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This study aims to investigate the mechanical properties of sustainable recycled polypropylene (rPP) composite materials integrated with spherical silicon carbide (SiC) particles.

A representative volume element (RVE) analysis is employed to predict the Young’s modulus of rPP filled with spherical-shaped SiC at varying volume percentages (i.e. 10, 20 and 30%).

The investigation reveals that the highest values of Young’s modulus, tensile strength, flexural strength and mode 1 frequency are observed for the 30% rPP/SiC samples, exhibiting increases of 115, 116, 62 and 15%, respectively, compared to pure rPP. Fractography analysis confirms the ductile nature of pure rPP and the brittle behavior of the 30% rPP/SiC composite. Moreover, the RVE method predicts Young’s modulus more accurate than micromechanical models, aligning closely with experimental results. Additionally, results from ANSYS simulation tests show tensile strength, flexural strength and frequency within a 10% error range when compared to experimental data.

This study contributes to the field by demonstrating the mechanical enhancements achievable through the incorporation of sustainable materials like rPP/SiC, thereby promoting environmentally friendly engineering solutions.

The present research aims to investigate how lean project management (LPM) and agile project management (APM) affect project performance outcomes in the construction sector in Jordan. This study focuses on six key project performance outcomes, namely cost, time, quality, client satisfaction, innovation and responsiveness.

The present study employed a quantitative approach to achieve the research objectives. Accordingly, a multi-item survey questionnaire was prepared to gather data from 392 project managers from construction companies in Jordan. The study’s model showed acceptable levels regarding reliability, validity, fit indices and discriminant validity. In order to test the hypotheses of this study, path analysis was employed using Amos 24.0 software.

LPM demonstrated a remarkably high positive impact on cost performance. It also positively affected quality performance and client satisfaction. However, LPM insignificantly affected time, innovation and responsiveness performance measures. On the other hand, APM showed a notably high positive impact on innovation and responsiveness. The findings also revealed that APM positively impacted quality performance and client satisfaction. In addition, APM negatively impacted cost performance and insignificantly impacted time performance.

This study is one of the first comprehensive studies to empirically examine the impact of both LPM and APM on various project performance outcomes in the construction industry in the context of a developing country. It reveals some similarities and differences between LPM and APM with regard to their impacts on project management outcomes. The findings are expected to guide managers in selecting the appropriate project management approach based on the desired performance outcomes. Accordingly, it offers important implications for project managers in construction companies.

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of Project Management Office (PMO) functions on project performance in businesses in Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) using Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS–SEM).

Utilizing close-ended questionnaires in a cross-sectional survey, 256 project professionals from 10 business sectors in Ghana views were elicited. The questions were developed through a comprehensive literature review and involved 27 PMO functional measures grouped into 6 and 19 project performance measures grouped into 6. Data collected was then analysed using the PLS–SEM to validate the hypothetical relationship.

The PLS–SEM model supported 13 (t > 1.65) out of 36 hypotheses investigating the relationship between PMO functions and project performance. Variations in the PMO functions moderately (R2 = 0.34) explained the performance of projects. The aggregate activities of the PMO had the highest significant influence on environmental performance (R2 = 0.467). The topmost PMO function was identified as monitoring and controlling project performance, and it was significantly associated with cost (ß = 0.265, p < 0.05), quality (ß = 0.291, p < 0.05) and project scope (ß = 0.265 p < 0.05) performance.

This research has brought more illumination to the functions of PMOs and its influence on project performance. The results suggest that PMO activities, when tailored to the business context, can significantly change project performance variables.

Most research on PMO and project performance has been limited to developed countries or a single sector. This study uniquely expands the business sectors and focuses on LMICs.

This study aims to explore the pandemic's opportunities for enhancing the environmental practices of the food and beverages green supply chains and its effect on the supply chains' viability by exploring the relationship between fear and uncertainty of COVID-19, food and beverages green supply chain management (F&B-GSCM) and supply chains’ viability based on the two dimensions (robustness and resilience) and examine the moderating effect of innovative technology adoption like big data analysis (BDA) capabilities and blockchain technologies (BCT) on this relationship.

