APPLICATION OF FUZZY TOPSIS FOR SELECTING MOST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING WALL MATERIAL

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Nofal ◽  
Ahmed Hammad
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Fuzzy Topsis ◽  
Wall Material ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Building Wall

Appropriate selection of construction materials is crucial for the success of any project. Poor choice of materials can lead to higher costs during construction, higher long-term operation and maintenance expenses, and endanger humans and their surrounding environment. Since the three pillars of sustainability cover the economic, social, and environmental aspects, adoption of sustainability principles in decision making will ensure selecting the optimum construction materials. This paper presents a generic model to utilize Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) principles to compare the sustainability criteria of four wall material alternatives using normalized fuzzy matrices. A case study took place in United Arab Emirates (UAE) to validate the model. Several semi-structured interviews and meetings with industry experts representing material suppliers, engineering consultants, and construction contractors took place during this research. These meetings provided six selection criteria under the three main sustainability categories, agreed-upon weight for each criteria, and evaluation of the four wall material alternatives. Results obtained from consulted experts presented Sandwich Panels as the most sustainable alternative for the case study. The developed model is generic and can be implemented on any construction project, and the alternative selection can change according to the decision-makers’ opinions and preferences.

scholarly journals PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE IN THE PRODUCTION OF BAMBOO WOVEN WALL MATERIALS (DENDROCALAMUS ASPER)

SINERGI ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zakaria Umar ◽  
Muhammad Arsyad ◽  
Santi Santi ◽  
Arman Faslih
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Wall Material ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Sustainable Architecture ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Human Energy ◽  
Wall Materials ◽  
The City

Bamboo is a sustainable building material because the use of new materials is sustainable. In the City of Kendari, there are still craftsmen of bamboo woven wall material. This research is important to do because to reveal how to make bamboo woven wall material by local craftsmen in Kendari and to find out the pattern of making bamboo woven wall material against the principles of sustainable architecture. This research is aimed at identifying and reviewing work tools, work materials, and how to make bamboo woven wall material against the principles of sustainable architecture by local craftsmen in Kendari City. This study uses a case study method with a qualitative approach. This study concluded that the principles of sustainable architecture in bamboo woven wall materials are as follows: working tools are used simply to reduce the use of new materials, the materials for making come from vegetation grown so that the location and natural resource ecosystems are sustainable, and how to make use of human energy so that it saves energy.  

Mitigating the effects of COVID-19: an exploratory case study of the countermeasures taken by the manufacturing industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem Butt
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Process Manufacturing ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how manufacturers (both discrete and process) are managing disruptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, using UAE as an empirical context. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a multiple case study approach and undertakes 36 semi-structured interviews with senior management of four discrete and four process manufacturing firms that outsource products/components from overseas and domestic suppliers. Findings Results reveal that manufacturing firms are using six distinct actions to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, they are relying on the automation process, transferring new and updated knowledge to the current and new suppliers, managing workforce diversity, understanding the impact of demand’s disruption, managing the ecosystem and finally using digital technologies to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. Firstly, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a broader population as it attempts to build an initial theory in manufacturing supply chains within the context of a pandemic outbreak. Second, the study uses a cross-sectional approach to explore the actions used by manufacturing firms to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications Manufacturing firms can replicate the actions proposed in this study to lessen the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerge stronger in the post-COVID-era. Originality/value This study contributes to the manufacturing supply chain literature within the context of pandemic outbreaks by exploring the steps taken by manufacturing firms to minimize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, it explores such steps by considering both the discrete and process manufacturing industries within the United Arab Emirates.

scholarly journals Cultural determinants affecting pedagogical decisions in content design: a case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-53
Author(s):  
Michael Pazinas
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pedagogical Decisions ◽  
Cultural Determinants

