4,199 research outputs found
Ethics in Transaction Cost Economics
This paper provides Aristotelian virtue ethics analysis of decisions regarding the UN internal
oversight governance structures focused on Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) theory. We
explore “probity” and “independence” transactions’ attributes through historical narrative
case based research to answer to the question – Why consecutive decisions to strengthen
internal oversight structures did not relieve “probity” hazards? Our analysis shows that, at the
UN, increased oversight governance structures, i.e. incentives, did not relieve probity/ethics
hazards as predicted in TCE (Williamson, 1999). It follows that executive powers’ as well as
overseers’ systematically trumpeted the UN “rules of the game”, breaching probity/ethics,
disregarding the oversight independence prerogative as well as the UN Charter failing to
contribute to the “common good” and to protect the UN mission. It also follows that, as it
stands by now, the internal oversight mechanism design is deffective insofar as the UN
Charter, positions the Secretary-General in constant conflict of interest empowering he/she
with both executive and judiciary powers. We apply Williamson’s Public and Private
Bureaucracies TCE for the first time. It results that it should be modified to include “virtue
ethics” behavioral assumption as a transaction costs’ reduction device and explanatory
framework for ethical failures abandoning the opportunism behavioral assumption.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Assessment of test methods for the durability of thermal mortars exposure to freezing
Thermal mortars are a trend in the construction industry in recent years, owing to the required decrease of the thermal transmission of building envelopes. The high porosity of thermal mortars leads to permeability values that can affect their durability since it creates more favourable conditions for the penetration of aggressive agents. Water is observed as one of the most common and harmful degradation agents. Regarding the climatic variability in Europe, freezing is a usual degradation mechanism both in severe and moderate climates. Since thermal mortars have higher water absorption than a common insulation, the freezing may occur. As no durability assessment methodologies to evaluate the exposure of thermal mortars to freezing degradation mechanisms exist, the present work has the objective to analyse existing accelerated ageing procedures, which envisage freezing degradation mechanism. As such, the durability assessment described in EN 1015-21 and ETAG 004 was adapted and implemented in different thermal mortars. It was observed that the higher number of cycles and the severity of the freeze-thaw ageing cycles, according to ETAG 004, may reproduce the effect of the northern European climates, while the ageing cycles, described in EN 1015-21, combine degradation mechanisms that occur in central and southern European climates. This adaptation allowed collecting reliable data and inputs to the development of durability assessment methodologies directly applicable to thermal rendering and plastering systems
Effect of hygrothermal loads applied to thermal render systems
Thermal renders applied in multilayer systems are a recent trend in the building
industry, besides ETICS. This type of systems aims at lowering the envelope U-Value with
an upgraded thermal resistance of its components. As building rehabilitation has been
increasing on a large scale, these solutions are of major interest, due to its easier
application (by mechanical spraying) and enhanced hygrothermal properties. Durability
assessment is a crucial issue to systematize and improve the knowledge of wall multilayer
systems. Optimizing their application must take into account the actual climatic
conditions. However, durability assessment procedures applied specifically to thermal
render systems do not exist. The main goal of the present paper is to cover the gap in
terms of durability assessment of thermal render systems defining a methodology based on
accelerated ageing, taking into account the render matrix, hygrothermal and mechanical
properties and also climate action. The first part of the work focus the analysis of
durability assessment of existing standards, which are applied to renders and multilayer
systems (EN 998-1, EN 1015 and ETAG 004). Also, some authors have worked on the
calculation of acceleration factors and definition of new accelerated ageing protocols, by
analysing the results of natural ageing tests and climate data. In a second part,
hygrothermal simulations, using the WUFI Pro software, are performed to evaluate the
thermal render systems performance, in different climates. The results were analysed to
support and complement the previous knowledge and lead to the definition of a durability
assessment methodology applied to thermal render systems
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