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Article
Publication date: 22 July 2021

Farhad Sadeghineko and Bimal Kumar

Facilitating the information exchange and interoperability between stakeholders during the life-cycle of an asset can be one of the fundamental necessities for developing an…

Abstract

Purpose

Facilitating the information exchange and interoperability between stakeholders during the life-cycle of an asset can be one of the fundamental necessities for developing an enhanced information exchange framework. Such a framework can also improve the successful accomplishment of building projects. This paper aims to use Semantic Web technologies for facilitating information exchange within existing building projects.

Design/methodology/approach

In real-world building projects, the construction industry’s information supply chain may initiate from near scratch when new building projects are started resulting in diverse data structures represented in unstructured data sources, like Excel spreadsheets and documents. Large-scale data generated throughout a building's life-cycle requires exchanging and processing during an asset's Operation and Maintenance (O&M) phase. Building information modelling (BIM) processes and related technologies can address some of the challenges and limitations of information exchange and interoperability within new building projects. However, the use of BIM in existing and retrofit assets has been hampered by the challenges surrounding the limitations of existing technologies.

Findings

The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, it briefly outlines the framework previously developed for generating semantically enriched 3D retrofit models. Secondly, a framework is proposed focussing on facilitating the information exchange and interoperability for existing buildings. Semantic Web technologies and standards, such as Web Ontology Language and existing AEC domain ontologies are used to enhance and improve the proposed framework.

Originality/value

The proposed framework is evaluated by implementing an example application and the Resource Description Framework data produced by the previously developed framework. The proposed approach makes a valuable contribution to the asset/facilities management (AM/FM) domain. It should be of interest to various FM practices for existing assets, such as the building information/knowledge management for design, construction and O&M stages of an asset’s life-cycle.

Article
Publication date: 30 January 2015

Aravindhan Arunagiri and Parthasarathy Ramachandran

Most literature on workflow (WF) adaptation considered the control flow correctness like absence of dead lock, live-lock, etc. during adaptation. The data aspect of WF adaptation…

Abstract

Purpose

Most literature on workflow (WF) adaptation considered the control flow correctness like absence of dead lock, live-lock, etc. during adaptation. The data aspect of WF adaptation like data flow, database schema changes and their correctness are less studied. When the WF schema is modified, their data flow and the database schema changes. The existing approaches used for adapting these data changes in the underlying database schema are time consuming and/or affect the old data persistence. The purpose of this paper is to concern the dynamic adaptation of the WF schema and implementing its data changes in the existing database schema.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework developed to adapt on-the-fly, the concomitant data changes during WF adaptation. The framework consists a set of data schema compliance criteria (DSC) which identify the data changes that can be directly accommodated in the existing database schema. Data adaptation algorithm (DAA) is developed to handle the data changes that does not conform to the DSC in the existing database schema.

Findings

In this approach the existing database schema is dynamically evolved without re-creating it, after WF schema adaptation. Therefore the WF schema changes can be implemented on-the-fly without stopping the running system. It also ensures the persistence of old data residing in the existing database.

Originality/value

A novel approach developed to adapt the data changes in the existing database schema, without requiring recreation or migration the data. This automated consistency checking of data attribute changes in the database schema and implement them dynamically.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2022

Ahmed Gouda Mohamed and Amr Mousa

Current research efforts exhibit a surge imperative for a building information modelling (BIM) approach that embodies a repository of all relevant data of existing building…

Abstract

Purpose

Current research efforts exhibit a surge imperative for a building information modelling (BIM) approach that embodies a repository of all relevant data of existing building components while monitoring and consistently recording numerous components’ functions throughout its lifecycle, especially in Egypt. This research paper aims to develop an integrated as-is BIM-facility management (FM) information model for the existing building’s components via a case study, depicting a repository for historical data and knowledge amassed from inspections and conveying maintenance decisions automatically during the FM practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed approach pursues four successive steps: data acquisition and processing of building components; components recognition from point clouds; modelling scanned point clouds; and quick response code information transfer to BIM components.