Purpose Commercially produced educational materials often reflect the pedagogical beliefs and culture(s) of the content developers. While many teachers involved in teaching English as a foreign language have relied on commercially published content in the past, the advent of ubiquitous technology has afforded them the ability to create content that is contextualised and to share it with other educators across the globe. The purpose of this study is to investigate cultural determinants which affect the pedagogical decisions of teachers when designing content. Design/methodology/approach This case study, conducted at a higher educational institution in the Gulf, addresses the issues that arise when cultures or ideologies of educators as material developers are different to that of the target audience. Three semi-structured interviews with teachers were conducted in an effort to understand cultural determinants that influence decision-making about pedagogy when creating in-house content to motivate undergraduate students on an English language program in the United Arab Emirates. Findings The results of this study indicated that the participants maintained mainly essentialist perspectives of local cultures and sub-cultures and their thinking in content creation was not all that different to that of commercial publishers. Practical implications This study holds implications for awareness-raising and pedagogical training for educators involved in in-house content development. Originality/value This case study addresses an area that has been under-researched in the Gulf region.

Measuring and improving food safety culture in a large catering company: a case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Nouaimeh ◽  
Raseena T. Pazhanthotta ◽  
Joanne Zaida Taylor ◽  
Ringaile Bulatovic-Schumer
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Safety Culture ◽  
Food Safety And Quality

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a large catering company in the United Arab Emirates, which measured and improved its food safety culture as part of the Culture Excellence Program. It is the sixth article in a theme issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, discussing the importance of measuring food safety and quality culture. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal case study was used, including an online anonymous survey taken by a representative number of employees and supporting in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings The company received a high score in year one of the research, and the reasons for this are discussed. Taking their best practices further with the use of the survey data, they then saw quantitative improvement in year two. This demonstrates elements of best practice in food safety management and how measuring culture within a business can facilitate continual improvement. Originality/value The paper demonstrates how and why a large-scale catering company has measured and improved their food safety culture, with practical examples. It will be of value to food safety and quality practitioners, trainers, auditors and other stakeholders involved in the food industry.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of Energy Performance in Educational Buildings in the UAE

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vian Ahmed ◽  
Sara Saboor ◽  
Fatima Ahmed Almarzooqi ◽  
Hessa Ahmed Alshamsi ◽  
Mariam Abdalla Alketbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Educational Buildings ◽  
Net Zero Energy Buildings

Sustainability has gained popularity and importance around the globe due to the ever-increasing effects of climate change and global warming on Earth. As of the 21st century, human endeavour has caused an enormous amount of damage to the environmental ecological system. Among which, one of the major contributors to the increase in the environmental issues and CO2 emissions are the conventional sources of energy, especially in the built environment. Globally, the built environment accounts for 12 percent of the world’s drinkable water, 40 percent of energy wastage and 35 percent of scarce natural resources, which in turn produces 40 percent of the total global carbon emission. Among which are educational buildings which tend to be a major contributor (as most of these facilities are old and conventionally built in the mid-1900s) Thus, with the education sector being an essential part of society, it becomes important to determine the energy performance and carbon footprint of these buildings. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) vision 2021 highlights the country's approach to the importance of providing the best education and adopting sustainable environmental infrastructure. Therefore, this study adopts a methodological approach based on semi-structured interviews and surveys, in order to compare the energy performance of three educational buildings within Higher Education establishments in the UAE as a case study. The study also evaluates the end user’s awareness of the importance of sustainable practices in the buildings and their preference for these buildings. The findings of this study conclude that Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) are the most efficient buildings in terms of energy performance, carbon consumption and heat generated. Therefore, it is important that the integration of these types of buildings is considered in educational establishments.

