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The purpose of this paper is to better understand the spatial structure of the Lyon urban area focusing on real estate. For this, two aims are formulated. The first aim is to identify and geographically analyse latent structure underlying apartment variables and location. The second aim is to decrease a number of explanatory variables in a hedonic model of real estate prices applying latent constructs.

For the first aim of a parsimonious representation among measured variables, exploratory factor analysis is applied. For the second aim of data reduction, principal component analysis (PCA) is used. The exploited regression methodologies are global and geographically weighted ordinary least squares.

Four factors are extracted, of which two represent apartment attributes and other two – location attributes. Principal components provide better insight into location attributes dividing the service employment centres into two geographical groups. The inclusion of principal components in hedonic price equation instead of initial location variables decreases goodness of fit, but does not gradually change non‐location estimates and other parameters.

Differently from previous applications of factor analysis and PCA in the real estate domain, oblique rotation is applied, which allows the extracted factors or components to be correlated. The scores of factors and components are interpolated from points to raster maps creating a continuous geographical distribution. Hedonic models with and without principal components are compared in detail.

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) proposes to take into account the “voice of the customer,” through a list of customer needs, which are (qualitatively) mapped to technical requirements in House One. But customers do not perceive products in this space, nor do they not make purchase decisions in this space. Marketing specialists use statistical models to map between a simpler space of customer perceptions and the long and detailed list of needs. For automobiles, for example, the main axes in perceptual space might be categories such as luxury, performance, sport, and utility. A product’s position on these few axes determines the detailed customer requirements consistent with the automobiles’ position such as interior volume, gauges and accessories, seating type, fuel economy, door height, horsepower, interior noise level, seating capacity, paint colors, trim, and so forth. Statistical models such as factor analysis and principal components analysis are used to describe the mapping between these spaces, which we call House Zero.

This paper focus on House One. Two important steps of the product development process using House One are: (1) setting technical targets; (2) identifying the inherent tradeoffs in a design including a position of merit. Utility functions are used to determine feature preferences for a product. Conjoint analysis is used to capture the product preference and potential market share. Linear interpolation and the slope point formula are used to determine other points of customer needs. This research draws from the formal mapping concepts developed by Nam Suh and the qualitative maps of quality function deployment, to present unified information and mapping paradigm for concurrent product/process design. This approach is the virtual integrated design method that is tested upon data from a business design problem.

Trade credit is treated as a financial intermediation device whereby construction vendors act as financial providers to their customers through deferred payments of goods purchased. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and report upon the key factors and motives influencing vendors' decision on trade credit provision to small to medium sized construction firms.

Adopting deductive methodological approach, this paper utilises a combination of primary data emanating from structured survey questionnaires supplemented by secondary source of data from an extensive literature review, to present insightful commentary about trade credit provision in Ghana. The structured survey questionnaire was administered to 100 construction vendor firms/suppliers to elicit relevant data about their trade credit intentions. Drawing upon the principles of a total design method (TDM) of survey, a relatively high response rate of 57 percent was achieved. Principal component (factor) analysis was adopted to obtain simplification of variables and to detect underlying dimensions and reveal potential complex structures within decision variables.

The underlying constructs and motives of vendors on trade credit were intricately interwoven in two principal factors: risk distribution and liquidity; and sustaining business relationship and liquidity. Despite the uncharacteristic manifestation of the liquidity measure being associated with the two principal components, the findings demonstrate the relative importance of liquidity in the trade credit debate. A critical observation stemming from the analysis was that trade policy was absent within the trade credit market in Ghana; this poses a potential threat to trade credit exchange and its development.

The paper's methodological approach is uniquely positioned between the conceptual and empirical interface and the overarching research is pioneering within the developing world nation of Ghana. The paper's findings will be useful to contractors, particularly, small and medium size contractors who are considering feasible finance options; and vendors who seek to consolidate their clientele base.

The effectiveness of product replenishment and responsiveness of customer service delivery impact largely on satisfaction and retention of customers in retail chain logistics distribution. The fast moving goods in the complex delivery network and limited vehicle resource often lead to long customer waiting time in stock replenishment. With lack of literature systematically reviewing factors affecting retail distribution in inter-store stock transfer services and improving the operations, the purpose of this paper is to analyse and enhance this service for the retail to reduce customer dissatisfaction by developing an integrated quality service improvement methodology and an optimisation tool to improve the product delivery services.

This paper reviews inter-store stock transfer operations and the process capability of an international retail chain, and proposes improvements by integrating Six Sigma, factor analysis, and optimisation modelling. User experience and expectations are evaluated through an empirical survey. A novel principle component factored inter-store stock transfer model is developed to improve replenishment operations. A total of 11 factors affecting inter-store stock transfer delivery time are analysed. An extended model with principal component factors incorporated is developed for the simulation.

The C_pk value of 0.51 shows significant difference between the experienced and expected waiting time. With the inter-store stock transfer optimisation model developed, the model assists traffic personnel on the vehicle route planning with multiple pick-up and drop-off locations. The system also ensures the best routing with a minimal travelling time planned, facilitating a reduction of the inter-store stock transfer time, thus improving the customer waiting time. Four significant factors affecting the delivery time are also identified from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results are analysed with an extended principal component factored inter-store stock transfer model.

The developed inter-store stock transfer models minimise stock transfer time, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce loss of sales. An integrated service quality improvement methodology has been developed and applied in reviewing significant factors affecting inter-store stock transfer operations.

