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Purpose – The aim of this chapter is to find pathways for a better stakeholder involvement in land planning issues at regional level. The case study is the Madrid region (Spain).

Methodology/approach – The work presented in this chapter follows a methodological strategy called integrative research, as a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods.

Research implications – This kind of research seems to be the most appropriate to deal with the conflicts we have in large urban regions with “rural landscapes”, and conflicts between antagonized stakeholders.

Findings – The region of Madrid has gone through irreversible, territorial changes during the last decade. Urban growth, tourist development and abandonment of agricultural land are some of the principal causes of these land-use changes. 80 per cent of the population live in the urban area of the region. In contrast, only 5 per cent of the population live in rural areas, i.e., municipalities that have less than 1.000 inhabitants. Nevertheless, rural areas in Madrid are of great importance due to their tourism value.

Practical implications – A participatory policy tool is developed on the basis of several analyses (spatial–temporal analysis and political–-institutional analysis) to formulate policy recommendations and scenarios for sustainability.

Originality – Integrative research, combining discursive and analytical phases of work, seems a good way to improve the sustainable configuration of the region of Madrid.

The figure pictures in financial statements may seem motionless. Yet, movement is essential to an enterprise. The analytical service of an account is best reflected by the relative rates of inflow and outflow of data. At the same time, the functional logic inherent in capital-income accounting does not support “valuation” as an appropriate part of accounting objectives. This is so because transaction experience is objective in nature whereas valuation is subjective. And the logic relevant to accounting actions would seem to include relevance as a key term because boundaries are functional aspects of accounting.

The construction industry worldwide is looking for overall efficiency in the entire project life cycle. Lean construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM) are together, key constituents in this quest. This study looks to reinforce the contribution of BIM to deliver applied lean principles to enhance productivity and performance.

The study adopts mixed methodologies of Ethnographic Action Research (EAR) and crisp set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA). The mosaic of case studies provides a descriptive and instrumental approach. While a descriptive approach investigates the interventions and phenomenon relating BIM to Lean, an instrumental approach constitutes exemplars of the interrelated phenomenon of BIM and Lean.

The themes of Elimination of Waste, Kaizen, Respecting the Human Elements, Poke-a-Yoke and Jidoka are contributed to the maximum by BIM. All the case studies discussed evidence of the contribution to Lean, as they enhance end-customer value.

The contribution of BIM towards Lean could encourage collaborations amongst stakeholders for mutual benefits. BIM could enhance decision making, predictive simulation, risk analysis, etc. with many other exciting possibilities of delivering productivity and performance. The study is limited by the insights offered by the individual cases.

The study provides insights into potential developments and research. It is expected to encourage reflective professional practice triggered by innovative thinking for the gainful utilization of BIM to deliver Lean.

We conducted a narrative analysis of a collective narrative comprising inscriptions left on the locally famed “Apology Wall,” written by thousands of community members in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot. In considering the Apology Wall as an “evocative object,” this study emphasized the significance of material objects as meaning-making devices. Interpretation of themes was conducted through a constructivist lens, specifically guided by literature concerning meaning-making following negative life events. Results bolstered the significance of the Wall as a sense-making device that provided a forum for the community to collectively share positive emotional expression, construct solidarity and collective identity, and express desires for restoration. By studying this collective narrative, the study not only illuminated how those affected constructed meaning after the Vancouver sports riot, but it also contributes to the literature on how communities, in general, make early sense of and respond to destructive events.

This study aims to present a communication model for promoting value co-creation between citizens and policymakers and to draw out proposals on the rationale in implementing nudge effect as well as key policy implications. The paper also revisits the close relationship between information senders and receivers (citizens) from the perspective of “citizen behaviour change” and focuses on the nudge effect, which strengthens the communication skills of policymakers (information senders) and accelerates the behaviour change of citizens (i.e. the recipients of information). Based on the study, the authors propose a conceptual framework to explain the spontaneous incentive structure of citizens.

This study uses a conceptual discussion based on a literature review. It examines the nudge effect on citizen behaviour based on information and communications models and theories. From critical discussions of literature, it proposes an analytical model that focuses on the nudge effect put forward in behavioural economics and takes into account the importance of measures to increase the sensitivity and empathy of the recipients of information.

The authors revisited the relationship between information senders and receivers from the perspective of citizen behavioural change and focus on the nudge effect, which strengthens the communication power of policymakers and accelerates the behavioural change of citizens (i.e. the recipients of information). According to the study, the authors propose a conceptual framework to explain citizens' spontaneous incentive structure. The dual perspective of policymakers and citizens should be central to the collaboration between citizens and policymakers to enhance the effectiveness of social policies, where the scope and type of value generated and the perspective of social value are essential.

This paper bridges the interdisciplinary research fields of behavioural economics and social policy. It is hoped that the model proposed in this paper will be an effective discussion framework for relevant researchers and practitioners when considering human resource training and system building related to information dissemination. In addition, it is hoped the model will be an effective tool for deepening discussions on topics that help to facilitate information transfer and communication within organisations.

The realisation of policy intentions within the core elements of the social policy process, such as the definition of key objectives, policy mechanisms and legislation, are central elements of policy formation and are said to be highly similar across countries. The framework proposed in this study is a valid resource that can be applied in other countries and can be expected to act an effective guidepost for policy makers and other stakeholders engaged in social policy.

Up to this point, in examinations of encouraging behavioural change in information recipients, attention has been focussed on the aspect of increasing the sender's ability to transmit information. Interventions, such as increasing the energy of the delivery, increasing the frequency and diversifying the media to make a strong impression on the receiver's consciousness, have been considered and implemented. However, this study suggests that, in addition to such efforts on the part of the sender, it is important to increase the sensitivity and affinity of the receiver to the message as preliminary preparation to receiving it.

The article reveals a need for greater understanding and use of corporate intellectual capital (IC) information within two connected capital market areas. Firstly with regard to the conceptualisation and valuation process these capital market agents (analysts and fund managers) conduct. Secondly, within the capital market agents' own value creation chain. The concept of the value creation chain is combined with an analysis of the barriers faced by capital market agents represented by fund managers and analysts. These barriers are proposed to comprise knowledge, uncertainty, ownership and management problems. In addition, cultural pressures within analyst and fund manager communities are viewed as contributors to information barriers. Such problems are exacerbated by additional market induced problems of severe time constraints and conflicts of interest.

A more rigid and specific quality management system in higher education institutions (HEIs) is developing under the auspices of the Quality Assurance Agency. The use of models of organisational culture suggest that organisation cultures vary greatly in the higher education sector. Within each HEI there is a mosaic of sub‐cultures making it very difficult to discern what is the dominant culture. The author’s initial analysis of an empirical study of seven HEIs points up the great variance of culture which emanates from differing mission statements, aims and objectives, size and nature of student intake, range of courses and emphasis on research. This article questions whether the developing quality management approach based on standards and benchmarks can gauge accurately and fairly the quality of provision in such a variety of HEIs.

IT is a promising outlook for the future that Fairfield's new management has almost at the outset organized three courses on work study for the shop stewards. Twenty‐six of these shipyard workers have already been to school again at Esher Place, the college of the Electrical Trades Union, wrestling with stop watches and involved in unusual calculations.