FOSTERING STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES IN ENGLISH WRITING WITH MICROBLOGGING IN TWITTER

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Hien
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English Writing ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology

Twitter and Microblogging are two separate entities but completes each other. Both of them can be used as language learning tools and their potential has been proved by several scholars. This study tries to examine students’ experiences in integrating microblogging with twitter. It is also study about the beneficial roles of microblogging with Twitter in language learning, its relation to writing, and its appropriateness in language learning. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, and case study as its research design. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were employed in this study to find out about participants' views about microblogging and Twitter. From this study, it can be concluded that the participants of the study underwent various experiences during the implementation of microblogging with Twitter. They also felt that microblogging with Twitter at some point advantages them to systematically arrange their ideas, and allows them to choose appropriate diction of their ideas. They also stated that Twitter can be an appropriate means in language learning, especially in English writing<em>.</em>

Topik-Topik Komunikasi Dakwah Dalam Mesej Akidah Kepada Masyarakat Orang Asli di Selangor

Sains Insani ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-21
Author(s):  
Zulkefli Aini ◽  
Abdul Ghafar Don ◽  
Ahmad Irdha Mokhtar ◽  
Nur Uswah Ahmad Fauzi
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Verbal Feedback ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Orang Asli ◽  
Case Study Design ◽  
Beliefs And Practice ◽  
Islamic Faith ◽  
Selection Of

One of the factors that can affect a person's behavior is a communication message. In the context of the da`wah, preachers who involved actively in da`wah communication with the Orang Asli should be able to ensure that the message conveyed can be understood by the target group. In addition, the selection of the correct messages of da`wah based on the foremost priority simplify the process of sharing information between the preachers and the Orang Asli. Accordingly, this article aims to identify specific topics of Islamic faith (akidah) submitted by the Orang Asli in the process of da`wah communication and to identify verbal feedback given by the preachers to the Orang Asli of the topics. This qualitative study using case study design and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews involving nine preachers were active in da`wah activity to the Orang Asli community in Selangor. Data were analyzed thematically according to the specified objectives. The study found that the topics frequently raised by the Orang Asli is concerned about belief in Allah, belief in Malaikat, and belief in Qada' and Qadar. The topics may be found within the framework of worldview in their beliefs and practice of ancient traditions. Therefore, the preachers gave verbal feedback on these topics is based on a clear and precise sample corresponding to the level of their thinking. The emphasis on these topics is very important to strengthen and purify the faith of the community.Keywords: Communication; Message; Preacher; Indigenous community Abstrak: Elemen mesej dalam komunikasi merupakan salah satu faktor yang dapat memberi kesan terhadap perubahan tingkah laku seseorang. Dalam konteks dakwah, pendakwah yang terlibat dalam proses komunikasi dakwah dengan Orang Asli seharusnya berkebolehan memastikan kandungan mesej yang disampaikan boleh difahami oleh sasaran dakwahnya. Di samping itu, pemilihan mesej dakwah yang betul mengikut keutamaan memudahkan proses perkongsian maklumat antara pendakwah dengan Orang Asli. Sehubungan dengan itu, artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti topik-topik tertentu dalam mesej akidah yang dikemukakan oleh masyarakat Orang Asli kepada pendakwah dan mengenalpasti maklum balas lisan yang diberikan oleh pendakwah kepada Orang Asli terhadap topik tersebut. Kajian kualitatif ini menggunakan reka bentuk kajian kes dengan pengumpulan data melalui temu bual separa struktur. Temu bual melibatkan sembilan orang pendakwah yang aktif dalam aktiviti dakwah masyarakat Orang Asli di Selangor. Data kajian dianalisis secara tematik mengikut objektif yang ditentukan. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa topik-topik yang sering dikemukan oleh Orang Asli kepada pendakwah dalam penyampaian mesej akidah ialah berkenaan tentang keimanan kepada Allah SWT, keimanan kepada malaikat, dan keimanan kepada qada’ dan qadar. Topik-topik berkenaan didapati berada dalam kerangka worldview kepercayaan dan amalan tradisi mereka. Sehubungan dengan itu, pendakwah memberikan maklum balas lisan terhadap topik-topik tersebut adalah berdasarkan keterangan yang jelas dan contoh yang tepat bersesuaian dengan tahap pemikiran mereka. Penekanan terhadap topik-topik tersebut merupakan perkara yang penting dalam rangka mengukuhkan dan memurnikan akidah masyarakat Orang Asli.Kata kunci: Komunikasi; Mesej; Pendakwah; Komuniti Orang Asli

