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Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 1 May 2019

Pekka Huovinen

This study aims to advance networking-based, construction-related business management (BM) knowledge, concepts and practices. The focus is on the supply side and therein networking

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to advance networking-based, construction-related business management (BM) knowledge, concepts and practices. The focus is on the supply side and therein networking between three or more companies on an equal, legal, managerial and organisational basis.

Design/Methodology/Approach

The literature reviewing process has resulted in the identification of 79 construction-related BM concepts published between the years 1990 and 2017. In this paper, the focused review reveals the degrees to which the authors have designed their BM concepts along the networking dimension.

Findings

Indeed, 33 (42 per cent) construction-related BM concepts have been designed along the networking dimension. There are 7 (9 per cent) high-degree, 11 (14 per cent) medium-degree and 15 (19 per cent) low-degree BM concepts. The high-degree ones include Bennett’s (2000) tapestry, Hobday’s (2000) project-based organisation, Cheng and Li’s (2002) partnering model, Love et al.’s (2002) long-term alliance, Kiiras and Huovinen’s (2004) virtual PM company, Helander and Möller’s (2007) network resources as well as Wikström et al.’s (2010) business networks.

Research Limitations/Implications

Aligning with Penrose (1995), networking-based BM may imply a paradigm shift vis-à-vis managing in construction markets, i.e. it is envisioned that many researchers replace a firm with a business network as a unit of theorising.

Practical Implications

It seems that the seven high-degree BM concepts enable firms to manage businesses with similar contexts embedded within construction markets in networking-based, viable ways.

Originality/Value

There is very little applied theoretical knowledge about networking as part of construction-related BM. This exploratory, focused review may trigger future BM research along the networking dimension.

Details

10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-051-1

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 December 2020

Zhe Zhang, Limin Jia and Yong Qin

This paper aims to investigate the reliability, availability, maintenance and safety analysis method for railway network operation.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the reliability, availability, maintenance and safety analysis method for railway network operation.

Design/methodology/approach

The reliability of the railway network is proposed based on the accident frequency and the topology of the railway network. Network efficiency and capacity are proposed to evaluate the availability of the railway network. The maintenance of the railway network is analyzed from the perspective of accident recovery time. The safety index of the railway network is proposed to measure the safety of railway stations and sections and the K-means method is proposed to find the safety critical stations and sections. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through a real-world case study.

Findings

The case study shows that the proposed model can produce a big-picture averaged view of the network-wide safety level and help us identify the safety critical stations and sections by considering both the expected reduction of network efficiency and capacity.

Practical implications

The potential application of the proposed model is to help the safety managers determine the investments in safety management of each section and station and then increase the safety and robustness of railway network operation.

Originality/value

The safety analysis of the railway network should consider the reliability, availability and maintenance of the railway network. In this paper, the reliability of the railway network is proposed based on the accident frequency and the topology of the railway network. Network efficiency and capacity are proposed to evaluate the availability of the railway network. The maintenance of the railway network is analyzed from the perspective of recovery time. Finally, the safety index of the railway network is proposed to analyze the safety critical stations and sections.

Details

Smart and Resilient Transportation, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2632-0487

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 August 2015

Jae Hwa Lee

Culture and network may be interacted according to their impact on international trade, in such a way that networks alleviate the negative effect of cultural dissimilarity. This…

Abstract

Culture and network may be interacted according to their impact on international trade, in such a way that networks alleviate the negative effect of cultural dissimilarity. This study investigates the effect of network and culture on international trade, and a possible interaction between two effects. Empirical findings from the augmented gravity model using a bilateral data set of 34 OECD countries confirm the positive effect of cultural proximity and network on trade. More importantly, the findings also reveal an interaction effect in a way that networks, such as FDI, migration and internet, play a significant role in mitigating the deterrent effect of culture dissimilarity on international trade. The internet is found to have the strongest interaction effect, followed by FDI and migration.

