Search results

The purpose of this paper is to explore US Chinese older adults’ views regarding elder abuse interventions in order to understand barriers and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors.

The study design was qualitative, using a grounded theory approach to data collection and analysis. Community-based participatory research approach was implemented to partner with the Chicago Chinese community. A total of 37 community-dwelling Chinese older adults (age 60+) participated in focus group discussions.

Participants viewed many benefits of intervention programs. Perceived barriers were categorized under cultural, social, and structural barriers. Facilitators to implement interventions included increasing education and public health awareness, integrating social support with existing community social services, as well as setting an interdisciplinary team. Perpetrators intervention strategies were also discussed.

This study has wide policy and practice implications for designing and deploying interventions with respect to elder abuse outcome. Modifying the cultural, social, and structural barriers that affect health behavior of Chinese older adults contribute to the salience of elder abuse interventions in this under-served.

In this case, lessons from the Chicago Benchmarking Collaborative illustrate key principles of collaborative action and the importance of using data to achieve SMART goals.

In 2015, the Chicago Benchmarking Collaborative (CBC) was a network of seven agencies in Chicago, Illinois, serving 12,000 low-income residents. Each of the agencies had early childhood, school-age children, and adult education programs. At the prompting of the Chicago Community Trust, they came together to (1) benchmark their education programs outputs and outcomes; (2) learn and share best practices through developing a common set of metrics and measurements and implementing these measurements into a case management software system; and (3) share the costs of the case management software system to be used for program evaluation and continuous quality improvement.

Three aspects of CBC are particularly noteworthy. First, there are no joint program activities or clients among these agencies. Their exchange is limited to sharing data and other information. This makes CBC distinct from collaborations formed to begin a program or to advocate for a policy. Second, the group requires each agency to enter data on a timely basis and to set SMART goals based on the data reports. The agencies are held mutually accountable for their work to achieve their own SMART goals during the year and report on progress. Third, CBC used monetary incentives to ensure that data entry and SMART goal action remained a priority for each agency.

This study aims to draw upon boundary the crossing theory to examine the transition of casino hotel guests’ revisit intentions from casino social media sites to casino properties, with the influence of the motivation–opportunity–ability model.

Under a quantitative approach, 20 casinos that operated official social media sites were selected, with a quota sampling method designed to assign 20 respondents for each casino. A structural model was used to explore the hypothesized relationships.

The results illustrate that ability and opportunity are crucial in enhancing social media revisit intention. They also reveal that casino and destination revisit intention can be boosted with increased social media revisit intention.

This study provides a fresh look into the relation across the boundary between the virtual and physical environment and illustrates a means by which casinos can be camouflaged as leisure and entertainment venues to strengthen their competitiveness in attracting tourists through social media.

This study offers new evidence for the linkage between online and offline behaviors with respect to how social media could transit into tangible travel propensity.

本研究利用跨界理论来检验赌场酒店客人的重游意图从赌场社交媒体网站到赌场属性的转变, 并受到动机-机会-能力模型的影响。

在定量方法下, 选择了 20 家运营官方社交媒体网站的赌场, 采用配额抽样方法, 为每个赌场分配 20 名受访者。使用结构模型来探索假设的关系。

结果表明, 能力和机会对于增强社交媒体重访意图至关重要。他们还揭示了赌场和目的地的重访意图可以随着社交媒体重访意图的增加而提高。

这项研究对虚拟和物理环境之间的边界关系提供了全新的视角, 并说明了一种可以将赌场伪装成休闲和娱乐场所的方法, 以增强其通过社交媒体吸引游客的竞争力。

这项研究为在线和离线行为之间的联系提供了新的证据, 即社交媒体如何转变为有形的旅行倾向。

There are several technologies positively impacting the management of construction projects. Building information modelling (BIM) is one such technology, slowly changing project delivery. However, enhancing knowledge transfer (KT) within the construction industry is crucial because of the characteristic slow uptake of innovation. Therefore, this study aims to establish the effectiveness of the KT mechanism for BIM implementation in construction organisations.

This study adopted a quantitative research method where a structured questionnaire was distributed to construction professionals. A partial least square structural equation modeling path analysis was used to test the direct and indirect relationships of computer self-efficacy (CS), perceived ease of use (PEOU), KT and BIM usage.

