Seismic risk management of a large public facilities portfolio: a New Zealand case study

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (13/14) ◽  
pp. 809-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Quinn Walsh ◽  
Reza Jafarzadeh ◽  
Nicola M. Short ◽  
Jason M. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Seismic Retrofitting ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Facilities ◽  
Evaluation Programme

Purpose The purpose of this article is to assist facilities asset managers who are dealing with regulatory environments pertaining to earthquakes and buildings. These professionals can learn a great deal from the successes and short-comings of a case study programme from the Auckland Council Property Department (ACPD), which manages the public facilities portfolio for the largest local administrative region in New Zealand in both population and landmass. Design/methodology/approach ACPD has initiated its response to New Zealand’s earthquake mitigation mandates by identifying buildings most at risk to an earthquake in its large and varied portfolio through the use of a rapid building evaluation programme strategically targeted to vulnerable building types with consequential attributes, including service type, number of occupants, floor area and geographic location. Findings ACPD was able to rapidly cull down its portfolio of approximately 3,500 buildings to just over 100 “high-exposure” buildings in urgent need of evaluation, set priorities for future evaluations, estimate needed operational and capital expenditures for long-term planning and provide useful information to more general facilities management decision-making processes. Originality/value A number of major cities around the world in areas of high seismicity have enacted ordinances mandating seismic retrofitting. However, much of the existing guiding literature regarding earthquake-related portfolio evaluations and costs pertains to specific scenarios involving real or hypothetical earthquakes. This case study, in contrast, details the approach taken by a public portfolio owner responding to legal mandates and attempting to quantify and reduce its life-safety risk exposure across a large portfolio as efficiently as possible using readily available information, a rapid building evaluation programme and best-practice predictive models for consulting and construction work.

Cultural societies and information needs: Croats in New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 652-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Krtalić ◽  
Ivana Hebrang Grgić
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Immigrant Communities ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to explore how small immigrant communities in host countries collect, disseminate and present information about their home country and their community, and the role of formal societies and clubs in it. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents the results of a case study of the Croatian community in New Zealand. To illustrate how cultural and technological changes affected information dissemination and communication within the community, the case study presents both historical and current situations. Methods used in this case study included a content analysis of historical newspapers published in New Zealand by the Croatian community, content analysis of current webpages and social networking sites, and interviews with participants who have management roles in Croatian societies and communities in New Zealand. Data were collected from December 2018 to February 2019. Findings Formally established clubs and societies, but also informal groups of immigrants and their descendants can play a significant role in providing their members with information about the culture, social life and events of the home country. They also play a significant role in preserving part of the history and heritage which is relevant, not only for a specific community but also for the history and culture of a home country. Originality/value The methodology used in the research is based on data from community archives and can be used for studying other small immigrant communities in New Zealand or abroad. The case study presented in the paper illustrates how the information environment of small immigrant communities develops and changes over the years under the influence of diverse political, social and technological changes.

Verifying the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure: Sydney Metro’s commissioning through the “significance matrix” methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koorosh Gharehbaghi ◽  
Kerry McManus ◽  
Maged Georgy ◽  
Ken Farnes ◽  
Francesca Pagliara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Transportation Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Comprehensive Determination ◽  
Transportation Infrastructures ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Purpose Through the significance matrix, this paper aims to investigate and explore the main sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure projects. Sydney’s Metro mega transportation infrastructure is used as a case study. Sydney’s Metro was selected because of its sustainability challenges faced because of the areas’ diverse ecological zones. Sydney’s Metro is thus examined as the basis of best practice for the determination of the sustainability factors of transportation infrastructures. Design/methodology/approach Using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research evaluates the environmental impact assessment and environmental assessment processes, to alleviate the problems of the mega transportation infrastructure. Findings This research found that a more comprehensive determination is needed to further analyse the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures, use of a significance matrix would further assess the environmental complexities of mega transportation infrastructures and the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures should include a nonlinear and asymmetrical scheme highlighting its components and carefully outlining its integration and consolidation. Originality/value Although there is concurrent research into sustainability factors of mega transportation, this paper undertakes a new methodology for such infrastructure. While the significance matrix is not a new concept, it has never been used specifically for mega transportation infrastructure. Subsequently, using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research undertakes such environmental analysis and assessment and thus produces a qualitative risk analysis matrix. The findings from this research will ultimately assist the key stakeholders of mega transportation infrastructures to better plan, monitor and support similar projects.

