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1 – 10 of over 125000Ioanna Falagara Sigala, William J. Kettinger and Tina Wakolbinger
The purpose of this study is to explore what design principles need to be considered in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for humanitarian organizations (HOs) to enable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore what design principles need to be considered in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for humanitarian organizations (HOs) to enable agile, adaptive and aligned (Triple-A) humanitarian supply chain capabilities and digitize humanitarian operations.
Design/methodology/approach
This study follows an embedded case study approach with a humanitarian medical relief organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which engaged in a multiyear ERP design at its humanitarian field missions.
Findings
This research shows that ERP systems for humanitarian organizations should be designed as unique systems addressing humanitarian organizations' challenges and unique missions, their value generation processes, and resource base in an effort to improve organizational performance. This study presents 12 general design principles that are unique for humanitarian organizations. These design principles provide a high-level structure of guidance under which specific requirements can be further defined and engineered to achieve success.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study are based on a single case study limiting generalizability. However, the case study was analyzed and presented as an embedded case study with five autonomous subunits using different business processes and following different adoption and implementation approaches. Therefore, the findings are derived based on considerable variance reflective of humanitarian organizations beyond MSF.
Practical implications
This study recognizes that HOs have unique routines that standard commercial ERP packages do not address easily at the field level. The primary contribution of this research is a set of design principles that consider these unique routines and guide ERP development in practice. National and international HOs that are planning to implement information systems, private companies that are trading partners of HOs as well as vendors of ERP systems that are looking for new opportunities would all benefit from this research.
Originality/value
This study fills the gap in the humanitarian literature regarding the design of ERP systems for humanitarian organizations that enable Triple–A supply chain capabilities and it advances the knowledge of the challenges of ERP design by HOs in the context of humanitarian operations.
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Anneke Zuiderwijk, Marijn Janssen, Sunil Choenni and Ronald Meijer
The purpose of this paper is to derive design principles for improving the open data publishing process of public organizations. Although governments create large amounts of data…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to derive design principles for improving the open data publishing process of public organizations. Although governments create large amounts of data, the publication of open data is often cumbersome and there are no standard procedures and processes for opening data, blocking the easy publication of government data.
Design/methodology/approach
Action design research (ADR) was used to derive design principles. The literature was used as a foundation, and discussion sessions with civil servants were used to evaluate the usefulness of the principles.
Findings
Barriers preventing easy and low-cost publication of open data were identified and connected to design principles, which can be used to guide the design of an open data publishing process. Five new principles are: start thinking about the opening of data at the beginning of the process; develop guidelines, especially about privacy and policy sensitivity of data; provide decision support by integrating insight in the activities of other actors involved in the publishing process; make data publication an integral, well-defined and standardized part of daily procedures and routines; and monitor how the published data are reused.
Research limitations/implications
The principles are derived using ADR in a single case. A next step can be to investigate multiple comparative case studies and detail the principles further. We recommend using these principles to develop a reference architecture.
Practical implications
The design principles can be used by public organizations to improve their open data publishing processes. The design principles are derived from practice and discussed with practitioners. The discussions showed that the principles could improve the publication process.
Social implications
Decreasing the barriers for publishing open government data could result in the publication of more open data. These open data can then be used to stimulate various public values, such as transparency, accountability, innovation, economic growth and informed decision- and policymaking.
Originality/value
Publishing data by public organizations is a complex and ill-understood activity. The lack of suitable business processes and the unclear division of responsibilities block publication of open data. This paper contributes to the literature by presenting design principles which can be used to improve the open data publishing process of public sector organizations.
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Emergency transitions from face-to-face learning environments to digitally mediated learning require robust support networks, particularly in the form of communities of practice…
Abstract
Purpose
Emergency transitions from face-to-face learning environments to digitally mediated learning require robust support networks, particularly in the form of communities of practice. Digitally enhanced communities of practice (DECoP) can be created and sustained when research-based design principles are used. The purpose of this paper is to present a set of evidence-based design principles for purposeful creation of digitally enhanced communities of practice.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used integrative literature review methodology. All literature regarding DECoP was collected, analyzed and synthesized to provide a set of design principles for building DECoPs.
