Influences of social capital on knowledge creation: An exploration in the UK built environment sector

The UK built environment sector faces a number of important challenges such as reducing carbon emissions and cost. New knowledge should be created to develop new practices, competences and capabilities to overcome these challenges. Studies that characterise knowledge creation as a transformation process through the networks of social relationships and intra-organisational teams are needed to understand, and thus improve such processes in project environments. Structural, relational and cognitive dimensions of Social Capital (SC) influence the utilisation of knowledge creation opportunities inherent in project networks. Hence, SC provides the essential infrastructure for knowledge creation. A fresh approach to operationalising the concept of SC through social network analysis and content analysis is thus required. This paper develops and explores the conceptual relationships between knowledge creation and SC in the context of two live building projects. There are two main conclusions. First, structural network indices are indicators of knowledge creation opportunities but they should be considered in conjunction with the relational and cognitive dimensions to determine whether and how opportunities are being utilised. Second, project communication strategies should be designed to enable actors in structurally advantageous positions for knowledge creation to utilise these opportunities

Transdisciplinarity in energy retrofit: A conceptual framework

This study explores the role of Energy Retrofit (ER) in Low Carbon Transition (LCT). The literature recognises the need to move towards a transdisciplinary approach in ER, which encompasses multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. However, the fragmentation between different disciplines remains a significant problem, mainly due to challenges associated with knowledge exchange across the allied disciplines that play a role in ER. The authors posit that ER projects has been conceptualised and implemented using a Systems perspective so that an integrated approach that is akin to transdisciplinarity could become commonplace. Against this background, the aim of this paper is to establish to what extent ER has been conceptualised as a System in the literature so that complexities can effectively be managed through a transdisciplinary approach. This work is based on a literature review of 136 peer-reviewed journal papers. The content analysis demonstrates that current research on transdisciplinarity in ER can be conceptualised in five categories and 15 lines of research. They are presented as a Conceptual Framework, which is this paper’s main contribution to existing knowledge. It reveals the direction of innovation in ER for LCT, and is illustrated as a cognitive map. This map exposes the current fragmentation implicit in the literature, and proposes critical connections that need to be established for a transdisciplinary approach. It also shows that the discourse on LCT changed by moving beyond the building scale; and recognising the need to embrace disruptive and local technologies, and integrating the social and technical aspects of ER. Innovative technical solutions and robust information modelling approaches emerge as key vehicles towards making decisions that pay regard to the economic, social and technical factors and that empower the prosumers to play an active role in LCT

Pain measurement methods and pain measurement system design

The measurement of pain, which is one of the common problems of human beings, is extremely important in terms of determining the method and program that is planned to be applied to eliminate it. Therefore, the most important step in pain treatment will be to determine the pain value first. Today, there are many methods used to assess pain. In this article, the importance of pain assessment, the methods used in pain assessment and the importance of the algometer device, which is widely used in the pain assessment process, will be discussed. In addition, the features of the algometer device designed with tension spring and potentiometer structure will be explained

Knowledge creation: A case study of international construction joint venture projects in Thailand

In recent years, companies around the world are trying to expand internationally through collaborative agreements. ‘International Construction Joint Ventures’ (ICJVs) have become of significant interest as the global construction market continues to be integrated into a more competitive business environment. Moreover, ICJVs can be a mechanism for creating, transferring and improving knowledge and skills between partners. Knowledge creation has also been recognized as the successful mechanism of creating knowledge between local and foreign partners. Therefore, local partners who wished to enter into the emerging market needed to quickly develop the required resources. Thus, it is especially important to understand how new knowledge in ICJV projects can be transferred and adopted. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate and characterise the knowledge creation process in ICJV projects and explore to what extent projects facilitate the process. A case study approach is adopted using three ICJV projects. As a result, this research provides the establishment of specific knowledge creation processes through an empirical investigation of ICJV projects in Thailand

Research roadmap for information integration in construction

This Roadmap is developed for a challenging Global environment where fundamental paradigms such as data generation and analysis, are shifting at a seismic rate, while change in Construction Industries across the Globe is, in the main, confined to large-scale projects and slow. Against this background, the authors set out to also give a ‘voice’ to small-to-medium-scale projects through which the construction output Worldwide is delivered. Hence, project scale was one of the key considerations throughout this Roadmap. Moreover, the authors conceptualized data integration by taking the realities of ‘doing business’ in construction into consideration. The emergent framework facilitates the discussion of knowledge and data integration at organisational, team, operational and technical levels across key project phases. This approach recognizes that business is done through projects but change can only come about if appropriate organizational structures and processes are put in place. Last, but not least, the authors strived to ensure that data integration was not considered solely from a technical perspective. Organisational, team and individual aspects of data integration were integrated in the research framework. Through our work the individual’s willingness to collaborate emerged as a critical driver for high levels of integration, while our survey did identify “Reluctance to work across professional boundaries” as a major barrier to integration. Hence, we conclude that research on integration should pay due attention to the individual

Resilient student halls at Oxford Brookes University : UK Universities Climate Network case study

