Integrating services into solution offerings in the sales work of project-based firms

Project marketing and sales are the key activities at the front-end of solution delivery projects. Effective sales are a prerequisite for successful solution delivery in project-based firms, but little is known about the requirements for sales practices, particularly when the firm integrates services into solution offerings. The purposes of this study are to explore the integration of services into the sales of solutions and identify the needs and practices of service-related sales in project-based firms. The implications of integrating services into the solution offering are discussed based on a qualitative interview-based case study in two engineering industry firms. The findings suggest the use of business-level integration practices to facilitate the integration of sales and services at the project level. The results also indicate the importance of cooperation-oriented practices during a project in both interpersonal and group collaboration. The findings highlight the role of integrative people to manage collaboration and information flows at the front-end of projects. The findings contribute to the evidence on the requirements of sales work in integrating services with solutions by showing the complementarity of system and cross-functional integration in service-related solution selling as well as the work of integrative people in overcoming problems arising from the increased solution orientation in project-based firms.     

Impact of customer integration on project portfolio management and its success—Developing a conceptual framework

The growing number of company projects requires comprehensive management, project portfolio management (PPM), for strategic alignment and efficient use of resources. In parallel, companies face customers demanding higher value, and joint value creation with customers is considered a key success factor in the future. Project portfolios delivering products and services for customers implicate a link between PPM and an increased customer focus. Combining the research fields of marketing and PPM for the first time, this study proposes customer integration into PPM. I develop a framework describing the impact of customer integration into PPM on project portfolio success mediated through relationship value. Furthermore, the study describes relevant aspects for customer integration on the project portfolio level and identifies interfaces for cross-functional integration of a customer portfolio representative within the PPM process. The findings and limitations of this study are discussed, and further research is suggested.     

REALMEDIA: providing multimedia-based real-estate services through the Internet

This paper presents the design and implementation of a software system, known as REALMEDIA, which provides Web-based, multimedia real-estate services on the Internet. REALMEDIA is innovative in that it is designed to provide both on-line services to clients and a tool for maintaining the system to real-estate agent. The software consists of a web-based interface, a client side editor and an application server. The web interface is used by both the customer and the real-estate agent to request particular services. When used by a customer, it allows the potential buyer to select and view desired properties, and to make an appointment with agents. Multimedia information, which integrates text, graphics and video clips, are presented to the customer. When used by the agent, the web interface allows the agent to dynamically update the contents of the web page and to manipulate property details through the Client Side Editor. The application server acts as a bridge between the Web Interface and the Client Side Editor. The computational architecture and major components of REALMEDIA as well as its implementation using JAVA, TCP/IP and FTP will be described.     

Use of services to support the business of a project-based firm

Project-based firms that have traditionally focused on product-centric project deliveries as their core business are increasingly complementing their deliveries with different types of service offerings to create customer specific solutions. Such deliveries frequently encompass the design and delivery of a fully operational system with additional components such as maintenance and optimization of system during its life cycle. From the perspective of customer value, solution deliveries can be divided in to three elements: core project delivery, facilitating service products that are mandatory for use of the core project delivery and supporting service products that create additional value for the customer. In this paper we aim to increase the understanding on the impact of the addition of different types of services such as consultation, conceptual design, feasibility studies, training, maintenance, operation support, and production optimization may have on the business of a project-based firm. We analyze their contribution from five distinct perspectives: strategic, marketing and sales, project implementation, learning and innovation and financial. We carried out an empirical multi-case study within three large-sized project-based firms representing different industries. The results indicate that services play a versatile role in supporting the business of project-based firms — a role which goes beyond simply ensuring the short term profitability of the firm. Furthermore, delivering a specific service, such as consultation or process optimization, may often contribute favorably to more than one of the five perspectives analyzed in this study.     

