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This paper aims to investigate the flexible decision pathways adopted by development advisors in the management of uncertainty in property development. Specifically, the study examines the quantitative techniques adopted by development advisors, the level of adoption of real options analysis (ROA) vis-à-vis the level of adoption of heuristics. Finally, the types of options exercised in property development were analysed. This was with a view to providing information that could mitigate the challenges of risk and uncertainty and increasing investment failure associated with property development in Nigeria, an emerging market.

The study adopted a survey method and was conducted on development advisors in property development companies/estate surveying and valuation firms in Nigeria. A total of 195 development advisors participated in the survey. The respondents were required to rate, on a five-point Likert scale, the level of adoption of the quantitative models, heuristics and the types of flexibility exercised during development. The data were analysed using mean rating, one-sample t-test and analysis of variance.

The results revealed that there was a preference for the use of traditional techniques, while probabilistic appraisal models and other contemporary methods such as ROA are seldom adopted by development advisors. While there was a significantly high level of adoption of heuristics, the stratified analysis examining the profile of the respondents and the level of adoption of ROA and heuristics suggests that years of experience influenced the level of adoption of both the ROA and heuristics by the development advisors. The analysis of the types of flexibility showed that staging/phasing and changing the initial use/design were the most prevalent flexibility pathways adopted during the development. However, the study found that there was no significant difference concerning the choice of flexibility being adopted by development advisors who used ROA and those who did not.

The study provides an understanding of the decision pathways adopted by development advisors in an emerging market like Nigeria.

The paper contributes to studies on decision-making pathways in the management of uncertainty under dynamic conditions by development advisors in emerging markets.

The purpose of this paper is to present an example of action learning in marketing – the unique postgraduate programme in marketing called the marketing development programme (MDP). This uniqueness arises in three main ways. First, the MDP is open only to those students with no work experience. Second, it employs action learning as the central pedagogy rather than an add‐on. Finally, it is a rolling programme with overlapping intakes and as such appears to have no beginning and no end. There are two important streams of learning to be harvested from such a programme. First, the MDP has for more than 20 years educated young marketers through affording them the opportunity to learn from marketing action within a supportive learning environment. The second is that there can be no action without learning, that is, the MDP has learned from its experience and created new learning for participants as a result. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the MDP for marketing education, theory and practice.

This case study aims to describe the work of a Business Link in relation to the promotion and implementation of Investors in People (IIP) with small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Its purpose is to highlight the views of IIP advisors with regard to working with SMEs and the appropriateness of the award.

The case identifies the particular challenges that the advisors face in trying to deliver a consultancy service to SMEs which is valuable to them and which also satisfies the government's requirement for commitment to and recognition of attainment of IIP. The research involved in‐depth interviews with IIP advisors at a Business Link which sought to understand the nature of their work, the methods they use and what they saw as the issues and challenges in meeting customer needs.

The research confirms previous studies detailing the difficulties in matching IIP requirements with the individual requirements of SMEs. It also highlights the fact that Business Links need to “play the system” in order to reach the government set targets. IIP advisors are caught in the undesirable position of trying to deliver a useful consultancy service (which may not lead to IIP recognition) to the firm and the need to achieve specified commitment and recognition rates.

While it is recognised that a single case has its limitations in terms of universal applicability, this example provides an aspect of IIP which has not previously been explored.

This paper suggests that listening to and consulting with those “at the coalface” could have considerable benefits in both ensuring that assistance for SMEs is appropriate and that funding is targeted appropriately.

The views of those charged with implementing government initiatives are rarely sought, although there has been considerable research undertaken with the firms themselves.

From the perspective of value chains, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the organization of stabilization and reconstruction operations, most notably in Afghanistan, with the intention to improve the way the beneficiaries are involved.

Case study: the paper first develops a theoretical framework that draws upon value chain literature. To gather empirical data fieldwork was done within the Dutch provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Afghanistan. Methods that were used include interviews, participatory observation and desk study.

In the value chain process six steps are identified: early warning, file and analysis, appraisal/qualification, assignment/management, execution and evaluation. Different categories of personnel (military, reservists, civilians) bring with them different backgrounds. This led to different opinions on who can be considered as the customer of the value chain. Moreover, personnel received different signals in the early warning step as to what needed to be done. From there on, different values and perspectives developed during the sequence of the various stages in the value chain that were not easily aligned. The formal structure of the work activities in the PRT was clear but did not match with the everyday reality. This showed another, much more fuzzy picture. Many mutual contacts were needed to overcome the coordination problems, but that required considerable additional efforts.

The paper applies value chain literature to stabilization and reconstruction operations and focuses on the customers. It uses unique data and demonstrates the usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how local government bodies in Nepal are empowered to play their constitutional roles and engage in activities to deliver public services at the doorsteps of the people effectively. The focus is on the institutionalisation of federalism, its implications for local governance, and capacity development of local authorities.

