Adopting the BOT (build-operate-transfer) delivery method has brought opportunities and challenges in construction time and quality for urban infrastructure. Many studies investigate the upstream issues of BOT proje...Adopting the BOT (build-operate-transfer) delivery method has brought opportunities and challenges in construction time and quality for urban infrastructure. Many studies investigate the upstream issues of BOT projects such as concessionaire selection criteria and risk factors. But the project execution becomes complicated such as the escalated quality supervision organization and procedure at the construction stage. This extra supervision may have constituted hidden redundancies as waste to economic sustainability. This paper investigated construction quality supervision of BOT projects to pinpoint adequate degree of supervision and detect redundant organization and procedures. The study adopted ten subway construction projects as cases in which five were from the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) and five from the BOT methods. Thirty six project participants including owners, contractors, designers, and concessionaire managers of the ten projects were interviewed to tell their views on these issues. The quality supervision measures of the DBB projects were used as the baseline and compared with those of the BOT projects. The research results show that the construction quality seems no difference for the DBB and BOT projects. Construction quality comes out of supervision but excessive supervision organization and procedures do not necessarily improve quality. This finding indicates that adequate degree of supervision is enough to achieve required quality to save immense paperwork for large construction projects.展开更多
In discussing coal mine entry construction with rock bolt technology, examinedthe craft and machinery problems as well as the conditions in which to use each kind ofmachine and tool.It exposed the intrinsic flaws of t...In discussing coal mine entry construction with rock bolt technology, examinedthe craft and machinery problems as well as the conditions in which to use each kind ofmachine and tool.It exposed the intrinsic flaws of the widely used road header.The problemis that it was designed according to early timbering support state but is not suitable forrock bolt technology.The way to improve the function of existing road headers is notthrough parallel operations but using the SUDM (Shield Union Driving Machine), which isa new machine that improves construction.This article proposed a few solutions in designto solve this problem.展开更多
Institutional support is an essential antecedent for lecturer's preparedness for e-learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of institutional support through appropriate training programs and...Institutional support is an essential antecedent for lecturer's preparedness for e-learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of institutional support through appropriate training programs and budgetary allocation on lecturers' preparedness for e-learning at the University of Nairobi. A cross-sectional survey design was applied to source data from 212 lecturers and 96 administrative staff. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied to process, analyze, and interpret the data. Quantitative analysis yielded descriptive statistics as well as cross tabulations with Chi-square (x^2) statistic. The study found lack of significant relationship between lecturer's preparedness for e-learning and knowledge of the existence of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training program. The existing training program was still underdeveloped in terms of funding and strategies. Lecturers' preparedness for e-learning was also not significantly associated with perceived effectiveness of the existing training program; but was significantly related to training in software tools, as well as the source of funding for training. Although a team of ICT experts has been mandated to help academic staff prepare for e-learning, the team's functionality was constrained by under-funding and multiple roles. Lecturer's preparedness for e-learning also significantly associated with perceived adequacy of budgetary allocation for ICT program at the departmental level. Under-funding was a key factor constraining access to computers at the workplace, reliable internet connectivity and timely technical support, all of which significantly associated with lecturers' preparedness for e-learning. Universities in resource-poor settings should consider creating necessary partnerships to create avenues for information and resource sharing, revamp existing training programs with fmancial and human resources, create linkages with funding institutions, as well as improve budgetary allocation to ensure universal access to functional computers at the workplace, reliable internet connectivity and timely technical support.展开更多
The public power and the private enterprise, the main agents of national economic and social development, when cooperating strategically, promote increased functional efficiency of their activities. In order to highli...The public power and the private enterprise, the main agents of national economic and social development, when cooperating strategically, promote increased functional efficiency of their activities. In order to highlight the relevance of such partnership, this article aims to analyze the potential of actions jointly developed by private organizations and Brazilian universities. The research problem is lined in the field of health, which hosted actions developed between the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and the Hospital Maternity Guiomar Fernandes (HMGF), located in the city of Alexandria, in Rio Grande do Norte. The study emphasizes the shortcomings of this organization, the resolving power of the university in this scenario, and performs the analysis of the effects of this cooperation. The methodology used in this research was the case study in HMGF. With emphasis on fundraising and improving the informational management system, funding sources for projects of restructuring and expansion of the hospital were sought, as well as initiatives for developing hospital management softwares for small- and medium-sized organizations. As a result, the articulation between the university and the hospital provided the elaboration of a project for software development and the production of a project for physical restructuring and technological investment, aiming to expand the supply and quality of the hospital's services. The implementation of information systems, associated with investments in hospital infrastructure, providing increased efficiency in public assistance to the population, bringing both local and regional benefits, besides, providing the authorities with relevant data on the development of public policies.展开更多
