The suitability of PRINCE2 for engineering infrastructure

The view that PRINCE2 was not suitable for application to infrastructure was identified in a study done for a separate purpose, namely, to examine project governance and methodology, which is not reported in this paper. It was asserted by several participants in interviews conducted with a sample of experienced practitioners across a range of industries and disciplines. This paper follows up on those comments by conducting an examination of PRINCE2 from an engineering infrastructure perspective to investigate the validity of this assertion. It takes a deductive, definitional approach to determine if there are any features in it that would cause difficulty for engineering infrastructure use. Seventeen features were examined, and 15 were found to have difficulty in application to the project management of engineering infrastructure. The remaining two found inconsistencies that were unlikely to cause too much difficulty. The features causing difficulty include non-generic terminology for the terms project, lifecycle and stage, using a product rather than a project-based process, use of an iterative product delivery process unsuited to predictive projects, use of a delivery process for all project phases, assumption of a board governance model with inappropriate accountabilities, lack of clarity around the use of the project plan, and absence of a lifecycle appropriate for engineering infrastructure, with PRINCE2 effectively self-declaring its need for a higher-level project lifecycle/ methodology from somewhere else. The paper concludes that PRINCE2 is quite poorly suited to managing engineering infrastructure projects and identifies that some of the reasons for this are likely to also cause difficulty for many ICT projects as well

The suitability of MSP for engineering infrastructure

This paper arose from empirical investigations of practitioner views of both governance and program definitions together with investigations of practitioner reference documents. These investigations indicated that some confusion had arisen in infrastructure project management as a result of approaches used in IT. This paper contributes to the literature evaluating project standards and methodologies by conducting an examination of the suitability of one such source (MSP) for use in engineering infrastructure program management. A deductive definitional approach is taken to identify features that could cause difficulty. Eight features were examined, and six were found to have difficulty in application to engineering infrastructure. The remaining two were found to be terminology differences that are unlikely to cause too much difficulty. The features causing difficulty include an inappropriate definition of a program, use of a non-generic process flow unsuitable for rolling programs, confusion of transformation projects with programs, the presumption of a board governance model, and confusion of large projects with programs. The paper concludes that MSP is quite poorly suited to managing rolling programs, whether they are in engineering infrastructure or IT. Various changes to MSP and PMI publications are recommended

An exploratory study on the impact of electoral participation upon a terrorist group’s use of violence in a given year

Recent studies seeking to understand the determinants of terrorism tend to focus upon situational, rather than structural measures. Typically these studies examine the interaction of terrorist attacks and repressive state actions. However, we know very little about other situational measures that may impact upon a group’s scale of violent activity within a particular year. This preliminary study analyses terrorist attacks committed by both the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and ETA and the electoral performances of the groups’ political wings, Sinn Fein and Batasuna, from 1970 to 1998 and from 1978 to 2005 respectively. More specifically, this paper examines whether the nature and content of terrorist attacks differ in the build-up to that group’s political-wing participating in elections. In other words, this article is a preliminary study of the influence of electoral participation on attack frequency and target selection. Results suggest that PIRA significantly decreased their attacks in an election year and this had a positive impact upon Sinn Fein’s electoral performance. On the other hand, ETA significantly increased its attacks in an election year and this had no significant impact upon Batasuna’s electoral performance

Generation of adverse pressure gradient in the circumferential flashback of a premixed flame

Circumferential upstream propagation of a premixed flame in a region confined between two concentric tubes is considered. The cold flow in this configuration features rotational motion and the flame is modelled as an interface separating the burned and unburned gases. Through an analytical solution of the integral form of the governing equations, it is shown that the static pressure increases across the flame. Hence, the circumferential propagation of the flame is associated with the generation of an adverse pressure gradient. The theoretical prediction of the pressure increase is, further, supported by the experimental observations and discussed in the context of the theory of flame back pressure. The results extend the recent findings on the generation of adverse pressure gradient during the axial propagation of swirling flames, to the circumferential direction. It is argued that the demonstrated pressure gain across the flame can significantly facilitate flame flashback

