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1 – 9 of 9Conor Shaw, Flávia de Andrade Pereira, Ciaran McNally, Karim Farghaly, Timo Hartmann and James O'Donnell
Effective information management can help real estate operators improve asset performance during use, reducing environmental impact. The purpose of this exploratory study is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective information management can help real estate operators improve asset performance during use, reducing environmental impact. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify and prioritise key drivers, challenges and opportunities relating to information management, from the point of view of a diverse cohort of facilities practitioners, with the aim of guiding future research direction and contributing to a comprehensive domain understanding.
Design/methodology/approach
Nine interviews are conducted across a broad sample of real estate sectors, the respondents including six facility managers and three data managers. A thematic analysis results in the identification and ranking in terms of importance of 44 emergent themes. These themes are then grouped into abstracted categories for analysis and synthesis.
Findings
This study indicates that systemic rather than technical issues are the greatest barrier to effective information management for facilities practitioners, the interviews providing examples of practical measures which address these challenges, promoting lifecycle thinking. Alignment is also found between the facilities and data management cohorts regarding lifecycle thinking towards both physical assets and information.
Practical implications
This study provides direction for future developments in the facilities sector, suggesting the pursuit to address systemic issues as being both worthwhile and feasible.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is the ranking and synthesis of practitioner priorities with regard to high-level information management issues which is lacking in the literature, with a focus to-date on case-specific technical integration.
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Karim Farghaly, F.H. Abanda, Christos Vidalakis and Graham Wood
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the transfer of information from the building information modelling (BIM) models to either conventional or advanced asset management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the transfer of information from the building information modelling (BIM) models to either conventional or advanced asset management platforms using Linked Data. To achieve this aim, a process for generating Linked Data in the asset management context and its integration with BIM data is presented.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design employs a participatory action research (PAR) approach. The PAR approach utilized two qualitative data collection methods, namely; focus group and interviews to identify and evaluate the required standards for the mapping of different domains. Also prototyping which is an approach of Software Development Methodology is utilized to develop the ontologies and Linked Data.
Findings
The proposed process offers a comprehensive description of the required standards and classifications in construction domain, related vocabularies and object-oriented links to ensure the effective data integration between different domains. Also the proposed process demonstrates the different stages, tools, best practices and guidelines to develop Linked Data, armed with a comprehensive use case Linked Data generation about building assets that consume energy.
Originality/value
The Linked Data generation and publications in the domain of AECO is still in its infancy and it also needs methodological guidelines to support its evolution towards maturity in its processes and applications. This research concentrates on the Linked Data applications with BIM to link across domains where few studies have been conducted.
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Karim Farghaly, William Collinge, Mojgan Hadi Mosleh, Patrick Manu and Clara Man Cheung
With the rapid development of digital information and modelling software applications for construction, questions have arisen about their impact on construction safety. Meanwhile…
Abstract
Purpose
With the rapid development of digital information and modelling software applications for construction, questions have arisen about their impact on construction safety. Meanwhile, recognition that designers can help reduce risks involved in construction, operation and maintenance via a prevention through design (PtD) approach (also known as design for safety) highlights the significance of digital technologies and tools to PtD. Thus, this paper aims to provide a systematic review of a wide range of digital technologies for enhancing PtD.
Design/methodology/approach
A five-stage systematic literature review with coding and synthesis of findings is presented. The review covers journal articles published between 2000 and 2020 related to the applications of various digital technologies, such as building information modelling (BIM), 4D, databases, ontologies, serious games, virtual reality and augmented reality, for addressing safety issues during the design phase in construction.
Findings
Analysis of the articles yielded a categorisation of the digital applications for PtD into four main areas: knowledge-based systems; automatic rule checking; hazard visualization; and safety training for designers. The review also highlighted designers’ limited knowledge towards construction safety and the possibility to address this by using gaming environments for educating designers on safety management and using artificial intelligence for predicting hazards and risks during design stage in a BIM environment. Additionally, the review proposes other directions for future research to enhance the use of digital technologies for PtD.
Originality/value
This paper contextualises current digital technology applications for construction health and safety and enables future directions of research in the field to be identified and mapped out.
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Marwa Farghaly, Mohamed A.K. Basuony, Neveen Noureldin and Karim Hegazy
This study assesses the perception of academics and practitioners of ramifications that may have impacted audit evidence quality during COVID-19 in Egypt.
Abstract
Purpose
This study assesses the perception of academics and practitioners of ramifications that may have impacted audit evidence quality during COVID-19 in Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was collected and designed regarding the factors affecting the quality of audit evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic using a five-point Likert scale, and detailed descriptive statistics and regression analyses were conducted.
