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Built environment organisations face global challenges between business units, especially since the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has profoundly disrupted the construction industry worldwide, including the management of construction megaprojects (CMPs). This research aims to develop a competency framework, for global integrated delivery (GID) transformative initiatives and future of work (FOW) global initiatives, to manage integration between lean construction (LC) practices and integrated project delivery (IPD) on CMPs in contemporary multinational engineering organisations.

“Mixed research methods” involves a two-stage quantitative and qualitative research approach. In the context of CMPs, stage one consisted of a qualitative research methodology comprising a literature review to examine competencies, COVID-19 impacts, responses and key drivers (KDs) to integrate LeanIPD&GID; stage one outcomes propose a conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID, a competency framework and future of work (FOW) global initiatives. Stage two involved an empirical questionnaire survey for a set of 30 KDs arranged into five-factor clusters (FCs), 226 respondents from 23 countries with an extensive cosmopolitan experience; analysis adopted structural equation modelling (SEM), descriptive and inferential statistics, percentage scoring analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and eigenvalues.

In the context of CMPs, stage one outcomes delivered a conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID, a proposed competency framework and FOW global initiatives. Stage two concluded that the most significant KDs are “collaboration in design, construction works and engineering management,” “coordination and planning of construction work,” “senior organisational management support,” “boosting implementation of LC, and integrating project delivery” and “earlier and precise 3D visualisation of designs”. building information modelling (BIM) adoption in the MENA region is higher than LC; the second is still taking its first steps, while IPD has little implementation. LeanBIM is slightly integrated, while LeanIPD integration is almost not present.

The research findings, conceptualised LeanIPD&GID principles, a proposed competency framework and FOW global initiatives, provided future research streams and directions; the study has provided a competency framework and FOW global initiatives for effective practical strategies for enhancing integration of LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives on CMPs and will allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on boosting LeanIPD&GID KDs.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry encounter substantial risks and challenges in its evolution towards sustainable development. International businesses, multinational AEC organisations, technical professionals, project and portfolio management organisations face global connectivity challenges between business units, especially during the outbreak of novel coronavirus pandemic, to manage construction megaprojects (CMPs). That raises the need to manage global connectivity as a main strategic goal of global organisations. This paper aims to investigate barriers to integrating lean construction (LC) practices and integrated project delivery (IPD) on CMPs towards the global integrated delivery (GID) transformative initiatives and develop future of work (FOW) global initiatives in contemporary multinational AEC organisations.

A two-stage quantitative and qualitative research approach is adopted. The qualitative research methodology consists of a literature review to appraise barriers to integrating LeanIPD&GID on CMPs. Barriers are arranged into six-factor clusters (FCs), with a conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID, GID strategy placements and FOW global initiatives with multiple validations. This analysis also involved semi-structured interviews and focus group techniques. Stage two consisted of an empirical questionnaire survey that shaped the foundation of analysis and findings of 230 respondents from 23 countries with extensive cosmopolitan experience in the construction of megaprojects. The survey examined a set of 28 barriers to integrating LeanIPD&GID on CMPs resulting from a detailed analysis of extant literature after validation. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were exploited for data analysis, percentage scoring analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and eigenvalues were used to elaborate on clustered factors.

The research conceptualised LeanIPD&GID principles and proposed GID strategy placements for LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives and FOW global initiatives. It concluded that the most significant barriers to integration of LeanIPD&GID on CMPs are “lack of mandatory building information modelling (BIM) and LC industry standards and regulations by governments”, “lack of involvement and support of governments”, “high costs of BIM software licenses”, “resistance of industry to change from traditional working practices” and “high initial investment in staff training costs of BIM”. PCA revealed the most significant FCs are “education and knowledge-related barriers”, “project objectives-related barriers” and “attitude-related barriers”. Awareness of BIM in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is higher than LC and LC awareness is higher than IPD knowledge. Whilst BIM adoption in the MENA region is higher than LC; the second is still taking its first steps, whilst IPD has little implementation. LeanBIM is slightly integrated, whilst LeanIPD integration is almost not present.

The research findings, conclusion and recommendation and proposed GID strategy placements for LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives to integrating LeanIPD&GID on CMPs. This will allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on tackling LeanIPD&GID barriers identified in this research and commence GID strategies. The study has provided effective practical strategies for enhancing the integration of LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives on CMPs.

Built environment encounters substantial risks and challenges in its evolution towards sustainable development. International businesses and multinational engineering organisations face global connectivity challenges between business units, especially during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), which has profoundly disrupted the construction industry throughout the world. That raises the need to manage global connectivity as a main strategic goal of multinational architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organisations. This study aims to develop a strategic framework managing challenges of integrating lean construction (LC) and integrated project delivery (IPD) on construction megaprojects (CMPs) towards global integrated delivery (GID) transformative initiatives in multinational AEC organisations.

