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This paper aims to describe some of the European Space Agency (ESA) workmanship standards which are based on industrial practices. Coordination with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Centres on workmanship issues is also to be described.

The first ESA (then ESRO) workmanship standard was published in 1972. It applied to the hand soldering of electronic assemblies and became a contractual document, either replacing, or supplementing a vast number of company standards that had existed in European manufacturing companies. Since then some 40 standards related to Materials and Processes have been developed by ESA, the majority of which are to be found in the European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) series of European standards.

It is shown that, where appropriate, the standards are backed by a number of ESA‐approved skills training schools which provide training courses that result in the certification of operators, inspectors and instructors.

The workmanship standards are periodically revised in order to take into account newly developed technologies, the results of failure analyses (lessons learnt), laboratory and field test results, as well as some particular requests from industry.

Baker Hughes INTEQ, a mid‐size manufacturing operation, has successfully developed and implemented an innovative, visual, in‐process inspection programme that can be used on any of the firm's highly technical products. This method of logical and systematic inspection creates a reliable, cost‐effective product geared towards today's fast‐paced manufacturing market, providing an alternative to expensive automated inspection equipment. This quality system monitors and records the assembly operation while allowing for continuous improvement to an already tight process control. The first step uses the flowchart method to teach assembly/inspection personnel a logical process of 100% inspection to replace random checking of the assembly. The next step introduces self‐inspection by systematically removing conventional inspection operations over a short period; the results are faster output, improved first time acceptance rates (less rework), and a higher quality product. For companies implementing visual in‐process inspection there are a number of factors to consider: temporary vs permanent employees, employee attitude, and workmanship standards. Implementation of this programme has been highly effective, reducing rework costs by approximately $10,000 per month. This paper explains how the visual, in‐process inspection programme was developed and implemented and how it can be used on any highly technical product. The programme is designed around a manufacturing cell (work area) concept that gives ‘power to the employees’ and leaves out the ‘traditional’ quality/manufacturing process.

A game‐theoretic model of moral hazard associated with unobservable builder effort is postulated to examine the effectiveness of homeowner warranties and building code enforcement by local government in assuring desired builders’ effort. Builders have an incentive to claim and charge for high unobservable effort level in constructing homes, but actually exert low effort to earn higher profits. We find that a homeowner warranty increases the unobservable effort of the builder, but cost minimizing behavior by the builder results in an effort choice less than the most efficient level. On the other hand, building code enforcement essentially converts unobservable builder effort to observable effort and efficient effort is indeed possible if enforcement cost is justifiable. However, an overly strict building code may be detrimental to buyers. The conditions under which a buyer would prefer one alternative over the other and where both measures can co‐exist are also examined. The model provides several interesting implications and testable hypotheses. A survey of builders and building codes provides preliminary evidence to support the proposed model.

Because belief in a supernatural agent with extraordinary power is rooted in psychology, Veblen's instinct psychology was the essential basis for his evolutionary economics of religion. The innate behavioral traits that Veblen called instincts in human nature are now recognized in evolutionary psychology as domain-specific mechanism that evolved as adaptations to enable human survival and reproduction. The authors aim to explain how the modern evolutionary psychology of religion provides a modern psychological basis for Veblen's evolutionary economics of religion.

First, the authors review how Veblen's theory of an evolved human nature of instincts was applied to explain the origins of religion in primitive societies and remained a resilient force despite evolutionary erosion of institutional religion as science advanced. Second, the authors note how evolutionary psychology explains the origins of religion in terms of the functioning of domain-specific psychological mechanisms that evolved as adaptations for purposes other than religion.

The similarities between Veblen's instinct psychology and the explanation of religion as by-products of domain-specific psychological mechanisms are sufficient to allow the conclusion that the evolutionary psychology of religion provides a modern psychological basis for Veblen's evolutionary economics of religion.

An evolutionary economics of religion has a great social value if it provides credible explanations of both the origins of religious belief and innate tendency for religious belief to continue even as science refutes elements of religious doctrines. With a modern psychological basis, Veblen's evolutionary economics of religion accomplishes that purpose.

Most prior attempts at real estate valuation have focused on the use of metadata such as size and property age, neglecting the fact that the building workmanship in the construction of a house is also a key factor for the estimation of house prices. Building workmanship, such as exterior walls and floor tiling correspond to the visual attributes of a house, and it is difficult to capture and evaluate such attributes efficiently through classical models like regression analysis. Deep learning approach is taken in the valuation process to utilize this visual information.

The authors propose a two-input neural network comprising a multilayer perceptron and a convolutional neural network that can utilize both metadata and the visual information from images of the front view of the house.

The authors applied the two-input neural network to Guri City in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, as a case study and found that the accuracy of house price estimations can be improved by employing image information along with metadata.

Few studies considered the impact of the building workmanship in the valuation process. The authors revealed that it is useful to use both photographs and metadata for enhancing the accuracy of house price estimation.