基于OEC理论的房地产项目成本组织界面管理

阐述了房产项目成本管理的组织界面障碍,在总结OEC管理方法和界面管理基本理论的基础上,提出建立流程型项目组织、成本管理绩效考核全员化和工程信息管理网络化等界面管理措施,以期实现全方位、全过程、全员的集成化成本管理。     

Can integrated solutions business models work in construction?

It has recently been suggested that the future of the construction industry lies in adopting a new business model based on the concept of integrated solutions. Integrated solutions are combinations of products and services that address a customer's unique requirements throughout the life cycle, from development and design to systems integration, operations and decommissioning. Research on integrated solutions in other capital goods sectors has shown suppliers have had to create new business models, including developing new approaches to adding value, and building up new capabilities - especially in systems integration. The paper presents some preliminary empirical findings about construction industry perceptions of value, systems integration and integrated solutions that suggest the concept of built environment solutions provision is still at an early stage in its development and that the best opportunity for its introduction is in the context of private finance initiatives in the public sector or large clients who require repeatable solutions in the private sector.     

Knowledge integration in IPPD project: role of shared project mission,mutual trust,and mutual influence

Project integration is an important management issue related to product development performance outcomes. Design, development, production, and commercialization of new products and services require a project team's ability to acquire and integrate different knowledge bases of internal capabilities, customers, and suppliers. A literature gap exists regarding critical drivers of knowledge integration and shared knowledge in product development projects that needs to be identified and scientifically validated. Based on goal setting, social exchange, and information processing theories, the current study identifies antecedents of knowledge integration in terms of a shared project mission, mutual trust, and mutual influence, and investigates key relationships among these antecedents to determine the effect of knowledge integration on integrated product and process development (IPPD) project outcomes. Proposed hypothetical relationships among these constructs were tested on primary data collected from 191 respondents (OEM project managers and team members, suppliers, and customers) from IPPD projects from the U.S. automotive industry. With regards to the antecedents of knowledge integration in IPPD projects, our results indicate a statistically significant positive association between shared project mission, mutual trust, mutual influence and knowledge integration. Further, our results indicate a positive relationship between knowledge integration and performance outcomes measured in terms of IPPD project success and IPPD product success. Our results also indicate a partial mediating effect of mutual trust and mutual influence between the relationships of shared project mission and knowledge integration. Discussion of our empirical results, limitations, and recommendation for future studies in the area of knowledge integration in the area of IPPD projects are also provided.     

OPIS: An Object Model–Based Project Information System

Abstract: Future computer-aided project management (CAPM) software will be greatly improved through the technologies of project modeling—the rich, general-purpose representation of the project in the computer—and system integration—the sharing of computer models among applications. Our approach is to achieve system integration by establishing standard models that all applications can adopt and share. This requires a standard data model that specifies the general data-representation approach, a standard domain model that provides a schema or language for representing construction information, and a project model or database for information about a specific project that can be shared among multiple computer applications. This paper reviews these standard models and then describes our prototype integrated system called the object model–based project information system, or OPIS. OPIS uses a shared object–oriented database as the central unifying core of an integrated project planning system that includes an interface to an intelligent CADD program, a plan-generation expert system, an estimating application, and a scheduling application. OPIS demonstrates the feasibility and power of using standard object-oriented project models to achieve CAPM system integration.     

Knowledge leadership to improve project and organizational performance

Conceptualizing knowledge leadership and customer knowledge management (CKM) in the project context is still rudimentary. Thus, the first objective of this study is to assess the associations among knowledge leadership, customer knowledge management, the performance of a precision instrument sales (PIS) project, and organizational performance. The second objective is to determine whether project performance may mediate the effect of customer knowledge management on organizational performance. The third objective is to examine the moderating role of data complexity in the relationship between customer knowledge management and project performance. This study empirically investigated a sample of precision instrument sales projects in Taiwanese high-tech industry. The findings indicate that adoption of knowledge leadership is associated with customer knowledge management. In addition, these analyses suggest that implementation of customer knowledge management influences organizational performance via project performance. The results also show that the positive relationship between customer knowledge management and project performance depends on data complexity.     

