Empirical research on the success of production control in building construction projects

The topic of this thesis was construction management and improving the production control processes in construction projects. The main goal of the research was to examine empirically how production is currently controlled and to establish the root causes for failure to implement schedules as they are planned. The second goal of the research was to improve the location-based management system and its processes. Three case study project teams were trained in the location-based management tools and processes. Production control data was collected systematically from the project teams from the beginning to the end of all the case projects. These data were used to assess the reliability of the plans on three levels of detail. The actual production control process was followed by direct, personal observation. The project teams were found to use the location-based controlling tools with a push methodology. It was found that cascading delay chains starting at the beginning of the interior construction phase continued until the end of the construction project. The cascading delays typically originated because of labor resource issues. The reason why the cascading delays did not affect the project finish dates was the long end-of-project buffers. These buffers were fully used up in all of the case projects. Many production problems could be forecast using the location-based controlling data. The controlling tools were developed to improve the forecasting of problems by changing the forecasting procedure, and incorporating the look-ahead planning of resources to the forecast. With these modifications, meaningful alarms could be generated earlier, and for more problems. The main contribution of this research was to identify cascading production problems to be a critical contributor to the poor reliability of construction project schedules. By using the location-based forecasts and alarms, it is possible to forecast these problems before they happen and to prevent problems from cascading. This research contributed an improved forecast and alarm system and proposed a systematic process for their use in construction. A practical contribution of this research was the implementation of the improved forecast system in the software package, Vico Software Control 2009

Design Management in a Design Office: Solving the Problem of Relevance

In this study we contend that the conceptual foundations of conventional construction design and design management are obsolete, and these need to be substituted by a more comprehensive theoretical basis. As the first paper in the series of three, the main objective of this study is to justify the research by determining the significant problems and challenges related to the design management in a case study organization. Design science research methodology is chosen to develop a scientifically grounded solution with practical relevance. Based on surveys, interviews, database analysis and observations, we conclude that there are significant problems with the design management practice. The major issue with design management is related to the poor and simplistic conceptualization of the design task. The problems summarized in this study facilitate the quest for the proper theoretical understanding and developing a knowledge base for designing a new process model

Design Management in a Design Office: Development of the Model for 'To-Be'

As the third paper on design management in a series of three, design science research activity was carried out. Based on the problems identified within the first paper and the knowledge base established in the second paper, theoretical and practical design process and management models were developed. Within the language of two-step abductive reasoning, the theoretical model served as a solution concept for developing a practical solution. This research reports the first cycle of design science research. The result is the description of "to-be" to facilitate the change management within the case study organization

Production Planing and Control PRODUCTIVITY EFFECTS OF STARTING AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION

ABSTRACT Critical Path Method (CPM) is the standard scheduling methodology for building construction in the US. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of management strategies focusing on early starts (ASAP strategy) on the production and productivity rates of "critical path" tasks in a construction schedule. In this study, two healthcare projects were followed over the course of construction to document the effects of field management decisions on production. On project one, a CPM schedule and ASAP strategy was used exclusively to manage subcontractor resources. On project two, both CPM/ASAP and Location Based Management System (LBMS) strategies were used in parallel, on similar location groups, enabling direct comparison. Actual activity start dates, finish dates, demobilizations and remobilizations, productivity and production rates, and manpower were recorded weekly for analysis. On project one, the actual dates and rates are compared against the CPM plan to determine how reliably the tasks could be completed using the ASAP "work in place" management strategy. Results show that certain deviations from the CPM plan, such as starting early, relocating resources before completing a location, and deploying resources to multiple locations at a time cause unpredictable dates of completion and frequent changes to the "critical path". On project two, actual productivity and production rates for selected tasks are compared between the CPM/ASAP and LBMS location groups. Results show that deploying resources to a location as soon as it is available can have a negative effect on the productivity and overall production rates of critical tasks

Long-term nationwide trends in the treatment of and outcomes among pancreatic cancer patients

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The AuthorsWhilst treatment modalities for pancreatic cancer patients have evolved in recent years, their impact on outcomes remains relatively unexamined on a national scale. We aimed to analyse changes in overall survival and trends in surgical and oncological treatments in pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed in the periods 2000 through 2008 and 2009 through 2016 in Finland. We collected data for pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2016, gathering data from the Finnish national registries on surgeries, oncological treatments and time of death. Follow-up continued through the end of 2018. We compared patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2008 to those diagnosed between 2009 through 2016. Our study comprised 14 712 pancreatic cancer patients. There was no significant change in the national resection rate (8.1% vs 8.0%, p = 0.690). In radical surgery patients, median survival improved from 20 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 18–22) to 28 months (CI 25–31) (p < 0.001), with 1-year survival ranging from 70% to 81%. In the no-surgery group, median survival slightly improved from 3.1 months (CI 3.0–3.3) to 3.3 months (CI 3.1–3.4) (p < 0.001). The proportion of radical surgery patients receiving preoperative oncological treatment increased from 4% to 13% (p < 0.001) and only postoperative treatment from 25% to 47% (p < 0.001). Whilst the resection rate did not increase, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients improved, particularly amongst radical surgery patients resulting most likely from the fact that a larger proportion of patients receive more effective oncological treatments.Peer reviewe

