Is construction procurement a key to sustainable development?

Has specialization of professional roles obstructed the holistic approach and sustainable development? A preliminary survey in Botswana involving construction professionals found that existing procurement systems have not integrated the efforts of the different project participants and also fail to fulfil the expectations of the users. A holistic approach involving the re-integration of construction disciplines by applying new procurement methods is proposed. An integrated, holistic way of working could provide a number of synergies through the consideration of the building project as an entire system. The implications include better decision making upstream, more efficient use of resources and the mitigation of negative environmental effects downstream.

La specialisation professionnelle est-elle un obstacle a l'approche globale et au developpement durable? Une etude preliminaire menee au Botswana et portant sur les metiers de la construction a revele que les systemes d'approvisionnement actuels n'integrent pas les efforts des differents participants a un projet et ne repondent pas aux attentes des utilisateurs. Cet article propose une approche globale dont le succes repose sur la reintegration de ces metiers et sur de nouvelles methodes d'approvisionnement. Une methode de travail integree et holistique, ou un projet de construction serait considere comme un systeme complet, pourrait faire naitre un certain nombre de synergies. Cette hypothese exige un meilleur processus decisionnel en amont une utilisation plus efficace des ressources et l'attenuation des effets negatifs sur l'environnement en aval.     

石油行业装备离散制造业生产外协管理的SAP解决方案

本文介绍了离散制造行业生产外协管理的SAP解决方案及相关内容进行了简要探讨。     

Effects of an Inaccurate Sorting Procedure on Optimal Procurement and Production Decisions in a Remanufacturing System

Under the uncertainty of market demand and quality of returns, sorting prior to disassembly is effective for timely obtaining information about the remanufacturability of used products. In this article, we assume that the remanufacturable fraction of used products is a random variable and introduce an inaccurate sorting procedure of used products prior to disassembly. Then, three two-stage optimization models are formulated to maximize the expected profits of a remanufacturer in a single period with used products and/or new parts as inputs to meet the stochastic market demand. Moreover, the article provides a case study to explore the optimal decisions under different scenarios and analyzes the effects of parameters, such as the unit disassembly cost, unit sorting cost, and proportion of sorting errors. Finally, the results indicate that whether remanufacturing with sorting is more profitable than that without sorting mainly depends on the sorting accuracy and the relative value between disassembly cost and sorting cost. When considering or not considering a long lead time of new parts, the effects of sorting errors on procurement policies are different. A long lead time will result in lower expected profits. Finally, the diverse types of classification errors have different influences on procurement policies and corresponding expected profit.     

Designing a secure e-tender submission protocol

This paper investigates the fundamental difference between a simple e-tender box and a traditional physical tender box, and highlights a series of security traps created by the functional differences. Based on our findings, we have defined the security requirements for an e-tender submission protocol. We also discuss functional limitations of cryptographic technologies. As a result, two secure e-tender submission protocols are proposed which enable a secure e-tender submission. Protocols are assumed to run under the condition that all tendering parties (principal and tenderers) are dishonest players. Our informal and formal security analysis show that these protocols meet their security goals under well known collusion scenarios. Because security is a process not a product, our approach will have broad industry application for developing secure electronic business processes in areas other than e-tendering.

浅谈环境认证和电线电缆的发展

文章主要介绍了电线电缆的环境认证标准及绿色电线电缆的发展及应用。     

Developing a procurement path determination chart SEM-based approach

The choice of an appropriate procurement system is crucial to construction project success. Procurement selection is largely based on path determination charts, with at least eight key criteria needing to be weighted by decision-makers. Including certain criteria whilst ignoring client-borne transaction costs (TCs) resulting from environmental uncertainties simplifies this process. TCs are ‘unseen’ costs associated with pre- and post-contract work. The effects of uncertainties in the transaction environment and procurement systems on TCs are investigated, comparing the traditional and design-build procurement systems. A cross-sectional sample approach was deployed, involving survey questionnaire and results verification through ‘real-world’ cases. Data was sought from construction professionals in management, design and operation of construction projects. The research participants evaluate their time spent on procurement activities using a five-point Likert scale. Hypotheses of the relations between environmental uncertainties, procurement systems, and pre- and post-contract TCs are tested using a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach. The study found that TCs account for about 46.75% and 42.88% of the daily time spent by project managers in traditional and design-build procurement systems in New Zealand respectively. The study concludes that the TC concept is a useful framework for determining objective instead of subjective opinions for procurement decisions.     

Non‐destructive investigation

So‐called ‘dynamic'or ‘counterflow'insulation systems have already been installed in buildings in France and Sweden for which significant improvements over ‘classic’ insulation methods have been reported. Here, the authors describe a French study, including full‐scale laboratory tests, into the actual efficiency of a ‘permeodynamic’ version. A theoretical model has been developed from which to derive thermal efficiency values, and is compared with the test results. The limits of such dynamic systems, and their most feasible applications, are then discussed. The main conclusion is that conventional insulation techniques remain competitive for houses, but permeodynamic systems offer greater possibilities for industrial buildings.     

Mitigating the health and safety influence of subcontracting in construction: The approach of main contractors

Subcontracting is noted for its adverse health and safety (H&S) influence in construction. Using interviews with five of the top 20 UK contractors and one medium-sized contractor, this study explored how main contractors manage the H&S influence of subcontracting with a focus on their in-house measures. Some in-house measures found are: restricting the layers of subcontractors on projects; working with a regular chain of subcontractors; implementing a H&S reward scheme for subcontractors; and insisting on non-working subcontractor foremen who have direct responsibility for the safety of workers in their trade. These measures appear to be influenced by clients, industry peer groups, and the moral justification for occupational H&S, and they offer inter-organisational learning opportunities for contractors in devising measures to mitigate the H&S influence of subcontracting. These findings should also allay concerns that removing some of the legislative hurdles in connection with on-going red tape debate will result in poorer H&S.     

Exploration and exploitation in project-based organizations: Development and diffusion of knowledge at different organizational levels in construction companies

Management studies highlight the importance of an organization's capability to both exploit existing knowledge and technologies for short-term profits and also explore new knowledge and technologies to enhance long-term innovation. Although this paradox recently has received escalating interest in management research, studies dealing with project-levels and project-based organizations (PBOs) are scarce. This conceptual paper discusses how PBOs in the construction industry can manage the exploration/exploitation paradox at different organizational levels. Short-term project focus and decentralization inhibits learning from one point in time and space to another, making it easier to reap the benefits of exploitation than of exploration. Current structural and sequential separation of exploration and exploitation activities at business unit, project portfolio, and project levels do not solve the paradox, due to lack of integrating mechanisms. Hence, PBOs in the construction industry may suffer from inadequate extent of exploration, while the extent of exploitation is not reaching its potential. Cooperative procurement procedures can serve as a basis for facilitating both exploration and exploitation of knowledge and technologies in construction projects.