Creating social value within the delivery of construction projects: the role of lean approach

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the current knowledge surrounding social value and show how lean approach supports social value realisation in the delivery of construction projects. Design/methodology/approach: A critical literature review was adopted, to gather the current knowledge surrounding social value from mainstream management sciences, construction management and lean literature. A total of 70 studies were critically reviewed. Findings: The study establishes that the current level of awareness on social value is still low and there is a dearth of scholarly publications on social value especially in construction management literature. The investigation reveals the potentials of lean approach in supporting the delivery of social value on construction projects. Social implication: This study conceptualises the community and the physical environment around where the construction project is executed as customers using lean production approach. It shows that the Transformation, Flow & Value view supports smooth workflow which enhances the achievement of social value objectives. This creates a new insight into how social value can be realised in construction project delivery. Originality and Value: This study extends the on-going debate around the need for social value in construction project delivery and contributes to construction management and lean construction literature on social value. Future studies could build on this to obtain empirical data and develop an approach/method that would support the evidencing of social value delivery on construction projects

Do institutional arrangements make a difference to transport policy and implementation? Lessons for Britain

This paper describes local government decision-making in transport in three areas of the UK, London, West Yorkshire and Edinburgh, in which major changes in local government decision-making structures have taken place over the last decade, and between which arrangements are now very different. The research discusses whether institutional change has had a beneficial or adverse effect, and whether any of the current structures provides a more effective framework for policy development and implementation. The results show that although the sites share a broadly common set of objectives there are differences in devolved responsibilities and in the extent to which various policy options are within the control of the bodies charged with transport policy delivery. The existence of several tiers of government, coupled with the many interactions required between these public sector bodies and the predominantly private sector public transport operators appears to create extra transactional barriers and impedes the implementation of the most effective measures for cutting congestion. There is, however, a compelling argument for the presence of an overarching tier of government to organise travel over a spatial scale compatible with that of major commuter patterns. The extent to which such arrangements currently appear to work is a function of the range of powers and the funding levels afforded to the co-ordinating organisation

Why the war on drugs in sport will never be won

Drug free sport is an unattainable aspiration. In this critical, paradigm-shifting reappraisal of contemporary drug policy in sport, Bob Stewart and Aaron Smith argue that drug use in sport is an inexorable consequence of the nature, structure and culture of sport itself. By de-mythologising and de-moralising the assumptions that prop up current drug management controls, and re-emphasising the importance of the long-term well being and civil rights of the athlete, they offer a powerful argument for creating a legitimate space for drug use in sport. The book offers a broad ranging overview of the social and commercial pressures impelling drug use, and maps the full historical and social extent of the problem. With policy analysis at the centre of the discussion, the book explores the complete range of social, management, policy, scientific, technological and health issues around drugs in sport, highlighting the irresolvable tension between the zero-tolerance model as advanced by WADA and the harm-reduction approach adopted by drug education and treatment agencies. While there are no simple solutions, as long as drugs use is endemic in wider society the authors argue that a more nuanced and progressive approach is required in order to safeguard and protect the health, social liberty and best interests of athletes and sports people, as well as the value of sport itself

Pursuing the adoption pathway: the lived experiences of people living with HIV

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Youth Act! for Human Rights

This pilot project, funded by the Ford Foundation, establishes Youth Act! For Human Rights initiatives in two locations (Washington D.C. and Vancouver, WA), conducts social justice activism training for young people within these communities, challenges youth to put their newly learned human rights education into action, and provides a vehicle, via community advocacy summits, for them to showcase the results of their human rights activism

Youth Act! For Human Rights

This pilot project, funded by The Ford Foundation, establishes Youth Act! For Human Rights initiatives in two locations (Washington, DC and Vancouver, W A), conducts social justice activism training for young people within these communities, challenges youth to put their newly learned human rights education into action, and provides a vehicle, via community advocacy summits, for them to showcase the results of their human rights activism. Youth Act! For Human Rights presents a unique opportunity for young people to analyze and work to solve community problems from the root level. The comprehensive approach- through application of the human rights framework - allows youth to understand the connection between the different problems in their lives and human rights. Participating youth are encouraged to identify local issues of concern, placing special emphasis on economic and social rights. Youth Act! For Human Rights is committed to training youth to solve social justice problems so they can grow to become adults committed to activism and working for change