“Mixed research methods” involving a two-stage quantitative and qualitative research approach is adopted. The qualitative research methodology consists of a literature review to assess challenges to integrate LeanIPD&GID on CMPs. There is an assessment of conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID and GID strategy placements, development of LeanIPD&GID integration framework and future of work (FOW) global initiatives with multiple validations. The analysis involved semi-structured interviews and focus group techniques. Stage 2 consisted of an empirical questionnaire survey that shaped the foundation of analysis and findings of 190 respondents from 23 countries with an extensive cosmopolitan experience of megaprojects in construction. The survey examined a set of 20 challenges to integrate LeanIPD&GID on CMPs resulting from a detailed analysis of extant literature after validation. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were exploited for data analysis and percentage score analysis.

The research conceptualised LeanIPD&GID principles, proposed GID strategy placements, a framework for managing challenges of LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives, FOW global initiatives and key performance indicators (KPIs). It concluded that the most significant challenges to integrate of LeanIPD&GID on CMPs are “lack of governmental incentives, policies, regulations or legal frameworks”, “lack of client’s awareness and IPD experience amongst key stakeholders”, “lack of organisation’s senior-management and client’s commitment to IPD approaches”, “resistance of industry to change from traditional procurement to IPD” and “lack of integrated synergies between LC, IPD working towards LeanIPD&GID”. Awareness of building information modelling (BIM) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is higher than LC, and LC awareness is higher than IPD knowledge. While BIM adoption in the MENA region is higher than LC, LC is still taking its first steps, and IPD has little implementation. LeanBIM is slightly integrated, while LeanIPD integration is almost not present.

The research findings, conclusions and recommendations provide a proposed framework for implementation, KPIs and GID strategy placements for LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives to integrate LeanIPD&GID on CMPs and FOW global initiatives. This will allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on managing LeanIPD&GID challenges identified in this research and commence GID strategies. The study has provided effective practical strategies for enhancing integration of LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives on CMPs.

The modern construction industry is highly competitive and cost driven, with tangible adversarial relationships between projects' contractual parties at individual and organisational levels; there are conflict of interest as people to survive. Accordingly, team leaders on construction megaprojects (CMPs) in multinational engineering organisations strive to survive in such competitive markets. The research’s aim is to investigate relationships between team leaders' tenure and management styles towards professional subordinates on CMPs and elaborate how corporate governance can optimally address this conflict of interest and adversarial relationships.

The research methodology adopted processes of inducting theory using case studies. A qualitative approach was adopted as a primary data collection and analysis source. It involved case studies through primary data collection in semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 38 professional subordinates (interviewees) to discuss impacts of team leaders' tenure on their management style (a five-team leader, case studies). The research methodology is based on building theories from case study grounded theory research methodologies.

The research introduced the notion that team leader survival syndrome is pronounced and evidenced by adversarial reactions towards new or experienced professional subordinates where team leaders perceive professional subordinates, especially at senior technical levels, as potential risks that jeopardise their positions and employment survival possibilities. The syndrome is proven based on real-life case studies; it is constant, tangible and serious disorder of attitudes and behaviours. Longer tenure stimulates and accelerates these phenomena and syndrome, with 58% of team leaders exhibiting such syndromes. Optimum employee tenure is between 7 and 10 years. Corporate governance provides good resolution practices.

The research implications are useful to construction industry and academia. However, the analysis is limited to the case studies considered in Canada and Qatar. Due to small sample size for both case studies and respondents to the questionnaire survey, it is recommended for future exploration to expand the scope of research to larger sample size and various demographic and geographical locations.

Corporates should acknowledge the presence of team leader survival syndromes. They should thoroughly investigate sociopolitical relationships behind it and seek to understand consequences on professional subordinates. Corporates should also adopt a 360-degree feedback system; they should limit trust given to team leaders in this regard to responsible trust, to eliminate manipulation. Team leaders are perceived as being not always truthful and misrepresent capabilities and performance of their professional subordinates to senior managers. Corporate governance holistic multidimensional perspectives are required to provide resolutions of team leader survival syndromes.

The research has discovered a phenomenon that team leaders on CMPs in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organisations, prompted by virtue of long tenure in corporates or by power of their managerial level in organisations, perceive their professional subordinates, especially senior technical employees, as potential risks. It is thought promoting them would put their own positions and security of tenure at risk. Hence, team leaders act adversarially, to enhance their own survival prospects. This research introduced the novel team leader survival syndrome and introduced analyses, practical implications and recommendations.