Findings
The analysis resulted in 26 crucial design principles and 8 desirable design principles.
Practical implications
The synthesized set of design principles provides a blueprint for designing and facilitating the development of DECoPs.
Originality/value
This unique synthesis of the DECoP literature provides practitioners with guidance in creating and nurturing a new DECoP.
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Sui Pheng Low and Mei Ying Show
The purpose of this paper is to show how the successful implementation of the just‐in‐time (JIT) philosophy in the manufacturing industry has helped to reduce cost and time and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how the successful implementation of the just‐in‐time (JIT) philosophy in the manufacturing industry has helped to reduce cost and time and increase quality of products. Existing studies on JIT principles in the building industry were predominantly focused on the construction stage.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical part consisted of pilot interviews with architects who designed ramp‐up light factories and a survey of tenants operating out of these factories.
Findings
The findings from the survey of tenants suggest that architectural designs, in terms of space and layout, have met the tenants' operational facilities needs. The tenants were generally satisfied with the ramp‐up light factory facilities design features, in relation to the relevant JIT principles.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical findings were based on the user's perceptions and not on analyzing the actual physical facilities design of the ramp‐up factories with respect to JIT principles. This area is recommended for future research.
Practical implications
The application of JIT principles to further improve the facilities design of ramp‐up light factories would help to reduce waiting time and double handling of goods during transportation. In addition, the application of JIT principles also enhances the smooth flow of delivery to every unit with less damage to the quality of the goods being delivered.
Originality/value
This exploratory study is not about how the management of the design process can be improved. Rather, it examines, for the first time, whether the application of JIT principles to improving the facilities design of ramp‐up light factories would effectively meet the tenants' operational facilities needs and improve their productivity after they have moved into the premises.
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Lina Zhai, Xue Lin, Jingxian Xu, Yunyi Wang and Jun Li
Personal protective assembles protect searchers and rescuers from potential hazards when they enter the earthquake disaster field. Since the earthquake rescue work is risky and…
Abstract
Purpose
Personal protective assembles protect searchers and rescuers from potential hazards when they enter the earthquake disaster field. Since the earthquake rescue work is risky and complicated, the corresponding protective clothing should meet with the protective, functional and comfort performance demands. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design principles of this kind of protective clothing and present a design model based on the principles.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the requirements of the protective clothing were investigated in terms of environment, human and clothing. Then the design principles were analyzed by the hierarchy method in four aspects: protection, comfort, ergonomics and compatibility. Design approaches were also investigated in accordance with the design principles in three hierarchies.
Findings
Key design points were summarized in the selection of the shell fabrics and linings, clothing styles, constructions and specifications. Also, the overall design methodology of the protective clothing for earthquake rescue members was established.
Originality/value
This paper provided a theoretical basis and design model for the development of earthquake search and rescuers’ clothing.
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Lina M. Ceballos, Nancy Nelson Hodges and Kittichai Watchravesringkan
There are numerous design principles that can guide strategic decisions and determine good product design. One principle that has received considerable attention in the literature…
Abstract
Purpose
There are numerous design principles that can guide strategic decisions and determine good product design. One principle that has received considerable attention in the literature is the MAYA principle, which suggests that consumers seek a balance of typicality and novelty in products. The purpose of this paper is to test the MAYA principle specific to various categories of apparel. By drawing from the MAYA principle as a two-factor theory, the effects of specific aesthetic properties (i.e. typicality and novelty) of apparel products on consumer response were examined.
Design/methodology/approach
An experimental design in three phases was implemented.
Findings
Results revealed that typicality is the primary predictor of aesthetic preference relative to pants and jackets, while both typicality and novelty are significant predictors of aesthetic preference relative to shirts, suggesting that the MAYA principle better explains aesthetic preference relative to shirts.
Research limitations/implications
Understanding consumers’ reactions to product design provides potential value for academics as well as practitioners.