This study adopted partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 362 F&B small and medium enterprises (SMEs)’ managers in the Egyptian market for data analysis and hypothesis testing.

The empirical results show that the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic have a significant positive effect on green supply chain management (GSCM). Also, BDA moderates the relationship between fear and uncertainty of COVID-19 and GSCM. However, BCT do not moderate that relationship. Similarly, GSCM positively affects supply chain viability dimensions (robustness and resilience). In addition, F&B-GSCM significantly mediates the relationship between fear and uncertainty of COVID-19 and supply chain viability dimensions (robustness and resilience).

Food and beverages (F&B) managers could develop a consistent strategy for applying BCT and BDA to provide clear information and focus on their procedures to meet their stakeholders' needs during COVID-19. Governments and managers should develop a consistent strategy to apply food and beverages supply chains (F&B SCs)' green practices to achieve F&B SCs' resilience and robustness, especially during the pandemic.

The Egyptian F&B SCs have been linked directly with many European countries as a main source of many basic food and agriculture products, which have been affected lately by the pandemic. Based on the “social-cognitive,” “stakeholder” and “resource-based view” theories, this study sheds light on the optimistic side of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it also brings the concepts of F&B-GSCM, SC resilience, SC robustness and innovative technologies back into the light, which helps in solving F&B SC issues and helps to achieve their viability.

The purpose of the paper is to analyze how a change towards product orientation based on an agile approach challenges, contrasts and/or coexists with other principles of organization and grouping, such as development projects, the existing hierarchical line structure and process management.

This is a case study of one organization, based on an explorative appoach.

Taking the competing dimension of coordination and principles of grouping as the starting point, this study identify, describe and analyze the tensions that result from the introduction of product organization. The product initiative has met many obstacles and tensions along four dimensions: Process, line, information technology units and development projects. For each of these dimensions a number of challenges have been identified, that contribute to increased complexity in the organization.

A limitation of the study is that the findings cannot be generalized to other organizations.

A practical implication of the study is that product organization triggers tensions with other principles of organizations and grouping.

This study mainly contributes to the knowledge of agile management and agile organization, identifying and theorizing challenges that have been neglected and/or poorly understood both in the popular literature and in organizational research. This is particularly the case in the public sector. This study is also relevant to the domain of multidimensional structures, adding an understanding of the novel opportunities and challenges of product- and agile-based grouping of activities in an organization.

The purpose of this study is to test and validate a scale for measuring project resilience in the construction sector within the built environment. By identifying relevant indicators and items, the study aims to enhance the resilience of construction projects and minimize losses and failures resulting from disruptive events such as societal, technological, biological and environmental hazards (e.g. Covid-19, war in Ukraine, shortage of resources, etc.).

The study uses a quantitative approach, specifically exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, to evaluate the suitability, dimensionality and reliability of the proposed indicators and items for measuring project resilience in the construction sector.

The study found that 9 indicators and 34 items were suitable for measuring project resilience in the construction sector, and the proposed model showed good fit for the two dimensions of project resilience, which may have practical implications for project managers in the construction sector within the built environment.

The study proposes a new scale for measuring project resilience in the construction sector, which is a novel contribution to the field of project management. The study identifies specific indicators and items that are relevant to this industry, which may have practical implications for project managers in this sector. The study also highlights the need for further research to make the project resilience scale more robust and reliable.

The purpose of this study is to propose a systematic model selection procedure for long-term load forecasting (LTLF) for ex-ante and ex-post cases considering uncertainty in exogenous predictors.