文摘Adopting the BOT (build-operate-transfer) delivery method has brought opportunities and challenges in construction time and quality for urban infrastructure. Many studies investigate the upstream issues of BOT projects such as concessionaire selection criteria and risk factors. But the project execution becomes complicated such as the escalated quality supervision organization and procedure at the construction stage. This extra supervision may have constituted hidden redundancies as waste to economic sustainability. This paper investigated construction quality supervision of BOT projects to pinpoint adequate degree of supervision and detect redundant organization and procedures. The study adopted ten subway construction projects as cases in which five were from the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) and five from the BOT methods. Thirty six project participants including owners, contractors, designers, and concessionaire managers of the ten projects were interviewed to tell their views on these issues. The quality supervision measures of the DBB projects were used as the baseline and compared with those of the BOT projects. The research results show that the construction quality seems no difference for the DBB and BOT projects. Construction quality comes out of supervision but excessive supervision organization and procedures do not necessarily improve quality. This finding indicates that adequate degree of supervision is enough to achieve required quality to save immense paperwork for large construction projects.
文摘In discussing coal mine entry construction with rock bolt technology, examinedthe craft and machinery problems as well as the conditions in which to use each kind ofmachine and tool.It exposed the intrinsic flaws of the widely used road header.The problemis that it was designed according to early timbering support state but is not suitable forrock bolt technology.The way to improve the function of existing road headers is notthrough parallel operations but using the SUDM (Shield Union Driving Machine), which isa new machine that improves construction.This article proposed a few solutions in designto solve this problem.
文摘Institutional support is an essential antecedent for lecturer's preparedness for e-learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of institutional support through appropriate training programs and budgetary allocation on lecturers' preparedness for e-learning at the University of Nairobi. A cross-sectional survey design was applied to source data from 212 lecturers and 96 administrative staff. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied to process, analyze, and interpret the data. Quantitative analysis yielded descriptive statistics as well as cross tabulations with Chi-square (x^2) statistic. The study found lack of significant relationship between lecturer's preparedness for e-learning and knowledge of the existence of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training program. The existing training program was still underdeveloped in terms of funding and strategies. Lecturers' preparedness for e-learning was also not significantly associated with perceived effectiveness of the existing training program; but was significantly related to training in software tools, as well as the source of funding for training. Although a team of ICT experts has been mandated to help academic staff prepare for e-learning, the team's functionality was constrained by under-funding and multiple roles. Lecturer's preparedness for e-learning also significantly associated with perceived adequacy of budgetary allocation for ICT program at the departmental level. Under-funding was a key factor constraining access to computers at the workplace, reliable internet connectivity and timely technical support, all of which significantly associated with lecturers' preparedness for e-learning. Universities in resource-poor settings should consider creating necessary partnerships to create avenues for information and resource sharing, revamp existing training programs with fmancial and human resources, create linkages with funding institutions, as well as improve budgetary allocation to ensure universal access to functional computers at the workplace, reliable internet connectivity and timely technical support.
文摘The public power and the private enterprise, the main agents of national economic and social development, when cooperating strategically, promote increased functional efficiency of their activities. In order to highlight the relevance of such partnership, this article aims to analyze the potential of actions jointly developed by private organizations and Brazilian universities. The research problem is lined in the field of health, which hosted actions developed between the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and the Hospital Maternity Guiomar Fernandes (HMGF), located in the city of Alexandria, in Rio Grande do Norte. The study emphasizes the shortcomings of this organization, the resolving power of the university in this scenario, and performs the analysis of the effects of this cooperation. The methodology used in this research was the case study in HMGF. With emphasis on fundraising and improving the informational management system, funding sources for projects of restructuring and expansion of the hospital were sought, as well as initiatives for developing hospital management softwares for small- and medium-sized organizations. As a result, the articulation between the university and the hospital provided the elaboration of a project for software development and the production of a project for physical restructuring and technological investment, aiming to expand the supply and quality of the hospital's services. The implementation of information systems, associated with investments in hospital infrastructure, providing increased efficiency in public assistance to the population, bringing both local and regional benefits, besides, providing the authorities with relevant data on the development of public policies.