A journey towards integrated person-centred care: a case study of a mental health perspective in the voluntary sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Kermode
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Voluntary Sector ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care

PurposePerson-centred care is a fundamental component of any service. This case study aims to explore the delivery of person-centred care in the voluntary sector, discussing how integrating support can be achieved to benefit individuals. It identifies challenges, best practice and learning that can be applied across sectors and promotes further enquiry.Design/methodology/approachThis case study is the result of a service audit at a mental health charity. The findings are a blend of reflections, observations and examples from service delivery, synthesised with national policy to provide evidence of best practice and processes that enable person-centred care.FindingsA focus on need not diagnosis, creating accessible and inclusive services, employing dual trained practitioners, having a varied skill mix along with holistic self-assessment tools are all enablers for integrated person-centred support. Multi-agency assessment frameworks, collaboration across services, cross-agency supervision and a shared vision for integration and person-centred care support services to coordinate more effectively. Barriers to integrated person-centred support include complex physical and mental health needs and harmful risk and safeguarding. The diversity of the voluntary sector, a lack of resources along with complex and competitive funding also hinder integration.Originality/valueThis case study provides a valuable insight into the voluntary sector and shares its findings to enhance best practice. It aims to promote interest and invites further research into health and social care delivery by the voluntary sector. As this delivery continues to increase, it is vital to examine the interface between the voluntary and statutory sector. Through better understanding and further research across all sectors, the author can identify how they can achieve person-centred outcomes and deliver the national policies.

Employee engagement creates a brighter economic future at Jupiter Hotels

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Cattermole ◽  
Jaime Johnson ◽  
Diane Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Major Change ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Results ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Hr Managers ◽  
Economic Future

Purpose – This paper seeks to address the role and impact of employee engagement within an organization that has undergone major change. It looks at the issues of how to monitor and increase levels of staff engagement over time to deliver business results. Design/methodology/approach – It draws on six-monthly employee engagement surveys and a case study to illustrate how HR can drive and monitor change through employee engagement. Findings – This paper follows a company through economic uncertainty to major organizational change and examines how the role of engagement and monitoring can drive business success. Research limitations/implications – The case study only looks at the issues over an 18 month time period. Originality/value – This paper illustrates how an HR department can build employee engagement to drive the business forward. The case study offers best practice material for HR managers.

scholarly journals Organising to beat the Trade Union Act (2016) voting thresholds: a case study of organising and tactics from the University and College Union

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Richards ◽  
Vaughan Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
College Union ◽  
The University ◽  
Further Development

PurposeA retrospective action-research case study of one branch of the University and College Union (UCU) is used to show how threshold requirements of the Act can be systematically beaten.Design/methodology/approachThe paper responds to calls for “best practice” on how trade unions may react to member voting threshold requirements of the Trade Union Act 2016 (the Act). A broader aim is to make a theoretical contribution related to trade union organising and tactics in “get the vote out” (GTVO) industrial action organising campaigns.FindingsFindings are presented as a lead organiser's first-hand account of a successful GTVO campaign contextualised in relation to theories of organising. The findings offer “best practice” for union organisers required to beat the Act's voting thresholds and also contribute to theories surrounding trade union organising tactics.Research limitations/implicationsFurther development and adaptation of the proposed model may be required when applied to larger bargaining units and different organising contexts.Practical implicationsThe findings can inform the organising practices/tactics of trade unions in relation to statutory ballots. The findings also allow Human Resource (HR) practitioners to reflect on their approach to dealing with unions capable of mounting successful GTVO campaigns.Social implicationsThe findings have the potential to collectively empower workers, via their trade unions, to defend and further their interests in a post-financial crisis context and in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThis is the first known empirical account of organising to exceed voting thresholds of the Act, providing practical steps for union organisers in planning for statutory ballots. Further value lies in the paper's use of a novel first-hand account of a GTVO campaign, offering a new and first, theoretical model of organising tactics to beat the Act.

