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Relatively little microcomputer software has been designed specifically for the storage and retrieval of bibliographic data. Information retrieval packages for mainframes and minicomputers have been scaled down to run on microcomputers, however, these programs are expensive, unwieldy, and inflexible. For this reason, microcomputer database management systems (DBMS) are often used as an alternative. In this article, criteria for evaluating DBMS used for the storage and retrieval of bibliographic data are discussed. Two popular types of microcomputer DBMS, file management systems and relational database management systems, are evaluated with respect to these criteria. File management systems are appropriate when a relatively small number of simple records are to be stored, and retrieval time for multi‐valued data items is not a critical factor. Relational database management systems are indicated when large numbers of complex records are to be stored, and retrieval time for multi‐valued data items is critical. However, successful use of relational database management systems often requires programming skills.

Flow separation on wings, blades and vehicles can be delayed or even suppressed by the use of vortex generators (VG). Numerous studies, documented in the literature, extensively describe the performance of triangular and rectangular VG winglets. This paper aims to focus on the use of non-conventional VG shapes, more specifically an array of trapezoildal-perforated VG tabs.

In this study, computational fluid dynamic simulations are performed on an inline array of trapezoidal VG with various dimensions and inclination angles, in addition to considering perforations in the VG centers. The methodology of the present numerical study is validated with experimental data from the literature.

The performance and the associated flow structures of these tested non-conventional VG are compared to classical triangular winglets. For the proposed non-conventional trapezoidal VG, at the onset of stall, a 21% increase of lift over drag on the airfoil is observed. The trapezoidal VG enhancement is also witnessed during stall where the lift over drag ratio is increased by 120% for the airfoil and by 10% with respect to the triangular winglets documented in the literature.

The originality of this paper is the use of non-conventional vortex generator shape to enhance lift over drag coefficient using three-dimensional numerical simulations.

This article is intended to complement the description of the Dolphin Library System which appears in the Guide to Library Systems for Schools published by the Library & Information Technology Centre in 1988. Since the Guide was published Dolphin's system has changed a great deal, much extra functionality having been added. In addition, a more subjective view is offered of the facilities available and their ease of use. Experience of the system was gained by the author firstly having cataloguing, enquiry and circulation control demonstrated by Dolphin, then spending a day using those modules and finally having a brief demonstration of the acquisitions module.

This study aims to develop a web-based tool – LEED Energy Performance Online Submission Tool (LEPOST) to reduce the submission cost of the leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) application process and facilitate green building design. Lifecycle cost reduction is a major driver for designing green buildings. LEED rating system has been well recognised and widely used in the green building industry. However, certification cost incurred in time and money is often a deterrent for some projects.

LEPOST automatically maps EnergyPlus and eQUEST energy simulation results to the LEED energy performance requirement submission templates using an extensible markup language (XML) data structure. It incorporates the Energy Star Target Finder online engine and current utility data to calculate points required to assess LEED Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite 2 and Credit 1 automatically.

A comparative case study is conducted using an office building project. The study results show that the tool can reduce the amount of time for the LEED energy performance evaluation and submission process from more than 6 hours to 2 minutes. The total number of manual data entries is reduced from 442 to 20.

Future work includes the update to support LEED V4, the development of a parametric design function that can help design teams perform design alternatives to evaluate energy performance with minimum effort, and the integration with the LEED Online system.

The use of the tool by the building industry may decrease the cost of LEED certification for building owners, developers and design teams by simplifying the submission process.

The overall development framework of LEPOST contributes to the knowledge of the data interoperability in the building sector by demonstrating a viable solution to extract and map digital model information for achieving code and standard compliance purposes.

The prototype model (the implementation of a skeletal system that is enhanced during interaction with users) represents a major change in the software development process. This change is in direct response to higher costs, greater expectations of online systems users, new technologies for development, and the more challenging problems posed by online, interactive systems. The “traditional systems development methodologies tend to evolve toward increasing control and specificity, especially when confronted by higher uncertainty.” In contrast, new methodologies, such as prototyping, exploit the dynamic process of change and variability in both the user and system environments.

A strong and repeating theme in sales force automation (SFA) tool research is perceived usefulness. When salespeople perceived high levels of SFA tool usefulness, they report higher intent and actual use. The authors aim to apply agency theory to the concept of perceived usefulness (from the technology acceptance model) to explain why salespeople adopt some forms of SFA and reject still others. A set of hypotheses are proposed and tested revealing that salespeople will decide to use a SFA tool because they perceive it to be useful to themselves (i.e. PU_sp) and to their management (PU_sm).

Based on responses from 105 salespeople, the SFA tools they used were categorized as either outcome‐based (i.e. helping salespeople achieve their selling outcome goals) or activity‐based tools (i.e. helping management monitor selling activities/behaviors). Regression analyses were used to test six hypotheses relating salespeople's usage of each category of tools (the dependent variable) to the salesperson perceived usefulness constructs (both PU_sp and PU_sm – the independent variables).

