Tropical vertical greenery systems: Irrigation systems, biophysical characteristics, and influential criteria

Recent studies on vertical greenery systems (VGS) mainly focus on thermal performance, acoustics effects, energy savings and environmental sustainability. There are very few studies on tropical VGS irrigation systems, plants’ characteristics, and favorable installation locations, indicating that architectural professionals may lack sufficient guidance to support their design work. Through two descriptive case studies and a questionnaire survey of VGS-related professionals including gardeners, mechanical and electrical engineers, consultants, contractors, and developers, this research developed a knowledgebase for tropical vertical greenery systems irrigation systems and determined the suitability of different types of vertical greenery systems according to the biophysical characteristics of plants. The suitability for various plant characteristics has been identified to help potential users while considering vertical greenery systems irrigation systems. Suitable locations, orientations and microclimatic conditions for vertical greenery systems irrigation systems to prevent system failure have been determined. Further research focused on establishing the technical requirements for irrigation scheduling is recommended to improve the application efficiency

When traditional information technology project managers encounter the cloud: Opportunities and dilemmas in the transition to cloud services

Cloud computing has rapidly changed the conventional way information technology (IT) products and services are delivered. This study aims to identify the opportunities and dilemmas IT project managers are encountering in managing cloud projects, and to develop a system dynamics model to capture the complexity of cloud adoption. A questionnaire survey was conducted among IT project managers and data were analyzed via T-Tests, ANOVA, and principal component analysis. The identified opportunities and dilemmas in adopting cloud services formed the elements in the system dynamics model. Findings revealed incorporating cloud services in IT projects could shorten project timeline, optimize project scope, and reduce project cost. However, project managers also expressed concern about data privacy, security, IT governance, and local regulation when moving services to the cloud. Incorporation of proper change management plan and detailed risk management plan are required to identify the privacy and regulatory concerns

Defects in Affordable Housing Projects in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Several affordable housing programs have been introduced by the government to achieve the objectives of several Malaysia Plans; however, the success of the housing programs has been reduced due to readily reported quality problems and defects. This research aims to identify the types of defects in affordable housing and determine what is causing the defects, so that solutions may be devised to raise the quality of housing stock in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey was distributed to 310 residents of affordable housing, located in four different regions in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The most commonly occurring defects in affordable housing are leaking pipes, total failure of water supply systems, cracking in concrete walls, faulty door knobs, and dampness to concrete walls. This suggests that improvements in workmanship, the use of superior materials, and changes to more customer-oriented supervision and monitoring may reduce the incidence of defects. Local conditions, such as heavy rainfall, may influence dampness, and may reduce the generalizability of findings to other areas with different weather patterns. The findings have been reported to the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia to improve the quality of affordable housing

Enterprise gamification systems and employment legislation: a systematic literature review

A recent innovation in employee motivation systems is the introduction of ‘gamification’, which refers to the use of game design mechanics and principles to influence behaviour to enhance staff motivation and engagement. Enterprise gamification systems aggravate the differences in information availability between employers and employees, and employees who may be forced to adopt such systems may be placed under stress, worsening employment relationships in the workplace. Therefore, this research examines the potential legal implications of gamified employee motivation systems. This study undertook a systematic review of enterprise gamification and then used thematic analysis coupled with a review of legislation to examine whether gamification in workplaces meets the legal obligations of employers under their ‘duty of good faith’ in the New Zealand context. We find that carefully designed enterprise gamification systems should provide sufficient information and clarity for employees and support positive employment relationships. Deployments of enterprise gamification systems should be carefully planned with employee consultation and feedback supporting the introduction of an enterprise gamification system. Future research should look beyond the ‘good faith’ obligation and examine the relationship between gamification systems and the law on personal grievances

International joint venture between Asean and gulf: bidding and delivering Bahrain international Formula-1 circuit

