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1 – 10 of over 62000Daisy Alicia Gibson, Holly Eick, Susanne Meddings and Ceri Woodrow
This paper aims to examine the prevalence and reasons for delayed discharge from two regional assessment and treatment units (ATUs) for people with learning disabilities, in line…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the prevalence and reasons for delayed discharge from two regional assessment and treatment units (ATUs) for people with learning disabilities, in line with the transforming care agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a retrospective evaluation of 44 admissions and discharges from two ATUs from February 2019 to March 2022.
Findings
Of 44 admissions who were discharged during the included period, 20 experienced delays in their discharge. Delayed discharges occurred despite the two ATUs meeting standards for length of assessment and treatment as specified by the Learning Disability Professional Senate. The most prevalent reasons for discharge delays were identification of a new placement, recruitment of care staff and building work.
Originality/value
This paper offers an in-depth evaluation of recent delayed discharges from two regional ATUs, highlighting the most common reasons for delays and offering suggestion for reducing delays in future.
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Huy Minh Vo, Jyh-Bin Yang and Veerakumar Rangasamy
Construction projects commonly encounter complicated delay problems. Over the past few decades, numerous delay analysis methods (DAMs) have been developed. There is no consensus…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction projects commonly encounter complicated delay problems. Over the past few decades, numerous delay analysis methods (DAMs) have been developed. There is no consensus on whether existing DAMs effectively resolve delays, particularly in the case of complex concurrent delays. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to undertake a comprehensive and systematic literature review on concurrent delays, aiming to answer the following research question: Do existing delay analysis techniques deal with concurrent delays well?
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts a comprehensive review of concurrent delays by both bibliometric and systematic analysis of research publications published between 1982 and 2022 in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. For quantitative analysis, a bibliometric mapping tool, the VOSviewer, was employed to analyze 68 selected publications to explore the co-occurrence of keywords, co-authorship and direct citation. Additionally, we conducted a qualitative analysis to answer the targeted research question, identify academic knowledge gaps and explore potential research directions for solving the theoretical and practical problems of concurrent delays.
Findings
Concurrent delays are a critical aspect of delay claims. Despite DAMs developed by a limited number of research teams to tackle issues like concurrence, float consumption and the critical path in concurrent delay resolution, practitioners continue to face significant challenges. This study has successfully identified knowledge gaps in defining, identifying, analyzing and allocating liability for concurrent delays while offering promising directions for further research. These findings reveal the incompleteness of available DAMs for solving concurrent delays.
Practical implications
The outcomes of this study are highly beneficial for practitioners and researchers. For practitioners, the discussions on the resolution process of concurrent delays in terms of identification, analysis and apportionment enable them to proactively address concurrent delays and lay the groundwork for preventing and resolving such issues in their construction projects. For researchers, five research directions, including advanced DAMs capable of solving concurrent delays, are proposed for reference.
Originality/value
Existing research on DAMs lacks comprehensive coverage of concurrent delays. Through a scientometric review, it is evident that current DAMs do not deal with concurrent delays well. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps and offers insights into potential directions for future research.
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Md. Mohaimenul Islam Sourav, Mohammed Russedul Islam, Sheikh Mohibur Rahman and Md. Istiak Jahan
In Bangladesh (BD), delays in infrastructure are common. Many previous studies have explored the causes of infrastructure delays. However, this study investigated the causes of…
Abstract
Purpose
In Bangladesh (BD), delays in infrastructure are common. Many previous studies have explored the causes of infrastructure delays. However, this study investigated the causes of delays by taking responses from the stakeholders who are responsible for planning, design, funding, approval and implementation. There are few studies that have related infrastructure project delays to heterogeneity in stakeholders’ perceptions.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural equation (SE) model is developed with 350 normally distributed data points to understand the heterogeneity in stakeholders’ perceptions regarding delays in infrastructure projects in BD. Additionally, the relative importance index (RII) approach is used to assess the responses, validating the SE model.
Findings
The study finds that among the three latent variables, “Project itself related delay” has more influence on delays in infrastructure projects. Among the observed variables under the “project itself related delay” latent variable, “DPP approval process” has the most significance. From the heterogeneity analysis, the study found differences in responses among the stakeholders from “the Engineering Department,” “the Planning Office” and “the Construction Firm/Industry.” An important class of stakeholders believes that their stage is not being delayed and that other stages require attention.
