Search results

User-centred intelligent buildings (IBs) should respond to users’ needs holistically and the demand for end user applications is steadily growing. The purpose of this study is to answer: What are end user applications, what should they be called, and what are their key features?

This is a mixed-method study. The authors have used different data sources, such as online research and interviews. In data processing, the authors have used word counting and Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling.

These end user applications can provide the missing user-centered elements of IBs. The authors have found that “smart workplace solution” (SWS) is the best term to describe these applications, and they also describe the key features, which include booking, showing free spaces, occupancy tracking, wayfinding and searching.

As the end user applications are constantly and rapidly evolving, the latest evolving of such applications might not be covered. Furthermore, the authors have relied on companies’ information as given.

IBs have emerged over 20 years ago, and these are the first solutions that can be considered truly user-centered.

A key factor adversely affecting contractor social networking performance is the improper handling and information management of contractor’s services delivery on websites. Contractor social networking is particularly problematic on industrialised building system (IBS) infrastructure maintenance projects where contractor’s certified quality product and firms are not matched with maintenance specialisation services. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

This paper reports on the early stages of research which is developing a new information and communications technology (ICT)-based approach to managing contractor social networking on IBS infrastructure maintenance schemes. As a precursor to this work, the paper reviews current contractor social networking websites practices on IBS infrastructure maintenance projects and explores the ICT tools and techniques currently being employed on such projects.

The findings reveal the need for more sophisticated contractor social networking websites solutions which accord with the needs of IBS infrastructure maintenance schemes.

The paper concludes by presenting a research framework for developing such a system in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse international business (IB) scholarship and present current gaps and new realities to enhance scholarly discourse.

The paper divides the scholarship into three distinct sections. First, it interrogates the changing definitions of the field from the 1880s to date. Secondly, IB paradigms are cross-examined while highlighting the understudied emerging interaction paradigm. Lastly, literature gaps, methodological gaps and new realities in IB are presented.

This research shows that IB inquiry has concentrated on firm-level paradigms, leaving the emerging interaction paradigm understudied. As a result, there is a deficit of novel ideas and limited research on critical emerging issues affecting IB. Further, simplistic methodologies are prevalent, making IB scholarship weak. Additionally, a majority of studies concentrate on the Americas, Europe and Asia, leaving Africa understudied.

This research augments the need for scholars to cross-examine the best approach to apply in IB discourse and presents gaps calling for new insights and future research directions.

The conventional project delivery (CPD) approach has been reported in the literature as the most widely used project delivery method in the construction industry globally compared to other delivery methods. However, researchers and practitioners have argued that the approach, specifically during the production of design documentation under the CPD, lacks certain capabilities that ensure quality and enhance project delivery. Therefore, this study aims to use the Ghanaian construction industry to identify the capabilities required of the CPD in practice, particularly during the production of design documentation.

The study design follows a pragmatist philosophy and uses mixed methods based on a deductive approach. Data collection involved a questionnaire survey, followed by semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics, whereas qualitative data analysis used content analysis with the assistance of IBM SPSS and QSR Nvivo 12 Pro.

Findings indicate that there should be incentives for producing good design documentation quality; mandatory coordination of design documentation; improving collaboration among designers; and allowing contractors to make input during the design stage.

The results indicate the need for the identified capabilities to be introduced in the CPD approach to improve design documentation quality.

This study offers a significant insight into the specific capabilities that are required of the CPD approach in practice particularly, in the production of design documentation

This exploratory research aims to analyze sustainable innovation in the context of inclusive business in Latin America.

The study performs a summative content analysis of 22 inclusive businesses (IBs) of current Business Call to Action (BCtA) members in Latin America. Codes were created to identify the modification or introduction of sustainable products/services/processes. Data were analyzed using NVivo 12.

Results show a prevalence of Colombian examples within Latin American inclusive business, and a more significant proportion in the agricultural sector, consistent with reports found in the literature. The authors found that sustainable innovation takes place when introducing new products/services/processes that respond to the needs of the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) population, or modifying existing processes and services to make them more sustainable.

As most sustainable innovation literature is product-oriented and technically dominated, these results contribute to the newer works adopting a more comprehensive conception of innovation, providing empirical evidence at the product, service and process levels. The results provide insights on how inclusive businesses make adaptations to improve the sustainability of their supply chains to bring their products/services within reach of isolated and disadvantaged communities. The findings also suggest that sustainable product innovation in an inclusive business goes beyond a cost reduction objective. Tailored design reveals a hybrid socioeconomic goal with a high degree of local context embeddedness and precise attention to nascent specialized demand. The results could be of practical use for organizations that want to operate an inclusive business in BoP markets.