Construction plant and equipment management research: thematic review

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Edwards ◽  
Gary D. Holt

PurposeA literature review is presented in the subject of construction plant and equipment management (CPeM) to: delineate the subject; consider its development over recent years; and identify principal themes within it. The paper aims to close the gap in knowledge, by using these objectives as a mechanism to observe how research themes relate to primary CPeM functions, and to suggest future research direction.Design/methodology/approachA thematic review of CPeM academic literature (in the main, refereed journal papers published in English‐speaking countries over the last decade) is undertaken; the nature of identified themes is discussed, for instance, regarding why they might have evolved as they have; and based on the foregone, themes for future research in the field are proffered.FindingsCPeM is found well established within the broader subject of construction management. Eight principal themes are identified, namely plant maintenance; downtime and productivity; optimisation; robotics and automation; health and safety; operators and competence; machine control; and “miscellaneous”.Research limitations/implicationsIt is proffered that based on informational/technological advancements coupled with growing environmental/financial pressures, future CPeM research will strive to facilitate even greater plant reliability and safer modes of working. It is suggested that “optimum production methods” and “minimal resource consumption” will become inherent theme goals.Originality/valueThis is the first time that CPeM research has been consolidated and reviewed for publication in this manner.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Ma ◽  
Qiaoyun Xu ◽  
Baiyang Li

PurposeThe continuous development of information technology leads to intelligent education research. In the context of internationalisation, the study aims to understand the relevant research status worldwide, research similarities and differences that need to be discovered, and research frontiers that need to be explored.Design/methodology/approachWeb of Science (WoS) core collection was used as the data source, descriptive statistical analysis, geographic data visualisation and coupling analysis are used to reveal coupling relationships, present a cooperative situation and discover research frontiers.FindingsIntelligent education research has been widely carried out in countries around the world, and there is extensive scientific research cooperation. According to coupling analysis results, the coupling strength of bibliographic between countries has been continuously improved, while the coupling strength of keywords has remained balanced, and there is standardisation and diversity of research.Research limitations/implicationsThe weakness of the research lies in the limitations of the data sources. Important research achievements on a certain topic in many non-English speaking countries are usually published in native journals. In the future research direction, more coupling analysis objects can be carried out, such as focussing on authors and institutions.Practical implicationsThrough the coupling analysis of country bibliographic and keywords, it reveals the consistency and divergence of intelligent education research between different countries at different time spans.Originality/valueDesign and implement country bibliographic coupling (CBC) and country keyword coupling (CKC) strength indicators to calculate the strength of coupling between countries.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 350-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tali Marcus ◽  
Snunith Shoham

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the factors related to the employee as an individual, that affect the quality and level of the individual’s assimilation of knowledge (AOK) which is transmitted by way of organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach – All subjects (317) of this research were employed at different positions in day camps of a social organization. The study examined the subjects’ AOK relating to the organization’s security and safety procedures. The variables examined in this study include: the employee’s organizational commitment; the employee’s perception of the organization’s culture; the employee’s perception of the advantage inherent in the security and safety information; the employee’s self-efficacy; and the employee’s motivation to assimilate the new knowledge. Findings – The research variables explained a significant part (37 per cent) of the variance obtained with respect to assimilation and learning in the organization. The most powerful explanation for the variance in degree of implementation was the perception of the organization’s security and safety culture and the subject’s self-efficacy. Subjects’ perceived advantage from the knowledge did not make a significant contribution and motivation serves as a mediator but it does not mediate directly between the variables and AOK. Research limitations/implications – The research was conducted in a single organization. We recommend conducting similar studies in other organizations, including other types of organizations, to strengthen the conclusions which derive from our research. We also recommend that future research should use alternative methodologies (e.g. qualitative research and review of the results by experts) since other methodologies might reveal new facts that may have been uncovered in the use of the quantitative method applied in our research. Practical implications – We recommend that an organization which strives to be a learning organization, should pay attention, inter alia, to factors relating to the employees themselves, and in particular: increasing the employees’ self-efficacy, clarifying the benefits to the employee of the transmitted knowledge; and bringing the organization’s values and culture into clearer focus for the employees. Originality/value – The unique nature of our research model is twofold: first, the variables on which we have chosen to focus are different from other studies, and to our knowledge, the combination of these variables and the examination of these variables in relation to learning in the context of organizations have not been examined in other studies. Second, our model gauges the effects of an employee’s subjective perception with relation to his organization’s culture, his perceived advantage with regard to the subject-matter which he is learning and his self-assessed existing knowledge.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to present the latest scholarly trends in the field of social capital in libraries, to review research concepts published by LIS professionals and to suggest further research possibilities in this area. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a review and critical analysis of literature associated with research on social capital in libraries to highlight its importance for the development of LIS and its impact on the functioning of environments linked with various types of libraries. The goal of literature analysis was to determine the current condition of research on social capital in libraries. The main trends were identified and the need for further qualitative analyses, which are missing at the moment, was confirmed. Findings It was determined that, so far, LIS professionals have focussed mainly on the role of municipal libraries in developing social capital, the problem of building trust, especially in immigrant circles and the impact of libraries on promoting a civil society. Academic libraries, rural libraries, organisational capital in libraries and individual social capital of librarians were a much less frequent subject of research. The role of libraries in developing social capital in educational (primary and secondary education) and professional (non-university professionals) circles is practically non-existent in research, and it will require in-depth studies and analyses in the coming years. Originality/value This paper constitutes a synthetic review of the latest research concepts concerning social capital in libraries. It identifies the most important research trends and areas that so far have not been explored and suggests research methods to help LIS professionals design future research in this area more effectively.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Kwame Ofori-Kuragu ◽  
Robert Osei-Kyei

