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Megaprojects are typically very expensive public-centred projects that leave little space for any mismanagement or deficient planning, which could affect the project adversely. The Last Planner™ System (LPS) is a lean construction planning and control tool that functions to reduce waste and increase performance. Given the benefits, the application of the LPS in megaprojects is still scarce, especially in Malaysia. Hence, this study aims to compare the current production planning, monitoring and review practices in a megaproject with the LPS in order to explore the possibilities of adapting the LPS to the current practices.

This longitudinal case-based study has first explored the current practices implemented in an infrastructure megaproject, which is an urban rapid transit (URT) project, which was then compared to the standard LPS practices. The case study has adopted several research methods such as observation, interview and document review.

Findings from the study highlight that the current production planning, monitoring and review practices in the URT project mostly differs from the standard LPS practices with only slight similarities found in the major planning phases. The comparative study, which based on five reference points through master, phase, look-ahead, weekly work plan and measure, and learning has resulted in several key elements, representative of the different planning phases, such as collaborative programming, reverse planning, reliability, dependability and continuous learning.

This study provides an alternative perspective to rail planners, as well as other types of project planners in considering the use of the LPS to enhance the quality of planning, monitoring and review in projects. The framework that highlights the core values and key elements for the related planning phases enables project teams with no lean background to partially adapt their current practices to the LPS with minimal disruption.

This study first contributes to the body of knowledge, where limited study was found comparing and contrasting current production planning practices against the LPS, particularly in rail-based megaproject. The results from the comparison are the key elements representing each of the planning phases that was rooted back to the core values (teamwork, involvement and collaboration, communication and transparency, and continuous improvement) necessary to enhance the current practices.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

The goal of the paper is twofold. First, it aims to empirically conceptualize whether a wide array of fragmented demand planning activities, performed in supply chains, can be logically categorized into actionable sets of practices, which then form a broader conceptualization of the demand planning process. Second, regarding certain contextual factors, our research seeks to investigate the contribution of demand planning, as a higher-order construct, to mitigating disruptions induced by operational risks in supply chains.

In this study, PLS-SEM was used to estimate the reflective-formative nature of the model. The results of PLS-SEM were additionally complemented by the assessment of the predictive power of our model. Finally, to reveal possible contingency effects, the multigroup analysis (MGA) was conducted.

The study suggests that demand planning process (DPP) is a second-order construct that is composed of four sets of practices, including goal setting, data gathering, demand forecasting, communicating the demand predictions and synchronizing supply with demand. The study also reveals that the demand planning practices, only when considered together, as a higher-order factor, significantly contribute to mitigating disruptions driven by operational risks. Finally, the research shows that the strength of the impact of demand planning on disruptions is contextually dependent.

While the study makes some important contributions, the obtained findings ought to be considered within the context of limitations. First, the study only investigates disruptions driven by operational risks, ignoring the negative consequences of environmental risks (terrorist attacks, natural disasters, etc.), which may have a far more negative impact on supply chains. Second, the sample is mostly composed of medium and large companies, not necessarily representative of demand planning performed by the entire spectrum of companies operating in the market.

The study shows that to effectively mitigate disruptions induced by operational risks, the demand planning practices should be integrated into a higher-order construct. Likewise, our research demonstrates that the intensity of demand planning process is contingent upon a number of contextual factors, including firm size, demand variability and demand volume.

The study indicates that to mitigate disruptions of operational risk, demand planning as a higher-order dynamic capability can be referred to the concept of organizational learning, which contributes to forming a critical common ground, ensuring the balance between formal and informal dynamic routines.

The paper depicts that to fully deal with disruptions, the demand planning practices need to be integrated and categorized into the dedicated higher-order. This may lead to forming demand planning as a higher-order dynamic capability that provides a more rapid and efficient rebuttal to any disruptions triggered by operational risks.

This chapter aims to share the Dutch experiences with the transformation of urban and regional planning practices towards sustainability.

The chapter does so by answering the following research question: What were the main problems with the integration of environmental considerations in Dutch urban and regional planning practices, and how have these been overcome? This question is answered through a historical analysis of policy changes in the Netherlands, and through the presentation of two case studies.

The chapter shows that initial attention for sustainability resulted in the enactment of competing practices for environmental planning and water management planning, next to existing practices for urban and regional planning. The coordination of the resulting planning practices proved difficult due to opposing cultures of thought, and attempts to overcome these differences through comprehensive plans turned sour. The chapter illustrates how alternative solutions at the regional and urban level were eventually successful. In the Gelre Valley region, an open project approach translated in a sustainable regional plan. And in Schalkwijk neighbourhood in Haarlem, an environmentally sensitive conceptual framework – the Strategy of the two Networks – let to the incorporation of environmental considerations in urban planningpractices. In both cases, the insistence of the principal actor – provincial and municipal government – on sustainability issues was crucial.

This chapter introduces experiences with a transformation to sustainable urban and regional planning in the Netherlands. It will be interesting for practitioners and researchers of urban and regional planning practices and sustainable cities around the world.

Employee turnover is a growing challenge for health-care providers delivering patient care today. US population demographics are shifting as the population ages, which leaves the field of health care poised to lose key leaders and employees to retirement at a time when patient care has grown more complex. This means health care will lose its core of key employees at a time when skilled leadership and specialized knowledge is most needed and directly impacts health care's ability to deliver quality care. Operational succession planning (OSP) may be one solution to manage this looming challenge in health care, as the process identifies and develops the next generation of leadership. Thus, this exploratory national study used a quantitative and cross-sectional design to examine the relationship between OSP and employee turnover. Demographic and 10-point Likert scale data were collected from n = 66 medical practices, using an online survey instrument. Data were analyzed using various descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Distribution (frequency and chi-square) analyses of the study sample, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression analyses were performed across seven demographic characteristics of the medical practices: Specialty, Ownership Structure, Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) Physicians, Number of FTE Clinical Employees, Number of FTE Nonclinical Employees, Number of FTE Employees Left Position, and Region. Study results provided statistically significant evidence to support the relationship between OSP and employee turnover, highlighting that OSP was associated with lower employee turnover. The finding suggests that OSP can serve as an effective mechanism for increasing employee retention.