Legislative discrepancies: an analysis of Missouri’s current human trafficking laws and the need to improve its legal protection of victims

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-158
Author(s):  
Rachel Kappler ◽  
Arduizur Carli Richie-Zavaleta
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
State Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Safe Harbor ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa

Purpose Human trafficking (HT) is a local, national and international problem with a range of human rights, public health and policy implications. Victims of HT face atrocious abuses that negatively impact their health outcomes. When a state lacks protective laws, such as Safe Harbor laws, victims of HT tend to be seen as criminals. This paper aims to highlight the legal present gaps within Missouri’s anti-trafficking legislation and delineates recommendations for the legal protection of victims of HT and betterment of services needed for their reintegration and healing. Design/methodology/approach This case-study is based on a policy analysis of current Missouri’s HT laws. This analysis was conducted through examining current rankings systems created by nationally and internationally recognized non-governmental organizations as well as governmental reports. Additionally, other state’s best practice and law passage of Safe Harbor legislations were examined. The recommendations were based on human rights and public health frameworks. Findings Missouri is a state that has yet to upgrade its laws lately to reflect Safe Harbor laws. Constant upgrades and evaluations of current efforts are necessary to protect and address HT at the state and local levels. Public health and human rights principles can assist in the upgrading of current laws as well as other states’ best-practice and integration of protective legislation and diversion programs to both youth and adult victims of HT. Research limitations/implications Laws are continually being updated at the state level; therefore, there might be some upgrades that have taken place after the analysis of this case study was conducted. Also, the findings and recommendations of this case study are limited to countries that are similar to the USA in terms of the state-level autonomy to pass laws independently from federal law. Practical implications If Safe Harbor laws are well designed, they have greater potential to protect, support and assist victims of HT in their process from victimization into survivorship as well as to paving the way for societal reintegration. The creation and enforcement of Safe Harbor laws is a way to ensure the decriminalization process. Additionally, this legal protection also ensures that the universal human rights of victims are protected. Consequently, these legal processes and updates could assist in creating healthier communities in the long run in the USA and around the world. Social implications From a public health and human rights perspectives, communities in the USA and around the world cannot provide complete protection to victims of HT until their anti-trafficking laws reflect Safe Harbor laws. Originality/value This case study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is a unique analysis that dismantles the discrepancies of Missouri’s current HT laws. This work is valuable to those who create policies at the state level and advocate for the protection of victims and anti-trafficking efforts.

Exploration role of volunteerism on the digitisation project: case of the office of the premier in Mpumalanga province, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkholedzeni Sidney Netshakhuma
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Youth Empowerment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Volunteer Labor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of volunteerism during the digitisation project by the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga with a view recommending the best practice. Design/methodology/approach The empirical data was collected through the semi-structured qualitative interviews with the records manager and ten volunteer archivists employed by the Office of the Premier. Findings Local pupils within the Mpumalanga province were recruited to participate in the digitisation project as a form of youth empowerment. The Mpumalanga Provincial Archives was not involved in the digitisation project to ensure that all digitisation specification was in line with the requirement of the provincial archives. Furthermore, a lack of resources to implement the digitisation project was cited as the main stamping block for the successful implementation of the project. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to the Office of the premier, in the Mpumalanga province. Practical implications Archivists interested in recruiting volunteers on a digitisation project can use this paper to understand the benefits and cost of volunteer labor before putting volunteer projects into practice. Social implications The success of a digitisation project depends on the involvement of the Mpumalanga Provincial archives. Originality/value This paper presents a unique case study in South Africa of a digitisation project staffed with volunteers in the office of the Premier.

scholarly journals Social reports of an Italian provincial government: a longitudinal analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Farneti ◽  
James Guthrie ◽  
Marcello Canetto
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Provincial Government ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Environmental Disclosures

