1,721,044 research outputs found
Understanding the factors critical to success of PPPs in New Zealand: Public and private sector standpoint
No full textFALS
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Real-Time Project Productivity Tracking System: Practical Case in Smart Construction Projects
No full textMotivation: The productivity and progress tracking systems are currently used in construction projects
to acquire the site works data and converting to various digital reports.
Knowledge gap: To date, capturing and transferring data processes are slow or inefficient because significant human errors occur in the process. Therefore, project managers can omit critical information, and no timely decision can be made related to delay and unproductivity.
Aim and objectives: The purpose of this paper is to encompass a real-time project productivity tracking
system to register data and manage delays related to an Electrical and Instrument service trade involved
in smart construction projects in New Zealand.
Research method: The paper aimed to review industries delay reports, use expert judgment experience,
and compare the proposed method with current ones.
Preliminary or anticipated findings: The finding shows the proposed method uses a combination of
smartphone and Ms Project real-time monitoring software to optimise the current site reporting
procedure and workflow of productivity managing.
Research significance: The presented method should help construction decision-makers enhance time
and cost-effectiveness and manage delay better alongside more effective decisions. Meanwhile, hours
booked to collect data and update programs and models dropped by 24%.fals
Carbon footprint of residential building construction in Christchurch
No full textConstruction projects ranging from small residential to commercial buildings produce significant proportion of carbon emissions in New Zealand. Christchurch is growing with an increasing rate with a large number of residential building construction projects currently in progress or being planned. In this research, the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy analysis of some typical residential houses built recently in Christchurch will be investigated. A life cycle assessment (LCA) will be carried out, taking into account the supply of construction materials as well as the construction activities. The life cycle GHG emissions and embodied energy of the case study buildings will be calculated. The project is currently in the early stages and this paper presents briefly the preliminary works undertaken so far and the anticipated results. It is expected the project will provide results on the GHG emissions and embodied energy associated with the construction of typical residential buildings in Christchurch where the critical stages in the construction process of the buildings that
cause the major GHG emissions are identified and discussed
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Prediction of Final Tender Sums of Construction Projects from the Design-Stage Elemental Cost Plans: A Decision Support Tool for New Zealand
No full textReliable prediction of final tender sums (initial contract sums) of building projects from the cost plans is of great importance to construction clients and practitioners to prevent unpleasant consequences of cost overruns, disputes and project abandonment. Various approaches have been adopted in tender price forecasting, ranging from statistical/mathematical to the use of artificial intelligence techniques. Most of these approaches employed various elements of tender price equation to model their forecasts. However, despite these research efforts, a model that could improve the accuracy of final tender sum predictions is yet to be developed for New Zealand (NZ). Despite the aspirations of NZ to have one of the best construction industries in the world, it is still inefficient. This is especially regarding contract management, as characterised by poor labour productivity, health and safety issues and unpredictability in project delivery within budget and on time. Of these challenges, the cost aspect tends to be the most important, owing to its direct economic impact. Armed with this information, an accurate forecast of final tender sum has been a difficult task due to uncertainties and hence risks inherent in construction projects. Knowledge of how these risk factors combine to impact on budget overruns is the concern of this current study. As such, significant deviations are observable between the predicted (ECPs) and actual sums (FTS). This current assessment therefore attempts to develop a trial model on the variation between the design-stage ECP and FTS due to the inherent risks in construction projects. The aim of the model is to provide a decision support tool that could assist NZ construction industry practitioners to have a better and reliable prediction of final tender sums from the cost plans. The theoretical exploration of key risk factors inherent in construction projects is firstly identified through a literature review and then validated with construction practitioners, which resulted in 16 potential risk factors being identified. Based on the identified factors, a quantitative and a qualitative methodology (mixed methods research) was employed, first with 32 consultants (Architects, QS and PMs), and second, with 5 consultant QS participating in the questionnaire- and interview-based surveys respectively. A comparative analysis of survey results emanating from 208 consultants’ perspectives, revealed the top ten risk factors requiring focus for predictive modelling. Risk matrix technique prioritized 9 from the top 10 risk factors obtained by using risk mean analysis, degree of risk measure, coefficient of variation, Spearman’s coefficient of correlation and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance analyses. These risk factors are (1) client’s change/change in an owner’s requirements; (2) complexity of design and construction; (3) quality of information and flow requirements; (4) availability of design information; (5) expertise of consultants; (6) market condition; (7) project team’s experience of the construction type; (8) site investigation; and (9) inadequate tender documentation. The resulting risk impact assessment model was then developed by using multiple linear regression (MLR), based on the archival cost data (ECPs and FTS) from 62 case study projects, the dominant risk factors and their relative impacts of occurrence. The predictive model (trial) developed was validated using 12 case study projects to determine its accuracy and prediction performance, as well as the practical relevance to the NZ construction clients and consultants. The multiple linear regression model developed was promising in that it helped to establish that the phenomenon under consideration could be modelled. It also provided some insights in explaining the observed variability between the design-stage ECPs and FTS on risk impacts. This research study is first to develop an assessment model that could assist the construction industry practitioners in NZ to have a better and reliable final tender sum predictions from cost plans. The primary contribution is to provide quantitative confirmation of the more general statements made in the literature from around the world. This therefore adds to and consolidates existing knowledge. Moreover, as risk elements are inherent in construction project developments globally, these findings have important ramifications for all construction projects in expanding and clarifying existing knowledge on what is needed for reasonable budgetary performance and successful delivery of construction projects
- …