In November 2021, Oxford Brookes University received planning permission to redevelop the Clive Booth Student Village – an existing student accommodation site. This redevelopment will increase resilience to higher temperatures and heatwaves, flooding and potential risks of energy shocks, while also providing benefits to student quality of living, reducing pressure on local housing supply and reducing carbon emissions

Research roadmap for information integration in construction

This Roadmap is developed for a challenging Global environment where fundamental paradigms such as data generation and analysis, are shifting at a seismic rate, while change in Construction Industries across the Globe is, in the main, confined to large-scale projects and slow. Against this background, the authors set out to also give a ‘voice’ to small-to-medium-scale projects through which the construction output Worldwide is delivered. Hence, project scale was one of the key considerations throughout this Roadmap. Moreover, the authors conceptualized data integration by taking the realities of ‘doing business’ in construction into consideration. The emergent framework facilitates the discussion of knowledge and data integration at organisational, team, operational and technical levels across key project phases. This approach recognizes that business is done through projects but change can only come about if appropriate organizational structures and processes are put in place. Last, but not least, the authors strived to ensure that data integration was not considered solely from a technical perspective. Organisational, team and individual aspects of data integration were integrated in the research framework. Through our work the individual’s willingness to collaborate emerged as a critical driver for high levels of integration, while our survey did identify “Reluctance to work across professional boundaries” as a major barrier to integration. Hence, we conclude that research on integration should pay due attention to the individual

Re-using listed buildings through conversion: a process mapping approach.

Re-use is the fundamental means of sustaining and thus conserving modest architectural heritage (Grade II listed buildings). Currently, it remains a marginal activity within property development as the direct agents perceive the re-use process to be more complex, construction and project costs to be higher, and the project duration to be longer than new built projects. As a result, the risk of vacancy and obsolescence in architectural heritage Increases. The author asserts that understanding the actual dynamics of the process, and identifying the factors that increase the chances of overcoming challenges associated with re-use, and thus achieving a successful outcome, would be Instrumental In firstly evaluating the validity of the above perceptions, which are widely published in the related literature, and then proposing a 'good practice re-use process' that can be adopted to similar projects. Hence, agents would become equipped with the know-how of carrying out re-use projects. Eventually, re-use would move towards the centre of the property development domain, and subsequently our capacity for sustaining architectural heritage would have increased. Therefore, this thesis focuses on the process of re-using listed buidings. It adopts a process mapping approach m a case study context. The development processes of three re-use projects in London are mapped. The process mapping approach adopted is novel to the property development sector. Its novelty lies in two areas. Firstly, it maps the actual processes instead of proposing a normative process protocol. Secondly, it devises a methodological approach, which is both flexible enough to allow data 'speak for itself, and systematic enough to allow for rigorous and consistent analysis of rich and extensive qualitative data. (Comparative analysis of the maps follow process mapping. Here, the aim is to assess process performances and project outcomes. Then a 'good practice guide for re-use process' is proposed. This is based on the findings of the comparative analysis. The research has shown that the re-use process is complex, but is still possible to achieve success if the development team is competent in managing complexity, flexible and responsive, and adopts a holistic project perspective. Even if the development teams do not have these attributes, they can successfully complete a re-use project if the market is buoyant. The buoyancy of the market can thus counter-balance the direct agents' reluctance to get involved and increase the opportunities of re-using listed buildings. The challenge is to establish and sustain the attributes the development team needs to possess to achieve success in the development/construction industry where short-termism still overrides. Until this is achieved, re- - use is likely to continue to be a marginal activity dominated by a small number of development teams with expertise in the field at locations and times of market depression

BENİN ÇOCUKLUK ÇAĞI MYOZİTİ: AKUT OLARAK YÜRÜMEYİ REDDEDEN BİR ÇOCUKTA AYIRICI TANIDA DÜŞÜNÜLMESİ GEREKEN BİR HASTALIK

Benign childhood myositis is a disease of childhood which is characterised with calf pain and sudden onset of refusal to walk. The disease must be differentiated from more serious causes of refusal to walk or limb pain. Elevated creatin kinase, muscle tenderness, normal muscle power and deep tendon reflexes are the most important clues to reach the diagnosis. We report an eight year old boy who presented with acute onset of inability to walk. Based on history, clinical and laboratory findings, the diagnosis of benign childhood myositis is established. All pediatricians should be aware of this condition in order to prevent unnecessary investigations. Benign çocukluk çağı myositi, baldır ağrısı ve ani olarak yürümeyi reddetme ile karakterize bir çocukluk çağı hastalığıdır. Bacak ağrısı ve yürümeyi reddetmeye yol açacak çok daha ciddi hastalıklardan ayrımı yapılmalıdır. Artmış kreatin kinaz, kaslarda hassasiyet, normal kas gücü ve derin tendon refleksleri tanıya ulaşmada en önemli ipuçlarıdır. Bu yazıda ani olarak yürüme yetisini kaybeden sekiz yaşında bir erkek hasta sunulmaktadır. Vakaya öykü, klinik ve laboratuar bulguları ile benign çocukluk çağı myositi tanısı konulmuştur. Gereksiz incelemeleri önlemek için tüm pediatristler bu hastalık hakkında bilgi sahibi olmalıdır