Reliability evaluations for new electronic components and assemblies regularly require extensive test cycles that are both time consuming and costly. Objectives of such test batteries are to identify failure mechanisms and the relationship between these mechanisms and product design or processing features. Optimisation of these critical factors or process steps results in optimised reliability. Statistically designed experiments can facilitate the optimisation process by minimising the amount of testing needed to identify factors affecting reliability, and by providing insight into how these factors can be specified to ensure optimum product design. Designed experimentation was utilised in this study to look at product design and process factors affecting the reliability of inner leads for tape automated bonding (TAB) components. Four factors are considered: outer lead compliancy; chip immobilisation; downset; and tape stiffness and rigidity. Experimental details and results are presented which assess the relative importance of these factors in determining ultimate inner lead reliability, and also provide guidance for final product design considerations.

The construction industry encounters substantial challenges in its evolution towards sustainable development and to the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) technology and lean construction (LC) practices on construction mega-projects. This study aims to present critical challenges and to investigate the interactions of BIM and LC on construction mega-projects encountered by key stakeholders in their efforts to integrate BIM and LC.

A qualitative research approach is adopted to introduce and validate LC principles and BIM functionalities resulting from a detailed analysis of extant literature, followed by a conceptual analysis of the interactions between BIM and LC on construction mega-projects. A quantitative questionnaire survey is then used. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests are used for data analysis, and analysis of variance tests elaborate and validate results.

The research yielded ten BIM functionalities and ten LC principles, which are categorised in four principle areas and four BIM functionality groups. A research framework for analysis of the interaction between BIM and LC is then compiled.

Research findings and the proposed framework will enhance the adoption of BIM and LC practices on construction mega-projects and allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on tackling crucial challenges and barriers identified in this research. The framework will guide and stimulate research; and as such, the approach adopted up to this point is constructive. The identified interactions between BIM and LC on construction mega-projects show positive synergies between the two.

Web resource usage statistics enable server owners to monitor how their users use their Web sites. However, such statistics are only compiled for individual servers. If resource usage was monitored across the whole Web, the changing interests of society would be revealed, and deep insights made into the changing nature of the Web. However, capturing the information required for such a service, and providing acceptable system performance, presents significant challenges. As such, we have developed a model, called WebRUM, which offers a scalable system‐wide solution through the extension of a resource migration mechanism that we have previously designed. The paper describes the mechanism, and shows how it can be extended to monitor Web‐wide resource usage. The information stored by the model is defined, and the performance of a prototype mechanism is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the design.

The issue of energy efficiency is becoming increasingly prevalent globally due to factors such as the expansion of the population, economic growth and excessive consumption that is not sustainable in the long run. Additionally, healthcare facilities and hospitals are facing challenges as their operational costs continue to rise. The research aim is to develop strategic frameworks for managing green hospitals, towards energy efficiency and corporate governance in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

This research employs a qualitative case study approach, with a sample of ten hospitals examined through interviews with senior management, executives and healthcare facilities managers. Relevant data was also collected from literature and analysed through critical appraisal and content analysis. The research methodology is based on the use of grounded theory research methodologies to build theories from case studies.

The research developed three integrated conceptual strategic frameworks for managing hospitals and healthcare facilities towards energy efficiency, green hospital initiatives and corporate governance. The research also outlined the concepts of green hospitals and energy efficiency management systems and best practices based on the conclusions drawn from the investigated case studies.

The study is limited to the initiatives and experiences of the healthcare facilities studied in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The research findings, conclusions, recommendations and proposed frameworks and concepts contribute significantly to the existing body of knowledge. This research also provides recommendations for hospital managers and policymakers on how to effectively implement and manage energy efficiency initiatives in healthcare facilities.

The construction industry encounters substantial challenges in its evolution towards sustainable development and in the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) technology and lean construction (LC) practices on construction mega-projects. This research aims to investigate the critical barriers encountered by key construction stakeholders in their efforts to integrate BIM and LC in the construction mega-projects.

A two-round Delphi survey shaped the foundation of aggregating consensus between an expert panel that examined a set of 28 barriers resulting from a detailed analysis of the extant literature. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were exploited for data analysis, and interrater agreement analysis was used to elaborated and validate results.

The research concluded that the key barriers by descending order of significance are lack of mandatory BIM and LC industry standards and regulations by the government, resistance of the industry to change from traditional practices to LeanBIM, high cost of software licenses and training and running of BIM.

The research findings and the proposed mitigation strategy will enhance the application of BIM and LC practices in construction mega-projects and allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on tackling the crucial challenges and barriers identified in this research.