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Engaging with heritage to support mental health and wellbeing has become a focus of research and policy, more recently moving towards social prescription of heritage interventions. While there are benefits to active participation, there are potential risks to those taking part and to the non-renewable historic remains and landscape that form the core of these projects. The purpose of the current research paper was to develop best practice guidelines for organisations offering heritage projects as interventions for people who live with mental health issues to protect both participants and heritage.

There were two research phases; a Sandpit with World Café discussions to produce a set of research priorities, and a Delphi Consultation, using three questionnaires distributed over six months, to develop best practice guidelines. The panel in both phases comprised experts through lived experience, policy, practice and research.

The Authentic and Meaningful Participation in Heritage or Related Activities (AMPHORA) guidelines cover three stages: project development, project delivery and project follow-up, with a set of action points for each stage. Of particular importance was authentic participation and expertise to ensure appropriate management of heritage/ historic environment assets and support for participants.

The AMPHORA guidelines can assist all organisations in the delivery of safe projects that support the mental health of those involved, as well as enhancing and protecting the historic environment.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, these are the first research-led guidelines that help heritage organisations support those living with mental health issues.

The adoption of value management (VM) has been on the rise in the construction industry, especially in the past decade. Identifying the main barriers to VM application for ameliorating poor project outcomes in the construction industry is a critical step to overcoming its implementation. Therefore, this study aims to examine the barriers to the adoption of VM in the Nigerian construction industry (NCI) and identify the critical ones for action by construction stakeholders.

This study used two rounds of Delphi surveys with 15 VM experts to identify the challenges to VM adoption. The Delphi team’s data from the two surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics. The mean-mode approach was used to identify ten major barriers to VM adoption based on the consensus reached during the second round of the Delphi poll. Following that, an interrater agreement analysis and a significant level analysis were performed.

Of the 17 identified barriers hindering VM adoption on construction projects in the NCI, 10 were found to be profound after statistical analyses of the data. The significant barriers include communication gap between the client and other consultants; delay in design preparation because of VM services; the pretext that VM is being practiced in the construction industry; and the wrong perception of VM by construction professionals, among others. The findings of the analysis suggested that the lack of VM adoption in the NCI was because of inadequate knowledge of VM techniques among construction professionals. Therefore, it is advised that VM training be provided for concerned stakeholders to address the lack of VM expertise among Nigerian construction professionals.

This study investigated the barriers to VM adoption on construction projects in the NCI with the opinions of a few construction professionals who can be regarded as VM experts. As against obtaining large survey responses from construction professionals who may not be knowledgeable in the VM process, the limited VM experts’ responses provide a valid basis for drawing inferences and making recommendations to address the paucity of VM applications in the NCI.

Through a Delphi survey, the critical barriers to the adoption of VM were identified, along with recommendations to help construction stakeholders overcome the challenges and enjoy the benefits of VM.

With the increasing use of social media in operation and supply chain management (OSCM), it is of great importance for managers to consider risks in advance and take precautions against the risks that might arise from social media usage among supply chain members. The aim of this research is to identify and evaluate the risks related to the use of social media in OSCM.

An initial research of the literature revealed that there is no detailed risk categorization in this area. Current taxonomies on the business risks of social media usage were examined and integrated with classifications identified in a Delphi study. The authors empirically demonstrate how the determined risks are prioritized and how decision-makers may decide to manage risks effectively based on the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method.

The findings of the research showed that reputation-associated risks such as criticism, language and loss of confidence should be prioritized over human, content and technical-associated risks.

To date, a comprehensive approach to determine risks arising from using social media in OSCM is missing. With the Delphi and AHP techniques, the authors provide a novel insight for managers to mitigate risks. The outcomes of this study may assist executives in achieving successful management of social media usage in OSCM. Besides, the proposed AHP model may provide guidelines and direction in this regard.

Over the next decade, humanity is going to face big environmental problems, and considering these serious issues, businesses are adopting environmentally responsible practices. To put forward specific measures to achieve a more prosperous environmental future, this study aims to develop an environment-based perspective framework by integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) technology into a sustainable automotive supply chain (SASC).

The study presents a conceptual environmental framework – based on 29 factors constituting four stakeholders' rectifications – that holistically assess the SASC operations as part of the ReSOLVE model utilizing IoT. Then, experts from the SASC, IoT and sustainability areas participated in two rigorous rounds of a Delphi study to validate the framework.

The results indicate that the conceptual environmental framework proposed would help companies enhance the connectivity between major IoT tools in SASC, which would help develop congruent strategies for inducing sustainable growth.

This study adds value to existing knowledge on SASC sustainability and digitalization in the context where the SASC is under enormous pressure, competitiveness and increased variability.

Dam industry projects have significant economic, social and environmental impacts. However, very little has been carried out to improve their lifecycle performance. The purpose of this study is to identify success criteria applicable to different stages of such projects.

This study adopted a quantitative research design where the potential success criteria for dam engineering projects were evaluated. The applicable success criteria were determined for the four phases of project lifecycle by three rounds of Delphi technique with the participation of experts from dams industry in Australia.

The findings of this research suggest that project success is a multidimensional notion and varies over lifecycle of projects. This study on project success criteria shows that certain criteria can be applied to measure success in different phases over lifecycle of Australian dam industry projects.

The results of this research present the first exclusive quantitative assessment of success criteria for dams industry. The success criteria presented in this study enable project practitioners to measure success at various stages of dam industry projects. This can serve as a tool to put more management efforts into achieving success on those criteria.