Practical implications
Consideration of both aesthetic properties is needed when implementing the MAYA principle in apparel design.
Originality/value
Although studies have examined the MAYA principle relative to consumer products, few have examined how the principle operates relative to apparel products. The definition of a design principle, such as the MAYA principle, assumes that the logic proposed should apply to all types of products. Yet, this empirical study reveals that this is not the case when applied across different apparel categories.
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This paper aims to compare two types of prompts, encouraging participants to think about real-world examples or engineering principles to show how these two approaches can result…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to compare two types of prompts, encouraging participants to think about real-world examples or engineering principles to show how these two approaches can result in vastly different design practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies (N = 20, N = 40) examine the impact of two different prompts. Non-expert students, from high school and university, completed a hands-on, engineering design task in pairs. Half were prompted to ideate using real-world examples, while the other half were prompted to ideate using engineering principles. The findings are based on human coding and artifact analyses.
Findings
In both studies, and across multiple measures, students in the principle-based condition performed better than students in the example-based condition.
Research limitations/implications
A seemingly small difference in how students are prompted or encouraged to approach a problem can have a significant impact on their experience. The findings also suggest that leveraging engineering principles, even when those principles are only loosely formed, can be effective even for non-experts. Finally, the findings motivate identifying student reasoning strategies over time as a potential means for assessment in Makerspaces.
Practical implications
Encouraging makers to think about different ways for approaching problems can be an important way to help them succeed. It may also be a useful way to chronicle their learning pathway.
Originality/value
To the author's knowledge, explicitly looking at ideation strategies has not been widely discussed within the Maker community as a way to support learners, or as a way to evaluate learning.
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Safa A.M. AlHusban and Ahmad A.S. AlHusban
The purposes of this research were to review, analyze, synthesize and define the principles, indicators and required design elements of crime prevention through environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purposes of this research were to review, analyze, synthesize and define the principles, indicators and required design elements of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and the potential role of the design of the courtyards in preventing campus violence; to examine the relationships between built environment design and campus violence inside Al al-Bayt University (AABU), Jordan; and to examine to what extent the design of the open public spaces and courtyards inside AABU meet the design principles of the CPTED.
Design/methodology/approach
This research used descriptive-analytical approach, semi-structured interviews, archival records and videos to collect the location-based data of violent events and incidents that occurred on the campus of AABU (the locations of students' fights). Additionally, this research used AABU images; plans, spatial analysis, site visits and direct observations to analyze and assess the courtyards’ design and to examine to what extent the design of courtyards and open public spaces in AABU achieve the CPTED indicators, and the availability and the quality of the required design elements of CPTED and their role in violence prevention.
Findings
This research found that environmental-based design plays a major role in reducing crime opportunities and promote positive social behavior. This research found that the indicators to achieve the CPTED principles in all courtyard design inside AABU are very low and all the courtyards’ designs are not complied and conformed to the CPTED principles, and as a result, the design of the courtyards encourages and may facilitate violence in the university campus. It has been found that the availability and the quality of the required CPTED design elements are very low in all courtyards. Therefore, the existing design elements in all courtyards in AABU are not preventing the university violence. The correlation result revealed that there is significant relationship and strong/very strong negative linear association between the numbers of the students' fights and the applying of CPTED principles, indicators and required design elements (r = −0.85).
Research limitations/implications
The data collected from AABU campus only and a larger study is certainly required to underpin these findings. Therefore, future research is needed to replicate and duplicate this research in order to expand the results.
Practical implications
This research has implications for designing/redesigning the open public space and courtyards inside universities. This research recommended that redesigning all courtyards and applying the principles of CPTED are necessary to prevent campus violence. Redesigning includes adding landscaping elements, fountains, water features, pedestrian furniture, portrait, setting areas, new modern sculptures, shaded areas, lighting, memorial places, digital screens and cameras. Moreover, this research recommended that the university should pay more attention to continuous control, repair and maintenance to all courtyards after redesigning them. Finally, this research introduced a design proposal for one of the courtyards to apply the CPTED principles that promote positive behavior and prevent campus violence.
