Information flow in house building organisations

This research describes an investigation into the information flows within the technical and commercial functions of house building organisations. It was initiated because of the evidence of poor data transfer and communications within the construction industry as identified by previous research. Little previous research had addressed the particular problems of the house building industry which accounts for up to a third of total new construction output in the UK. The organisational and information structures of six house building companies were examined and a typical organisational model developed. This model highlighted the importance of the technical and commercial functions of estimating, purchasing, valuations and cost monitoring/comparisons and the need for effective transfer of information between them. The information flows between these functions were studied and modelled using systems analysis techniques of data flow diagrams and entity-relationships models. The requirements for a computer-aided management system to improve and rationalise the information flows were identified and an integrated system, known as DEVELOP, was developed. The system was installed into a collaborating company and its advantages and disadvantages monitored over time. The main outcomes of the research are: (a) an organisational model for a typical house building organisation; (b) data flow and entity-relationship models for the functions of estimating, purchasing, valuations and cost monitoring/comparisons; and (c) an operational integrated management system for house builders that provides: (i) faster throughput of information (for example the time required to aggregated dwelling quantities for a typical development is reduced from three man days to one hour);(ii) greater consistency of information (by the provision of a company data library); and (iii) better communications between the functions (due to the integrated nature of the system and the adoption of a common coding system)

School leaders, community cohesion and the Big Society

This report summarises research conducted on community cohesion in English schools in 2010. The research uses an opportunity sample of 27 primary and secondary schools in three local authorities to generate insights on how the duty to promote community cohesion has been interpreted, enacted and accounted for since its beginning in 2007. The significance of this report is not in the sample size or spectrum but in the themes that emerged from semi-structured interviews. A related document, Teaching, Learning and Community Cohesion: a study of primary and secondary schools’ responses to a new statutory duty, which provides guidance for teachers and school leaders, is also published by CfBT (Rowe et al, 2011). The background to the duty to promote community cohesion, including its inception as a policy and its roots in other measures, is discussed in an opening section. The findings from group and individual interviews with teachers and school senior leaders are analysed under themed headings. Finally, some pointers for future policy development, including links with the ‘Big Society’ agenda, are discussed. The main messages of this report are that: • nearly all teachers and schools welcome community cohesion and agree personally and professionally with its underpinning values, although they interpret the duty very differently, according to their school context and present practice • schools have had varied success in implementing the duty, paying more attention to action than to underlying social policy coherence, but in most cases the duty and the fact that it was to be inspected has resulted in schools developing and improving their provision • some teachers are not clear about current guidance and inspection criteria, while a small number of teachers have objections to the legal and/or inspectable status of the duty • strong resonances and opportunities exist for the development of schools’ achievements in the light of the recent Education White Paper (Department for Education, 2010), a growing focus on localism (CLG, 2010) and the emergent policy focus on the Big Societ

The contribution of marketing to business strategy formation: A perspective on business performance gains

Recognized as a topic with important implications for executive practice by both the Marketing Science Institute and the American Marketing Association, the contribution of marketing to business strategy formation has now become a fertile, prominent and notable area of contemporary investigation. It remains that little is understood of (1) the relevant contribution and centrality of marketing to business strategy formation, (2) the empirical testing of this contribution in areas of particular strategic relevance and (3) the business performance implications of marketing's contribution to business strategy formation. In an attempt to address these three key issues, this paper presents an empirical investigation of medium and large, high-technology, industrial manufacturing firms. Specifically, the study examines the potential differences between high business performance firms and low business performance firms concerning the contribution of marketing to dimensions of business strategy formation activities while controlling for potential confounding effects. The findings indicate that firms are able to realize significantly greater pay-offs in business performance terms when critical marketing input in all areas of the strategy formation process (from goal setting to strategy selection) is harnessed in comparison with those firms where marketing does not make such a meaningful contribution to strategy formation

Development of a viable concrete printing process

A novel Concrete Printing process has been developed, inspired and informed by advances in 3D printing, which has the potential to produce highly customised building components. Whilst still in their infancy, these technologies could create a new era of architecture that is better adapted to the environment and integrated with engineering function. This paper describes the development of a viable concrete printing process with a practical example in designing and manufacturing a concrete component (called Wonder Bench) that includes service voids and reinforcement. The challenges met and those still to be overcome particularly in the evaluation of the manufacturing tolerances of prints are also discussed

Managing ponds and lakes for aquaculture and fisheries in Missouri : pond dynamics and water quality considerations (2014)

More than 300,000 privately owned ponds have been constructed across Missouri to serve a variety of purposes. When properly managed, they can add value to a property (Figure 1). However, ponds are complex ecosystems that require the owner's commitment to ensure they remain productive. Knowledge of a few basic ecological concepts is important whether you are managing a pond for aquaculture enterprise or for recreational activities such as sport fishing.New 6/14/Web

Construction materials supply logistics

of cost, quality and time. Customer service is the key element that holds together all supply logistics activities, thus, the effectiveness in selecting suppliers should begin with evaluating characteristics that are deemed necessary for a supplier to provide a pre-requisite level of customer service. Such factors, or enablers, provide indications as to whether a given supplier will be able to meet key materials delivery objectives. This paper provides a review of problems besetting the supply of construction materials as identified in current literature. Opportunities presented by the introduction of information and communication technologies for improving the materials management process have been examined. A logistics perspective of construction materials management has been adopted. The analytic hierarchy process has been presented as an appropriate methodology for assessing factors that enable achievement of efficient and cost-effective materials supply logistics to support construction

Utilising the risky shift phenomenon in construction project management

The risky shift phenomenon predicts that groups are happier to live with uncertainty than are the individuals that comprise the group. This paper reports on the replication of the Wallach et al. (1962) 12 question, choice dilemma questionnaire which highlights the risky shift and its implications for construction project risk management

Management and planning of a collaborative construction planning process

Construction planning is performed in a multi-disciplinary environment in which it is crucial to explore interdependencies, manage the uncertainty of the information exchange and the understanding of the context. Current construction planning often works on a “throw over the wall” basis - plans are developed only or mainly for control purpose, and ignore the “how” aspect. Construction method planning is treated as a linear process and isolated from information and logistics management. Planners are often puzzled by information; they usually receive a large amounts of formal and informal communications with different formats, some of which are not relevant to their role. The quality of the information received is also often poor (i.e. incomplete design information). In order to deal with the uncertainty caused by insufficient information, guesses are frequently made in the planning process, which neither the initial planner, nor the downstream planner will later check. They are usually ignored and left until execution of the plan, when the problems reveal themselves. This paper argues the importance of effective management of information flow in a planning process and the need to improve the management and planning of construction planning. A collaborative planning process model using a dependency structure matrix tool to manage and optimize the construction planning process is presented

Implementation of information technology in materials logistics in the UK construction industry

New electronic information and communication technologies are transforming the way many business processes are performed in companies. Improvements in efficiency and reductions in the cost of obtaining, processing, and transmitting information are changing the way business is conducted. An audit of the implementation of these technologies, could help raise awareness of current technological developments and identify opportunities being missed and obstacles to implementation. The paper presents results of a survey into the implementation of information and communication technologies in materials logistics in the UK construction industry. Even though implementation is on the increase, evidence suggests that the construction industry lags behind the rate of innovations in other industries

An application of strategic planning within the construction industry

An application of strategic planning within the construction industr