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This paper aims to provide an integrated BIM-based approach for quantity take-off for progress payments in the context of high-rise buildings in Vietnam. It tries to find answers for the following questions: (1) When to start the QTO processes to facilitate the contract progress payments? (2) What information is required to measure the quantity of works to estimate contract progress payment (3) What are the challenges to manage (i.e. create, store, update and exploit)? What are the required information for this BIM use? and (4) How to process the information to deliver BIM-based QTO to facilitate contract progress payment?

The paper applied a deductive approach and expert consensus through a Delphi procedure to adapt to current innovation around BIM-based QTO. Starting with a literature review, it then discusses current practices in BIM-based QTO in general and high-rise building projects in particular. Challenges were compiled from the previous studies for references for BIM-based QTO to facilitate contract progress payment for high-rise building projects in Vietnam. A framework was developed considering a standard information management process throughout the construction lifecycle, when the BIM use of this study is delivered. The framework was validated with Delphi technique.

Four major challenges for BIM-based QTO discovered: new types of information required for the BIM model, changes and updates as projects progress, low interoperability between BIM model and estimation software, potentiality of low productivity and accuracy in data entry. Required information for QTO to facilitate progress payments in high-rise building projects include Object Geometric/Appearance Information, Structural Components' Definition and Contextual Information. Trade-offs between “Speed – Level of Detail–Applicable Breadth” and “Quality – Productivity” are proposed to consider the information amount to input at a time when creating/updating BIM objects. Interoperability check needed for creating, authoring/updating processing the BIM model's objects.

This paper is not flawless. The first limitation lies in that the theoretical framework was established only based on desk research and small number of expert judgment. Further primary data collection would be needed to determine exactly how the framework underlies widespread practices. Secondly, this study only discussed the quantity take-off specifically for contract progress payment, but not for other purposes or broader BIM uses. Further research in this field would be of great help in developing a standard protocol for automatic quantity surveying system in Vietnam.

A new theoretical framework for BIM-based QTO validated with Delphi technique to facilitate progress payments for high-rise building projects, considering all information management stages and the phases of information development in the project lifecycle. The framework identified four types of information required for this QTO, detailed considerations for strategies (Library Objects Development, BIM Objects Information Declaration, BIM-based QTO) for better managing the information for this BIM use. Two trade-offs of “Speed – LOD–Applicable Breadth” and “Quality – Productivity” have been proposed for facilitating the strategies and also for enhancing the total efficiency and effectiveness of the QTO process.

This research aims to develop a blockchain smart contract–enabled framework to resolve power imbalance problems in construction payment.

This research adopts a design science research method to develop the blockchain smart contract–enabled framework. The authors then develop a prototype system. Finally, the authors evaluate its performance in solving power imbalance-induced payment problems.

The results show that the prototype system can resolve power imbalance problems in construction payment by allowing project participants to make transparent and decentralized decisions that are self-enforceable by blockchain smart contracts.

This study provides theoretical explanations for how blockchain smart contracts can resolve power imbalances in construction payment; based on that, it proposes a novel blockchain smart contract–enabled method to rebalance the power of stakeholders in construction payment. Thus, it contributes to the body of knowledge on blockchain technology and construction payment.

This study moves beyond a conceptual framework and develops a practical blockchain smart contract system for resolving power imbalances in construction payment, strengthening construction project members' confidence in using blockchain technology.

The proposed blockchain smart contract–enabled solution helps mitigate negative social impacts associated with late payment and non-payment. Furthermore, the research maximizes trust among participants in payment processes to inspire collaborative culture in the construction industry.

This paper introduces a novel blockchain smart contract integrated method, allowing project stakeholders to resolve power imbalance problems in construction payment through decentralized decision-making.

This study examines the differences in the economic stimulus effects, transmission mechanisms, and output multipliers of government consumption, government traditional investment, and government science and technology investment.

This study constructs and estimates a New Keynesian model of endogenous technological progress embedded in the research and development (R&D) and technology transfer sectors. Using Chinese macroeconomic time series data from 1996 to 2019, this study calibrates and estimates the model and analyzes the impulse response function and a counterfactual simulation of expenditure structure adjustment.

The results show that compared with the traditional dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model, the endogenous process of technological progress amplifies the impact of government consumption shock and traditional government investment shock on the macroeconomy, leading to greater economic cycle fluctuations. As government investment in science and technology has positive external spillover effects on firm R&D activities and the application of innovation achievements, it can promote more sustainable economic growth than government consumption and traditional investment in the long run.