Details

Journal of International Logistics and Trade, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1738-2122

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 15 November 2005

Charles-Henri Fredouet and Patrick Le Mestre

Implementations of inter-organizational networks are common, following a growing diversity of cooperative modes between the independent companies associated in these networks

Abstract

Implementations of inter-organizational networks are common, following a growing diversity of cooperative modes between the independent companies associated in these networks.

Their scientific analysis has recently intensified, attention to network structures obviously including the study of the way their performance can be measured. Although academic research has mostly dealt with the performance of the network’s members, the concern of this article is rather with the performance of the global network.

Among the numerous forms of existing inter-organizational networks, maritime port communities are complex organizations which have to deal with operational synchronization, strategic cohesiveness and global performance measurement problems.

This article therefore mainly describes a port performance measurement system (PPMS): built in a predominantly empirical research context, the performance model and the associated measurement indicators illustrate the kind of network-level dedicated, performance control systems, on which port communities need to rely when designing their global strategy.

Details

Journal of International Logistics and Trade, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1738-2122

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 October 2021

Jianran Liu and Wen Ji

In recent years, with the increase in computing power, artificial intelligence can gradually be regarded as intelligent agents and interact with humans, this interactive network

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, with the increase in computing power, artificial intelligence can gradually be regarded as intelligent agents and interact with humans, this interactive network has become increasingly complex. Therefore, it is necessary to model and analyze this complex interactive network. This paper aims to model and demonstrate the evolution of crowd intelligence using visual complex networks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the complex network to model and observe the collaborative evolution behavior and self-organizing system of crowd intelligence.

Findings

The authors use the complex network to construct the cooperative behavior and self-organizing system in crowd intelligence. Determine the evolution mode of the node by constructing the interactive relationship between nodes and observe the global evolution state through the force layout.

Practical implications

The simulation results show that the state evolution map can effectively simulate the distribution, interaction and evolution of crowd intelligence through force layout and the intelligent agents’ link mode the authors proposed.

Originality/value

Based on the complex network, this paper constructs the interactive behavior and organization system in crowd intelligence and visualizes the evolution process.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 June 2019

Pengze Li, Ran Zhang, Lei Liu, Lizhen Cui, Qingzhong Li and Guangpeng Zhou

Science of the Crowd is a new paradigm. The research on the relationship between provision and requirement arising from the behavior of the crowd under the interconnected…

Abstract

Purpose

Science of the Crowd is a new paradigm. The research on the relationship between provision and requirement arising from the behavior of the crowd under the interconnected environment is a promising topic. This paper aims at studying a new type of interconnected architecture.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a pioneer work on the establishment of a new type of interconnected architecture – rim chain. The rim chain aims at supporting prompt matching between provision and requirements.

Findings

The analytical results suggest that requirements can be fulfilled in accordance with six degrees of separation. In other words, the matching between the requirements and provision takes place with six hops in the rim chain framework.

Originality/value

Knowledge graph is used to implement the rim chain.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 April 2020

Zhong Wang, Hongbo Sun and Baode Fan

The era of crowd network is coming and the research of its steady-state is of great importance. This paper aims to establish a crowd network simulation platform and maintaining…

Abstract

Purpose

The era of crowd network is coming and the research of its steady-state is of great importance. This paper aims to establish a crowd network simulation platform and maintaining the relative stability of multi-source dissemination systems.

Design/methodology/approach

With this simulation platform, this paper studies the characteristics of “emergence,” monitors the state of the system and according to the fixed point judges the system of steady-state conditions, then uses three control conditions and control methods to control the system status to acquire general rules for maintain the stability of multi-source information dissemination systems.

Findings

This paper establishes a novel steady-state maintenance simulation framework. It will be useful for achieving controllability to the evolution of information dissemination and simulating the effectiveness of control conditions for multi-source information dissemination systems.

Originality/value

This paper will help researchers to solve problems of public opinion control in multi-source information dissemination in crowd network.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 4 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 March 2024

Francesco Aiello, Paola Cardamone, Lidia Mannarino and Valeria Pupo

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how inter-firm cooperation and firm age moderate the relationship between family ownership and productivity.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how inter-firm cooperation and firm age moderate the relationship between family ownership and productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

We first estimate the total factor productivity (TFP) of a large sample of Italian firms observed over the period 2010–2018 and then apply a Poisson random effects model.

