Development of complexity management strategies for construction projects

Purpose The purpose of this study is to ascertain and list the most effective management strategies in efficiently handling the project complexities to enhance the performance of the project. Design/methodology/approach To fulfill the aim of this study, a comprehensive literature review was conducted, and the qualitative Delphi technique in two rounds was applied. Participants of the Delphi technique consisted of 12 subject matter experts (SMEs) with cumulative experience of 250 years in working in construction projects. In the first round of the Delphi technique, SMEs were asked to provide complexity management strategies to address the complexities due to 37 complexity indicators (CIs) under 11 complexity categories. In the second round of the Delphi technique, SMEs identified the top three management strategies for each of the 37 CIs. Findings This study collected the outcome of the two-round Delphi technique and based on the output developed the list of strategies to manage complexities related to each indicator. For example, establishing a well-informed governance team, assigning a Project Manager (PM) when the number of projects is more than one in an organization, and assigning a PM efficient enough to communicate with higher authority effectively will help in managing complexity that arises due to faulty assessment of the influence of a project on the organization’s overall success. Originality/value This study will help practitioners in effectively managing the project complexities, and thus will reduce the monetary loss associated with project complexities.

THE ANTECEDENTS OF ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH RESPONSES IN HOTEL EXPERIENCE EVALUATION

In today’s digital information era, it is common for hotels guests to share their visit experience to their acquaintances or public online especially on popular social media platforms. Hence, reviews and experience sharing have moved from the traditional words of mouth to the electronic word of mouth (eWOM). This paper aims to develop and propose a testable research framework for assessing hotel guests’ experience and their eWOM responses. Methodically, desk research was carried out by conducting an exhaustive review of past literature to establish a theoretical understanding of hotel experience assessments and to determine the variables and their measurements. Meaningful encounters with the hotel’s products and services are summed up as consumption experience in the forms of perceived value and satisfaction. This cumulative experience may entice the guests to upload their responses on digital platforms. Theoretically, the proposed framework reduces the gaps related to the formulation of research constructs for hotel visit experience assessment. Practically, this paper offers hotel operators a testable framework that can guide them in the development of survey materials in order to gain a comprehensive understanding about their guests visit experience assessment and their electronic word-of-mouth response.

L2 LEARNERS’ ADAPTATION TO AN L2 STRUCTURE THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM L1

The present study investigates how L2 learners adapt their production preferences following immediate and cumulative experience with a syntactic structure when an L2 structure differs from an L1 structure in terms of verb subcategorization frame and argument structure. Korean learners of English described causative events in English in a picture-matching game. The meaning of a causative sentence in English (e.g., Jen had her computer fixed) is expressed with an active transitive sentence in Korean (e.g., Jen-NOM computer-ACC fixed). The results demonstrated that both immediate and cumulative experience with a causative structure increased the likelihood of producing grammatical causative descriptions (e.g., Jen had her computer fixed), while decreasing the production of ungrammatical active transitive descriptions (e.g., Jen fixed her computer). The findings provide novel evidence that an implicit learning mechanism is involved in L2 learners’ processing and learning of an L2 structure that is different from L1.

RELYING ON INFORMAL SOURCES IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY: WHY AND HOW?

This study aims to explore whether and why speech and language therapists (SLTs) use informal sources to guide their intervention decisions for children with developmental language delay (DLD). A qualitative study was conducted. Sixteen Turkish SLTs participated in this study. The methods of interviewing, participant observation and audio diary were used. An inductive thematic approach was taken to analyse the data. Five main themes were revealed from the data: 'The lack of trust in the formal standardised tests and sources', 'experience over theory', 'trial-error, 'other professionals’ opinion' and 'instinct' showed that the SLTs value variety of sources and their cumulative experience when making an intervention decision. While evidence-based practice (EBP) has been increasingly used and encouraged in the SLT profession, this study shows that informal sources play a significant role in SLTs' clinical reasoning. This study sheds light on the behind factors of relying on informal sources to make intervention decisions. The role and dynamic of using informal sources could help understand the value and risks of this approach in clinical reasoning. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0895/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Proposal to Eliminate Urethane-Treated Positive Control Dose Groups in 26-Week Tg.rasH2 Carcinogenicity Studies

Short-term (26 weeks) Tg.rasH2 mouse carcinogenicity studies have been conducted as an alternative model to the conventional 2-year mouse carcinogenicity studies, using urethane as a positive control material. In these studies, urethane was used at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/dose, administered intraperitoneally on days 1, 3, and 5. Urethane consistently produces lung adenomas and carcinomas and hemangiosarcomas of the spleen, proving validity of the assay. We conducted 3 pilot studies at 3 different sites of Charles River Laboratories using a lower dose of urethane (500 mg/kg/dose), administered on days 1, 3, and 5, followed by a 12-week observation period. Our results demonstrate that a lower dose can be used successfully with fewer number of animals per sex to prove the validity of the assay. However, based on our cumulative experience with this model, we propose to eliminate positive control dose groups in future Tg.rasH2 carcinogenicity studies.