Findings

The proposed approach incorporates the as-is BIM with the building components’ as-is FM information to portray a repository for historical data and knowledge collected from inspections to proactively benefit facility managers in simplifying, expediting and enhancing maintenance decisions automatically during FM practices.

Originality/value

This paper presents a digital alternative to manual maintenance recordkeeping concerning building components to retrieve their as-is and historical data using a case study in Egypt. This paper proposes a broad scan to as-is information BIM approach for the existing building’s components to condone maintenance interventions using a versatile, affordable, readily available and multi-functional method for scanning the building’s components using a handheld tool.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 September 2021

Zongda Wu, Shigen Shen, Huxiong Li, Haiping Zhou and Dongdong Zou

First, the authors analyze the key problems faced by the protection of digital library readers' data privacy and behavior privacy. Second, the authors introduce the…

Abstract

Purpose

First, the authors analyze the key problems faced by the protection of digital library readers' data privacy and behavior privacy. Second, the authors introduce the characteristics of all kinds of existing approaches to privacy protection and their application limitations in the protection of readers' data privacy and behavior privacy. Lastly, the authors compare the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of existing approaches in terms of security, efficiency, accuracy and practicality and analyze the challenges faced by the protection of digital library reader privacy.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors review a number of research achievements relevant to privacy protection and analyze and evaluate the application limitations of them in the reader privacy protection of a digital library, consequently, establishing the constraints that an ideal approach to library reader privacy protection should meet, so as to provide references for the follow-up research of the problem.

Findings

As a result, the authors conclude that an ideal approach to reader privacy protection should be able to comprehensively improve the security of all kinds of readers' privacy information on the untrusted server-side as a whole, under the premise of not changing the architecture, efficiency, accuracy and practicality of a digital library system.

Originality/value

Along with the rapid development of new network technologies, such as cloud computing, the server-side of a digital library is becoming more and more untrustworthy, thereby, posing a serious threat to the privacy of library readers. In fact, the problem of reader privacy has become one of the important obstacles to the further development and application of digital libraries.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 40 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2009

Colin Combe

One of the key aims of the UK's Transformational Government strategy is to create a “joined‐up” government where communications within and between public organisations is improved…

792

Abstract

Purpose

One of the key aims of the UK's Transformational Government strategy is to create a “joined‐up” government where communications within and between public organisations is improved by the use of information technology. Data sharing is a key enabler of “joined‐up” government but the implementation of the strategy presents a series of risks. The purpose of this paper is to articulate and assess the nature of those risks in relation to violations of existing laws using the National Pupil Database (NPD) in England as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates examples of violations of EU law relating to rights to privacy of data sharing practices within the UK public sector using an interpretive approach to existing published information. The case of the NPD illustrates how certain identified data sharing practices contravene existing laws and exposes this aspect of the Transformational Government strategy to heightened risk of a legal challenge.

Findings

Four examples of violations of existing EU laws on privacy are identified from an investigation into the NPD for schools in England. The analysis exposes the imbalance between the data sharing practices underpinning the Transformational Government strategy in the UK and the requirements for fulfilling privacy protection rights to citizens enshrined in EU law. The findings reveal that data sharing practices as a key enabler of the Transformational Government strategy risks violating existing laws designed to protect privacy. The UK government risks a legal challenge, the outcome of which may seriously undermine the prospects for achieving the stated aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness across the public sector.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is largely restricted to the NPD for schools in England. The findings would be strengthened by expanding the research into other areas of the public sector where data sharing practices have been implemented.

Originality/value

The findings are a significant and timely contribution to understanding the data sharing/privacy tension that ministers and legislators need to address. The work provides an insight into where weaknesses exist within current arrangements that is of value to policymakers, legislators, human rights advocates and government authorities at both central and local levels.