Research limitations/implications
The data sample is 350. More data can improve the accuracy of the findings. Most of the respondents are civil engineers (74%) and represent the owner of the project. Sample data from more stakeholders’ will enhance the accuracy of the result.
Practical implications
This study addresses the requirements of Bangladeshi project stakeholders and how their interactions cause delays in projects. Furthermore, the opinions of other stakeholders are taken into consideration when determining the specific factors of individual stakeholders that are causing delays. Practically, the distance between stakeholders should be reduced. A project manager can play a role in this regard. Initiatives should be taken on how to complete the project quickly by eliminating the requirements discussed among the stakeholders and bureaucratic complications. Instead of placing blame on one another, stakeholders should take the initiative to figure out how to work together to finish the project on schedule. The Planning Commission’s approval of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) and Revised Development Project Proposal (RDPP) should be obtained as soon as possible by owner stakeholders. In order to avoid frequently changing the DPP, owners should also exercise greater caution when choosing contractors. Contractor stakeholders should use efficient and proper manpower and equipment so that unexpected delays are not created during the execution of work. Since the role of the contractor stakeholder is the most important among the three types of stakeholders, the contractor should raise awareness and urge the owners to get the RDPP approved quickly.
Originality/value
The findings from the study can help mitigate delays in infrastructure projects in BD, taking into account the perceptions of various stakeholders.
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TOUFIC M. MEZHER and WISSAM TAWIL
The present paper presents the major causes of delays in the construction industry in Lebanon and the relative importance of these postponements. A survey of a randomly selected…
Abstract
The present paper presents the major causes of delays in the construction industry in Lebanon and the relative importance of these postponements. A survey of a randomly selected sample of 11 owners, 15 contractors and 10 architectural/engineering (A/E) firms from Lebanon was undertaken. The survey included 64 causes of delay, grouped into 10 major groups, in which the participants were asked to indicate their level of importance of each delay. The level of importance of the causes and the groups were measured and ranked by the importance index for owners, contractors and A/E firms. It was found that all three parties generally agreed on the ranking of the major categories of delay factors. Owners had more concerns with regard to financial issues, while contractors ranked contractual relationships highest, and finally, A/E firms ranked project management highest.
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– The purpose of this paper is with delay-independent stabilization of nonlinear systems with multiple time-delays and its application in chaos synchronization of Rössler system.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is with delay-independent stabilization of nonlinear systems with multiple time-delays and its application in chaos synchronization of Rössler system.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on linear matrix inequality and algebra Riccati matrix equation, the stabilization result is derived to guarantee asymptotically stable and applicated in chaos synchronization of Rössler chaotic system with multiple time-delays.
Findings
A controller is designed and added to the nonlinear system with multiple time-delays. The stability of the nonlinear system at its zero equilibrium point is guaranteed by applying the appropriate controller signal based on linear matrix inequality and algebra Riccati matrix equation scheme. Another effective controller is also designed for the global asymptotic synchronization on the Rössler system based on the structure of delay-independent stabilization of nonlinear systems with multiple time-delays. Numerical simulations are demonstrated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller scheme.
Originality/value
The introduced approach is interesting for delay-independent stabilization of nonlinear systems with multiple time-delays and its application in chaos synchronization of Rössler system.
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Yotsanon Sikkhajan and Wandee Sirichokchatchawan
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors associated with patient delay among tuberculosis patients in border hospitals, Chiang Rai province, Thailand.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors associated with patient delay among tuberculosis patients in border hospitals, Chiang Rai province, Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the four biggest border hospitals in Chiang Rai province, Thailand during May to July 2018 among 103 identified TB cases. Data were collected by a face-to-face interview with structured questionnaire on patients’ general characteristics, HIV status and patient delay status. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the patients’ general characteristics, HIV and patient delay status. The association among variables and patient delay was analyzed by χ2-test. The variables with p-value<0.20 obtained in bivariate analysis were further analyzed by binary logistic regression and considered significant with p-value<0.05.