This paper presents an analysis on inter-store stock transfer operations of an international retail and proposes enhancements on the operations by integrating Six Sigma, factor analysis, and optimisation modelling. A novel principal component factored inter-store stock transfer model is developed to improve the stock replenishment operations.

Addresses the standardization of the measurements and the labels for concepts commonly used in the study of work organizations. As a reference handbook and research tool, seeks to improve measurement in the study of work organizations and to facilitate the teaching of introductory courses in this subject. Focuses solely on work organizations, that is, social systems in which members work for money. Defines measurement and distinguishes four levels: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. Selects specific measures on the basis of quality, diversity, simplicity and availability and evaluates each measure for its validity and reliability. Employs a set of 38 concepts ‐ ranging from “absenteeism” to “turnover” as the handbook’s frame of reference. Concludes by reviewing organizational measurement over the past 30 years and recommending future measurement reseach.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate built environment experts’ perception of factors affecting the building security cost for sustainable development. It examines the effects of building characteristics and protective measures on the cost of building security within the built environment.

The study uses a quantitative research technique, using questionnaires to source relevant information from respondents. Of the 333 questionnaires administered, 293 usable responses were returned, giving an 88 per cent response rate. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is used to examine the suitability of these data for factor analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to extract the factors.

Components 1, 2 and 3 reflect concern for procurement of security devices, design process of security requirements and safety of life and property and fear of crime, respectively. The communalities represented by R2 are relatively strong across the variables. Aesthetics is significant with an R2 value of 0.71, which shows that this factor should be given due consideration when procuring building security devices. Also, height, location and use of building are significant with R2 values of 0.70, 0.63 and 0.71, respectively. These factors positively influence the building security cost and should be given due consideration when designing protective buildings.

The findings would assist in the evaluation, planning and control of the rising cost of building security.

This study serves to sensitize built environment experts, criminologists and policymakers of the design implication of protective requirements of building security.

This study provides empirical evidence that the various factors considered have an effect on the building security cost and contribute immensely towards sustainable the building security cost within the built environment.

Although facilities management (FM) has been advocated in the construction industry to address the issues of facilities in buildings, their adoption is still plagued with barriers. The factors affecting FM practices need detailed investigation. However, few studies have been conducted on the factors affecting FM practices in developing countries such as South Africa. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting effective FM practices in public buildings in South Africa.

To achieve this aim, a quantitative survey was carried out using questionnaire to gather relevant data in the study area. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and principal component (factor) analysis. The study was conducted on 39 facilities managers in the Department of Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

The descriptive analysis revealed that availability of funds, occupants’ knowledge of FM, absence of policy guiding FM practice, state of deterioration of facilities and design concepts and scope were significant challenges affecting effective FM practices in public buildings in South Africa. The result of the principal component analysis of the factors affecting FM practices were grouped into organisational factors, structural/design errors and end users’ elements.

As it is widely understood that “money” plays a significant role in the performance of any activity or function, administrators/governments of public facilities should strive to plan and make appropriate finances accessible to facilities managers. Participation of facilities managers in the planning stage can also help reduce design flaws and their maintenance implications. In addition, adequate training for professionals can improve FM awareness and productivity.

The paper reveals the structural framework of the factors that can influence the effective facilities management practices in public buildings.

The purpose of this paper is to describe UK contractors' perceptions of collaborative relationships in construction.

Based on a UK wide postal questionnaire survey, the opinions of contractors were assessed on reasons for collaborative relationships and the factors that are responsible for the success and failure of collaborative relationships in construction development. The respondents were split into two groups (SME's and large) based on their number of employees, to determine whether their responses varied with size as part of the analysis. Statistical analyses, based on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and factor analysis technique were used to investigate the cluster of relationships.

The research shows that UK contractors are positive about collaboration and are engaged in collaborative relationships for construction developments. Factor analysis shows that the principal reasons why contractors are involved in collaborative relationships are for risk sharing, access to innovation and technology, response to market, resource efficiency and client requirements. The principal success factors are commitment of adequate resources from the partners, equity of relationship, recognition of the importance of non‐financial benefits and clarity of objectives while the principal failure factors are lack of trust and consolation and lack of experience and business fit.

Drawing from the findings, the study confirms that construction collaborative relationships are customer driven with very little consideration for competitors, suppliers and subcontractors although a a true collaborative relationship should take into account all the parties involved in construction development supply and demand chains to reap the full benefits.

The paper makes an original contribution of exploring the area of relationships in construction in the UK from the contractors point‐of‐view. The contents within the paper will be of interest to those working within the field.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and map the intellectual structure of biofuel research.

The study attempts to present the structure of biofuel research through document co‐citation patterns of core references. Document co‐citation analysis was performed using the Web of Science of the Thomson‐ISI database. A sample of 26 cited references was identified and the co‐citation frequencies were analyzed and represented them systematically within groups of similar researched topics.

The study shows the co‐citation analysis method suitable for depicting structure of biofuel research in document clusters by performing multivariate analysis: cluster analysis, factor analysis, multidimensional scaling and network analysis.

The study is limited to research articles and co‐citation data for the first author only. For the co‐citation analysis, the cited references rather than the cited authors were used as the units for analysis.

Co‐citational analysis using multivariate tools provides a useful technique to explore and document the development of the field supplementing the insights normally available from the routine co‐citational analysis.

Specialties in biofuel research are identified and this may provide a valuable building block for future research.