Effect of prehydration,permeant, and desiccation on GCL/Geomembrane interface transmissivity

A laboratory investigation was conducted on two different conventional GCLs (one with fine granular and another one with powdered bentonite) to explore the effect of prehydration and permeant fluid; GCL desiccation on the interface transmissivity, θ, between the interfaces of a 1.5 mm-thick high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane (GMB) and a GCL. The study also aimed to assess the self-healing capacity of desiccated GCLs for three different permeant solutions under a range of applied stresses (10–150 kPa). It was found that at stresses less than 70 kPa, θ was dominated by variability in the initial contact condition between the GMB-GCL interfaces. The effect of other factors was largely masked by the contact variability. At 100–150 kPa, the effects of initial variability were largely eliminated, but there was no notable effect of other factors on θ in the absence of desiccation. GCL desiccation increased θ by up to three orders of magnitude than an intact specimen at 10–100 kPa. Even at 150 kPa, desiccated specimens had a θ ≤ 8.0 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s for all specimens tested. The chemical composition of the permeant solutions, crack width, and nature of bentonite could play an important role in healing the cracks of desiccated GCLs.     

Estimating a project's profitability: A longitudinal approach

Forecasting a project's financial performance is central to aligning its operations with its strategic direction. Despite the panoply of approaches to predicting project performance, most studies focus on predicting the working capital and fixed capital requirements of projects. Few focus on forecasting profitability in the capital project industry. Thus, this longitudinal study of 121 capital projects identifies key variables in project initiation and planning phases that affect the profitability (return on sales) of completed projects. Subsequent multivariate robust regression analysis shows that the natural logarithm-transformed Scope and Team variables best explain the variation in profitability. The results show that the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) value in the optimal forecasting model is 17.91%. Ultimately, our findings suggest that it is feasible to estimate a project's profitability before its execution.     

基于CICS的城市轨道交通建设界面管理及风险研究

城市轨道交通建设项目中,众多单位和专业的参与,形成了紧密联系的界面体系.复杂的界面关系导致许多潜在的风险因素.界面管理能否顺利实施对工程的工期和投资有重大影响.系统研究城市轨道交通建设项目的界面类型及所涉及风险,借鉴计算机集成建造系统CICS的原理,利用项目集成管理的研究方法,通过项目各类信息的有效集成以及项目各功能的无缝连接,提出实现轨道交通建设项目界面管理和风险防范的有效途径.     

谈深港西部通道口岸（深方）智能化系统集成

智能集成管理系统是口岸数字化管理的中心枢纽,对楼宇自控、消防报警、综合安防、公共广播及信息发布等系统集成,构建了具有统一界面、统一数据、资源共享的口岸综合信息管理平台。为保证各智能化子系统的集成功能达到预期的效果,平台具有网络、数据、计算机系统、通讯系统、机电设备管理自动化系统、应用软件系统以及施工技术等门类齐全的专业技术,而且,能把系统集成功能运用自如,实现全面智能化。     

面向建筑全生命期的集成BIM建模技术研究

建筑信息模型技术的快速发展和应用,为解决建筑生命期各阶段的信息“断层”问题提供了有效的途径和方法。但目前BIM应用主要通过文件进行数据交换和管理,无法形成完整的建筑信息模型,难以实现BIM的全部价值。本文针对完整BIM的创建,提出了面向建筑全生命期的集成BIM构建框架,通过研究集成BIM基本结构、建模流程、应用架构以及建模关键技术,开发了BIM数据集成与服务平台(BIM Data Integration and Server Platform,BIMDISP)的原型系统,并通过实际工程的应用,验证了BIMDISP的可行性和适用性,为面向全生命期的BIM创建、管理与应用探索了新的方法和技术。     