Details

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2015

Sara Wilkinson

The fifth IPCC report on climate change concluded current progress to mitigate anthropocentric climate change is not making any impact. As the built environment emits 50 percent…

Abstract

Purpose

The fifth IPCC report on climate change concluded current progress to mitigate anthropocentric climate change is not making any impact. As the built environment emits 50 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating climate change through sustainable construction and adaptation is a priority. Although many new buildings have sustainability ratings, they comprise a minute amount of the total stock. Meanwhile policy makers are adopting strategies to become carbon neutral with targets that require measurement. The purpose of this paper is to propose a means of quantifying the uptake of sustainability across all stock over time using existing policy frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach

Given that this is a scoping study to explore the potential to adapt existing frameworks to facilitate the quantification of the uptake of sustainability measures over time, the research adopted a focus group technique with experienced stakeholders in Australia and England. Qualitative research is inductive and hypothesis generating. That is; as the research assimilates knowledge and information contained in the literature ideas and questions are formed, which are put to research participants and from this process conclusions are drawn.

Findings

It is technologically feasible to collect data on sustainability measures within the building approvals systems in Victoria and NSW Australia and England and Wales and a conceptual model is proposed. Economically, costs need to be covered, and it is unclear which group should pay. Socially, the benefits would be to determine how society is progressing towards goals. The benefits of achieving reduced carbon emissions would be mitigation of the predicted changes to climate and informing society of progress. Politically, it is unlikely there is a will to make provisions for this proposal in existing regulatory systems.

Research limitations/implications

The key limitations of the research were that the views expressed are those of a select group of experienced practitioners and may not represent the consensus view of the professions and industry as a whole. The limitations and criticisms of focus group data collection are that the sessions may be dominated by individuals holding strong views.

Practical implications

The findings show that adaptation of the existing data collected by building control authorities could allow some quantification of the uptake of sustainability measures over time. A simple initial system could be implemented with relative ease to ascertain the value of the data. Over time the system could be extended to collect more data that could facilitate more precise quantification of sustainability. Significantly policy makers would have a tool that would allow them to measure the success or otherwise of mandatory and voluntary measures introduced to increase the uptake of sustainability.

Originality/value

To date, no one has considered the practicality or potential utility of adapting existing information gathered for building approval purposes for the quantification of the up-take of sustainability across the whole stock over time. The value of using building approval data are that all building types are required to have building approvals prior to work being undertaken.

Details

Structural Survey, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-080X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2018

Senan Kiryakos and Shigeo Sugimoto

Multiple studies have illustrated that the needs of various users seeking descriptive bibliographic data for pop culture resources (e.g. manga, anime, video games) have not been…

Abstract

Purpose

Multiple studies have illustrated that the needs of various users seeking descriptive bibliographic data for pop culture resources (e.g. manga, anime, video games) have not been properly met by cultural heritage institutions and traditional models. With a focus on manga as the central resource, the purpose of this paper is to address these issues to better meet user needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an analysis of existing bibliographic metadata, this paper proposes a unique bibliographic hierarchy for manga that is also extendable to other pop culture sources. To better meet user requirements of descriptive data, an aggregation-based approach relying on the Object Reuse and Exchange-Open Archives Initiative (OAI-ORE) model utilized existing, fan-created data on the web.

Findings

The proposed hierarchy is better able to portray multiple entities of manga as they exist across data providers compared to existing models, while the utilization of OAI-ORE-based aggregation to build and provide bibliographic metadata for said hierarchy resulted in levels of description that more adequately meet user demands.

Originality/value

Though studies have proposed alternative models for resources like games or comics, manga has remained unexamined. As manga is a major component of many popular multimedia franchises, a focus here with the intention while building the model to support other resource types provides a foundation for future work seeking to incorporate these resources.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 75 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2015

Tiwonge Davis Manda and Jo Herstad

The purpose of this paper is to discuss implications of human-technology interaction in organizational change, especially where mobile phones are introduced to replace paper-based…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss implications of human-technology interaction in organizational change, especially where mobile phones are introduced to replace paper-based reporting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs a case study approach, focusing on implementation of mobile technology for health (mHealth) solutions to support remote data communication, between health facilities and a district health office (DHO), in Malawi.