Findings
All patients enrolled, most were reported with patient delay (65.0 percent). Bivariate analysis demonstrated that level of education, nationality and HIV status were associated factors for patient delay. Among these factors, binary logistic regression revealed that HIV negative TB patients were increased 6.806-fold odds of being patient delay (OR = 6.806; 95% CI: 1.174–39.462), while non-Thai TB patients were also increased 2.824-fold odds of being patient delay (OR = 2.824; 95% CI: 1.041–7.660).
Originality/value
Patient delay among TB patients in Chiang Rai province was high. This study further supports the requirement on promoting of TB knowledge and awareness emphasized on non-Thai population and general public along the border areas of Chiang Rai province.
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Stephen Thomas Ward, Sean Strong, Rachael Louise Goodchild and Ahsan Zafar Zaidi
Patients undergoing emergency appendicectomy incur various delays from the time of symptom onset to the time of discharge from hospital. The centralisation of hospital services…
Abstract
Purpose
Patients undergoing emergency appendicectomy incur various delays from the time of symptom onset to the time of discharge from hospital. The centralisation of hospital services over recent years has resulted in some patients who attend hospital as an emergency requiring transfer to a different site. An additional delay by way of transfer is thus incurred. The aim of this study was to test for association between various characterised delays with disease and patient outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data were used to identify all patients admitted over a one‐year period undergoing appendicectomy. Demographic and time data were extracted from hospital databases and case notes.
Findings
A total of 247 patients were identified from HES data; 25 per cent of patients presented to hospital E necessitating transfer to hospital H. There was no evidence of an association between patient delays, surgeon delays or theatre delays with advanced pathology and complicated appendicitis was not associated with a longer post‐operative hospital stay. The delay to be seen by the surgeons was significantly longer if transferred from one hospital to another, but this did not contribute to a significant difference between the overall delay from admission to operation, overall length of stay or advanced pathology.
Originality/value
The individual delays along the clinical pathway in a patient presenting to hospital with acute appendicitis have been characterised. Patients with acute appendicitis can be safely assessed at one hospital‐site and transferred to another with emergency surgery provision without affecting the delay to operation.
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R.A. HARRIS and S. SCOTT
The paper describes four methods of dealing with delay claims that effectively sum up the main approaches to this problem that have been offered in the literature. This is then…
Abstract
The paper describes four methods of dealing with delay claims that effectively sum up the main approaches to this problem that have been offered in the literature. This is then followed by a description and discussion of results from a new survey aimed at finding out exactly how professionals in the UK construction industry approach these difficult issues. It appears that those who deal with delay claims in the UK are likely to use a critical path method network to do this and generally approve of a methodology that attempts to understand how well the contractor would have fared ‘but for’ the existence of employer‐responsible delays. There is less agreement about who should be said to own the float, but as is explained in the paper, it is possible for this matter to be dealt with by the insertion of a clause in the contract documents.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of memristor-based recurrent neural networks with time-varying…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of memristor-based recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays and leakage delays.
Design/methodology/approach
The differential inequality theory and some novel mathematical analysis techniques are applied.
Findings
A set of sufficient conditions which guarantee the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of involved model is derived.
Practical implications
It plays an important role in designing the neural networks.
Originality/value
The obtained results of this paper are new and complement some previous studies. The innovation of this paper concludes two aspects: the analysis on the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of memristor-based recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays and leakage delays is first proposed; and it is first time to establish the sufficient criterion which ensures the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of memristor-based recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays and leakage delays.
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This paper aims to use a new design approach based on a Lagrange mean value theorem for the stabilization of multivariable input‐delayed system by linear controller.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to use a new design approach based on a Lagrange mean value theorem for the stabilization of multivariable input‐delayed system by linear controller.
Design/methodology/approach
The delay‐dependent asymptotical stability conditions are derived by using augmented Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals and formulated in terms of conventional Lyapunov matrix equations and some simple matrix inequalities. Proposed design approach is extended to robust stabilization of multi‐variable input‐delayed systems with unmatched parameter uncertainties. The maximum upper bound of delay size is computed by using a simple optimization algorithm.
Findings
A liquid monopropellant rocket motor with a pressure feeding system is considered as a numerical design example. Design example shows the effectiveness of the proposed design approach.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed approach can be used in the analysis and design of the uncertain multivariable time‐delay systems.
Originality/value
The paper has a great potential in the stability analysis of time‐delay systems and design of time‐delay controllers and may openup a new direction in this area.
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