The purpose of this paper is to use Delphi technique to assess the applicability of coupling various project delivery methods (PDMs) and contract strategies (CSs) for delivery of public building projects (PBP) in Ethiopia.

To achieve the objective of this research, an online Delphi study was designed, conducted and analyzed using various statistical procedures. Results were compared to CII’s project delivery and CS (PDCS) tool, a US-based PDM selection tool.

This study converged in the third round signifying a consensus on the importance of design–build and construction manager at risk as alternatives to design–bid–build. In addition, “controlling schedule growth” was deemed to be a major performance measure that needs to be considered for PBP in Ethiopia, a result consistent with the outcomes from CII’s PDCS tool.

Among existing studies, none to the best of the authors’ knowledge has focused on a holistic approach to identify the most appropriate pairings of PDMs and CSs for PBP which was critically needed due to the magnitude and high stakes of these projects. This research is a steppingstone toward gaining knowledge on how to approach these types of projects in fast-growing environments thirsty for new building projects such as in Ethiopia.

Delays in utility shifting during road construction have broad ramifications. These delays not only lengthen the project's timeline but also raise expenses and cause problems with resource allocation. Thus, this study investigates the influence of delay in utility shifting for extension of time claims in road construction projects (RCPs) in Sri Lanka.

The study used a quantitative approach with three rounds of Delphi surveys to gather empirical data. Further, the probability impact assessment was used to carefully analyse the data and appraise the information gathered.

The findings initially revealed 33 causes of delays in utility shifting for extension of time claims in RCPs in Sri Lanka. Ultimately, 11 severe causes were identified based on their high probability and impact, concluding with 45 strategies that were assigned to overcoming those most severe causes of delay.

This study will contribute to the industry and theory by providing solutions to handle utility-shifting delays with the linkage of preventing time extension claims for RCPs in Sri Lanka. Further, there is a dearth of literature in the research area, both locally and globally. Thus, the findings of this research will provide a benchmark for further detailed studies in other countries as well.

Autistic individuals are at increased risk of trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Diagnostic overshadowing, however, often results in PTSD symptoms being mislabelled as autistic traits. This study aims to develop professional consensus on the identification and assessment of co-occurring PTSD in autistic adults.

An online modified Delphi design was used to gather professionals’ perspectives on key aspects of the identification and assessment of PTSD in autistic adults. Data were gathered qualitatively in Round 1 and then synthesised using content analysis into a list of statements that were rated in Round 2. Statements reaching 60–79% consensus and additional suggestions were sent out for rating in Round 3. Consensus for the final statement list was set at 80% agreement.

Overall, 108 statements reached consensus. These form the basis of professional-informed recommendations to facilitate the identification and assessment of PTSD symptoms in autistic adults.

The final Delphi statements provide a framework to assist with the assessment and recognition of traumatic stress reactions in autistic adults presenting to mental health, diagnostic or social services.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the presentation and identification of PTSD in autistic adults (with and without intellectual disability), using a bottom-up approach informed by professional consensus.

Project complexity (PC) governs project success, but the project management literature primarily focuses on performance measures and rarely examines the complexity factors, especially for megaprojects. This paper aims to determine the most significant complexity factors for the railway megaprojects in India.

A mixed approach using the Delphi and best–worst method (BWM) helped to identify, validate and determine the most critical factors that require intervention to diminish variance from project performance.

The BWM resulted in stakeholder management, followed by organizational and technological complexity as significant complexity factors, and the varied interests of the stakeholder as the most important among the 40 subfactors.

The finding indicates the necessity for strategic, tactical and operational-level interventions to effectively manage the complexity affecting project efficiency because of the varied stakeholders. This paper will guide the project and general managers to prioritize their resources to handle complexity for effective project performance measured in terms of time, cost and quality and help them make strategic decisions. The research findings of this study are expected to help researchers and practitioners in better planning and smoother execution of projects. In addition, this study would help the researchers formulate policies and strategies for better handling of the projects.

This study adds significant value to the body of knowledge related to PC in megaprojects in developing countries. The result of the investigation underlined that nine complexity factors and seven unique subfactors, namely, the sustainable environment, timely availability of information, communication in both directions, interdepartmental dependency and coordination, design, statutory norms, site challenges, socioeconomic conditions, the tendency of staff to accept new technology and the frequent changes in the requirements of stakeholders are significant in railway megaprojects. The BWM is applied to rank the complexity factors and subfactors in the case area.

The field of supply chain management (SCM) needs to attract and retain workers to solve the current talent shortage. The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate factors that influence career advancement in SCM and compare male and female supply chain experts' perceptions of the importance of those factors.

First, 32 factors perceived as affecting career advancement in SCM were identified by conducting a literature review and consulting 36 experts. Those factors were grouped into four categories: “environmental and structural”, “human capital”, “individual” and “interpersonal”. Those factors were validated via the Delphi method, and ten factors were retained for further study. Second, the voting analytical hierarchy process was used to determine the priority weights experts assigned to these factors. The weights assigned by male and female experts were compared to determine if there were differences between the women's and men's perceptions of the factors' importance.

The findings reveal that the category of human capital factors is the most important, followed by individual factors and the least important is interpersonal factors. The experts consulted for this research emphasized “skills”, “a good fit between an individual and an organization” and “self-confidence” as important factors for career advancement. There were two unexpected results. First, the experts rejected all the environmental and structural factors. Second, no significant difference was found between the male and female groups' evaluations.

Prior to this study, no integrated approach to identify and evaluate the factors perceived which affect career advancement in SCM had been developed. This research is a single empirical and integrative study in France that provides valuable insights for academics and practitioners.