Findings

The findings suggest that mobile phones are relevant to parts of multi-stage tasks such as data reporting, which comprise compilation, transportation, and digitization of data, and delivery of feedback. Consequently, innovation due to the introduction of mobile phones, is found in their interaction with other artefacts (paper, desktop computers, etc.), and existing paper-centric and emerging work practices.

Research limitations/implications

Although lessons from this study could be transported across contexts, practitioners, and researchers should pay particular attention to contextual differences.

Practical implications

In accounting for the mutual shaping between technology and context/work practices the paper demonstrates that mHealth innovation demands significant practical work.

Originality/value

mHealth research is often preoccupied with capabilities of mobile devices. First, the authors account for interaction between artefacts, existing, and emerging use contexts, and the use process, at multiple levels of organization. Through this, the authors argue for a need to seriously consider idiosyncrasies of artefacts and tasks at hand, as well as distributed affordances across artefacts, in mHealth implementations. Second, the authors argue that contrary to the general focus on mobile phones as tools for supporting people on the move, their relevance might actually be found in reducing people’s mobility.

Article
Publication date: 15 March 2024

Florian Rupp, Benjamin Schnabel and Kai Eckert

The purpose of this work is to explore the new possibilities enabled by the recent introduction of RDF-star, an extension that allows for statements about statements within the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to explore the new possibilities enabled by the recent introduction of RDF-star, an extension that allows for statements about statements within the Resource Description Framework (RDF). Alongside Named Graphs, this approach offers opportunities to leverage a meta-level for data modeling and data applications.

Design/methodology/approach

In this extended paper, the authors build onto three modeling use cases published in a previous paper: (1) provide provenance information, (2) maintain backwards compatibility for existing models, and (3) reduce the complexity of a data model. The authors present two scenarios where they implement the use of the meta-level to extend a data model with meta-information.

Findings

The authors present three abstract patterns for actively using the meta-level in data modeling. The authors showcase the implementation of the meta-level through two scenarios from our research project: (1) the authors introduce a workflow for triple annotation that uses the meta-level to enable users to comment on individual statements, such as for reporting errors or adding supplementary information. (2) The authors demonstrate how adding meta-information to a data model can accommodate highly specialized data while maintaining the simplicity of the underlying model.

Practical implications

Through the formulation of data modeling patterns with RDF-star and the demonstration of their application in two scenarios, the authors advocate for data modelers to embrace the meta-level.

Originality/value

With RDF-star being a very new extension to RDF, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, they are among the first to relate it to other meta-level approaches and demonstrate its application in real-world scenarios.

Details

The Electronic Library , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2005

Ram Kumar Matoria and P.K. Upadhyay

To share the experiences gained during the migration of library data from one library management system (LibSys™) to another (e‐Granthalaya™).

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Abstract

Purpose

To share the experiences gained during the migration of library data from one library management system (LibSys™) to another (e‐Granthalaya™).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the step‐by‐step approach taken to migrate the existing library data to the new software. The paper also discusses the peculiarities of the source software from which data were converted and the practical approach adopted in solving the problems faced during the conversion.

Findings

During the process of the conversion of the library data from one software to another many lessons have been learned. These lessons and experiences will be useful for us in the future to import/export the data from other software such as MINISIS, CDS/ISIS, TECHLIB PLUS, etc. being used in Indian libraries. Moreover, the switch over from one software to another is also useful for the libraries as the existing data are refined and cleaned during the conversion process.

Originality/value

The authors share the lessons learned during the conversion process and hope that these will be useful to others in migration of data.

Details

Program, vol. 39 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0033-0337

Keywords

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