others, is increasingly aware of the need to improve efficiency and effectiveness to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A key discovery in their search for improvements is the benefits of repeatability in both processes and products. However, although the latter has seen significant advances, such as the adoption of pre-assembly and standardised components and systems, the industry has experienced far greater difficulties identifying ways of capturing, understanding, and replicating work processes. The identification and removal of waste from the process can only be achieved once the process has been captured. Their repeated use and development, combined with analysis with the Analytical Design Planning Technique, enable the improvement of work practices and culture in terms of integration, decision-making and reductions in re-work

Modelling and managing complexity in construction projects

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry is increasingly aware of the need to improve efficiency and effectiveness to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A key discovery in their search for improvements is the benefits of repeatability in both processes and products. However, although the latter has seen significant advances, such as the adoption of pre-assembly and standardised components and systems, the industry has experienced far greater difficulties identifying ways of capturing, understanding, and replicating work processes. The identification and removal of waste can only be achieved once the process has been captured. Their repeated use and development, combined with analysis by ADePT, enable the improvement of work practices and culture in terms of integration, decision-making and reductions in re-work

Evaluation of the AGDISP ground boom spray drift model

AGDISP is a well-established spray drift model that has been validated for aerial spraying of forests. Recently a prototypical ground boom option has been added to AGDISP. This was evaluated in the current study by collecting data from spray trials over a grass sward using a ground boom sprayer and representative application parameters. Spray solutions were made up of water, sticker adjuvant and a metal cation, which was changed for each spray application. Deposition from spray drift was measured by analyses of the cation deposits on artificial targets (plastic tapes) placed on the grass surface. Measured deposition was compared with profiles calculated using AGDISP. AGDISP overpredicted deposition from spray drift by a factor of 3.5-100 outside the spray block. Possible reasons for these discrepancies are given. Options are to improve measured deposition and the algorithms for the deposition on the downwind swath of the spray block and evaporation of droplets

Using training workshops to map interdisciplinary team working

Contemporary building projects are increasingly complex and demand close integration between the design of the building services and the fabric. The early stages of the design process, when alternative concepts are being generated and the least promising are eliminated, are recognised as crucial, since they define the parameters within which the whole project will be constrained. AMEC Design, a large practice of building service engineers, surveyors, architects and other building design professionals is committed to interdisciplinary teamwork at the conceptual phase of design, and is participating with other construction organisations and with the University of Cambridge in research to map the process of design at the concept phase. Workshops for design team members are run regularly by the company as part of its staff development programme. A recent workshop provided an opportunity to monitor interdisciplinary design teams and to develop an initial 12-phase model of the conceptual design process. The process as observed was clearly non-linear, implying the need for models which allow flexible interpretations. Future revisions will be followed by further testing in similar workshops, and eventually its application on live projects

One step forward and three back: a study of the patterns of interdisciplinary conceptual design

One step forward and three back: a study of the patterns of interdisciplinary conceptual desig

An internet-based system to support interdisciplinary and inter-organisational collaborative conceptual design

This paper builds on work presented at the last two CIBSE conferences, and describes the development of an Internet-based design tool to support interdisciplinary teams during the conceptual phase of the design process. Originally, devised as a paper-based framework comprising five phases and twelve activities, the interactive internet-based version accords well with the richly iterative and often non-linear process which design typically follows. The tool is intended to encourage inspirational concept design without imposing a rigid procedure. As well as offering alternative routes through concept design, the tool contains ‘team thinking tools’ to help designers widen the solution space, set priorities and evaluate options. In addition, drawing on management science literature about effective teamwork practices, it helps a team deal with social interactions. Also, at the user’s option, the system can be used to capture, store and retrieve decisions made, and the reasoning behind them. Overall the system, which exists as a working prototype, offers the combined prospects of decision support, an audit trail, and improved knowledge management. The prototype is available openly on the web, and constructive feedback from users is welcomed. At least one of the collaborating organisations is adapting the system to its individual needs and embedding it within its own operating procedures