This study found that CS could improve KT, which will, in turn, increase the implementation of BIM within construction organisations. However, in terms of KT, individuals’ confidence and ability to use BIM inspires them to share the knowledge of BIM they had received through training. Furthermore, this study found that the ease of interacting, learning and being skilful with BIM may not necessarily ensure the actual transfer of knowledge.

This study provides valuable insights into KTs (BIM implementation) in the construction industry. It will enhance the use of BIM systems and related knowledge through effective training amongst construction practitioners. Other previous studies have focused on challenges and barriers to BIM implementation, this study goes deeper into establishing the effectiveness of the KT mechanism for BIM implementation in construction organisations.

This study examined factors influencing the organisational capabilities of the public sector for building information modelling (BIM) implementation in construction projects with a view to enhancing the performance of public sector projects.

The study adopted a quantitative descriptive analysis that was based on primary data. In total, 198 valid questionnaires obtained from construction professionals within the public sector provided primary quantitative data for the assessment. The respondents provided the responses on the factors which were identified through an in-depth synthesis of literature relating to organisational capabilities of the public sector. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The findings established that the potential of the public sector to deploy BIM in construction projects is greatly influenced by varying degree of organisational capability attributes with bureaucratic culture (mean score, MS = 3.37), structural complexity (MS = 3.17), lack of skilled and trained staff (MS = 3.12), personnel stability (MS = 3.11), staff cooperation (MS = 3.09) and political constraint (MS = 3.07) ranked highest. Through factor analysis, these and other highly influential factors were grouped into eight components, namely management-related, policy-related, technical-related, attitude-related, work structure-related, work ethic-related, decision-related and feedback-related factors. This grouping reflects the various components of organisational capability attributes which the public sector needs to efficiently develop to benefit from project management paradigm introduced by BIM.

This study provided information for improving specific capability attributes with respect to human and technical resources as well as other soft infrastructure to support BIM implementation on building projects by the public sector client. The study also serves as a guide for understanding BIM implementation by the public sector in similar socio-political and economic contexts.

This assessment indicates various degrees by which the organisational attributes of public sector have influenced the attributes' capability to implement BIM on construction projects. Thus, findings provide information on areas of improvement for better implementation of BIM by the public sector in project delivery.

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into how population health management (PHM) strategies can successfully integrate and reorganize public health, health care, social care and community services to improve population health and quality of care while reducing costs growth, this study compared four large-scale transformation programs: Greater Manchester Devolution, Vancouver Healthy City Strategy, Gen-H Cincinnati and Gesundes Kinzigtal.

Following the realist methodology, this explorative comparative case-study investigated PHM initiatives' key features and participants' experiences of developing such initiatives. A semi-structured interview guideline based on a theoretical framework for PHM guided the interviews with stakeholders (20) from different sectors.

Five initial program theories important to the development of PHM were formulated: (1) create trust in a shared vision and understanding of the PHM rationale to establish stakeholders' commitment to the partnership; (2) create shared ownership for achieving the initiative's goals; (3) create shared financial interest that reduces perceived financial risks to provide financial sustainability; (4) create a learning environment to secure initiative's credibility and (5) create citizens' and professionals' awareness of the required attitudes and behaviours.

The study highlights initial program theories for the implementation of PHM including different strategies and structures underpinning the initiatives. These insights provide a deeper understanding of how large-scale transformation could be developed.

The purpose of this paper is to utilise the comprehensive Food Safety Knowledge Instrument to compare food hygiene knowledge across a population of high school and university students in Australia and the UK.

In total, 475 students from secondary schools and universities in Australia and the UK took part in a survey, which included a Food Safety Knowledge Instrument and demographic items.

Food safety knowledge was generally very low. High school students had a mean score of only 38 per cent, while university students just reached a “pass” with a mean of 54 per cent. Demographics accounted for 41 per cent of variance in food knowledge scores. Female gender, being at university rather than high school, and living out of home rather than with parents were associated with greater food knowledge. Residing in Australia rather than the UK and being older were also associated with greater knowledge; however, these findings were subsumed by education group. Socio-economic status was not a significant predictor of food knowledge.

Identifying demographic and cultural differences in food knowledge can help to identify at-risk populations to better target in theory and knowledge-based interventions.

This study is the first to apply the knowledge instrument in an Australian population. Understanding the baseline knowledge in this population is an important first step at developing effective interventions for food safety.