Theoretizing A New Sustainable Business Event: Extension of Mair and Jago Model

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Norol Hamiza Zamzuri ◽  
Khairil Wahidin Awang ◽  
Yuhanis Abdul Aziz ◽  
Zaiton Samdin
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Knowledge Resources ◽  
Business Events ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Event Based

The growth of the event sector is underpinned by the demand of organizing a business event.  Thus, it leads to an increase in economic and social impact. However, the problems from the growth of this sector potentially results from the use of several event materials, transportation and infrastructure development.  Organizing a green event is seen as one of the strategies to reduce the environmental impact.  Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the issues involved throughout the process of greening an event by applying Mair and Jago Model.  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with event managers from six Malaysia business event companies that encourage green practices during their event.  Findings suggest that impact, initiative, support and performance motivates event organizers in organizing a green event.  It has also been found that knowledge, resources and behaviour are the barriers faced by event organizers throughout the process of organizing a green event.  Based on the findings it appears that two important factors have emerged from the data collection and analysis that showed a deviation from the Mair and Jago Model, namely “impact” for the motivation element and “support” for the barrier element.  The main limitation of this study was the scope of the study; as it only focuses on business events.  However, as the main purpose of this study is to explore the issues of organizing a green event, it has been found that there are other issues need to be explored in other contexts and geographical area.  Apart from this, as this is a case study, it can only replicate according to the circumstances of this case study. However, this study can be generalized in terms of the theory that has emerged from it.  It is suggested that further research should explore more issues in other contexts and geographical areas. 

Management of Records in Adapted Buildings as Records Centres in Zimbabwe

Mousaion ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Mutsagondo ◽  
Getrude Maduyu ◽  
Godfrey Tsvuura
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Personal Observation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Professional Management ◽  
The Government

This paper discusses the challenges of records management that arise from the use of adapted buildings as records centres in Zimbabwe, despite the advantages of using such buildings. A qualitative research approach was used as well as a case study research design. Data were collected from seven officers of the Gweru Records Centre through semi-structured interviews. Personal observation was used to triangulate findings from interviews. It was found that the use of adapted buildings as records centres was a cheaper and quicker way of establishing records centres throughout the country. However, a number of preservation, security and management challenges cropped up as the conditions of the buildings and the environment of the adapted buildings were not conducive to the proper and professional management of records. This study is important in that it explores the prospects and challenges of using adapted buildings as records centres in Zimbabwe, an area that has not been researched by many authors. This provokes archival authorities and the government to seriously consider establishing purpose-built records and archival centres.

A general practice provider federation in a mixed health economy in England: a case study investigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp18X696929
Author(s):  
Jill Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Health Economy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The North ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
Common Purpose ◽  
Collaborative Working ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThere is an emerging debate that general practice in its current format is out-dated and there is a requirement to move to a federated model of provision where groups of Practices come together. The emergence of federations has developed over the past 5 years but the factors that influence how federations develop and the impact of this new model is an under researched area.AimThe study explored the rationale around why a group of independent GP practices opted to pursue an alternative business venture and the benefits that this strategy offered.MethodA single organisational case study of a federation in the North of England was conducted between 2011–2016. Mixed methods data collection included individual and group semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys.ResultsFederations promote collaborative working, relying on strategic coherence of multiple individual GP practices through a shared vision and common purpose. Findings revealed many complexities in implementing a common strategy across multiple independent businesses. The ability of the federation to gain legitimacy was two dimensional – externally and internally. The venture had mixed successes, but their approach to quality improvement proved innovative and demonstrated outcomes on a population basis. The study identified significant pressures that practices were experiencing and the need to seek alternative ways of working but there was no shared vision or inclination to relinquish individual practice autonomy.ConclusionOrganisational development support is critical to reform General Practice. Whether central funding through the GP Five Year Forward View will achieve the scale of change required is yet to be evidenced.

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