1,720,980 research outputs found
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
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
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
Green buildings : a framework for social sustainability
No full textDespite the ongoing debate surrounding climate change, sustainability is increasingly a key consideration for building owners and tenants with the ‘triple bottom line’ as desired outcomes. The triangulated social, economic and environmental goals of sustainability are now the mantra of many businesses. While much has been written of the benefits of green buildings to its occupants, comparatively fewer studies have been devoted to investigating the perceived drawbacks and measures to improve the social sustainability factor, i.e., user satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to consider the impacts of green buildings on its occupants by drawing together past empirical findings and summarizing the results. In addition, the paper will also present a case study of the Institute of Sustainable Development and Architecture, which is Australia’s first 6-green star, rated educational building. Through these methods, the paper will identify gaps between green building performance and user satisfaction. Thereafter, it will introduce a social sustainability framework that seeks to improve the social performance of green buildings. The 6-P model is a holistic framework targeting the following factors that can influence user satisfaction of green buildings. These factors are: public perception, price, policies, psychological, physical and personal
Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM): Evolution\ud and Evaluation
No full textDespite its rapid development in the last decade, infrastructure asset management today suffers from an identity crisis as the definition and scope of infrastructure asset management remains a contentious issue. The purpose of this paper is to trace the evolution of infrastructure asset management and evaluate the current practices. In the process, a framework defining the scope of infrastructure asset management is proposed. Notwithstanding the systematic approach that many organisations adopt to manage their infrastructure assets, this paper argues for the need to adopt a more integrated and strategic perspective in the light of the dynamic contemporary operating environment
Strategic infrastructure asset management: the way forward
Get PDFOrganisations owning and managing infrastructure asset are constantly striving to obtain the greatest lifetime value from their infrastructure assets. Many such organisations have adopted the concept of “asset management” with the aim of improving the performance of their infrastructure assets. This paper evaluates the adoption of asset management to improve performance in the context of organisations managing infrastructure assets. Relevant previous research studies on main barriers to the adoption of asset management are reviewed. Analysis of these findings, together with deductive reasoning, leads to the development of the proposed improvement strategies. Three issues were identified as barrier to the advancement of the concept of asset management. They are (1) lack of recognition, (2) fragmentation; and (3) growing complexity. To overcome these issues, this paper suggests that the organisations manage infrastructure assets must (1) adopt a more strategic approach in the management of infrastructure assets, (2) develop a framework of strategic infrastructure asset management processes, and (3) identify the core capabilities needed in the management of infrastructure assets. This paper presents the direction for further research to advance the concept of asset management in the management of infrastructure asset
A strategic approach to Infrastructure Asset Management
No full textInfrastructure asset management has grown in importance in recent years. In practice, many approaches and models have been adopted by organisations managing different infrastructure assets. The aim of this paper is to synthesise various asset management practices currently in use. The paper will also provide in brief, the concept of an integrative strategic infrastructure asset management framework. The framework broadly consists of three main components: strategic analysis, strategic choice and strategic implementation. An integrative strategic infrastructure asset management framework is important as it is presented as a process model, is generic and can be applied to various types of infrastructure assets
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
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