3659 research outputs found
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Research Trends on Early Contractor Involvement in Construction Projects: A Bibliometric Analysis
Get PDFThe present study aims to highlight most significant journals in ECI research, most productive authors on ECI studies and territories, geospatial network of the active ECI research countries, current trend in ECI studies, and the most relevant keywords and co-occurrence networks in ECI studies. This study comprehensively examined the ECI research field by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 210 journal articles between 1992 and 2023 from the Web of Science (WoS) database. The findings showed that, Transportation Research Record, Construction Management and Economics, Journal of Management in Engineering, and Journal of Construction Engineering and Management are the most represented journals. Per Erik Eriksson is the most productive author identified in this study. United States of America, England and Australia are the most productive countries on ECI research. Current trends in ECI studies include ECI and project delivery, ECI as critical success factors, ECI in design and its impact on construction schedule performance, and overcoming cost-related issues through ECI. The highest co-occurred keywords are "procurement", "early contractor involvement", “performance”, and “construction”. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to conduct bibliometric analysis of past studies on ECI. As a result, the study contributed to the existing knowledge by identifying the pattern and trend of ECI research area, revealing its broader themes of research and clusters, mapping the network of key ECI authors and territories and recommending areas for future research
Greenspace & Us: Exploring co-design approaches to increase engagement with nature by girls and young women:
Get PDFNature connection through engagement with greenspaces plays an important role in promoting well-being. In England, certain groups, such as girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, have limited access to high-quality greenspaces and face other barriers to engaging with nature. In Oxfordshire, the County Council has committed to improving access to greenspace and nature for all. In 2022, a group consisting of twenty girls and young women (aged 10–16) from East Oxford not-for- profit organisations, academic institutions and public bodies came together to start an initiative called ‘Greenspace & Us’. The girls and young women participated in six three- hour workshops in February to March 2022. Using the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour) approach, we explored the enablers and barriers to girls and young women in Oxford engaging more with nature, which included: increasing equity of access; introducing meaningful co-production; taking safety concerns seriously; making nature normal; promoting the right to play; and increasing the ability to connect with greenspaces.The outputs of this process were synthesised into the ‘Greenspace & Us Manifesto’, which was crafted collectively. Furthermore, these insights were used to design inclusive park furniture, which was later installed in a local park in East Oxford. In this practice-based article, we outline the methods, outcomes as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the engagement, co-design and co-production approaches we used in Greenspace & Us. We hope the insights from our project will support more inclusive and equitable design of greenspaces for all
Linkages with practice for higher-education curriculum innovation
Get PDFThis article is inspired by the debate on curriculum innovation for graduate training, emerging out of linkages between universities and agribusiness development actors, targeting entrepreneurial action and employability of graduates. Experiences from implementation of a three-year joint project are enriched by a desk review, stakeholder feedback and interpretative analysis of process documents during the development of the regional graduate curriculum on Agri-Enterprise Development for Egerton and Gulu Universities in Kenya and Uganda, respectively. The graduate curriculum at the two universities in East Africa integrated the approaches of roundtable engagement and research as well as value chain cluster mapping and development through interactive sharing with agribusiness development facilitators. Simultaneously, the two implementing universities showcased the feasibility of integrating community engagement and entrepreneurial skills into a new curriculum. They achieved this by adopting two training approaches from their previous, more limited curriculum, which lacked student entrepreneurial experiential learning. The outcome from the first cohort of students in the innovative programs demonstrates significant institutional change in teaching and learning approaches. These changes prioritize a blend of action research and theoretical exposure. At the university-wide level, a student-centered teaching and learning approach has been established, facilitated by models like Student Farm Attachment, Student Enterprise Scheme, and Student Community Engagement. Additionally, university-based research teams have honed their skills in community action research, leading to the identification of relevant challenges and plausible solutions. Furthermore, students’ skills sets have increasingly enhanced employability.
