New civil engineer : introducing undergraduate civil engineers to construction technology

Undergraduate (UG) civil engineering students should graduate from university with knowledge that links their computational competence in structural engineering and mechanics to construction technology principles, processes and practice. However, there appears to be a paucity of evidence to suggest that UG civil engineering students receive sufficient instruction in construction technology throughout their degree studies. This paper presents evidence from a study employing the weekly New Civil Engineer (NCE) publication as a vehicle for introducing construction technology to first year students. The results reveal that students found this publication interesting and inspirational. Whilst this innovative approach to teaching construction technology would be best ‘blended’ throughout the UG course, its introduction, application and success arguably requires a multi-disciplinary and carefully ‘engineered’ approach. Given the diversity of academic staff, individual motivation and the professional demands of a contemporary mass higher education system, the prospective benefits from ‘blended’ learning in UG construction technology studies will in all probability remain unfulfilled

Standing on ye shoulders of giants : promoting a social systems engineering education using ICE president addresses (1820 - 2014)

Given the paucity of engineering history presently taught on civil engineering programmes, the purpose of this paper is to promote the role of historical testimonies for the delivery of an enhanced, contemporary and social systems educational experience. Drawing on the addresses of the presidents of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) (1820–2014) as a source of inspiration and motivation, civil engineering students (n=428) were required to select and read six inaugural addresses of former ICE presidents and use these as a catalyst for writing their own ‘ICE presidential address’ while keeping an eye forwards to the year 2050.The results reveal that the ICE presidential addresses help introduce undergraduates to the real and ‘human’ world of civil engineering and provide the students with a ‘social’, as opposed to a scientific, understanding of their profession. Exploring and exploiting the substantial depository of knowledge, values, wisdom and social context of ICE presidential addresses are both innovative and novel and worthy of adoption and adaptation by other academies seeking to prepare civil engineering undergraduates as global citizens

"Off-piste pedagogy" : construction site visits for undergraduate civil engineers

Undertaking construction site visits with undergraduate civil engineers can assist students to acclimatise to the realities of construction contracting practice. Construction site visits allow students to meet project personnel and observe the construction technology whilst benefiting from additional learning associated with risk and commercial issues in real-time. Whilst the provision of construction site visits can present various logistical problems related to the site and university custom, they do provide a number of educational benefits. The data collection required students to complete post visit questionnaires designed to elicit both positive and negative attributes associated with each visit. This paper provides an analysis of the questionnaires returned by the students enrolled on a civil engineering course. Recommendations are made for academics and practitioners on what may be done to ensure a successful site visit and the authors discuss opportunities for contextual learning before, during and after construction site visits are undertake

An emergent form of client-led supply chain governance in UK construction: clans

Drawing inspiration and legitimacy from the traditions of organisational theory and in particular alternative mechanisms of organisational governance, the research explores an emergent, clan form of client-led supply chain governance in UK construction. Clan mechanisms of organisational governance are described as hybrid structures of exchange, neither pro-market nor organisational hierarchy. Not to be mistaken with alternative mechanisms of exchange such as networks, clan forms of client-led supply chain management are readily distinguishable by their highly socialised marketplace, enduring relationships and community of practice. A qualitative research strategy is adopted for this exploration of clan forms of client-led supply chain governance. Data collection uses semi-structured interviews, recorded, coded and analyzed. Participants include senior industry figures from a cross-section of construction stakeholder organisations, including client bodies, first tier service providers and construction contractors. In contrast to much of the prevailing work in construction supply chain management research, the findings draw specific attention to a hybrid form of organisational governance rarely discussed: namely clans. In light of challenging economic conditions, the recognition and potential contribution of clans as an alternative mechanism of governance is a timely and valuable contribution to the ongoing construction supply chain management debate

The non-adoption of supply chain management

Largely taken for granted within the UK construction sector has been a view that supply chain management theory is robust, relevant and reliable. As such it has formed a substantial aspect of previous and contemporary policy and government funded research. Despite this, the general view of its development and diffusion over the last 15 years within the construction industry has been problematic. Coincidentally, prevailing debates within the supply chain management academic community point to the lack of unified theory, models of diffusion and strong connections to organization theory. Using Straussian grounded theory, iterations between data and organization theory provided a fresh perspective on the development and diffusion of supply chain management in construction. This inductive research provided contextually rich explanations for development and diffusion that explicitly connected with and drew upon robust, relevant and reliable theories of institutions, innovation diffusion, triads, quasifirms and mechanisms of organizational governance. These explanations challenge the simplistic assumption that chains and networks of organizations are holistically managed and controlled by any single organization or institution in the construction industry. The debate therefore shifts away from proselytizing supply chain management towards research that explores the rigour, relevance and reliability of supply chain management assumptions in construction. The gap between industry practice and policy is exposed and the question is posed: to what extent policy and practice do, or should, constitute a recursive relationship.© 2013 Taylor & Francis

