Book review

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS: PLANNING, DESIGN AND OPERATION, by S. R. Qasim, 1999. Technomic Publishing Company, Lancaster, PA. 1107 pages, 27 chapters, 6 appendices. S139.95 (regular price) and $64.95 (student price).     

Book review

This paper presents a new prioritisation approach to the problem of rehabilitation of water distribution systems. It consists in a algorithm that, based on the resilience index and on the unitary power concepts, selects the most important pipes to be replaced in order to achieve two main objectives: first, to reduce loss of water due to leakage by decreasing and levelling pressures along the entire network; second, to reduce the dissipated energy in the system, making it more efficient and reliable. Additionally, the implemented algorithm finds profitable rehabilitation schemes and allows the identification of the appropriate point at which, according to the economic and hydraulic criteria established by the user, the process of replacing pipes should be stopped. This paper includes three case studies – one hypothetical and two real water distribution systems – in which the algorithm was tested. For these networks hydraulically and economically near-optimal rehabilitation schemes were achieved.     

Book review

Housing and the National Economy. Edited by John Ermisch. Aldershot: Avebury Gower Publishing for the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, 1990. pp151. £32.00 (cloth).     

Book review

The change which is occurring within both our urban and rural areas as a result of increasing tourism is but one expression of the continuing saga of human change and conflict.

There seems to be two quite distinct causes for the conflict that arises with tourist developments.

1. Differing views on the technical implications of the changes that will occur as a result of a proposed development, e.g. will increasing tourist visitation of the Barrier Reef lead ultimately to its destruction or simply bring about modifications which will change some of its form but not threaten its long term existence as one of the wonders of the world;

2. A belief by a small or large section of the community that the particular development threatens to change their lifestyle, either:

(a) by direct intrusion into the local environment which they have become adapted to or

(b) preventing their enjoying some distant location which they have visited in the past.     

Book review

In response to impending skills shortages and changing employment patterns, the UK construction industry recently has made considerable efforts to attract more women to its professions. However, despite their increasing representation, there are indications that women experience difficulties in developing their careers within the industry. This research investigated the careers of men and women working for large construction companies, in order to establish the gender determined influences on women's career progression. A primarily qualitative methodology was employed for the research, in which career profiles were developed through ethnographic interviews with 41 matched pairs of male and female employees. This allowed the gender specific determinants of careers to be established across a range of different organizations, and from informants at different vocational and life-cycle stages. The analysis resulted in the formulation of a set of eight interrelated theoretical models, from which a theory of women's career development was constructed. The theory reflects the belief that the construction workplace is a competitive and conflictual environment, where women are overtly and covertly discriminated against by men, who use structural systems to undermine their participation. The women interviewed were found to have dealt with these barriers in a way which perpetuated existing work cultures. If reflected throughout the industry, this would suggest the existence of a self-fulfilling cycle of women's continued under-achievement. The paper puts forward the radical proposition that women should not be attracted to the industry unless steps are taken to moderate its exclusionary and discriminatory culture.     

Book review

Bent Flyvbjerg and Verner C. Petersen, Planning Theory. Theoretical Considerations on the Analysis of Public Policy and Planning. Public Planning Series No. 15. Aalborg University Press 1983.