scholarly journals Digital Construction Technology and Job-site Equipment Demonstration: Modelling Relationship Strategies for Technology Adoption

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepasgozar ◽  
Davis
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
New Technology ◽  
The Body ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Clustering Techniques ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Technology Market ◽  
Technology Demonstration ◽  
Job Site

The construction technology market is competitive and complicated, due to the high-risk of digital technology utilisation in construction projects and the conservative character of construction companies. This complexity affects the process of job-site technology dissemination and adoption in which construction companies make decisions to purchase and utilise the new technology. The complexity is one of the reasons that many new remote technologies, positioning and locating systems, lasers and drones, 3D printing, and robots are not widely adopted in the short term, despite vendors making determined efforts to overcome this. Three objectives are investigated in this paper: (i) to define criteria for examining patterns of vendors’ strategies to support technology adoption; (ii) to present fact-based evidence of different vendors’ demonstration methods; and (iii) to present examples of different technology groups based on their required strategies. This paper presents the results of a longitudinal investigation of the construction technology market, including patterns of technology demonstration and a conceptual model of classifying vendors and their technologies in construction market places. The model involves the three most important factors that distinguish technology exhibitors: Physical appearance, Interpersonal relationship and Technology demonstration. Data was collected from technology exhibitions, involving randomly selected vendors. This data was analysed using hierarchical and c-means clustering techniques. The hard-clustering techniques resulted in vendors being placed in five classes based on the elements of the PIT framework. Fuzzy analysis shows how these classes fit into an underlying strategy spectrum. Understanding the strategies used in each class enables new vendors to select their own dissemination strategies based on their own particular circumstances. The practical implication of this study is to present a set of dissemination strategies to new technology stakeholders involved in Industry 4.0. The identified patterns of technology vendor strategies and the novel conceptual model contribute to the body of knowledge in technology diffusion.

scholarly journals Construction Technology Adoption Cube: An Investigation on Process, Factors, Barriers, Drivers, and Decision Makers using NVivo and AHP Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samad Sepasgozar ◽  
Steven Davis
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Tunnel Boring Machine ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Process Factors ◽  
Project Objectives

Due to the complexity, high-risk, and conservative character of construction companies, advanced digital technologies do not become widely adopted in the short term, while vendors make determined efforts to overcome this and disseminate their technologies. This paper presents the methods of an investigation addressing the extremely complex issues related to the current practices of digital technology adoption in construction. It discusses how construction companies follow a specific logical process linked to need, project objectives, characteristics of the adopting organization, and the characteristics of the new technology to be adopted. The study aims to demonstrate a novel method of data collection and analysis including data and methodological triangulation techniques including the use of NVivo and AHP to explore how companies make the decision to uptake a new technology (e.g. advanced crane, tunnel boring machine or drones) by focusing on customer and vendor activities, their interactions, contributing factors, and people involved in the process. The major original contribution of this paper is to develop an innovative methodological Cube for investigating the Construction Technology Adoption Process (CTAP) covering technology adoption, acceptance, diffusion and implementation concepts. CTAP is a framework that delineates the phases of the process that customer organizations use when deciding to adopt a new digital technology and the parallel vendor activities. The significance of these contributions is that they enable vendors to understand how to match their strategies with customer expectations in each phase of the CTAP. It also provides a benchmark for new construction companies to use the current best practice of decision making. Future research is warranted to more clearly delineate any differences with developing nations or related industries such as mining and property management.

scholarly journals An Adaptable Conceptual Model for Construction Technology Transfer: The BRI in Africa, the Case of Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3376
Author(s):  
Zahra Abdulhadi Shukra ◽  
Ying Zhou ◽  
Lingling Wang
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
The Body ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Developmental Relationships ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Construction Firms

Unlike other developmental relationships, BRI is the most promising icon in transforming the construction industry and built environment in Africa; the infrastructure developments like highways, bridges, skyscrapers, and aviation take in advanced construction technologies, methods, and skills. However, the technological capability of Chinese construction firms is not transferred in the highest capacity to the host countries. Nevertheless, the main focus is on delivering modern railways, highways, and skyscrapers. Thus, this research aimed to propose an adaptable technology transfer model by identifying the theoretical concepts in the body of knowledge, exploring the prior technology transfer models and the best experiences. The findings indicated that the BRI inclusive countries in Africa benefit from infrastructure development with an investment amount of more than US$33 billion with potential technology spillovers, but in an unplanned, and not best suited to their conditions because of the lack of a single-country-based technology, transfer model ahead of project implementation. Using a systems thinking approach and a causal loop diagram tool, the authors created a conceptual model to guide the Africa’s construction technology transfer through BRI. The research also examined case study projects in Ethiopia to assert the new model’s practicability over the existing processes. Moreover, the university–industry linkage structures, can facilitate the process through R&D and innovation in the whole project life cycle.