This study constructs an extended New Keynesian model with different types of government spending, which includes endogenous technological progress within the R&D and technology transfer sectors, thereby linking fiscal policy, business cycle fluctuations and long-term economic growth. This model can study the macroeconomic impact of fiscal expenditure structure adjustment when fiscal expansion is limited. In the Bayesian estimation of model parameters, this study not only uses macroeconomic variables but also adds a sequence of private R&D investment.

Accurate and rapid tracking and counting of building materials are crucial in managing on-site construction processes and evaluating their progress. Such processes are typically conducted by visual inspection, making them time-consuming and error prone. This paper aims to propose a video-based deep-learning approach to the automated detection and counting of building materials.

A framework for accurately counting building materials at indoor construction sites with low light levels was developed using state-of-the-art deep learning methods. An existing object-detection model, the You Only Look Once version 4 (YOLO v4) algorithm, was adapted to achieve rapid convergence and accurate detection of materials and site operatives. Then, DenseNet was deployed to recognise these objects. Finally, a material-counting module based on morphology operations and the Hough transform was applied to automatically count stacks of building materials.

The proposed approach was tested by counting site operatives and stacks of elevated floor tiles in video footage from a real indoor construction site. The proposed YOLO v4 object-detection system provided higher average accuracy within a shorter time than the traditional YOLO v4 approach.

The proposed framework makes it feasible to separately monitor stockpiled, installed and waste materials in low-light construction environments. The improved YOLO v4 detection method is superior to the current YOLO v4 approach and advances the existing object detection algorithm. This framework can potentially reduce the time required to track construction progress and count materials, thereby increasing the efficiency of work-in-progress evaluation. It also exhibits great potential for developing a more reliable system for monitoring construction materials and activities.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way in which education was delivered in early 2020, and the impacts of these changes continue to be questionable. The aims of this study were to evaluate: (1) the results obtained by students of the Dentistry course in the progress test carried out both before and after the pandemic, (2) the results obtained by a specific group of students who took the test in 2019–2022, and compare their results and (3) subjects that showed a reduction in the percentage of correct answers when the two tests were compared.

The progress test consisting of 100 multiple choice questions was applied before and after the pandemic to all students in the Dentistry course. The analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS for Statistics v.26 software program. The level of significance of 5% was adopted (<0.05).

The test was applied to 320 students in 2019 and to 272 in 2022, of whom the sample of this study was composed. The mean score values in 2019 (M = 49.10; SD = 12.03) were significantly (p = 0.026) higher than those in the year 2022 (M = 46.97; SD = 12.15), with the disciplines in the area of specific knowledge showing a greater drop in the percentage of correct answers by students. This study showed that the emergency remote education had a negative effect on the academic performance of students, based on the progress testing as an evaluation method.

Many studies that assessed the impacts of the pandemic on teaching were focused on the opinions of students. However, the great advantage of our study was the use of a theoretical assessment tool to verify student performance. The post-pandemic landscape beckons for comprehensive inquiries into these domains. This type of research would be valuable for gathering evidence relative to the performance of students after the emergency remote education.

An S-curve is an essential project-management tool. However, it is difficult to adjust S-curve to deal with a force majeure event. The present study develops four valuable adjustment approaches, designed to achieve a compromise between the views of the client and contractor. These can be used to control projects after a force majeure event.

The present study develops four adjustment approaches, which can be used to achieve a compromise between the views of the client and those of the contractor when controlling projects after a force majeure. To determine the S-curves during a force majeure event, two approaches can be selected: BCWS (budgeted cost of scheduled work)-base approach, or BCWP (budgeted cost of work performed)-base approach. To determine the rest of S-curves after a force majeure event, two approaches can be considered: maintaining the original curve of the remaining BCWS, or allocating the original curve of the remaining BCWS. Based on the validation of three empirical cases, drawn from a professional project-management website, this study confirms the feasibility of four proposed empirical approaches and a selection procedure for S-curve adjustment.

The S-curve-adjustment approaches presented here can be used to deal with cases that are ahead of, on and behind schedule. Using the proposed approaches and selection procedure, contractors can easily revise S-curves and control projects more effectively. To deal with a force majeure event, such as COVID-19, they are strongly advised to adopt the approaches labeled SA-A1 (to adjust the S-curve based on the extension ratio multiplied by the difference in progress during the force majeure) and SA-B1 (to maintain the original curve of the remaining BCWS) for the A/E and E/F curves, respectively.