Stakeholder defined

Purpose – To create a ‘refined’ (with unnecessary elements removed) definition of the term stakeholder, thereby removing confusion surrounding the use of this term from the general and project management arenas. Design/methodology/approach – A method of deriving refined definitions for a group of terms by ensuring there are no unnecessary elements causing internal conflict or overlap is adopted and applied to resolve the confusion. Findings – The refined definitions of stake and stakeholder are in terms of an interest and activity. This avoids all extensions of meaning introduced by defining particular types of stakeholders and/ or their degrees of impact. It also resolves the multiplicity of conflicting meanings possible when silent or assumed qualifiers of a word are ignored, restricting definition to, for example, project stakeholders or stakeholders of a firm. These definitions are carried forward into a mapping of the stakeholder locus of interest on an activity rather than a company base, enabling generic categorisation of stakeholders to be proposed for use in both private and public sectors. A governance difficulty with the term customer also emerged and a resolution to this is proposed. Research limitations/implications – Resolution of the academic contention around the definition of stakeholders will facilitate future research endeavours by removing confusion surrounding the term. It can also provide clarity in governance arrangements in public and private sectors. Verification of the method used through its success in deriving this 'refined' definition suggests its suitability for application to other contested terms. Practical implications – Projects and businesses alike can benefit from removal of confusion around the definition of stakeholder in the academic research they fund and attempt to apply. Social implications – A refined definition of the stakeholder concept will facilitate building social and physical systems and infrastructure, benefitting organisations, whether public, charitable or private. Originality/value – Clarity results in the avoidance of confusion and misunderstanding together with their consequent waste of time, resources and money

Redefining governance: from confusion to certainty and clarity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to resolve and remove from the governance arena in general and the project arena in particular, conflict which occurs when parties do not realise they have different meanings for common governance terms. Design/methodology/approach – Review literature on definitional confusion in general and on governance in particular and develop a method for defining an internally consistent group of terms,then apply this to a group of terms in the governance arena. Findings – Several important subjects commonly arranged under the governance banner do not actually constitute governance (strategy, behaviour, decision making). Research limitations/implications – Further work is necessary to remove similar confusion in other closely related areas, including power itself and authority as well as project and general management terms such as responsibility and accountability. Practical implications – Projects and business alike can potentially achieve significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness through gaining consistency across current models, frameworks, policies and procedures thus reducing cross-boundary conflict. Social implications – Creation of a unifying feature within the project and management literature, shifting the understanding of the boundaries and limitations of governance. These definitions will help progress governance from complexity to simplicity, from an art to an understandable practice, from a concept that has been hijacked for partisan and political gain to a lean social tool which can be put to use for the benefit of organisations, whether public, charitable or private. Originality/value – The value is clarity – resulting in the avoidance of confusion and misunderstanding together with their consequent waste of time, resources and money

Do steering committees really steer?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the confusion among project management practitioners about the role of steering committees. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with highly experienced participants selected from a range of industries and disciplines in Queensland, Australia. Findings Six separate confusions on the role of steering committees were identified within that practitioner community. However, despite participants expressing various opposing views, they had actually come to the same working arrangements for their committees; all that was missing was a common conceptualisation of these working arrangements and consistent terminology. Research limitations/implications The paper provides clear evidence to the academic literature that confusion over the role of steering committees actually exists within the practitioner community and identifies six separate ways in which this occurs. It also identifies a problematic error in the widely used PRINCE2 governance model. Clarity in committee governance arrangements will facilitate future research endeavours through the removal of confusion surrounding committee labelling and accountability. Practical implications A committee decision tree model that guards against all six confusions is proposed for practitioner use, providing a means of avoiding unnecessary internal conflict within organisational governance arrangements. It can be used to check terms of reference of existing or proposed committees, facilitating organisational efficiency and effectiveness. The suggested renaming of project control groups to project coordination groups, and discontinuance of the practice of labelling committees that cannot authorise their decisions as either steering committees or boards, further supports this. Social implications Reconciliation of terminology with actual practice and the consequent clarity of governance arrangements can facilitate building social and physical systems and infrastructure, benefitting organisations, whether public, charitable or private. Originality/value Clarity regarding committee accountability can avoid confusion, misunderstanding and their consequent waste of time, resources and money

