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Labour usage represents one of the critical elements in the Malaysia construction industry due to severe shortage of local workers. This paper aims to present a construction performance comparison between conventional building systems and industrialised building systems (IBS).

Data were obtained from 100 residential projects through a questionnaire survey in 2005. A total of 100 respondents participated in this study.

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicated that the actual labour productivity comparison between conventional building system and IBS was significantly different. Further, the comparison of crew size indicated that the conventional building system of 22 workers was significantly different from the IBS of 18 workers. Similarly, the cycle time of 17 days per house for conventional building system was found to be significantly different from the IBS of four days. However, the conventional building system was found to be insignificantly different from the IBS in term of structural construction cost.

The results acquired from this study could be used by project planners for estimating labour input, control costs and project scheduling. Additionally, they could be used to determine the most appropriate structural building system for executing a construction project at the conceptual stage.

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to integrate manufacturing system analysis to obtain system‐wide optimized solutions and to increase the level of comprehensiveness of the manufacturing system modelling and to develop method of characterization of manufacturing systems based on its structure.

Elements constituting the manufacturing plant and the interactions between them have been identified through a literature survey and have been represented by graph‐based model. The matrix models and the variable permanent function models are developed for carrying out decomposition, characterization and the total analysis.

Structural patterns and combination sets of subsystems interacting in various ways have been recognized as capabilities of manufacturing system in different performance dimensions. The permanent function of the manufacturing system matrix has been proposed as a systematic technique for structural analysis of manufacturing system. Also, the terms of permanent multinomial characterize the manufacturing systems uniquely and are highly useful for computational storage, retrieval, communication as well as analysis of the structural information of manufacturing system.

The structure‐based characterization technique developed has the potential of aiding the ongoing research activities in the field of benchmarking, and business process reengineering. The graph theory‐based methodology will serve as a framework to develop composite performance measures building on the performance measures of the individual elements of the manufacturing system graph in various dimensions.

Through the use of proposed methodology, a manufacturing manager will be able to make better informed decisions towards organizational efforts of improving the productivity and speed. For aiding several decisions, different “what‐if” scenarios may be generated with several structural modifications.

This graph theory‐based methodology is a novel mechanism to seamlessly integrate manufacturing system giving way to system wide optimization. The paper is an attempt to address the need for comprehensive and integrated analysis of the manufacturing system.

The aim of this paper is to identify and analyze critical factors/elements influencing standards compliance and their level of influence in a developing country food industry, with specific reference to India.

A total of 13 critical elements were identified and structured using pair‐wise comparisons. Structural and reachability matrices were formed and iterated to yield levels of hierarchical influence of each element. MICMAC analysis was also performed to determine dependency and driving power of these elements.

The analysis brought out a compelling need for “sensitive and responsive” action by developing country governments while competing globally. Food industries in developing countries tend to detour while complying with standards, owing to costs involved in setting up systems and procedures. While a strong surveillance mechanism is the high point of a good compliant system this has to be preceded by supporting measures such as linking of domestic and international markets, consolidation of institutional structures, strengthening of legal/regulatory systems, etc.

Use of interpretative structural modeling (ISM) is inspired by the versatility displayed by this method, as reported by researchers, across a wide spectrum of economic and competitive complexities affecting businesses.

The study is a hitherto unexplored attempt, using interpretative structural modeling, to analyze standards compliance in a developing country's food industry.

Prior research has primarily examined interorganizational relationships from the supplier or customer side or using dyadic pairs. The study aims to offer a comparison of carrier and shipper relationship views using a hybrid research method examining the relationship from both points of view by sampling both populations independently with identical surveys.

Mail surveys were used to collect data from the two samples. Invariance tests were conducted, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (AMOS 5.0).

Invariance tests of the measurement instrument and comparisons of specific results show that, in the context of shippers and carriers, relationships – specifically trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength – are perceived differently.

Empirically supporting significant differences in theoretical relationship constructs between the two participants in an interorganizational relationship is important for understanding and advancing knowledge on supply chain relationships.

Successful supply chain management can only be achieved when firms successfully develop and manage relationships with other firms in their supply chain; therefore, it is important to recognize and understand any differences in these relationships so that they will be better equipped to manage them. Knowing that the other firm perceives differences in levels of trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength can provide indications of behaviors that are important to a firm in reaching their relationship goals.

The paper applies a method to compare supplier and customer relationship views that has not been used in supply chain management literature to uncover and support relationship differences between carriers and shippers.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a longitudinal country‐people image effect model involving a significant negative international incident between countries; study how such a model changes over time; and study the extent of image recovery in terms of how the offending country, people, and its products are perceived.

Australian consumers were surveyed before, during, and a decade after the French nuclear testing in the Pacific in 1995. Model testing was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques.

The model was strongly supported in all three‐time points. During the crisis, negative feelings toward France/French rose and consumers' response to French products dropped. Country‐people competency has risen over country‐people character in explaining product evaluations. In the final period, the Australian views on country‐people character and product response had more than recovered. The country‐people character beliefs now play a significant role in influencing product evaluations after the crisis than before, while the impacts of country‐people competency on product evaluation and response have diminished dramatically. Product evaluation is fairly stable over time.