Most of the previous studies conducted on the subject of subcontractors often focussed on a single phase of subcontracting practice; either on registration, selection of subcontractors or on monitoring of subcontractors without much integration to other different phases involved. Thus, on the basis of that reason, the purpose of this paper is to link the gap between different phases of subcontracting practice. This study also attempts to explore the relationships between the key criteria used by general contractors in selecting subcontractors before job awarding (CSSC) and the key criteria used for monitoring subcontractors during construction work (CMSC); which will then include an investigation of the effects these criteria have on project performance (PP).

The data obtained from a total of 162 G7 contractors in Malaysia were analysed. The interrelationships between the criteria and the effects of these criteria on PP were investigated simultaneously by employing a single model based on structural equation modelling (SEM) method.

The final model has discovered four major criteria that are often considered during the selection of subcontractors namely, “communication”, “relationship”, “general obligation” and “resource management” of a subcontractor. Meanwhile, the major criteria that are referred to in the monitoring of subcontractors are “workmanship”, “awareness of environment, health and safety” and “communication and relationship”. The four CSSC were found to be interrelated among themselves and affected CMSC during the construction stage. The research also revealed that the criteria used in monitoring subcontractor do affect the performance of a project. Thus, based on the result of this investigation, the monitoring of subcontractor is essential in discerning the performance level of a project.

An established SEM improves a subcontracting practice by creating platforms for CSSC, CMSC and PP to influence each other. With the gap between selection and monitoring subcontractors are filled, then the prediction of the subcontractors’ performance can be made possible.

Under Malaysian Law, the maintenance and management of common property have traditionally been viewed as insoluble challenges in the self-organisational efforts for high-rise low-cost housing developments. As the population increases, more shared resources become heavily exploited with few willing to contribute towards the sustainability of resources. Many researchers argued a better way would be to convert these shared resources into a private or state-managed entity. Hence, with that assumption, this paper aims to examine how better physical characteristics can result in greater collective action.

This research paper adopted a quantitative method approach to determine how the standard of physical characteristics influenced the quality of collective action in high-rise low-cost housing. The method included a questionnaire survey of 519 parcel holders chosen via stratified purposeful random sampling from four high-rise low-cost housing areas.

The paper found a positive correlation between the quality of physical characteristics and the collective action gained. The findings highlighted that the standard of workmanship of high-rise low-cost units (including the common properties), the crime rate in the neighbourhood and the condition of lift systems – when improved – were significant positive predictors of collective action.

Housing developers should pay attention to the quality of both low-cost units and related common properties, as this endeavour will assist greatly in future collective action management.

The study was justified in terms of its originality as few research studies adopted the social-ecological system framework that focused on the correlation between the quality of physical characteristics and the collective action of parcel holders.

THE name of Rolls‐Royce is world‐famous. Their standard is the datum line by which all other productions are compared, whether from the design or workmanship point of view. Their type of products may be subject to discussion, but the correctness of the design and the quality of the workmanship establish a hallmark that cannot be denied. Their policy is to produce only the best, and no effort is spared, and no expense considered, in the effort to obtain higher and improved efficiency. Parts are ruthlessly scrapped if a better method, or greater efficiency, can be obtained by fresh design or an improved system of construction. It is this policy that explains many of the somewhat unusual methods in their works system. Even though their output is large, such things as mass or quantity production do not enter into the system: in fact, everything is produced in very small numbers, no matter what the ultimate number required may be.

Country‐of‐origin (COO) effects are concerned with buyers' opinions regarding the relative qualities of goods and services produced in various countries. It is the aim of this study to test a framework for investigating the match/mismatch between consumers' product category and country image perceptions. Specifically, the paper seeks to examine whether consumers perceive all products emanating from a particular country favourably simply because consumers associate favourable attributes with that country or whether this effect is specific to particular product categories.

The study employed a structured survey administered through mall intercepts. Data were collected from a sample of 188 Australian consumers. While Australian consumers were the focal country of study, countries selected for evaluation included Japan, Korea, the USA, Canada, China and New Zealand. The products selected included beer, automobiles, watches, leather shoes and stereos.

The findings suggest that when a strong favourable match exists between country and product image then COO will positively influence product evaluation and willingness to buy. Conversely, when an unfavourable mismatch is evident COO would negatively influence consumers' product evaluations and willingness to buy.

Given that most products originating in foreign countries are subject to country stereotyping or image effects, it is important for marketers and retailers to understand and manage the potential impact of COO effects. This study tests a framework that can be applied by marketers to determine the effect of product and country matches in relevant domestic or international markets.

Evaluates the perception of US industrial purchasers of products of industrialized countries and major Latin American nations. Shows that price is the only perceived strength of Latin American products while quality and delivery variables constitute the perceived core competency of products manufactured in advanced economies. Japan leads the world in perceived positive product attributes. Even industrial buyers who have never purchased from Latin America perceive the products of the region as technologically‐inferior and price‐superior compared to products made in advanced countries. Proposes that country‐of‐origin cue is still an important factor in industrial purchase decisions.