Gut microbiome a promising target for management of respiratory diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (14) ◽  
pp. 2679-2696
Author(s):  
Riddhi Trivedi ◽  
Kalyani Barve
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Systemic Circulation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Lung Pathology ◽  
Promising Target ◽  
Current Therapies ◽  
Intestinal Microbial Flora ◽  
On Chip

The intestinal microbial flora has risen to be one of the important etiological factors in the development of diseases like colorectal cancer, obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety and Parkinson's. The emergence of the association between bacterial flora and lungs led to the discovery of the gut–lung axis. Dysbiosis of several species of colonic bacteria such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and transfer of these bacteria from gut to lungs via lymphatic and systemic circulation are associated with several respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, etc. Current therapies for dysbiosis include use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to restore the balance between various species of beneficial bacteria. Various approaches like nanotechnology and microencapsulation have been explored to increase the permeability and viability of probiotics in the body. The need of the day is comprehensive study of mechanisms behind dysbiosis, translocation of microbiota from gut to lung through various channels and new technology for evaluating treatment to correct this dysbiosis which in turn can be used to manage various respiratory diseases. Microfluidics and organ on chip model are emerging technologies that can satisfy these needs. This review gives an overview of colonic commensals in lung pathology and novel systems that help in alleviating symptoms of lung diseases. We have also hypothesized new models to help in understanding bacterial pathways involved in the gut–lung axis as well as act as a futuristic approach in finding treatment of respiratory diseases caused by dysbiosis.

CONCEPTUALISING RISK CULTURE ON ERM IMPLEMENTATION IN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Ching Ching Wong
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Risk Identification ◽  
The Body ◽  
Risk Indicators ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Risk Appetite ◽  
Risk Culture ◽  
Risk Treatment ◽  
Managing Risk ◽  
The Relationship

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is an effective technique in managing risk within an organization strategically and holistically. Risk culture relates to the general awareness, attitudes and behaviours towards risk management in an organisation. This paper presents a conceptual model that shows the relationship between risk culture and ERM implementation. The dependent variable is ERM implementation, which is measured by the four processes namely risk identification and risk assessment; risk treatment; monitor and consult; communicate and consult. The independent variables under risk culture are risk policy and risk appetite; key risk indicators; accountability; incentives; risk language and internal relationships. This study aims to empirically test the relationship between risk culture and ERM implementation among Malaysian construction public listed companies. Risk culture is expected to have direct effects and significantly influence ERM. This study contributes to enhance the body of knowledge in ERM especially in understanding significant of risk culture that influence its’ implementation from Malaysian perspective.

scholarly journals Brain Health: Attitudes towards Technology Adoption in Older Adults

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Nadir G. Abdelrahman ◽  
Raza Haque ◽  
Molly E. Polverento ◽  
Andrea Wendling ◽  
Courtney M. Goetz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Handheld Devices ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Health Related

(1) Background: There is increasing scholarly support for the notion that properly implemented and used, technology can be of substantial benefit for older adults. Use of technology has been associated with improved self-rating of health and fewer chronic conditions. Use of technology such as handheld devices by older adults has the potential to improve engagement and promote cognitive and physical health. However, although, literature suggests some willingness by older adults to use technology, simultaneously there are reports of a more cautious attitude to its adoption. Our objective was to determine the opinions towards information technologies, with special reference to brain health, in healthy older adults either fully retired or still working in some capacity including older adult workers and retired adults living in an independent elderly living community. We were especially interested in further our understanding of factors that may play a role in technology adoption and its relevance to addressing health related issues in this population; (2) Methods: Two focus groups were conducted in an inner-city community. Participants were older adults with an interest in their general health and prevention of cognitive decline. They were asked to discuss their perceptions of and preferences for the use of technology. Transcripts were coded for thematic analysis; (3) Results: Seven common themes emerged from the focus group interviews: physical health, cognitive health, social engagement, organizing information, desire to learn new technology, advancing technology, and privacy/security; and (4) Conclusions: This study suggests that in order to promote the use of technology in older adults, one needs to consider wider contextual issues, not only device design per se, but the older adult’s rationale for using technology and their socio-ecological context.