The proposed approaches can be used in cases of continuous construction during force majeure events. If construction work is totally suspended during such an event, it will be necessary to fine-tune the proposed approaches.

Previous studies have used case-oriented or mathematical-simulation approaches to forecast S-curves. The present study proposes simple approaches that allow the client and contractor to adjust the S-curve easily after a force majeure event. These approaches can be used to adjust work and project-completion targets within an extended duration. Selecting the right S-curve adjustment approach can help to control the remainder of the project, reducing the possibility of delay claims.

This study aims to unpack the progress of board gender diversity among the 3,000 largest US listed firms by market capitalization (i.e. Russell 3000 Index). This study extrapolates four classifications of firms based on the number of women in the boardroom: zero women, one or two women, three plus women and gender balanced. The purpose of this study is to examine where progress has and has not been made, why firms plateau and an agenda for the future.

This study first provides a summative overview of the literature on the benefits of board gender diversity. It then examines progress according to the four classifications, each of which have theoretical underpinnings for whether or not firms can reap the strategic benefits of gender-diverse boardrooms.

Several indices of US publicly traded companies now have women holding between 30% and 33% of the seats in the boardroom. By examining the spread of women on boards according to the four classifications, this study extrapolates three key insights: firms experiencing tokenism (i.e. one or two women in the boardroom) do not have enough women to reap the strategic benefits of diverse boardrooms; firms that have reached a critical mass (three women in the boardroom) are at an impasse and may risk plateauing; and gender-balanced firms are elevated to the status of being role models for other firms. Calls for action and associated action plans accompany these insights.

This study reminds managers and directors of the strategic benefits of gender-diverse boards and offers three critical insights that boards can use to classify what stage they are at on the path toward board gender equality. Based on their classification, calls for action and action plans offer guidance to firms.

This study shifts away from focusing on the average percentage of board seats held by women across all firms and offers new insights on the progress that firms have made according to the number of women in their boardroom.

Can digital financial inclusion (DFI) as an emerging and innovative financial service encourage economic development?

Based on a Bayesian macroeconomic investigation framework, this research study presents the level of internet growth as a threshold variable and examines the influence of DFI on economic development based on state panel data from 2008 to 2021 in India.

The outcome of DFI on economic development through various mediation models. The results illustrate that DFI growth substantially contributes to economic development.

Encouraging small and medium-sized enterprise entrepreneurship and motivating populations’ utilization are two significant networks through which DFI progress affects economic growth.

Parliament of Malawi passed the Access to Information (ATI) Bill in 2016 but was operationalised on 3 October 2020. The purpose of this study is to track progress in the implementation of the Act.

The study adopted the survey research design. Data were collected through a questionnaire adapted from the Carter Centre’s Access to Information Implementation Assessment Tool (2009–2021). The questionnaire, mounted on Kobotoolbox, was administered to heads of ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional bodies and parastatal organisations through email and the WhatsApp mobile application. Data collected was analysed through Kobotoolbox and SPSS Version 19 to generate descriptive and inferential statistics.

The study concluded that information holders in Malawi had performed fairly well in the implementation of the ATI Act over the past two years. This determination was made after noting progress registered in the appointment of information officers, setting up a functional record management function to aid operationalisation of the Act and that information holders were receiving and positively responding to requests for information.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study undertaken in the country to determine progress in the implementation of the ATI Act from the time the Act was operationalised. Its findings would assist in shaping practical interventions to deal with challenges standing in the successful implementation of the Act. Additionally, the findings of the study could assist in policy formulation on matters related to implementation of the ATI Act.

This research seeks to investigate the impact of individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and entrepreneurial exposure on new-venture gestation activities during COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper adopted negative binomial regression (NBR) modeling with a sample of Saudi female nascent student entrepreneurs (N = 1,032).

The research found that females' IEO is significantly and positively associated with how much progress they make in term of the number of activities they carried out in the new-venture gestation stage. Similarly, females who had high entrepreneurial exposure are more likely to commit to many activities and progress in the new venture. Therefore, those who have entrepreneurial experience perform better different new-venture gestation activities during the COVID-19 pandemic than those who have little or no experience.

Over a transformation of demographic variables and using NBR, this paper is the first paper in Saudi Arabia that develops and tests a theoretically based model linking the perceptual entrepreneurial orientation of nascent student entrepreneurs with objectives variables to the progress of new-venture gestation activities.