Ideas of decentralisation, governance and public management have been used to interpret findings based on qualitative research methods by key informant interviews, focus group discussions and personal observations conducted in five selected municipalities in Nepal.

The process of operationalising the power of local government bodies is more conventional and hierarchic. At the same time, the formulation and implementation of inclusive plans and budgeting are confined with certain formalities that do not necessarily allow citizens the space for voices. Federal government grants constrain fiscal jurisdiction and control over resource mobilisation. The mere preparation and administration of local government legislation and relevant by-laws have weakened the capacity of local government bodies.

From interpretation of first-hand data, this paper has identified the pitfalls of the federalisation process, the constraints deter the devolution of power to local bodies as well as the transformation of local governments into autonomous institutions in Nepal.

Some industrial organizations using computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) for managing intelligent product and process data during a concurrent processing are facing acute implementation difficulties. Some of the difficulties are due to the fact that CIM – in the current form – is not able to adequately address knowledge management and concurrent engineering (CE) issues. Also, with CIM, it is not possible to solve problems related to decision and control even though there has been an increasing interest in subjects like artificial intelligence (AI), knowledge‐based systems (KBS), expert systems, etc. In order to improve the productivity gain through CIM, EDS focused its information technology (IT) vision on the combined potential of concurrent engineering (CE), knowledge management (KM) and computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) technologies. EDS – through a number of IT and CIM implementations – realized that CE, KM and CIM do go hand‐in‐hand. The three together provide a formidable base, which is called intelligent information system (IIS) in this paper. Describes the rationales used for creating an IIS framework at EDS, its usefulness to our clients and a make‐up of this emerging IIS framework for integrated product development.

One of the major foci of universities in relation to the educational missions is to promote the growth and development of students as leaders. This article discusses the role of academic advising as a strategic partner with classroom and extracurricular leadership development programs. To that end, this article reviews the roles of academic advising in higher education and discusses the viability of expanding these roles to include the role of advisor as leadership educator. In so doing, I provide a review of the literature related to student leadership development, discuss the similarity in advising outcomes and leadership development outcomes, and examine how the roles of academic advisors in higher education relate to leadership development as well as how advisors can become intentional leadership educators.

Despite the relevance of academic advising to the college student experience, there is little research to define the role of academic advisors in leadership education. This study uses qualitative case study research to explore the role of the academic advisor in the leadership education process within institutions of higher education. The findings and resulting implications provide context for creating a more holistic approach to leadership education through the maximization of advising relationships. Academic advisors can leverage their knowledge of student development theory, leadership education, and their role in the higher education process to maximize their advising relationships and facilitate student leadership development.

This paper presents a case study for the pilot of a peer-led service model that is centered on fostering student leadership, collaboration and advocacy. The authors, who serve as advisors to the program, discuss the Library's transition to this peer-led model for reference support, outreach, programming and campus engagement.

This case study examines the development and implementation of a new peer-led service at a mid-size public university aimed at centering student success, belonging and empowerment. Authors share practices, strategies and goals for training, onboarding and professional development with emphasis on student advocacy, leadership and retention in the program.

The authors found that developing the structures and opportunities to foster student-led initiatives and efforts for student success, belonging and engagement has helped the library better connect and engage with diverse student communities on campus.

Findings of this study may be limited at the time this case study is written due to it being a new and developing library student program for reference, outreach and programming.

The peer-led service model for reference and student engagement presented in this article serves as a case study that may be applicable for those who wish to imagine and develop a student-centered library program at their institution.

This case study may provide an alternative approach useful to those who wish to reimagine and innovate library student programs at their institutions.

Although there are many peer-led initiatives in academic libraries for outreach and programming, this program explores the approach of fostering student leadership and advocacy within library student roles to lead and facilitate library efforts for campus engagement with structured guidance and support from librarian advisors.

Building on cultural‐historical activity theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the service system of car‐service advisors as an activity system that evolves through cycles of expansive learning.

An ethnographic study involving participant observations, informal conversations, and interviews among car‐service advisors provides insights into how expansive learning takes place.

Expansive learning refers to a gradual process whereby individuals act collectively to reconfigure existing activity systems. Contradictions in the activity system can trigger learning and an awareness of the historical and socio‐cultural contexts of service systems is indispensable for an understanding of the development of those systems.

Managers need a thorough understanding of the structure of their service system and the contradictions that exist in it, as they constitute opportunities for development. Moreover, the study shows that social bonds between employees should be promoted and that frontline contact persons should be seen as integral resources in service development.

In contrast to much research on service systems, which has largely focused on the structure and characteristics of service systems, this paper offers a novel dynamic theoretical framework of a service system as a constantly evolving activity system in which learning takes place through the resolution of contradictions.