基于Delphi的地下工程施工监测软件开发

在当今的地下工程中,尤其重大地下工程中,围岩稳定性评价,支护设计和监控预测日趋紧密结合。怎样把它们在软件中集成是当前面临的急待解决的课题。文章阐述了基于DelPhi开发的地下工程监测软件的设计与实现。系统功能齐全,界面友好,交互灵活,无需其他应用软件系统支撑,对地下工程动态监测资料的及时反馈与科学研究具有实用价值。     

Management information flow in construction companies

The construction industry has been increasingly recognizing the need for more effective exchange of information between project participants. Not only have the manual systems failed to satisfy this need but the computer packages which have sprung up have also not allowed adequately for such communication. Integration of project information can optimize the operations of the industry as they exist currently. An even more promising but less immediate benefit of such integration is that it will form the necessary foundation for tools that advanced technology has the potential to produce. Such tools include simulation systems, knowledge-based systems and robotics which are very much in their infancy. A necessary step towards achieving the desired integration is to map out the characteristics of the flow of the information. This article analyses the flow of information among the management functions of the construction contractor.     

杭州市应急救援指挥中心系统的实现及创新

本文详细介绍了杭州市应急指挥中心综合接警系统及总集成系统的功能和流程,体现了智能化平台的整合和处理能力。该系统能及时准确地收集及处理各种信息,为紧急事件的处理提供依据,实施智能信息控制,大大提高了业务人员和专家的作业水平,综合强化了杭州市应急处置能力。     

Development and evaluation of an ultrasonic personal aerosol sampler

Assessing personal exposure to air pollution has long proven challenging due to technological limitations posed by the samplers themselves. Historically, wearable aerosol monitors have proven to be expensive, noisy, and burdensome. The objective of this work was to develop a new type of wearable monitor, an ultrasonic personal aerosol sampler (UPAS), to overcome many of the technological limitations in personal exposure assessment. The UPAS is a time‐integrated monitor that features a novel micropump that is virtually silent during operation. A suite of onboard environmental sensors integrated with this pump measure and record mass airflow (0.5–3.0 L/min, accurate within 5%), temperature, pressure, relative humidity, light intensity, and acceleration. Rapid development of the UPAS was made possible through recent advances in low‐cost electronics, open‐source programming platforms, and additive manufacturing for rapid prototyping. Interchangeable cyclone inlets provided a close match to the EPA PM_2.5 mass criterion (within 5%) for device flows at either 1.0 or 2.0 L/min. Battery life varied from 23 to 45 hours depending on sample flow rate and selected filter media. Laboratory tests of the UPAS prototype demonstrate excellent agreement with equivalent federal reference method samplers for gravimetric analysis of PM_2.5 across a broad range of concentrations.     

油气合建站工程项目统筹管理

同一个站区内既有加油功能又有加气功能，势必对基础建设工作提出更高的要求。尤其是天然气作为易爆品，更应加强工程项目管理。同时，为降低成本、早日实现零售量，油气合建站的项目统筹管理则显得尤为重要。     

Use of tribometer to estimate interface friction and concrete boundary layer composition during the fluid concrete pumping

The friction at the steel–concrete interface (on the boundary layer) which occurs when concrete flows in a drain plays an important role in its pumpability. This friction is directly related to the composition of the formed boundary layer, which depends on the concrete composition parameters. In order to highlight the relationship between concrete composition and interface friction, the authors initially developed and validated an apparatus (called “tribometer”) allowing steel–concrete interface friction measurements and deduce interface parameters. It is simple to use at building sites. The paper highlights the rigorous relationship between the boundary layer (BL) composition and the concrete composition. The results show that the BL is formed by water, cement and fine sand particles of concrete with a diameter lower than 0.25 mm. It was also shown that the water–cement ratio of the BL and that of the concrete are almost the same. The relative enrichment of fine sand in the BL decreases with the increase of the fine sand voluminal proportion in the concrete.