A foreign contractor can resort to a partnering or joint-venture strategy with a host contracting firm to bid for a major international construction project. This paper presents a case study in the Bahrain FORMULA-1 Circuit (BFC) project focusing mainly on its tendering and construction stages, which is lacking in literatures. Findings illustrate that the success in such an international pact include: advanced technical and engineering expertise; selection of a committed partner; management expertise; creating and sustaining good working environment; appropriate risk management; maintaining a reliable interna­tional materials supply chain; and efficient project planning and tracking system. Manage­ment expertise is the most important factor because of the peculiarities and problems of international projects. This case study is able to assist practitioners to devise their own approach in overcoming the challenges and dynamic influences in the international construction market

Information System Guided Supply Chains and their Visual Analytics in Integrated Project Management

From a digital ecosystem perspective, sustainability is a manifestation of a composite entity with multiple data attribute dimensions. The data relationships may emerge between geographically distributed supply chain management ecosystems and their linked human, economic and environment ecologies. The ecosystems may exhibit inherent connections and interactions. For making connections more resilient, we characterize models that serve multiple industries through numerous data associations, even in Big Data scales. In the context of Integrated Project Management (IPM), the knowledge of boundaries between systems is mysterious, analysing diverse ecosystems through a sustainable framework can uncover new insights of inherent connections. The purpose of this research is to develop a holistic information system approach, in which multidimensional data and their connectivity are analysed, recognizing the ontological cogency, uniqueness of ecosystems and their data sources. The research outcome has facilitated the tactical development of strategies for ameliorating the sustainability challenges in the IPM contexts

Modelling Governance Indicators and Managing e-Business Information Systems

Information Systems are in growing demand in various business and government organizations. Despite increased competition, business growth and technology innovation, at times, we overlook the governance, transparency, integrity and business ethics, with the result, the quality of deliverable products and services is compromised. Several external factors such as corruption, ineffective governance, political instability, flawed regulations and violation of rules of law, unaccountability affect the connectivity between outside influences and technology implementations. To summarize, weak governance practices and unjustified business ethics are impediments to business IS implementations. Appropriate technological innovations and remedial measures are needed that can substantiate our adaptation and implementation measures. The challenges are examined in the form of a three-tiered technology development motivation, which consists of mitigation, adaptation and implementation actions. We explore the relevant issues and challenges, and the need for a holistic IS research approach with follow-up technological remedies and accountability of results in the affected geographies and demography. The purpose of the research is to build IS artefacts to link governance attributes with the lapses existing between information management, organization strategies and e-business needs. An integrated IS architecture is proposed to explore the congruence between governance indicators and e-business IS requirements. The study further explores the wide-ranging of governance indicators that affected the business IS development and implementation. Cognizance of governance facts and their modelling in e-business contexts are pathways to instigate business IS artefacts and manage their needs in industry scenarios. Based on empirical research done on attribute modelling for 200 governments worldwide, we articulate our research findings with a claim that the e-business objectives are accomplishable through successful implementation of IS architectures in industrial environments through improved governance and transparency. Various IS strategies emerge to rescue the business and organization openness and transparency. Mitigation and critical interrogation of governance indicators facilitate us understand the research phenomena and adaptation of IS artefacts that accustomed to e-business change management. Models describing affected governments, documentation in the form of multidimensional repositories, with sustainability-manifested management and accounting are the outcomes of the research. Implementation of articulated IS architecture, and its adaptations by business and government organizations ensure us smart and sustainable e-business solutions in place, operationalizing governance policies, as adhered by various stakeholders. The research offers sustainable IS artefacts and online services to multiple government organizations and businesses. The benefits of the research are multifold, and they are improved internal operations and delivery of quality public services through established electronic services. Reduced waiting times, raising transparency, reinforcing equalities, and smoothening of the overall functioning of the organizations are added benefits of the study. Cost savings, improved communications, and increased government accountability are other gains of the study