Strengthening linkages between universities and community development actors can enhance curriculum orientation toward problem-solving and entrepreneurial capacity building for young graduates. Purposeful engagement with communities by university faculty and students serves as a complementary extension approach and advisory service. Implementing an innovative curriculum has the potential to boost research uptake and foster innovation. This article demonstrates how university- industrial actors’ collaboration can be exploited for curriculum (re)design, review and up-dating for (a) enhanced relevance of universities to community needs and employability of graduates; and (b) improvements in the research uptake pathways that facilitate research-into-use for desired impacts at community level
Strengthening local autonomy in development: composite budgeting, expenditure planning and implementation in Nanumba South district, Ghana
Get PDFIncluding local citizens in decision-making about the use of local resources is crucial to improving the generation of locally raised funds. This study illustrates the positive effects of composite budgeting – a participatory process – in meeting local people’s development interest and needs, and in promoting expenditure autonomy. Using a case study approach and drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data, the study found that Ghana’s system of district assemblies – which are largely made up of elected members – appears to be relatively successful in delivering the capacity and independence required to make funding decisions that benefit local people and the development of their area. The paper suggests a link between citizens’ confidence in the working of their assembly and their willingness to contribute to locally generated funds
Review: Decentralised governance: crafting effective democracies around the world edited by Jean-Paul Faguet and Sarmistha Pal
No full textThe premise for this book is that for more than six decades decentralisation has been one of the most powerful reform movements across the world, and that – under the right conditions – decentralised systems produce more effective public services and are more democratic. However, despite the breadth and depth of the book’s analysis, this reviewer emerged little wiser about precisely what those ‘right conditions’ might be, and wondering how often decentralisation of some sort is the ‘right’ idea in the first place
Involving Kyai and Thug Networks In Oil and Gas Company CSR Communication
Get PDFThis paper explores local partners\u27 communication strategies in the ExxonMobil Cepu Limited CSR program in Bojonegoro Regency, East Java. The research data comes from in-depth interviews with 25 informants. They consist of representatives of oil and gas companies, governments, journalists, NGOs, and Corporate Social Responsibility beneficiaries. The results show that the local partner\u27s strategy in building symmetrical two-way communication with stakeholders can be understood at three levels. First, there is the process of social integration. The involvement of local elites, kyai, thug networks, and a grassroots approach in CSR communication is part of social integration. Second, there is social protection. The participatory communication network that has been built in the initial phase ultimately gives rise to a commitment to protect the program run by local partners. The depth of the relationship between local partners and stakeholders forms the third level, relations and social cohesion that give birth to a relationship of give and take
Factor analysis of risk allocation criteria (RAC) in public-private partnership (PPP) projects: A case of New Zealand
Get PDFThe utilization of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) has become widely prevalent as an innovative approach for procuring public infrastructure projects. Risk transfer/allocation is one of the main reasons for this widespread adoption and considered a critical success factor for a PPP. Given the importance of equitable risk allocation, this study identified and analysed 10 key risk allocation criteria. Experts with experience in PPP projects in New Zealand were surveyed through an empirical questionnaire to obtain industry-wide data. Mean score analysis and factor analysis were then used to analyse the collected data. In order to ensure the validity of the analysis results, appropriate statistical tests such as Cronbach’s Alpha, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) statistic and Bartlett’s test of Sphericity were conducted. Result indicate that the most important criteria for risk allocation are “risk foresight”, “minimize risk loss” and “response to risk”. Furthermore, factor analysis showed that the identified RAC can be classified into three component groups namely “risk management expertise”, “core risk management capability” and “risk management strategy”. This study aims to provide PPP stakeholders with useful insights into the most effective measures for achieving equitable risk allocation. To achieve this, the study recommends to consider the risk management capabilities of both the public and private sectors in light of the identified RACs/groupings. The results of the study are expected to assist PPP stakeholders in developing strategies that can enhance risk management and achieve a fair distribution of risks
Spanish