Low power techniques for video compression

This paper gives an overview of low-power techniques proposed in the literature for mobile multimedia and Internet applications. Exploitable aspects are discussed in the behavior of different video compression tools. These power-efficient solutions are then classified by synthesis domain and level of abstraction. As this paper is meant to be a starting point for further research in the area, a lowpower hardware & software co-design methodology is outlined in the end as a possible scenario for video-codec-on-a-chip implementations on future mobile multimedia platforms

The Anglo-Spanish experience: a comparison of counter-terrorism strategies in the UK and Spain

This thesis provides a comparative analysis of UK and Spanish approaches to counter-terrorism between 2004 and 2014. The aims of this study are to identify and examine comparable counter-terrorism approaches in the United Kingdom and Spain, using both theoretical and legal frameworks to underpin the statistical analysis applied. Whereas international counter-terrorism has been readily studied in the context of important events such as the September 11th attacks, very little work has been conducted regarding individual European comparatives. This is seen particularly in respect to comparative studies of counter-terrorism development and application, whereby the respective experiences of the UK and Spain are relevant. To do so, this study chooses three indicators of counter-terrorism: policing numbers, security spending, and criminal prosecutions, and undertakes statistical examination using national comparatives, and associations with terrorism incidents. Using the period 2004-2014, it views the analysis through the lens of historical institutionalism and measures such events through the roles of institutions, exemplified by attacks in Madrid (2004) and London (2005) respectively. It argues that while police numbers show little comparable data between the two nations, security spending is heavily influenced by economic and external factors in the UK and Spain. Similarly, and when correlated with terrorism events, conviction rates expose interesting divergences – the use of the criminal justice system in Spain suggest a number of historically-institutionalised issues not seen in the UK, particularly through the use of the nation’s constitutional reform. Finally, it therefore offers a contribution to existing knowledge through suggesting that further understanding of historical events and their impact on legislation could have great influence on national counter-terrorism approaches. This could be furthered through a focus on alternative counter-terrorism strategies, which may show similarly institutionalised issues

Behaving Like Animals: Human Cruelty, Animal Suffering, and American Culture, 1900-present

What does it mean to be cruel to an animal? What does it mean for an animal to suffer? These are the questions embedded in the term "cruelty to animals," which has seemed, at first glance, a well defined term in modern America, in so far as it has been codified in anti-cruelty statutes. Cruelty to animals has been a disputed notion, though. What some groups call cruel, others call business, science, culture, worship, and art. Contests over the humane treatment of animals have therefore been contests over history, ideology, culture, and knowledge in which a variety of social actors-- animal scientists, cockfighters, filmmakers, FBI agents, members of Congress, members of PETA, and many, many others--try to decide which harms against animals and which forms of animal suffering are justifiable. Behaving Like Animals examines these contests in the United States from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, focusing on four practices that modern American animal advocates have labeled cruel: malicious animal abuse, cockfighting, intensive animal agriculture, and the harming of animals on film. These case studies broadly trace the contours of American attitudes toward human cruelty and animal suffering over the last century. They also trace the historical evolution of the ideas embedded in the term “cruelty to animals.” Cruelty to animals has been the structuring logic of animal advocacy for two centuries, and historians have followed its development through the nineteenth century as a constellation of ideas about human and animal natures, about cruelty and kindness, and about suffering and sentience—very old ideas rooted in western intellectual thought and given shape by nineteenth-century sentimental culture. Behaving Like Animals follows this historical and intellectual thread into the twenty-first century, and reveals how these old ideas adapted to modern and evolving regimes of knowledge, science, and law, as they became thickly knotted in America’s varied and transforming social, cultural, intellectual, political, and legal contexts. That process has had varied and far-reaching implications in modern American culture, structuring social relations among Americans while shaping understandings of the place of animals in American society. Behaving Like Animals tells this history