Effects of augmented exercise therapy time after stroke: a meta-analysis

<p><b>Background and Purpose:</b> To present a systematic review of studies that addresses the effects of intensity of augmented exercise therapy time (AETT) on activities of daily living (ADL), walking, and dexterity in patients with stroke.</p> <p><b>Summary of Review:</b> A database of articles published from 1966 to November 2003 was compiled from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PEDro, DARE, and PiCarta using combinations of the following key words: stroke, cerebrovascular disorders, physical therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise therapy, rehabilitation, intensity, dose–response relationship, effectiveness, and randomized controlled trial. References presented in relevant publications were examined as well as abstracts in proceedings. Studies that satisfied the following selection criteria were included: (1) patients had a diagnosis of stroke; (2) effects of intensity of exercise training were investigated; and (3) design of the study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). For each outcome measure, the estimated effect size (ES) and the summary effect size (SES) expressed in standard deviation units (SDU) were calculated for ADL, walking speed, and dexterity using fixed and random effect models. Correlation coefficients were calculated between observed individual effect sizes on ADL of each study, additional time spent on exercise training, and methodological quality. Cumulative meta-analyses (random effects model) adjusted for the difference in treatment intensity in each study was used for the trials evaluating the effects of AETT provided. Twenty of the 31 candidate studies, involving 2686 stroke patients, were included in the synthesis. The methodological quality ranged from 2 to 10 out of the maximum score of 14 points. The meta-analysis resulted in a small but statistically significant SES with regard to ADL measured at the end of the intervention phase. Further analysis showed a significant homogeneous SES for 17 studies that investigated effects of increased exercise intensity within the first 6 months after stroke. No significant SES was observed for the 3 studies conducted in the chronic phase. Cumulative meta-analysis strongly suggests that at least a 16-hour difference in treatment time between experimental and control groups provided in the first 6 months after stroke is needed to obtain significant differences in ADL. A significant SES supporting a higher intensity was also observed for instrumental ADL and walking speed, whereas no significant SES was found for dexterity.</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> The results of the present research synthesis support the hypothesis that augmented exercise therapy has a small but favorable effect on ADL, particularly if therapy input is augmented at least 16 hours within the first 6 months after stroke. This meta-analysis also suggests that clinically relevant treatment effects may be achieved on instrumental ADL and gait speed.</p&gt

Experimental study on consumer-technology supported authentic immersion in virtual environments for education and vocational training

Despite significant and rapid technology improvements, educators have frequently failed to make use of the new opportunities to create more authentic learning scenarios. Virtual worlds offer an attractive proposition to create 3D representations of real business environments to provide an authentic learning activity for higher education students to take part in. However, the controls and displays are still clunky and unnatural, reducing the opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the event and focus on experiential learning. To overcome this challenge we examine the role of using a headset display that allows the user to change perspective with a flick of the head, improving their ability to 'feel' part of the environment, and thus increase their immersion in the activities that they are engaged in through more realistic control and improved perspective in the virtual environment. A series of experiments are conducted comparing the technology to established technologies and the level of control exerted by the learner (e.g., they either 'control' or they 'passively observe' as someone else controls). These experiments provide evidence that consumer-technology can improve immersion and equip educators with an affordable instrument to present classes that learners 'take more seriously'

Citizen Adoption in E-Government Systems

Electronic Government (e-Government) refers to a system of information, communication and interaction between government and its citizens. E-Government adoption has been studied for more than a decade with several meta-analytic studies being produced in that time. This study is differentiated from prior meta-analyses as it splits the empirical studies into pre-adoption and post-adoption studies to allow a clearer model of e-Government. We found different determinants and distinct models for pre- and post-adoption of e-Government. In the two models (pre-adoption and post-adoption) trust is only related to pre-adoption studies. Originally, 98 studies were coded but with the focus on pre-adoption and post-adoption, 53 were used in the final models as they contained the attributes of interest