1,720,997 research outputs found
Capabilities for strategic infrastructure asset management
No full textInfrastructure organisations are operating in an increasingly challenging business environment as a result of globalisation, privatisation and deregulation. Under such circumstances, asset managers need to manage their infrastructure assets effectively in order to contribute to the overall performance of their organisation. In an external business environment that is constantly changing, extant literature on strategic management advocates a resourced--�]based view (RBV) approach that focuses on factors internal to the organisation such as resources and capabilities to sustain organisation performance. The aim of this study is to explore the core capabilities needed in the management of infrastructure assets. Using a multiple case study research strategy focusing on transport infrastructure, this research firstly examines the goals of infrastructure asset management and their alignment with broader corporate goals of an infrastructure organisation. It then examines the strategic infrastructure asset management processes that are needed to achieve these goals. The core capabilities that can support the strategic infrastructure asset management processes are then identified. This research produced a number of findings. First, it provided empirical evidence that asset management goals are being pursued with the aim of supporting the broader business goals of infrastructure organisations. Second, through synthesising the key asset management processes deemed necessary to achieve the asset management goals, a strategic infrastructure asset management model is proposed. Third, it identified five core capabilities namely stakeholder connectivity, cross-functional, relational, technology absorptive and integrated information management capability as central to executing the strategic infrastructure asset management processes well. These findings culminate in the development of a capability model to improve the performance of infrastructure assets
Essential capabilities for strategic infrastructure asset management
No full textMany organisations have adopted the systematic approach of asset management to improve the performance of their assets. Existing management literature suggests that resources and capabilities are the primary determinants of firm’s performance. Therefore organisations that strive to improve their performance must first identify the essential capabilities that can support their business processes. The purpose of this paper is to identify these essential capabilities within the infrastructure asset management processes. From the literature, six capabilities are conceptualised as core to the infrastructure asset management processes. They are customer responsiveness, asset data collection, optimisation, integrated procurement, relational and project management
Infrastructure asset management: The challenges and approaches
No full textInfrastructure organisations such as airport, seaport, rail and road are operating in an increasingly challenging business environment as a result of globalisation, privatisation and deregulation. These organisations must ensure that their main resource i.e. their infrastructure assets are well managed in order to support their business operations. Brisbane Airport is used as a case study to understand the challenges faced in the management of infrastructure assets as well as the approaches used to overcome them. The findings can be useful in helping asset managers to identify the resources they should seek to manipulate in order to make improvement to their activities and contribute to the overall performance of their organisation
Infrastructure asset : developing maintenance management capability
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Maintenance management is a core process in infrastructure asset management. Infrastructure organisations must constantly strive to ensure the effectiveness of this process in order to obtain the greatest lifetime value from their infrastructure assets. This paper aims to investigate how infrastructure organisations can enhance the effectiveness of their maintenance management process. \ud
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Approach\ud
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This study utilised multiple case studies as the research approach. The case organisations were asked to identify the challenges faced in the maintenance process and the approaches they have adopted to overcome these challenges. Analysis of these findings, together with deductive reasoning, leads to the development of the proposed capability needed for effective maintenance management process.\ud
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Findings\ud
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The case studies reveal that maintenance management process is a core process in ensuring that infrastructure assets are optimally and functionally available to support business operations. However, the main challenge is the lack of skilled and experienced personnel to understand and anticipate maintenance requirement. A second challenge is the reduced window of time available to carry out inspection and maintenance works. To overcome these challenges, the case organisations have invested in technologies. However, technologies available to facilitate this process are complex and constantly changing. Consequently, there is a need for infrastructure organizations to develop their technological absorptive capability, i.e. the ability to embrace and capitalize on new technologies to enhance their maintenance management process.\ud
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Originality/Value\ud
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This paper is original in that it provides empirical evidence to identify technological absorptive capability as core to improving the maintenance management process. The findings are valuable because it sheds light on where infrastructure organisation, regardless of whether they are privately or publicly owned, should channel their scarce resources. The development of the core capability will ensure that the maintenance process can contribute value to their organisation. \u
Implementing Construction and Real Estate IT Education: Needs and Strategy
No full textInformation Technology (IT) has a profound effect on modern society. In the construction and real estate industry, the advent of IT has changed the way we design, build and manage buildings. To this end, the skill base of existing professionals will have to change. This paper aims to review the current IT needs of the construction and real estate industry through a survey of 70 construction and real estate firms in Singapore. It is proposed that in the short term, existing construction and real estate educators should incorporate more relevant IT modules in their syllabi. Continuing professional development in the area of IT applications is also needed for the professionals. In the longer term, a new Construction and Real Estate IT course is needed to meet the future IT needs of the construction and real estate industry
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe 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
Building capabilities for infrastructure capacity management
No full textInfrastructure capacity management is the process of ensuring optimal provision of infrastructure assets. Effectiveness in this process will enable the infrastructure asset owners and its stakeholders to receive full value on their investment. Business research has shown that an organisation can only achieve business value when it has the right capabilities. This paradigm can also be applied to infrastructure capacity management. With limited access to resources, the challenge for infrastructure organisations is to identify and develop core capabilities to enable infrastructure capacity management. This paper explores the concept of capability and identifies the core capabilities needed in infrastructure capacity management. Through a case study of the Port of Brisbane, this paper shows that infrastructure organisations must develop their intelligence gathering capability to effectively manage the capacity of their assets
Approaches to Construction Information Technology Education
No full textThis paper evaluates three current approaches adopted by construction educators to address the need for future IT knowledge and skills for construction professional. The three approaches are (1) Continuing Professional Development, (2) Incorporating IT modules into existing construction courses, and (3) Interdisciplinary courses with IT as the main integrating theme. This paper concludes that the Interdisciplinary approach with IT as the main integrating theme is the best way forward to equip future construction graduates with IT knowledge and skills that are critical for the development of the construction industry
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“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
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