Kuuluva lapsi - kohti vammaisen lapsen osallisuutta palveluissa

Osallisuudessa on kyse yksilön mahdollisuuksista vaikuttaa itselle tärkeissä asioissa ja toimia omissa arjen ympäristöissä. Lasten osallisuuteen vaikuttaa vallalla oleva lapsikäsitys. Lasten aidon osallisuuden ja toimijuuden toteutumiseksi tarvitaan tietoa lasten näkökulmista ja ajatuksista sekä lapselle luontaisista tavoista toimia. Tämä edellyttää lasten parissa toimivilta aikuisilta herkkyyttä kuulla lasta. Myös vammaisella lapsella oikeus olla oman elämänsä päähenkilö eli hänen pitäisi voida vaikuttaa kaikkiin itseään koskeviin päätöksiin. Aikuisilta vaaditaan monenlaisia kommunikaatiotaitoja, että vammainen lapsi voisi tulla kuulluksi

Kuuluva lapsi - kohti vammaisen lapsen osallisuutta palveluissa

Osallisuudessa on kyse yksilön mahdollisuuksista vaikuttaa itselle tärkeissä asioissa ja toimia omissa arjen ympäristöissä. Lasten osallisuuteen vaikuttaa vallalla oleva lapsikäsitys. Lasten aidon osallisuuden ja toimijuuden toteutumiseksi tarvitaan tietoa lasten näkökulmista ja ajatuksista sekä lapselle luontaisista tavoista toimia. Tämä edellyttää lasten parissa toimivilta aikuisilta herkkyyttä kuulla lasta. Myös vammaisella lapsella oikeus olla oman elämänsä päähenkilö eli hänen pitäisi voida vaikuttaa kaikkiin itseään koskeviin päätöksiin. Aikuisilta vaaditaan monenlaisia kommunikaatiotaitoja, että vammainen lapsi voisi tulla kuulluksi.</p

IRF2BP2 Mutation Is Associated with Increased STAT1 and STAT5 Activation in Two Family Members with Inflammatory Conditions and Lymphopenia

Interferon regulatory factor 2 binding protein 2 (IRF2BP2) is a transcriptional coregulator that has an important role in the regulation of the immune response. IRF2BP2 has been associated with the Janus kinase (JAK)—signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway, but its exact role remains elusive. Here, we identified a novel clinical variant, IRF2BP2 c.625_665del, from two members of a family with inflammatory conditions and investigated the function of IRF2BP2 and c.625_665del mutation in JAK–STAT pathway activation and inflammatory signaling. The levels of constitutive and cytokine-induced phosphorylation of STATs and total STAT1 in peripheral blood monocytes, T cells, and B cells from the patients and four healthy controls were measured by flow cytometry. Inflammation-related gene expression was studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using direct digital detection of mRNA (NanoString). Finally, we studied the relationship between IRF2BP2 and STAT1 activation using a luciferase reporter system in a cell model. Our results show that patients having the IRF2BP2 c.625_665del mutation presented overexpression of STAT1 protein and increased constitutive activation of STAT1. In addition, interferon-induced JAK–STAT signaling was upregulated, and several interferon-inducible genes were overexpressed. Constitutive phosphorylation of STAT5 was also found to be upregulated in CD4+ T cells from the patients. Using a cell model, we show that IRF2BP2 was needed to attenuate STAT1 transcriptional activity and that IRF2BP2 c.625_665del mutation failed in this. We conclude that IRF2BP2 has an important role in suppressing immune responses elicited by STAT1 and STAT5 and suggest that aberrations in IRF2BP2 can lead to abnormal function of intrinsic immunity

IRF2BP2 Mutation Is Associated with Increased STAT1 and STAT5 Activation in Two Family Members with Inflammatory Conditions and Lymphopenia

Interferon regulatory factor 2 binding protein 2 (IRF2BP2) is a transcriptional coregulator that has an important role in the regulation of the immune response. IRF2BP2 has been associated with the Janus kinase (JAK)—signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway, but its exact role remains elusive. Here, we identified a novel clinical variant, IRF2BP2 c.625_665del, from two members of a family with inflammatory conditions and investigated the function of IRF2BP2 and c.625_665del mutation in JAK–STAT pathway activation and inflammatory signaling. The levels of constitutive and cytokine-induced phosphorylation of STATs and total STAT1 in peripheral blood monocytes, T cells, and B cells from the patients and four healthy controls were measured by flow cytometry. Inflammation-related gene expression was studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using direct digital detection of mRNA (NanoString). Finally, we studied the relationship between IRF2BP2 and STAT1 activation using a luciferase reporter system in a cell model. Our results show that patients having the IRF2BP2 c.625_665del mutation presented overexpression of STAT1 protein and increased constitutive activation of STAT1. In addition, interferon-induced JAK–STAT signaling was upregulated, and several interferon-inducible genes were overexpressed. Constitutive phosphorylation of STAT5 was also found to be upregulated in CD4+ T cells from the patients. Using a cell model, we show that IRF2BP2 was needed to attenuate STAT1 transcriptional activity and that IRF2BP2 c.625_665del mutation failed in this. We conclude that IRF2BP2 has an important role in suppressing immune responses elicited by STAT1 and STAT5 and suggest that aberrations in IRF2BP2 can lead to abnormal function of intrinsic immunity