No full textThe study of cross-cutting characters in Roberto Bolaño\u27s narrative becomes essential when examining the existing critical bibliography on the Chilean author. Many analyses focus on individual characters or specific works, overlooking the cohesive nature of Bolaño\u27s fictional universe. This article aims to present a comprehensive history of the interconnected characters in Bolaño\u27s texts, exploring their evolution and the interplay between the plots of his stories and novels. By examining the complete range of recurring characters, the article uncovers multiple cross-cutting character arcs that span across several of Bolaño\u27s works. While Bolaño\u27s recognition grew after receiving the Rómulo Gallegos Prize in 1998, academic interest in his works further intensified with subsequent publications, including monographs, theses, and critical studies. Notable contributions include works that extensively analyse various aspects of Bolaño\u27s writing but fall short of a comprehensive study of his cross-cutting characters. This article fills that gap by exploring the appearances and transformations of characters such as Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima, examining instances of character rewriting, and delving into the portrayal of characters in different works. By offering a holistic and intertextual understanding of Bolaño\u27s narrative, this study contributes to the critical analysis of his literary oeuvre.The study of cross-cutting characters in Roberto Bolaño\u27s narrative becomes essential when examining the existing critical bibliography on the Chilean author. Many analyses focus on individual characters or specific works, overlooking the cohesive nature of Bolaño\u27s fictional universe. This article aims to present a comprehensive history of the interconnected characters in Bolaño\u27s texts, exploring their evolution and the interplay between the plots of his stories and novels. By examining the complete range of recurring characters, the article uncovers multiple cross-cutting character arcs that span across several of Bolaño\u27s works. While Bolaño\u27s recognition grew after receiving the Rómulo Gallegos Prize in 1998, academic interest in his works further intensified with subsequent publications, including monographs, theses, and critical studies. Notable contributions include works that extensively analyse various aspects of Bolaño\u27s writing but fall short of a comprehensive study of his cross-cutting characters. This article fills that gap by exploring the appearances and transformations of characters such as Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima, examining instances of character rewriting, and delving into the portrayal of characters in different works. By offering a holistic and intertextual understanding of Bolaño\u27s narrative, this study contributes to the critical analysis of his literary oeuvre
‘Welcome to the Anthropocene’: Public Environmental History
Get PDFThe geological concept ‘the Anthropocene’ circulates widely outside Earth System Science – in museum communities, public culture, social sciences, and amongst social science and humanities scholars, artists, activists and public historians too. It is an evident idea for public historians today working with environmental history to engage with a concept that successfully and popularly bridges academic and public interests. This article discusses the concept of the Anthropocene within public environmental history’s historiography and brings in Dipesh Chakrabarty’s influential discussions from the academic field of history and theory about the non-synchronous temporalities geological time and historical time. The article categorizes public environmental history’s methodological approaches since the field emerged in the 1990s, revealing the important concepts being landscapes, human-nature interactions, climate change, sustainability and the Anthropocene. It concludes that the Anthropocene is a concept that can further develop public environmental history but that it also a paradox to the field potentially affecting a core idea in public history – relationships to publics. This has to do with temporal implications of the concept: it squeezes the temporality of memory important to public history and humans out of view; it imposes an extremely slow and long chronological time that is unfamiliar if not foreign to ordinary people to perceive of; it carries with it the idea about a future without humans and other species of today
Capital’s Preference for Foreign African Labour in South Africa: Reflections on Liberal Anti-xenophobia Research
Get PDFIn South Africa, in many economic sectors, foreign blacks are more likely to get a job than a similarly skilled black South African. This paper is about why employers prefer foreign African labour in South Africa, how this contributes to seeing South African black workers as inferior and how job hoarding networks in employment niches have emerged. We examine this in the context of literature on ‘xenophobia’. Both discursive and material practices of racist-ethnicist employers are significant. In a new hierarchy of fictive labour imaginaries which reflects a new labour ‘frontier’ in a diversified post-apartheid southern African pool. The new frontier reflects neoliberal flexible labour systems which also operate within a human rights free-market framework
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