Purpose This paper aims to examine the non-financial information disclosed in social reports by an Italian provincial government over time to determine its relevance, contribution and evolution. Design/methodology/approach Through a case study analysis, the authors examine 10 years of social reports by one “best practice” Italian provincial government. The authors use content analysis to quantify the level of social and environmental disclosures and use a coding instrument based on the GRI guidelines. The authors use legitimacy theory as a framework. Findings The level of disclosure increased over the 10-year period, and the type of disclosures became more detailed. However, many of the economic, social and environmental elements set out in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines were not disclosed. Moreover, the social report was contingent on a few key factors. The authors find that there has been a decline in interest in social reports by local governments in Italy, suggesting that voluntary disclosure was perhaps a fad that no longer is of interest in Italian local government. Research limitations/implications This research is one case study so the findings are not generalisable. The findings suggest that there is a need for regulation in non-financial information disclosures, as the disclosures in the case study organisation were very much at the discretion of the organisation. This has implications for policymakers. Originality/value Unlike prior studies, this study takes a longitudinal approach to voluntary disclosure of non-financial information and focusses on the under-explored context of public sector organisations.

Leadership, governance and the mitigation of risk: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Rooney ◽  
Suresh Cuganesan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Controls

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how managers in financial institutions satisfy themselves of the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategy and management control. It studies the co-opting of accounting tools within a single financial institution case study, examining the recursive and emergent characteristics of risk management practice. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a field study approach within the strategy-as-practice perspective, the paper provides insights into the role of actor perceptions of risk and accounting as a calculative practice in the adaptive enactment of risk strategy. Findings – Results highlight the interactions between risk management strategy, management controls and actor interests at Lehman Brothers. The actions and reactions of risk management decision-makers such as Executive Committee and Board members are examined to better understand the role of accounting and leadership. Research limitations/implications – Results of this study may not be generalised beyond this single case study. Practical implications – The paper emphasises that concern for the social relations and the performative interests of actors in a risk management network needs to be understood and considered in accounting research. It is argued that the market prices of tradable financial asset will continue to be opaque without these insights. Originality/value – This study explores an under-researched topic in the accounting literature in examining how management controls are affected by and, in turn, affect risk strategising.

The impact of the Combined Code in Greek soft law

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 445-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michail Nerantzidis ◽  
John Filos ◽  
Anastasios Tsamis ◽  
Maria-Eleni Agoraki
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Soft Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Average Percentage ◽  
Analysis Methodology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Specific Number

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of Combined code (2010) impact in the Greek soft law (SEV code, 2011) and the adoption of an overlapping set (between the two codes) of best practice provisions in Greece. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was conducted to examine the similarities between the UK’s Combined code (2010) and the Greek SEV code (2011). Moreover, a sample of 219 Greek listed companies’ annual reports was analyzed, and their compliance with a specific number of provisions was evaluated. Findings – Through analyzing the content of both codes, it was found that from the total 64 provisions of the SEV code (2011), 45 were matched to at least one of the Combined codes (2010). From these 45 provisions, 26 were characterized as “in spirit” influence and 19 as “in letter”. Based on this evidence, 22 overlapping practices were selected to investigate the compliance and a quite low rate was revealed, an average percentage of 30.46 per cent. These findings indicate that while exogenous forces trigger the development and adoption of a code in Greece, in line with the UK’s, the endogenous forces tend to avoid the compliance with that “exogenous practices”. Moreover, the results support the idea that the Greek national code should be reshaped to fit the different country’s characteristics. Research limitations/implications – The research limitations are associated with the content analysis methodology, as well as the reliability of corporate governance (CG)statements. Originality/value – This study contributes to understanding in a more comprehensive manner the impact of Combined Code (2010) in Greek soft law. More specifically, based on a previous case study, this paper extends the seven analyzed factors of Koutoupis’ (2012) research to the total CG provisions of both codes. However, it goes further and develops a coding scheme to rate the level of compliance of the overlapping provisions.

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