Innovation diffusion at the implementation stage of a construction project: a case study of information communication technology

Interest in construction industry (CI) innovation, particularly in information communication technology (ICT), has been steadily growing with the advent and widespread use of the Internet. However, despite its potential for delivering competitive advantage, many companies have failed to effectively realize promised benefits from ICT due to misunderstanding the relationship between factors and processes influencing ICT implementation. Results from recent in-depth qualitative ICT implementation research on three construction contractors provides useful insights and practical experience of lessons learned that can be more broadly disseminated. These research results provide an ICT innovation diffusion organizational level framework with insights about how it may be applied to improve ICT adoption at different implementation stages for the CI. They suggest that strategic ICT implementation planning needs to consider issues of critical management support, technical support, supportive workplace environment and ICT users' individual-characteristics so that the framework processes offered can be effectively applied.Innovation diffusion, IT implementation, technology management,

Tall height and obesity are associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer: results from the EPIC cohort study

Background The relationships between body size and prostate cancer risk, and in particular risk by tumour characteristics, are not clear because most studies have not differentiated between tumours that are high grade and those that are advanced stage, but rather have assessed risk with a combined category of aggressive disease. We investigated the association of height and adiposity with incidence of and death from prostate cancer in 141,896 men in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Methods Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After an average of 13.9 years of follow-up there were 7,024 incident prostate cancers and 934 prostate cancer deaths. Results Height was not associated with total prostate cancer risk. Subgroup analyses showed heterogeneity in the association with height by tumour grade (Pheterogeneity=0.002), with a positive association with risk for high grade, but not low-intermediate grade, disease (HR for high grade disease tallest versus shortest fifth of height 1.54, 95% CI 1.18-2.03). Greater height was also associated with a higher risk for prostate cancer death (HR=1.43, 1.14-1.80). BMI was significantly inversely associated with total prostate cancer, but there was evidence of heterogeneity by tumour grade (Pheterogeneity=0.01; HR=0.89, 0.79-0.99 for low-intermediate grade and HR=1.32, 1.01-1.72 for high grade prostate cancer) and stage (Pheterogeneity=0.01; HR=0.86, 0.75-0.99 for localized stage and HR=1.11, 0.92-1.33 for advanced stage). BMI was positively associated with prostate cancer death (HR=1.35, 1.09-1.68). The results for waist circumference were generally similar to those for BMI, but the associations were slightly stronger for high grade (HR=1.43, 1.07-1.92) and fatal prostate cancer (HR=1.55, 1.23-1.96). Conclusions The findings from this large prospective study show that men who are taller and who have greater adiposity have an elevated risk of high grade prostate cancer and prostate cancer death.</p