Studies to date have focused on country image at a point in time in relatively stable environmental conditions. The proposed model is helpful in understanding the processes of country‐product image effects through the study of all attitude components and through differentiation of beliefs about country and people production‐related and non‐production related characteristics. The cross‐temporal validation of the model indicates its usefulness for general applicability in country image effects research.

This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of the experimental campaigns on Cultural Heritage buildings. By adopting integrated procedures it is possible to limit the invasiveness of the destructive techniques leading to reliable results. The purpose is the proper definition of the structural system, which represents the starting point of the following analysis's phases, not treated in this work. A methodology based on normative references and acknowledged non-destructive and partial destructive strategies has been conceived. The latter aims to an accurate comprehension of the structural information.

An integrated approach for the structural assessment of cultural heritage buildings is presented. The methodology defines an interdisciplinary procedure based on normative references, non-destructive and minor-destructive techniques. A funnel-shaped workflow is developed to characterize the structural system of the buildings. The non-destructive campaigns are widely extended. Then, in-depth analysis concerning partial demolitions and minor-destructive tests are performed. The dynamic identification of the building is executed to detect its global response. The final validation of the assumed mechanical values is obtained by comparing the experimental modes coming from the ambient vibrations and the analytical modes of the structural modelling.

This research belongs to the Protocol signed between the Municipality of Florence and Department of Earth's Science and Department of Architecture of the University of Florence for the seismic vulnerability assessment of relevant and strategic buildings.

The descripted methodology is targeted for monuments and special buildings where the use of destructive techniques is not possible or unrecommended.

Social implications are related to the conservation of Heritage buildings. The latter deals with: (1) risk assessment of the targeted buildings towards different hazard sources (e.g. earthquakes, floods); (2) knowledge path developed through non-invasive diagnostic campaigns oriented to the conservation of the manufact. Furthermore, the paper encourages towards the recognition of non-destructive techniques and ambient vibration tests for the achievement of higher knowledge levels.

This paper defines a funnel-shaped procedure defining hierarchical roles between the different available strategies. The originality of this contribution is firstly related to the methodological flowchart. It is targeted to limit the invasive tests and consequently achieving accurate levels of knowledge. Secondly, some novelty can be found in the adoption of improvement parameters from a regional database adopting a Bayesian approach.

This study aims to examine how culture influences consumer attitudes toward the brands of products they own during a product-harm crisis. To this end, average consumers from two countries - the USA, representing a highly individualistic society and China, a less individualistic (i.e. collectivist) society – are compared.

The study conducts an invariance test of the measurement model for a more rigorous comparison of the two countries. Structural equation modeling is performed to identify how average consumers respond to a product-harm crisis (e.g. iPhone explosion) based on survey results of 188 American and 197 Chinese consumers.

These results reveal that in both countries, an individual’s susceptibility to a normative interpersonal influence determines their brand consciousness, which, in turn, enhances consumer attachment to well-known brands, resulting in favorable brand attitudes. During a brand crisis, an owned brand’s buffering effect is observed among consumers high in brand consciousness in collectivistic but not in individualistic societies. The moderating role of feelings of betrayal on the brand attachment-consumer attitude relationship is also reported.

Culture shapes consumer behavioral patterns. In today’s global market, a company’s decisions are no longer limited by borders and many companies experience product failures. Thus, findings that show consumers’ distinguishable psychological experiences between different cultures contribute to crisis management literature.

This study tests the cultural invariance in Latin America utilizing a sample of four representative countries – Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. With the participation of 915 individuals, samples were contrasted along seven cultural values (Schwartz, 1994) dictating the relationship of individuals with the society at large. Results challenge general notions conceiving of Latin America as a homogeneous bloc. Rather, outcomes indicate the presence of significant cultural disparities, adding to previous research by showing sample differentials in (1) mean importance ratings on values governing the behaviors of individuals beyond organizational settings and (2) the way values are behaviorally specified among samples. Findings are discussed in terms of restrictions in generalizing theories and managerial practices in the region. Avenues for future research are also highlighted.

Coordination is the management of dependencies between activities. Given that supply chains represent the functional integration of many interdependent activities associated with the flow of goods, coordination theory offers a framework for understanding and designing supply chains. Supply chains are separated into two distinct substructures: physical (dealing with the flow and storage of goods) and information (dealing with information associated with those goods). Optimization that alters the storage and movement of information and incorporates the impact of information technology leads to a distinct set of node connections and configurations for each substructure. Our analysis uses transaction cost economics to contrast the differences between structures infused with information technology and traditional supply chains.

The problems of sub‐optimisation and resistance to change are chronic in organisations. Sub‐optimisation is endemic in horizontal relations, resistance to change in vertical relations. Both involve a dynamic trend towards maintenance and/or improvement of one's strategic position in relation to others in the organisation. Two solutions are presented: structural — from vertical control to horizontal competition; and skills — how to balance co‐operation and competition, with particular emphasis on negotiating skills. The structural approach attempts to reduce intergroup rivalries and to channel competitive energies towards organisational goals by using organisational structure and incentives. The skills approach focuses on the negotiating process as a set of social skills to balance co‐operation and competition. A model of negotiating is presented which could be instrumental in charting the behaviour of negotiators, e.g. in training sessions for structuring feedback.