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the current state of popular modern methods of construction (MMC) and pre-manufactured construction in the construction industry and propose a framework for future implications for practice and future research. Design/methodology/approach This technical paper is based on a narrative review of the extant literature on the subject. First, the Scopus search engine was used to retrieve relevant papers on MMC, offsite and pre-manufactured construction. Second, institutional literature such as reports by industry professional and trade bodies, literature from leading technology firms and contractors with experience of MMC were extracted. These two strands of literature were synthesised and a comprehensive discussion on the topic was provided. Findings Results show that journal publications on MMC and pre-manufactured construction have increased in the past decade. The paper found significant advances in the development of premanufactured and offsite construction approaches with many benefits. Offsite and pre-manufactured construction are viable and sustainable systems currently suitable for wider adoption as the mainstream construction method. Research limitations/implications This technical paper based on an integrative review of relevant literature could have benefitted from interviews of professionals with experience of offsite and pre-manufacture techniques and from wider availability of current academic publications on the subject. Validation of the framework has not been undertaken. Originality/value Not much-published work has been undertaken on the current state of development globally and the viability of these construction approaches. This paper evaluates evidence from academic and industry sources to address this gap. A framework has been developed which can help the industry’s industrialisation drive.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinod Kumar ◽  
Zillur Rahman ◽  
A. A. Kazmi

Purpose – This paper aims to review the literature on stakeholder identification and classification related to sustainability marketing from 1998 to 2012 and provides a generalized approach to stakeholder identification and classification in the field of sustainability marketing. Design/methodology/approach – Beginning with brief introductions of the key concepts, the research discusses landmark studies on the subject in detail. The review process then begins by identifying and selecting relevant research papers from various online databases. Finally, 60 research papers are found suitable for the review and are examined to theoretically analyze the stakeholder identification and classification schemes used in sustainability marketing literature. Findings – This study identifies trends of growth in stakeholder identification and classification literature. In addition, there are two major findings. First, stakeholder identification can be done with the help of previous studies, with support from managers or via a combination of both. Second, future research can adopt generic stakeholder classification schemes or relative classification schemes based on dimensions of sustainability to classify stakeholders in relation to sustainability marketing. In relative stakeholder classification, regulatory stakeholders may be considered separately. Research limitations/implications – While the literature review may be incomplete, as it uses only a title-based advanced search, researchers and practitioners can still benefit from this simplified approach to manage stakeholders. Originality/value – The study introduces a generalized approach to stakeholder identification and classification related to sustainability marketing and provides a bibliography from 1998 to 2012 that can be used by academics and managers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agus Usman ◽  
Yudi Azis ◽  
Budi Harsanto ◽  
Anton Mulyono Azis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the evolution of research on airport service quality and measurement index of passenger satisfaction to explore opportunities for future research direction.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted involving a total final sample 27 articles published during 2000–2020, the source of the database used in this study is Emerald, ScienceDirect, Harzing's Publish or Perish with API Key based on set of inclusion/exclusion criteria for analysis and synthesis to meet the purpose of the paper.FindingsDimensions of measuring airport service quality are currently based on a process approach. There are eight dimensions of ASQ measurement practiced by the industry, which is different from the five dimensions of service quality measurement generally. There is still a theoretical and empirical gap, so one of the challenges in applying the ASQ measurement dimensions is bridging research with applications in the airport industry. Other findings, research on airport service quality measurement is currently focused on passenger satisfaction. The integration of expectation-disconfirmation theory and service profit chain models can be used in service quality, passenger satisfaction and profitability.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper seeks to contribute to and analyze limited articles on service quality at airports and identify further research areas.Originality/valueThis paper tries to explain the development of research on the dimensions of measuring service quality at airports. The author identifies a gap in airport service quality measurement dimensions used by researchers and the industry. The author believes that this study can provide a comprehensive thought on using airport service quality measurement dimensions for future research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Gummerus ◽  
Michaela Lipkin ◽  
Apramey Dube ◽  
Kristina Heinonen