Falls continue to be the major cause of fatalities in the Hong Kong construction industry, as well as in other countries. Published statistics of the Labour Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) showed that from 2000 to 2004 approximately half of the fatal construction accidents were a result of fall of person from height. In view of this phenomenon, the purpose of this paper is to present the findings and recommendations of a research paper which investigates the problems associated with fall of person from height in the construction industry.

Accident data obtained from the Architectural Services Department, HKSAR, was analysed according to the 14 available factors collectively to derive explanations for common situations and reasons leading to fall accidents.

The findings of this rigorous analysis are presented to practitioners whose feedback on the findings are recorded by means of a questionnaire survey. The responses from the survey show that “re‐enforced safety training” and “equipments for working at height” are the adoptable methods to enhance the workers' safety performance. The paper shows that “poor safety attitude and behaviour of workers” is the main problem in obstructing the implementation of safety procedures and guidelines for construction sites. In addition, over half the respondents agree that “closer monitoring and supervision” and “higher standard of projects” is observed by public projects when compared to private projects.

The statistics analysed in this paper are limited to public sector projects only. However, the findings are still believed to be valuable for safety practitioners so that they can adopt the necessary measures to prevent fall from height accidents occurring in future projects.

Although studies have shown the relevance of building information modeling (BIM) in cost estimating process, efforts at investigating BIM based detailed cost estimating among professional quantity surveyors through quantitative approach are scanty. The purpose of this study is to identify and examine the usage of BIM-based detailed cost estimating software and assesses the drivers to BIM adoption within the Nigerian quantity surveying consulting firms.

A comprehensive literature review, pilot study and questionnaire survey were adopted. The survey targeted both the BIM users and non- BIM users’ quantity surveying consulting firms in Lagos, Nigeria. The data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, Mann–Whitney test and factor analysis.

The study found that 46.58 per cent of quantity surveying consulting firms are aware of BIM and have adopted it for detailed cost estimating, while 49.32 per cent of quantity surveying consulting firms are aware but have not adopted BIM-based detailed cost estimating, and 4.10 per cent of quantity surveying consulting firms are not aware at all. Also, the study identified various BIM-based detailed cost estimating software used in quantity surveying practices and found that Microsoft Excel is often used alongside 3D software, Autodesk QTO, Navisworks, Innovaya Composer and CostX are prevalent BIM software used for detailed cost estimating. In addition, the study identified 21 drivers to the adoption of BIM in quantity surveying practices. The result of factor analysis grouped the 21 identified drivers into five principal factors: improved whole lifecycle/design quality, enhanced decision and visualization, cost and time saving, marketing and support for quantity surveyor tasks and government and client pressure.

This study provides significant insight into the application of BIM to quantity surveying consulting practices, thereby enabling consultant quantity surveyors to make informed decisions to select BIM cost estimating software to suit their practices. Further, the study findings can be useful for individuals’, clients’ and contractors’ quantity surveyors to be fully aware of the opportunities BIM could bring in relation to their service delivery.

Accurate cost estimating, effective cost monitoring and control are essential elements to a construction project success. This study further emphasized the importance of BIM to quantity surveying practices, particularly in the area of the detailed cost estimating.

The desire for firms to gain competitive advantage and improve performance has resulted in the adoption of several practices. Green supply chain practices (GSCPs), just in time (JIT) and total quality management (TQM) are some of the practices adopted by firms to improve operational performance (OP) and business performance (BP). This study examines the direct influence of GSCPs, JIT and TQM on operational performance and BP. The study further analyzes the synergy of GSCPs, JIT and TQM on OP and BP.

This study employs the quantitative approach of research by using questionnaire to gather data from manufacturing managers and supply chain managers of 140 manufacturing firms in Ghana. The research uses partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) to analyze the survey data.

The results of the analysis show that GSCPs, TQM and JIT positively influence both OP and BP. The findings reveal that GSCPs combine with JIT and TQM to improve OP and BP significantly. However, the synergy between green supply chain and TQM creates more value for both OP and BP than the synergy between GSCPs and JIT.

The study proposes a research model that examines both the individual and combined influence of GSCPs, TQM and JIT on both OP and BP from the developing country perspective. The study models GSCPs as an antecedent of JIT and TQM, which has not been explored.