Findings

TFP is, on average, higher for non-family firms (non-FFs) than for FF. Furthermore, inter-organizational cooperation and firm age mitigate the negative effect of family ownership. In detail, it is found that belonging to a network acts as a moderator in different ways according to firm age. Indeed, young FFs underperform non-FF peers, although the TFP gap decreases with age. In contrast, the benefits of a formal network are high for older FFs, suggesting that an age-related learning process is at work.

Practical implications

The study provides evidence that FFs can outperform non-FFs when they move away from Socio-Emotional Wealth-centered reference points and exploit knowledge flows arising from high levels of social capital. In the case of mature FFs, networking is a driver of TFP, allowing them to acquire external resources. Since FFs often do not have sufficient in-house knowledge and resources, they must be aware of the value of business cooperation. While preserving the familiar identity of small companies, networks grant FFs the competitive and scale advantages of being large.

Originality/value

Despite the wide but ambiguous body of research on the performance gap between FFs and non-FFs, little is known about the role of FFs’ heterogeneity. This study has proven successful in detecting age as a factor in heterogeneity, specifically to explain the network effect on the link between ownership and TFP. Based on a representative sample, the study provides a solid framework for FFs, policymakers and academic research on family-owned companies.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 51 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 February 2024

Danilo Romeu Streck, Maria Julieta Abba, Paulina Latorre and Carolina Schenatto da Rosa

The article aims at exploring the challenges and possibilities of cooperation of higher education in a Latin American social, political and cultural context that faces historical…

Abstract

Purpose

The article aims at exploring the challenges and possibilities of cooperation of higher education in a Latin American social, political and cultural context that faces historical difficulties of integration, as well as the potential contribution of academic cooperation for global citizenship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a general overview of networks and international centers of academic cooperation of higher education in Latin America. The analysis comprises objectives, countries, stakeholders, activities, projects and scope. The study is based on literature on internationalization, regional integration and the development of higher education, as well as on empirical gathered with networks/centers and key actors in the field. This study was carried out as a mixed qualitative method design. Firstly, a systematic review of a literature corpus of studies produced by Latin-American scholars was performed. Semi-structured interviews were then carried out with a group of scholars who are members of networks.

Findings

The findings include a review of the role of higher education in a politically fragmented reality, a panorama of major networks and international centers of academic cooperation with emphasis on internationalization of higher education, as well as their connections. The are highlighted examples of successful initiatives of cooperation and, based on interviews, there is presented a preliminary view on cooperation and trust building from professionals in higher education in Latin America.

Originality/value

In the last decades, with the growing interest and need for internationalizing higher education, many universities have organized or joined networks and international centers. The article will contribute for mutual knowledge of these spaces, their shortcomings and potentials, thus creating conditions for dialogue among them, as well as with universities in other continents.

Details

Journal of International Cooperation in Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2755-029X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 January 2024

Yongwon Kim, Inwook Song and Young Kyu Park

Using overlapped portfolio data on public equity funds in Korea, the authors construct several types of fund-stock weighted bipartite networks and measure fund network centrality…

Abstract

Using overlapped portfolio data on public equity funds in Korea, the authors construct several types of fund-stock weighted bipartite networks and measure fund network centrality. The authors also examine the relationship between network centrality and fund investment performance. The authors' results are three-fold. First, the authors find that the fund centrality of the network in which funds and stocks are connected based on the most active investing behavior positively affects the fund performance. Second, the funds with a high centrality level based on the same network generate higher returns by holding stocks with high value uncertainty. Third, the authors find that fund centrality is not associated with herd behavior. Based on these results, the authors argue that fund centrality is a proxy of information advantage and skill of fund managers. The authors' paper shows that network analysis could be a new way to identify funds with better performance and measure the skill and information advantage to construct an optimal portfolio.

Details

Journal of Derivatives and Quantitative Studies: 선물연구, vol. 32 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1229-988X

Keywords

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