Finnish architects' attitudes towards multi-storey timber-residential buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hüseyin Emre Ilgın ◽  
Markku Karjalainen ◽  
Sofie Pelsmakers

PurposeThe paper aims to understand Finnish architects' attitudes towards the use of timber as a structural material in multi-storey (over two--storeys high) residential construction.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted through a literature survey mainly including international peer-reviewed journals and similar research projects. Furthermore, the literature survey informed the generation of the web-based survey questionnaire design to gather information on architects' perceptions, attitudes and interest in the use of wood in multi-storey (over two-storeys high) residential buildings.FindingsThe paper's findings are as follows: (1) respondents perceived the most important advantages of wood as a lightweight, local and ecological material; (2) wood construction (compared to concrete) included perceived concerns about it being more costly and needing more complex engineering and (3) respondents had a favourable overall attitude towards the use of wood particularly in low-rise residential construction, whilst their perception of tall housing, including timber ones, was mostly negative.Originality/valueNo studies have evaluated the use of wood in tall residential buildings and architects' perceptions in Finland.

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanta Kapoor ◽  
O.P. Goyal

PurposeThe paper seeks to provide a comparative analysis of the functionality of five web‐based OPACs available in Indian academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachSame‐topic searches were carried out by three researchers on the web‐based OPACs of Libsys, VTLS's iPortal, NewGenLib, Troodon, and Alice for Windows, implemented in five academic libraries in India. Their functionality was compared using criteria selected from the literature on OPAC searching.FindingsThe web‐based OPACs investigated offered a range of facilities for searching by author, title, control number and by keywords. Federated searching across several e‐collections was limited.Originality/valueThis paper should be a useful source of information to librarians who are planning to introduce web‐based OPACs and also for software vendors who wish to improve the functionality of their products.


2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 296-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella D. Tomasi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to study users’ behaviour when using different search engine results pages (SERPs) to identify what types of scents (cues) were the most useful to find relevant information to complete tasks on the Web based on information foraging theory. Design/methodology/approach – This study has designed three interface prototypes and conducted a qualitative study using the protocol analysis methodology. The subjects were recorded and videotaped to identify patterns of searching behaviours on visualization interfaces of SERPs. Findings – The study found that users found titles of categories or websites, keywords of categories, orientation of results and animation are strong scents that users follow to help find information on SERPs. If certain scents are not used followed on an interface, then their strength will diminish. Furthermore, the study showed that simple scent trails are more important to users than complicated trails. Originality/value – This study uses a qualitative approach to explore how users behave with different SERP formats, particularity a visualization format, and identify which scents on the interface are important for users to follow to successfully complete tasks on the Web.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-335
Author(s):  
Juha Koivisto

PurposeThis paper aims to increase the understanding of involvement and participation in the co-design of an outcome-based procurement.Design/methodology/approachFirst, it presents a relational model for performing co-design activities. Second, it examines how the model might be applied in performing an outcome-based procurement. Third, it presents a Web-based platform for co-designing procurement, developed according to the relational model. Fourth, it illustrates the model with a concrete procurement where the collaboration is mainly performed face to face, but partly mediated by the Web-based platform.FindingsAs a conclusion, the relational co-design model seems to work well in framing the core tasks of an outcome-based procurement. In spite of that, the Web-based platform does not direct the user enough to perform procurement.


2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 82-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Calaresu ◽  
Ali Shiri

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore and conceptualize the Semantic Web as a term that has been widely mentioned in the literature of library and information science. More specifically, its aim is to shed light on the evolution of the Web and to highlight a previously proposed means of attempting to improve automated manipulation of Web-based data in the context of a rapidly expanding base of both users and digital content. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual analysis presented in this paper adopts a three-dimensional model for the discussion of Semantic Web. The first dimension focuses on Semantic Web’s basic nature, purpose and history, as well as the current state and limitations of modern search systems and related software agents. The second dimension focuses on critical knowledge structures such as taxonomies, thesauri and ontologies which are understood as fundamental elements in the creation of a Semantic Web architecture. In the third dimension, an alternative conceptual model is proposed, one, which unlike more commonly prevalent Semantic Web models, offers a greater emphasis on describing the proposed structure from an interpretive viewpoint, rather than a technical one. This paper adopts an interpretive, historical and conceptual approach to the notion of the Semantic Web by reviewing the literature and by analyzing the developments associated with the Web over the past three decades. It proposes a simplified conceptual model for easy understanding. Findings – The paper provides a conceptual model of the Semantic Web that encompasses four key strata, namely, the body of human users, the body of software applications facilitating creation and consumption of documents, the body of documents themselves and a proposed layer that would improve automated manipulation of Web-based data by the software applications. Research limitations/implications – This paper will facilitate a better conceptual understanding of the Semantic Web, and thereby contribute, in a small way, to the larger body of discourse surrounding it. The conceptual model will provide a reference point for education and research purposes. Originality/value – This paper provides an original analysis of both conceptual and technical aspects of Semantic Web. The proposed conceptual model provides a new perspective on this subject.