The findings confirm that SFA tool use (either outcome‐based or activity‐based) is a function of both forms of perceived usefulness (i.e. PU_sp and PU_sm). Furthermore, when PU_sp is high, the salesperson is more likely to use outcome‐based (versus activity‐based) SFA tools over a longer period of time.

The paper validates agency theory as a useful paradigm for understanding salesperson SFA tool adoption. Salespeople will use SFA tools that they view as useful to their productivity and that the sales manager's influence over the salesperson's use of SFA tools may not be as important. To encourage use, firms need to emphasize how a SFA tool can meet salesperson needs.

The paper is the first to hypothesize and test the relationship between perceptions of SFA tool usefulness and actual usage by considering salesperson perception of usefulness to themselves (PU_sp) and perception of usefulness to their sales manager (PU_sm).

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings and lessons learned from three case studies conducted for facilities located in California, North America. The findings aim to focus on energy and maintenance management practices and the interdependent link between energy and maintenance.

The research is based on a positivist epistemological philosophical approach informed by action research. The research cycle was completed for each case study. A case study report was provided to each facility management team to foster collaboration with the researcher and to document case study process and results.

Composite findings of the case studies include: there is an interdependent link between energy and maintenance management; reactive maintenance and energy management methods are commonly used; and more proactively operated and managed buildings require the interdependent link between energy maintenance management to be better understood.

The three case studies were located in California. Although the case study results can be generalized, determination of how to generalize and apply the results to commercial buildings outside of the USA is beyond the scope of this paper.

Detailed discussion of the needs of the three facility management teams are discussed by identifying a current challenge, developing a solution and documenting lessons learned using the research cycle.

The paper seeks to demonstrate the interdependencies of energy and maintenance management, two topics which are often researched interdependently. Additionally, the paper provides insight about maintenance management, a topic often cited as being under researched.

The successful continuation of green certification in the Sri Lankan hotel sector is vital for tourism industry as well as the economy of the country as it balances the economic interests with social and environmental responsibilities. However, it has become an issue in the Sri Lankan hospitality and tourism industry to sustain green certification due to many challenges. The prevailing situation highlights the need of exploring long-term strategies to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification which has not been researched to date. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose strategies to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification in the hotel sector in Sri Lanka.

In total, 3 hotels were selected as cases of the study and 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with engineers, maintenance managers and supervisors, who are responsible for sustaining green certificates at such hotels. The collected data were subjected to cross-case analysis to determine challenges in sustaining green certification. The findings were analysed with the support of the QSR.NVivo version 11.0 computer software.

Challenges were identified in detail under five main categories. They are technical, managerial, political and legal, environment and biological and social and cultural. Such challenges include design and construction defects, use of poor quality building and other materials, improper maintenance practices, incomplete and unclear construction documents, plans and specifications, resource limitations, insufficient budget allocations, government intervention, legal constraints, lack of user awareness and natural environmental conditions. Finally, strategies to mitigate such challenges are proposed based on empirical research findings.

Only the Green Globe certified hotels in Sri Lanka were selected considering their need to renew certification annually. Further, interviewees were selected mainly focusing on the operational phase of a building. Hence, the findings were mostly limited to the perceptions and knowledge areas of selected interviewees. This can be highlighted as a primary limitation of the research, where a further study should be carried out on the perceptions of design stage professionals incorporating design stage challenges and strategies into the study.

The proposed strategies can be pursued by hoteliers to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification, which will ultimately facilitate to balance economic interests with social and environmental responsibilities.

To present a comprehensive flood management plan for Malaysia, the various planning stages and the proponents of the plan. It is also to expound and highlight the importance of spatial information technology in the strategy and to outline the critical decision‐making at various levels of the plan.

A review of flood disaster management aimed at providing an insight into the strategies for a comprehensive flood disaster management for Malaysia. Discussion of the framework of a spatial decision support system (SDSS) and its role in decision‐making in a comprehensive disaster management plan.

Provides information about a proposed comprehensive disaster management program for Malaysia and highlight the role of SDSS in improving decision‐making. It recognizes the strength of SDSS in the collection and processing of information to speed up communication between the proponents of the disaster management program. A well‐design SDSS for flood disaster management should present a balance among capabilities of dialog, data and modeling.

The study has outlined the links and components of SDSS and not its development processes; this may limit the used of this paper in in‐depth study of the development if SDSS. Some source for detail study of the development of SDSS have, however, been cited.

This paper is a very useful source of information about the preparation of a comprehensive disaster management program. It also sheds light on the role of SDSS in improving and speeding up communication between the various proponents of the program. Researcher and students will fine, it provides general guidelines and framework for disaster planning and management.

This paper fulfills flood disaster study need for developing a comprehensive disaster management program. It presents the framework of SDSS, the interrelationship between their various components and how they play a role in decision‐making.