scholarly journals Dynamic Imaging of IEL-IEC Co-Cultures Allows for Quantification of CD103-Dependent T Cell Migration

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5148
Author(s):  
Karin Enderle ◽  
Martin Dinkel ◽  
Eva-Maria Spath ◽  
Benjamin Schmid ◽  
Sebastian Zundler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Intestinal Inflammation ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Surface Expression ◽  
Intraepithelial Lymphocytes ◽  
Dynamic Imaging ◽  
The Body ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) are widely distributed within the small intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) layer and represent one of the largest T cell pools of the body. While implicated in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation, detailed insight especially into the cellular cross-talk between IELs and IECs is largely missing in part due to lacking methodologies to monitor this interaction. To overcome this shortcoming, we employed and validated a murine IEL-IEC (organoids) ex vivo co-culture model system. Using livecell imaging we established a protocol to visualize and quantify the spatio-temporal migratory behavior of IELs within organoids over time. Applying this methodology, we found that IELs lacking CD103 (i.e., integrin alpha E, ITGAE) surface expression usually functioning as a retention receptor for IELs through binding to E-cadherin (CD324) expressing IECs displayed aberrant mobility and migration patterns. Specifically, CD103 deficiency affected the ability of IELs to migrate and reduced their speed during crawling within organoids. In summary, we report a new technology to monitor and quantitatively assess especially migratory characteristics of IELs communicating with IEC ex vivo. This approach is hence readily applicable to study the effects of targeted therapeutic interventions on IEL-IEC cross-talk.

scholarly journals Digital Platform Ecosystems as Living Labs for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation: A Conceptual Model Proposal

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6494
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Baran ◽  
Aleksandra Berkowicz
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Real Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Innovation Development ◽  
Sustainable Entrepreneurship ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
Living Labs ◽  
Platform Ecosystems ◽  
The Relationship

The main idea of the paper is to combine modern research methods (as living labs that enable research in a real-life setting) with the new technological opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation development (as digital platforms) to search for innovative solutions, while addressing the sustainable development problems. Thus, the paper aims to explain how real value for society is created within digital platform ecosystems and how they employ to this end novel solutions that better address existing social problems. Consequently, it proposes a conceptual framework to research and develop sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation with the use of digital platforms. This research study takes a synthesizing conceptual approach that seeks to integrate the existing knowledge drawn on two major streams of research: living labs as a methodology and digital platform ecosystems to enrich the theory of sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation development. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing a novel conceptual model of digital platform ecosystems as living labs for sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation. The model depicts digital platform ecosystems examined as living labs and the implicit processes that include platform users in problem-solving and value-creation in real-life settings. The novelty of the model stems from framing these processes that capture the relationship between individuals and opportunities as the foundations of entrepreneurship and the relationship between the problem space and the solution space, where the opportunities occur.

Understanding Semantic Web: a conceptual model

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 82-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Calaresu ◽  
Ali Shiri
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Web ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
The Body ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Software Applications ◽  
Web Architecture ◽  
The Web

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.

Technological Change and the International System

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen V. Milner ◽  
Sondre Ulvund Solstad
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Technological Change ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
International System ◽  
New Technology ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Adoption Of Technology ◽  
Adoption Of New Technology

ABSTRACTDo world politics affect the adoption of new technology? States overwhelmingly rely on technology invented abroad, and their differential intensity of technology use accounts for many of their differences in economic development. Much of the literature on technology adoption focuses on domestic conditions. The authors argue instead that the structure of the international system is critical because it affects the level of competition among states, which in turn affects leaders’ willingness to enact policies that speed technology adoption. Countries adopt new technology as they seek to avoid being vulnerable to attack or coercion by other countries. By systematically examining states’ adoption of technology over the past two hundred years, the authors find that countries adopt new technologies faster when the international system is less concentrated, that changes in systemic concentration have a temporally causal effect on technology adoption, and that government policies to promote technology adoption are related to concerns about rising international competition. A competitive international system is an important incentive for technological change and may underlie global technology waves.

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