The Variance Learning Curve

The expansive learning curve literature in operations management has established how various facets of prior experience improve average performance. In this paper, we explore how increased cumulative experience affects performance variability or consistency. We use a two-stage estimation method of a heteroskedastic learning curve model to examine the relationship between experience and performance variability among paramedics at the London Ambulance Service. We find that, for paramedics with lower experience, an increase in experience of 500 jobs reduces the variance of task completion time by 8.7%, in addition to improving average completion times by 2.7%. Similar to prior results on the average learning curve, we find a diminishing impact of additional experience on the variance learning curve. We provide an evidence base for how to model the learning benefits of cumulative experience on performance in service systems. Our findings imply that the benefits of learning are substantially underestimated if the consistency effect is ignored. Specifically, our estimates indicate that queue lengths (or wait times) might be overestimated by as much as 4% by ignoring the impact of the variance learning curve in service systems. Furthermore, our results suggest that previously established drivers of productivity should be revisited to examine how they affect consistency, in addition to average performance. This paper was accepted by Charles Corbett, operations management.

Preparing the Arabic Language Teacher for Non-Native Speakers, Following the Experience of the Arabic Language Institute at the International University of Africa

The study aims to examine the reality of preparing the Arabic language teacher for non-native speakers by presenting the experience of the Arabic Language Institute at the International University of Africa. Thus, it addresses the following questions: How is it possible to invest the long scientific experiences in proposal and experiment preperations to qualify Arabic language teachers for non-native speakers? What is the reality of preparing an Arabic language teacher at the Institute? How did the Arabic Language Institute process teacher preparation? What are the problems facing the preparation of the Arabic language teachers and the most important training mechanisms used in that Institute?What problems faced the implementation of the experiment of preparing an Arabic language teacher at the language Institute? To present the experiment, the study used the descriptive method. The study is important for program planners of higher education studies, course designers, and for people interested in teaching strategies and teacher training. It also provides Arabic language teachers for non-native speakers to diploma institutions. The study has found that the university experiment is distinguished as it adopts the practical track to form the cumulative experience that helps to solve teacher preparation problems.

Evaluation of Mathematics Teachers’ Knowledge at UNRWA Schools in Gaza Strip about the Action Research Concepts and Process

In this study, the availability of action research knowledge was measured among teachers of mathematics in schools belongs to Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza Strip. The study sample consisted of 241 male and female teachers, where the study sample contained (25%) of the total study population, which consists of (972) active teacher during the current study time (second semester- 2019/2020). It was found that the sample has a strong knowledge about the action research concepts. Moreover, it was confirmed that there are no significant differences attributed to the variables of gender, training programs, and educational qualification. Meanwhile, the results showed that there is a significant effect by the teacher’s age and cumulative experience on the teachers’ knowledge of action research. Based on the findings, the challenges and obstacles that prevent teachers or limit their ability to perform action research must be studied and thus an attempt should be made to overcome those obstacles in order to push the teacher to perform the action research.

Experiences in growing a skin radiation therapy practice

The successful treatment of skin disease decreases morbidity and mortality. Radiation therapy (RT) can cure skin disease and conserves tissue, possibly delivering better quality of life post treatment and so a superior survivorship. Modern RT delivers better dose conformality and homogeneity, and more is known about the radiobiology of skin and its diseases, enabling treatment personalisation. Skin, however, can be viewed in RT departments as not a serious subspecialty, even in Australia where the incidence of skin cancer is highest. Radiation oncology leaders are needed to carve out a niche for RT amongst a crowded field of skin carers. This article based on the cumulative experience of a group of Australian skin radiation oncologists (ROs), details how this may be achieved. First, focus is placed on growing a high-quality service. The RO needs to understand how patient, tumour and treatment factors impact the skin RT prescription. The particular nuances around skin RT planning, including immobilisation, simulation, contouring and the advantages and disadvantages of each RT modality in skin, are important to know. How skin reacts to RT when the skin is the target and the importance of fractionation is essential knowledge. Second, the RO needs to understand the needs of the skin stakeholders. These include those in the department who look to them for leadership. It includes those outside the department, that is, patients and other skin carers who could be future colleagues and even referrers. Third, the RO needs to use much needed research as a way to bring the disparate skin caring community together through completing high-quality research to guide therapy and post-treatment care.