Organizational learning in construction supply chains

Purpose - Learning within the supply chain is widely considered to provide the basis for enhanced competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to explore the theory and current practice of organizational learning in UK construction supply chains. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative research strategy is followed for this exploration of supply chain management and organizational learning. Research enquiry draws on semi-structured interviews with key construction supply chain stakeholders. The semi-structure interviews are recorded, transcribed and analysed via qualitative data analysis software. Findings - Careful examination of the transcripts reveal that whilst supply chain management practice in construction is limited, key schools of organizational learning are similarly underdeveloped. Findings disclose construction supply chain organizations routinely employ learning strategies that are best described as reactionary and interventionist. Research limitations/implications - Research was limited to the UK construction industry and represents the assessment and evaluation of construction clients and first-tier supply chain members working within construction framework agreements. The perspectives of construction SMEs were out with the data set. Practical implications - Underdeveloped organizational learning practices within supply chains present a significant barrier to the development and diffusion of supply chain management theory and practice in construction. In practical terms, the attainment of competitive advantage and the development of competing supply chain in construction would be extremely limited. Originality/value - Connecting organizational learning to the development and diffusion of supply chain management has been largely overlooked within the construction management literature. The research makes two notable contributions. First, the adaptation of a pragmatic and holistic organizational learning framework for the appraisal of learning strategies and second an evaluation of organizational learning in construction supply chains. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Theory to practice: a typology of supply chain management in construction

Supply chain management in construction continues to attract considerable academic and industry interest. With its origin in manufacturing, successful implementation of supply chain management is argued to enhance customer value whilst simultaneously reducing business costs. In the UK construction industry, supply chain management strategies remain largely synonymous with best practice initiatives such as construction partnering, strategic alliances and more recently construction framework agreements. In contrast to this arguably misleading and impoverished viewpoint, the purpose of this research is to develop fresh perspectives and present a contextually sympathetic typology of supply chain management in construction. Drawing on new organizational institutionalism, economic governance and transactional cost economics (TCE), the utility and performance of supply chain management in construction is portrayed as rational choice among multiple strategies, instrumentally bound by contract and context. This contextually sensitive interpretation of supply chain management captures complex, diverse and often unique characteristics of construction practice. Challenging mainstream assessment of supply chain management can clearly help construction stakeholders focus attention on discrete supply chain strategies that best suit their organizational and project needs

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to assess the immediate effect of sublingual glyceryl trinitrate on the ankle brachial pressure index, claudication, and maximum walking distance of patients with intermittent claudication

AbstractPurpose:The goal of the present study was to assess the immediate effect of sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in patients with intermittent claudication. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Inclusion criteria consisted of history of intermittent claudication, resting ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) of 1.00 or less, a 20% or greater fall in ABPI after exercise, and maximum walking distance (MWD) of less than 250 m. Patients already receiving nitrates were excluded. In study 1, patients (n = 25) underwent a standard exercise test after randomization to receive either 800 μg of sublingual GTN or placebo. The postexercise ABPI was recorded. Then, the crossover portion of the study was performed. In study 2, patients (n = 22) had their claudication distance and MWD measured. They then were randomized to receive either GTN or placebo spray, and the exercise test was repeated, with the claudication distance and MWD recorded, followed by the crossover portion of the study. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results:In study 1, the median postexercise ABPIs for placebo and GTN were 0.29 and 0.36 (P = .0001). In study 2, the median claudication distance for both placebo and GTN groups was 70 m (P = .59). The median MWD for the placebo and GTN groups was 105 and 125 m (P = .0084) Conclusion: GTN can decrease the fall in ABPI after exercise and increase the MWD. (J Vasc Surg 1998;28:895-900.

The role of experienced practitioners in engineering education : the end of an era?

Delivering excellence in higher engineering education is dependent on many variables. This includes programme design, delivery and content, university support and the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of faculty members. Over the past decade there has been a notable shift in engineering faculty recruitment policy. No longer is the professional and industrial experience of the engineering practitioner revered as a co-opted member of the engineering department. Despite their potential contribution as grounded, practical and relevant engineering lecturers, their impoverished knowledge of research funding mechanisms and lack of research capital is an acute disadvantage. This is a discussion paper exploring the marginalization of experienced practitioners in engineering education and the changing role of the educator as a career academic. The career academic is highly qualified and typically well versed in research activity; however, unlike their industrial counterparts they are devoid of any meaningful practical engineering experience. This changing role of the educator in engineering education has far-reaching consequences for teaching and learning and future industry skills. Given the longstanding connection between theory and practice in engineering education, this departure in pedagogical policy arguably signals the end of an era. The systematic fragmentation of engineering theory from industrial practice within higher education institutes arguably needs to be challenged. Recent government rhetoric to focus on the pedagogical aspects through a Teaching Excellence Framework is arguably aiming at the wrong target. Instead, reconstructing engineering programmes fit for the twenty-first century will require alternative teaching strategies, revitalised industrial advisory boards and uncommon leadership within engineering faculties