Author(s):  
Henry Larkin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of creating a declarative user interface language suitable for rapid prototyping of mobile and Web apps. Moreover, this paper presents a new framework for creating responsive user interfaces using JavaScript. Design/methodology/approach – Very little existing research has been done in JavaScript-specific declarative user interface (UI) languages for mobile Web apps. This paper introduces a new framework, along with several case studies that create modern responsive designs programmatically. Findings – The fully implemented prototype verifies the feasibility of a JavaScript-based declarative user interface library. This paper demonstrates that existing solutions are unwieldy and cumbersome to dynamically create and adjust nodes within a visual syntax of program code. Originality/value – This paper presents the Guix.js platform, a declarative UI library for rapid development of Web-based mobile interfaces in JavaScript.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 530-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjen van Witteloostuijn

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that the time is ripe to establish a powerful tradition in Experimental International Business (IB). Probably due to what the Arjen van Witteloostuijn refers to as the external validity myth, experimental laboratory designs are underutilized in IB, which implies that the internal validity miracle of randomized experimentation goes largely unnoticed in this domain of the broader management discipline. Design/methodology/approach – In the following pages, the author explains why the author believes this implies a missed opportunity, providing arguments and examples along the way. Findings – Although an Experimental Management tradition has never really gained momentum, to the author, the lab experimental design has a very bright future in IB (and management at large). To facilitate the development of an Experimental IB tradition, initiating web-based tools would be highly instrumental. This will not only boost further progress in IB research, but will also increase the effectiveness and playfulness of IB teaching. Originality/value – Given the high potential of an Experimental IB, the Cross-Cultural and Strategic Management journal will offer a platform for such exciting and intriguing laboratory work, cumulatively contributing to the establishment of an Experimental IB tradition.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 15-17 ◽  

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Becoming increasingly reliant on the web as a principal source of finding information is altering our brains and the way that we obtain and hold knowledge. We are becoming less reliant on our memories to hold knowledge, instead using technology – and search engines like Google in particular – to deposit and retrieve information. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Social implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that can have a broader social impact. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 10-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Q. Yang

Purpose – This study aims to ascertain the trends and changes of how academic libraries market and deliver information literacy (IL) on the web. Design/methodology/approach – The author compares the findings from two separate studies that scanned the Web sites for IL-related activities in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Findings – Academic libraries intensified their efforts to promote and deliver IL on the web between 2009 and 2012. There was a significant increase in IL-related activities on the web in the three-year period. Practical implications – The findings describe the status quo and changes in IL-related activities on the libraries’ Web sites. This information may help librarians to know what they have been doing and if there is space for improvement. Originality/value – This is the only study that spans three years in measuring the progress librarians made in marketing and delivering IL on the Web.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroaki Sano ◽  
Yohei Chiba ◽  
Sachiko Maeda ◽  
Chiharu Ikeda ◽  
Nobuyuki Handa ◽  
...  

Purpose This study examines the websites of central government ministries, prefectures and municipalities to obtain a comprehensive bird’s-eye view of how they are preparing for natural disasters in the context of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Design/methodology/approach This study examines the websites of central government ministries, prefectures and municipalities in Japan to survey the actual status of information dissemination on “evacuation and sheltering” in the context of COVID-19. Findings This study found that the central government issued many notices, notifications and administrative communications to prefectures, cities with public health centers and special wards, which were mainly related to opening, securing and operating evacuation centers and improving the environment. It was found that most prefectures disseminated information on both survival and living evacuation and did so from June onward, when the flood season was approaching. Among the municipalities, there were differences in information dissemination tendencies by prefecture, and it became clear that smaller municipalities were especially incapable of fully disseminating information via the Web. Research limitations/implications The data from the prefectures and municipalities surveyed in this study were collected from websites and do not necessarily represent the actual response to disaster-related evacuation in the context of COVID-19 in those areas. To clarify this evacuation, more detailed surveys are needed. Originality/value This study is unique because no research has been conducted on the response of Japanese administrative agencies to disaster-related evacuation in the context of COVID-19; the actual situation was analyzed in this study by examining central government ministries, prefectures and municipalities as administrative agencies and comparing their responses.


Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 825-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Andre Søraa ◽  
Håkon Fyhn ◽  
Jøran Solli

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the role of a particular energy calculator in enhancing the energy efficiency of existing homes by asking how this calculator was developed and how it is domesticated by craftspeople working as energy consultants.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on qualitative interviews with users and producers of the energy calculator (n= 22), as well as participation in energy consultation training.FindingsThe paper finds that, in the energy calculator, there is a striking lack of connection between the domestication and script because of lack of energy consultants’ involvement in the design and implementation process.Practical implicationsThe enrolment of energy consultants as energy calculator users earlier in and throughout the design process could be valuable in making the transition to an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building sector.Social implicationsThe paper argues for recognition of the role of energy consultants, especially craftspeople, as participants in the design process for tools of governance. This is a call to acknowledge the value of particular skills and experiences possessed by craftspeople doing home consultation.Originality/valueBy understanding the intricate developer–user synchronicity in tools developed for upgrading the building sector, energy mitigation can be made more effective.


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