Findings
The study finds that there is no significant association between social distancing (SD), changing in the economic environment (CEE), time constraint (TC) and stress on audit personnel (SAP) as repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic with the quality of audit evidence (QAE). The disruption in operational results (DOR), changes in the internal control (CIC) and the stress on client personnel (SCP) significantly affect the quality of audit evidence. Moreover, there is a significant difference between Big and non-Big Four audit firms in terms of changes in economic conditions, internal controls, disruption of operational results and time-constraint variables. The latter has significantly affected the audit evidence quality for both academics and professionals.
Practical implications
Due to the implementation of SD and work-from-home policies, audit firms are highly recommended to invest more in digital programs and to be more adaptable to work-from-home, which policy and enhances the effectiveness and flexibility of communication between auditors and their clients.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the foremost papers that provides empirical evidence for the antecedents or variables that may affect audit quality evidence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Diego Espinosa Gispert, Ibrahim Yitmen, Habib Sadri and Afshin Taheri
The purpose of this research is to develop a framework of an ontology-based Asset Information Model (AIM) for a Digital Twin (DT) platform and enhance predictive maintenance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop a framework of an ontology-based Asset Information Model (AIM) for a Digital Twin (DT) platform and enhance predictive maintenance practices in building facilities that could enable proactive and data-driven decision-making during the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) process.
Design/methodology/approach
A scoping literature review was accomplished to establish the theoretical foundation for the current investigation. A study on developing an ontology-based AIM for predictive maintenance in building facilities was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry professionals to gather qualitative data for ontology-based AIM framework validation and insights.
Findings
The research findings indicate that while the development of ontology faced challenges in defining missing entities and relations in the context of predictive maintenance, insights gained from the interviews enabled the establishment of a comprehensive framework for ontology-based AIM adoption in the Facility Management (FM) sector.
Practical implications
The proposed ontology-based AIM has the potential to enable proactive and data-driven decision-making during the process, optimizing predictive maintenance practices and ultimately enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in the building industry.
Originality/value
The research contributes to a practical guide for ontology development processes and presents a framework of an Ontology-based AIM for a Digital Twin platform.
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The study aims to seek the factors affecting perceived online learning enjoyment among university students across Viet Nam.
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to seek the factors affecting perceived online learning enjoyment among university students across Viet Nam.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the concept of the technology acceptance model (TAM), this research adopts structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse data collected from 795 undergraduate students who have gained the experience of online courses in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Findings
The results of this study indicate that both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are significant predictors of students' perceived enjoyment in online courses while perceived obstacles are not its direct antecedents. The correlation between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness is also affirmed in this study. Besides, differences are found based on students' characteristics including gender, grade and academic major.
Research limitations/implications
As online learning turns education to be learner-centred, it is crucial to have a better understanding of students' perceptions toward this advanced learning method. The insights found in this research may be of interest to educational administrators, aimed at achieving the digital transformation success in education which may adapt to the current trend of Industrial Revolution 4.0.
Originality/value
According to the best of the knowledge, this research is the first to explore the effect of the group of three predictors including perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and perceived obstacles on the students' learning enjoyment toward the online learning method, especially in the context of Viet Nam.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between job crafting and work engagement and the potential mediating effect of organizational happiness on this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between job crafting and work engagement and the potential mediating effect of organizational happiness on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 256 full-time employees from various industries such as automobiles, retail, real estate, petrochemicals, investment, industrial and education, working at top 50 Forbes Middle East companies in UAE, were surveyed to gather data on job crafting, organizational happiness and work engagement. The study used an empirical research design, with data collected through surveys.
Findings
The results of this study, obtained through a two-step structural equation modelling approach, indicate that job crafting has a positive and direct influence on both organizational happiness and work engagement. The findings also suggest that the relationship between job crafting and work engagement is partially mediated by organizational happiness.
Practical implications
The findings emphasize the need for human resources (HR) professionals to develop programmes and training workshops focused on cultivating these concepts, particularly as remote and blended working arrangements become more prevalent. In addition, the study highlights the global impact of employee disengagement on financial losses and stresses the importance of revising HR policies in the UAE to mitigate potential risks. Lastly, the study suggests that enhancing happiness and reducing disengagement can be achieved through training managers and employees in task structuring techniques, emphasizing the teachability of job crafting skills through interventions that align tasks with employees’ interests.
Originality/value
To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to theoretically explore and empirically test a proposed model on the relationships between job crafting, organizational happiness and work engagement in the context of the UAE.
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