Nurse managers’ planning practices are essential to the practice of management in the unit, and the overall efficiency of the healthcare service delivery. This study aims to explore the planning practices of nurse managers in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

A descriptive phenomenological design was employed to explore nurse managers' planning practices. In total, 15 nurse managers and 47 nurses from 19 primary and secondary hospitals of the Ghana Health Service and two specialized hospitals in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana, were involved in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides and probes.

The findings suggested that plans were widely common to all the units of the hospitals and were considered satisfactory by nurse managers. However, most of these plans were not effectively utilized. Nurse managers had only fair knowledge about the planning process and were moderately involved and communicated ideas to colleagues in the process. Furthermore, nurse managers do not frequently share the vision neither do they even communicate expectations to achieve unit goals and objectives with subordinates.

The research emphasizes the relevance of planning in healthcare management. It highlights the management practice of planning in the context of nurse managers and accentuates the values the healthcare system derives with effective planning practices.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the Last Planner System (LPS) to improve construction planning practice and enhance site management in the Saudi construction industry.

LPS was implemented in two large state-owned construction projects through an action research process. The data collection methods included interviews, observations and a survey questionnaire.

The findings identify benefits including improved construction planning, enhanced site management and better communication and coordination between the parties involved. The paper describes the critical success factors for LPS implementation. The paper also describes barriers to the realisation the full potential of LPS, including the involvement of many subcontractors and people's commitment and attitude to time.

The work reported in this paper is limited to two case studies.

The study has thus contributed to improving management practice and may aid the establishment of a basis for the development of further research in the area of lean construction. The research outcomes can inform practitioners of the opportunity to implement alternative management methods in construction, and give a good account of the opportunities and challenges. Beside the direct benefits to managerial practice, the study also contributed to practice by offering practical recommendation that can assist in the achievement of the full potential of lean and LPS in Saudi Arabia.

This is the first comprehensive academic study in the Saudi construction sector concerning the application of lean construction principles and techniques. The study has thus contributed to practice and developed a basis for the development of further research in the area of lean construction. It may help construction organisations to establish a new strategy and policies to improve their managerial practice. The outcomes of the case studies can be used as a reference for organisations seeking to improve their managerial practice.

As supply chains continue to replace individual firms as the economic engine for creating value during the twenty‐first century, understanding the relationship between supply‐chain management practices and supply chain performance becomes increasingly important. The Supply‐Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model developed by the Supply Chain Council provides a framework for characterizing supply‐chain management practices and processes that result in best‐in‐class performance. However, which of these practices have the most influence on supply chain performance? This exploratory study investigates the relationship between supply‐chain management planning practices and supply chain performance based on the four decision areas provided in SCOR Model Version 4.0 (PLAN, SOURCE, MAKE, DELIVER) and nine key supply‐chain management planning practices derived from supply‐chain management experts and practitioners. The results show that planning processes are important in all SCOR supply chain planning decision areas. Collaboration was found to be most important in the Plan, Source and Make planning decision areas, while teaming was most important in supporting the Plan and Source planning decision areas. Process measures, process credibility, process integration, and information technology were found to be most critical in supporting the Deliver planning decision area. Using these results, the study discusses the implications of the findings and suggests several avenues for future research.

This paper focuses on the competencies and skills needed in preparing graduates of urban planning schools to meet the real-world challenges of professional practices. The present work explores the gap between skills and knowledge required to excel in the urban planning discipline and professional practices.

This research utilises a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. This study depends on collecting data from descriptive and statistical analysis based on two streams. The first comes from a survey launched among students of urban planning. The second is interviews scheduled with academics that are also practitioners.

The results outline the missing correlation between what Egyptian students learn in schools of urban planning and professional practices. The findings show that academics, students, and graduates share the same experiences about the education system. Academics agreed that graduates need to be more skilful rather than knowledgeable. The discussion shows that the undefined role of the planner in Egypt influenced the mismatching between the current demand and supply of competencies and skills offered by planning schools. The concluded remarks mentioned that communication skills and negotiation skills are the most crucial skills for graduates, in addition to information finding and data-processing skills.

This research has particular advantages in presenting a model of competencies as results of scanning the expectations of Egyptian students and new graduates vs professional practices. The contribution is in answering the question of what skills students of the urban planning programs should learn in order to meet the continued changes in professional practices.

The contemporary city is a field with a myriad of problems that require deep reflection and the questioning of habitual ways of thinking and acting. This chapter examines some of these, while seeking a path – or perhaps a way out – in order to deal with the difficulties linked to the most pressing emergent phenomena: the multiplication of new citizens, the complicated mosaic of differences, the spread of voluntary communities and the requests for recognition in a socially diverse and multiple society.

The reflections brought together in this chapter leave behind mundane literary routines, imprisoned in the clichés of the discourse on post-modernity, to single out a ‘field of practices’ that is enigmatic but at the same time constitutes and generates a new idea of urbanity. DiverCity (Perrone, 2010) is the literary and evocative figuration that recounts this set of practices. The figuration uses a ‘play on words’ between diversity and city, in which the two concepts are understood as entities with a one-to-one correspondence, an ontological interconnection. DiverCity is the outcome of a process to produce and exchange multiple, plural, interactive (built up during the action), expert and experiential knowledge.