The different variants of regression models, namely, Polynomial Regression (PR), Generalised Additive Model (GAM), Quantile Polynomial Regression (QPR) and Quantile Spline Regression (QSR), incorporating uncertainty in exogenous predictors like population, Real Gross State Product (RGSP) and Real Per Capita Income (RPCI), temperature and indicators of breakpoints and calendar effects, are considered for LTLF. Initially, the Backward Feature Elimination procedure is used to identify the optimal set of predictors for LTLF. Then, the consistency in model accuracies is evaluated using point and probabilistic forecast error metrics for ex-ante and ex-post cases.

From this study, it is found PR model outperformed in ex-ante condition, while QPR model outperformed in ex-post condition. Further, QPR model performed consistently across validation and testing periods. Overall, QPR model excelled in capturing uncertainty in exogenous predictors, thereby reducing over-forecast error and risk of overinvestment.

These findings can help utilities to align model selection strategies with their risk tolerance.

To propose the systematic model selection procedure in this study, the consistent performance of PR, GAM, QPR and QSR models are evaluated using point forecast accuracy metrics Mean Absolute Percentage Error, Root Mean Squared Error and probabilistic forecast accuracy metric Pinball Score for ex-ante and ex-post cases considering uncertainty in the considered exogenous predictors such as RGSP, RPCI, population and temperature.

Access to medical care extends to not only the timely and appropriate receipt of services but also addresses inclusivity and underlying determinants of health. Given that patients from disadvantaged backgrounds have been shown to be more likely to experience delays in care, a same day access scheduling initiative was proposed to address this equity issue. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate our experience, focusing on identifying socioeconomic and demographic patterns of same day access utilization.

From March 2021 to January 2023, all patients referred for new consultation to a tertiary care-based radiation oncology department were offered same day appointments as part of a prospective pilot initiative. Descriptive statistics were used to identify factors predictive of utilization.

On multivariate analysis, patient characteristics independently associated with higher odds of same day access utilization included low-income status ([OR] = 3.70, 95% CI (1.47–6.14)) and Black or Latino race ([OR] = 4.05, 95% CI: 1.72–9.11).

While we were unable to acquire data on actual clinical outcomes for patients opting for same day appointments, the enthusiasm for this program was obvious.

Patients from disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable segments of the population were more likely to elect for same day appointments. Implications on health equity are discussed.

Patient-centered approaches to overcome barriers of access can potentially help ensure that care is equitable.

Our findings, representing the first published data analyzing a longitudinal experience with same day appointments in oncology, strongly suggest that certain disadvantaged populations may benefit more from access initiatives.

In this manuscript, we aimed to (1) illustrate the differences in school–university partnership under the school reform and renewal models and (2) describe the practice of and learning about school–university partnership by reflecting on the three large, federally funded projects, all conducted under the school renewal model.

We used archival data from the three large, federally funded projects, synthesized our research related to school–university partnerships and developed themes for actions and learnings related to the topic of school–university partnerships.

The school–university partnerships under the school renewal model are different from that under the school reform model. School–university partnership under the school renewal model is associated with positive results for schools and the university. There are clear themes for the actions and learning in the school–university partnership under the school renewal model.

It is original to study school–university partnerships in the context of the school renewal model.

Education focused on the creation of a knowledge base but not on how to bring such knowledge into practice had caused graduate architects to encounter reality shock and fail to perform during building contract administration. Although the effect of performance barriers on competence development is empirically supported, less is known about the mechanisms that explain this effect. Overcoming barriers for graduate architects is crucial while supporting building contract administrators and acquiring professional qualifications. To address this issue, we propose the mediating role of CCA skills as a possible explanation of the relationship between performance barriers and competence development of graduate architects.

A survey was conducted among graduate architects in Klang Valley. In total, one hundred and twenty-seven usable questionnaires were returned and analyzed using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.

Mediation results indicate that performance barriers have a significant positive influence on competence development through CCA skills in claims and legal matters management, project management, communication and relationship management, quality assessment and management, and design management.

The present study contributes to the construction contract administration literature by integrating performance barriers and the CCA skills model. This advances our understanding of performance barriers and CCA skills engendering competence development of graduate architects.