PurposeThis study aims to introduce and characterize a specific form of self-service technology (SST), customer self-service devices (SSDs), as well as propose and apply a classification scheme of SSDs to encourage future research on such SSTs.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on conceptual development of customer SSDs and exploratory qualitative insight from representatives of companies offering various types of SSDs.FindingsThis paper introduces SSDs as customer-possessed and controlled smart service devices aiming to solve problems from the customer’s perspective, often within completely new, customer-defined service processes and ecosystems. SSDs are not confined to the company-controlled service environment, and customers may thus use them wherever and whenever they so wish. The study characterizes SSDs based on service and customer use features, as well as on the subject of the service act (self/other vs belongings) and nature of service act (monitoring vs acting).Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to conceptual exploration with qualitative insights from six companies. Future research is needed to empirically study different SSDs by using both qualitative and quantitative approaches in various settings.Originality/valueThe paper conceptualizes SSDs as an extension to the traditional SST framework. It contributes to the understanding of how personal handheld devices can contribute to customer experiences. It provides research directions to stimulate further research in SSTs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-455
Author(s):  
Maizaitulaidawati Md Husin ◽  
Razali Haron

Purpose This paper aims to provide a systematic review of literature on the demand for takāful (Islamic insurance) from articles published from January 2009 to June 2019. The review aims to synthesise and segment previously published research to identify the gaps and provide future research direction. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Past research was analysed, and content comparisons based on research focus, context and methodology were evaluated. Findings It was found that not much has been written and published on takāful demand in quality journals. The first two articles were published in 2009, but it was only in 2017 that coverage of the topic rapidly expanded. Although no article was found to have been published in 2018 on takāful demand, there was one published article on the topic in 2019. This paper also found that not much attention has been given to takāful demand from the corporate sector. Research limitations/implications The defined rule for document searching and selection excluded out-of-scope documents that might be relevant. Furthermore, as this paper concentrates exclusively on articles published in English journals, the possibility that other relevant works do appear elsewhere in a different language is not denied. Practical implications Factors determining takāful demand are provided, and general directions are discussed, which managers can use to develop market share further. Originality/value Such an extensive review of literature on takāful demand has not been done before. Other than revealing ambiguities, gaps and contradictions in the literature, this paper sketches an avenue for further research. It also provides information and guidance for other researchers wishing to embark on research on takāful demand.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 686-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saara A. Brax ◽  
Anu Bask ◽  
Juliana Hsuan ◽  
Chris Voss

Purpose Services are highly important in a world economy which has increasingly become service driven. There is a growing need to better understand the possibilities for, and requirements of, designing modular service architectures. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the roots of the emerging research stream on service modularity, provide a concise overview of existing work on the subject, and outline an agenda for future research on service modularity and architecture. The articles in the special issue offer four diverse sets of research on service modularity and architecture. Design/methodology/approach The paper is built on a literature review mapping the current body of literature on the topic and developing future research directions in service modularity and architecture. Findings The growing focus on services has triggered needs to investigate the suitability and implementation of physical-product-focused modularity principles and theories in service contexts, and to search for principles/theories that enhance services. The expanding research stream has explored various aspects of service modularity in empirical contexts. Future research should focus on service-specific modularity theories and principles, platform-based and mass-customized service business models, comparative research designs, customer perspectives and service experience, performance in context of modular services, empirical evidence of benefits and challenges, architectural innovation in services, modularization in multi-provider contexts, and modularity in hybrid offerings combining service and tangible product modules. Originality/value Nine areas are recommended for further research on service modularity and architecture. The introductory piece also discusses the roots of service modularity and provides an overview of current contributions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almando Geraldi

Abstract Minor ginsenodes are of great interest due to their diverse pharmacological activities such as their anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, immunomodulator, and anti-inflammatory effects. The miniscule amount of minor ginsenosides in ginseng plants has driven the development of their mass production methods. Among the various production methods for minor ginsenosides, the utilization of microorganisms and their enzymes are considered as highly specific, safe, and environmentally friendly. In this review, various minor ginsenosides production strategies, namely utilizing microorganisms and recombinant microbial enzymes, for biotransforming major ginsenosides into minor ginsenoside, as well as constructing synthetic minor ginsenosides production pathways in yeast cell factories, are described and discussed. Furthermore, the present challenges and future research direction for producing minor ginsenosides using those approaches are discussed.


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