Originality/value
In the last few years in Jordan, some of the public and private Jordanian universities suffered from a newly emerging negative phenomenon, which is violence between students inside the campus. Many researchers and governmental institutions have stressed the urgency to explore the social, cultural, behavioral and environmental strategies that may effectively prevent campus violence. Additionally, little attention has been paid to the role of built environmental design in preventing campus violence. Moreover, no research assesses the applying of the CPTED principles and their indicators in courtyards’ design in Jordanian campuses.
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Sui Pheng Low, Shang Gao and Jun Kai Ang
There have recently been an increasing number of scientific studies exploring the effectiveness of practising Chinese geomancy or feng shui in the built environment. However…
Abstract
Purpose
There have recently been an increasing number of scientific studies exploring the effectiveness of practising Chinese geomancy or feng shui in the built environment. However, these are rather generic studies focusing mainly on urban planning, architecture and interior design. The impetus for this present research stems from the lack of understanding relating to the practice of feng shui in Facilities Management (FM). Bridging these two disciplines, this study examines the relevance of and relationship between feng shui and FM principles.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was conducted, the results of which affirm the validity of the assimilated relationships between the two disciplines. Interviews with three groups of experts – the feng shui practitioners, facilities managers and feng shui practitioners who are also building professionals – were also conducted to verify the assimilation of the two disciplines with a view to draw new perspectives for better understanding.
Findings
The principles of feng shui and FM were studied, and the validity of the relationships between 15 feng shui principles and three FM activities were examined. The latter relates specifically to building fabric cleaning, routine external site/lot cleaning and road and pavement cleaning. It was found that specific feng shui principles and scenarios appear to influence the three FM activities. The statistical analysis shows that the means of specific feng shui scenarios in relation to FM activities were consistently higher than those of the feng shui principles. The one-sample t-test indicates that all the feng shui principles were significant in affecting the three FM activities.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides a better understanding of the relevance of feng shui principles influencing FM principles. It also revealed the challenges and limitations in bridging the relationships between these two disciplines.
Originality/value
This study is the first investigation to examine the relevance and relationship between feng shui and FM practice. This serves to encourage further research to determine how feng shui design implementation will affect the ease of conducting FM activities. If the relationship is established, as is the case from this study, then the implementation of feng shui principles in building design can be encouraged to positively influence the ease of conducting FM activities downstream in the occupancy stage. This can serve to contribute to the improvement of sustainable building design. It can also contribute to the scientific investigation of feng shui, which has so far been largely overlooked in built environment studies. Such studies can help to demystify and provide logical and scientific interpretations of how feng shui principles actually work.
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Amodith Supunmal Wijewansha, G.A. Tennakoon, K.G.A.S. Waidyasekara and B.J. Ekanayake
Despite the positive impacts of the construction sector on enhancing economic growth and ensuring societal well-being, its negative impacts on the environment from unsustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the positive impacts of the construction sector on enhancing economic growth and ensuring societal well-being, its negative impacts on the environment from unsustainable resource consumption levels, emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and waste generation is monumental. Circular economy (CE) concept is identified globally as an avenue to address problems regarding adverse impacts of construction on the environment. This paper presents the principles of CE as an avenue for enhancing environmental sustainability during the pre-construction stage within Sri Lankan construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was approached through a qualitative research method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts. The number of experts were limited due to lack of experts with knowledge on the subject area in Sri Lanka. Data were analysed using content analysis.
Findings
Findings revealed a range of activities under each R principle of CE, that is, reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, reclassification and renewability that could be implemented during the pre-construction stage, thereby providing a guide for construction professionals in implementing CE at the pre-construction stage. The need to expand knowledge on CE concepts within the Sri Lankan construction sector was recognized.
Originality/value
This study provides a qualitative in-depth perspective on how 6R principles of CE could be integrated to a construction project during the pre-construction stage. By adopting the proposed activities under CE principles, construction professionals can enhance the environmental sustainability of construction projects.
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