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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and analyse the criteria and sub‐criteria of an excellence model for construction that would aid construction contractors in measuring and improving their business performance.

The methodology of evaluation was based on similar evaluations of total quality management frameworks and excellence models in the literature. The developed model was measured via a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire as a measuring instrument was evaluated in terms of reliability and validity using techniques such as factor analysis, multiple correlation, and Cronbach's alpha. The weights of the criteria were empirically calculated using factor regression coefficients.

The criteria and sub‐criteria of the proposed construction excellence model were confirmed using empirical data, and the criterion weights were suggested on an empirical / scientific basis.

The model is limited as a managerial tool: it can increase the chances of success, but not guarantee it. The model was evaluated on, and therefore limited to, large construction contracting organisations.

The main benefit of the construction excellence model is that it provides criteria and sub‐criteria for an excellence model developed for and evaluated by construction companies. It has a more comprehensive and wider coverage of performance criteria relevant to the construction industry than other excellence models.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the major performance measurement models, hereafter called performance models, and investigate their application in the context of facility management (FM), based on which it aims to identify the effectiveness of these models and recommend the most important performance indicators.

A combination of literature review, expert interview and questionnaire survey is adopted in this study. A literature review and a series of expert interviews help to identify the performance models spread in general and applied to FM in particular. Based on the literature review and expert interviews, a questionnaire survey is carried out in the UK and Ireland to investigate the application of performance models in FM practice.

The review of relevant literature shows that in recent years various models have been developed to measure and improve the performance of organisations. The application of such models within FM organisations is evaluated in this study. It is found that key performance indicators (KPI), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), and the Business Excellence Model (BEM) are more widely accepted and more effective than others. This is similar to the findings by a previous construction study. FM organisations benefit from effective performance measurement. When measuring performance, it is important for them to select the appropriate models and indicators.

The existing studies contribute to the establishment of various performance models and the introduction of their concepts into the FM discipline. However, whether the application of these models in reality is effective or not needs to be justified. This research aims at analysing the real effect of existing models in the FM sector. Comparison is made between FM and construction. It helps to identify the major benefits from performance measurement for FM organisations. It provides FM practitioners with an insight into the appropriate use of performance models and indicators.

This study aims to compare the performance of two nature-inspired metaheuristics inside Grasshopper in optimizing daylighting and energy performance against brute force in terms of the resemblance to ideal solution and calculation time.

The simulation-based optimization process was controlled using two population-based metaheuristic algorithms, namely, the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The objectives of the optimization routine were optimizing daylighting and energy consumption of a standard reference office while varying the urban context configuration in Alexandria, Egypt.

The results from the GA and PSO were compared to those from brute force. The GA and PSO demonstrated much faster performance to converge to design solution after conducting only 25 and 43% of the required simulation runs, respectively. Also, the average proportion of the resulted weighted sum optimization (WSO) per case using the GA and PSO to that from brute force algorithm was 85 and 95%, respectively.

The work of this paper goes beyond the current practices for showing that the performance of the optimization algorithm can differ by changing the urban context configuration while solving the same problem under the same design variables and objectives.

Intentions of managers of pharmaceutical multinational enterprises (MNEs) to adopt business strategies, which will aid global health and wellbeing, are in some ways linked with their understanding of the returns that their company will receive from these investments. However, the MNE’s managers are unaware of business strategies that will allow them to link their business activities with the corporate objectives of contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pharmaceutical companies are moving toward monopolistic practices by acquiring local companies for manufacturing purposes or by engaging local companies in contract manufacturing and directing the focus of these companies away from innovation and toward profit making. At the same time, pharmaceutical MNEs are promoting global health and wellbeing as their SDGs. This study uses knowledge from existing sources and expert insights to explain the returns that MNEs can get from their investments related to global health and wellbeing. One of the important recommendations from the ethical point of view is engaging local firms in the innovation process; from the marketing perspective, this study recommends the use of a corporate brand and not a product brand for offering generic medicines. The operations perspective explains how MNEs can incorporate the social agenda into their mainstream business strategies. Limitations of the study are discussed, and avenues for future research are explained.

The purpose of this paper is to critically review the literature of performance measurement both in general and in the construction industry in particular. By doing so, it seeks to provide valuable insights into how to construct a comprehensive performance measurement model for the construction industry.

Based on a comprehensive literature review on performance measurement, the paper presents a critical review of the development of performance measurement, with a special focus on the construction sector. The strengths and weaknesses of most previous measurement frameworks and techniques are investigated. Performance information that each can generate is analyzed in the context of the construction industry.

The research findings showed that performance measurement studies in construction can be divided into three levels: project, organizational, and stakeholder levels. In addition, the major frameworks of performance measurement in construction were found to be: European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model, balanced scorecard model, and key performance indicators model. The most frequently applied research techniques of performance measurement in construction included: gap analysis, integrated performance index, statistical methods, and data envelopment analysis method. The performance information generated from the measurement encompasses frameworks and hierarchical indicators, and functions and score.

The research focuses on the performance measurement of construction. Further research work should be conducted to cover other industries.

The paper provides an innovative and useful approach to defining the process of performance measurement in construction, which can be of great use to both the research community and industrial practitioners.

The paper summarizes the recent performance measurement research studies in construction, integrates the whole process of the performance measurement, and offers useful insights into future areas of research in this field.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of a set of critical success factors (CSFs) for Ghanaian contractors. The factors collectively define a set of best practices which Ghanaian contractors should focus on improving if they are to attain internationally competitive performance.

A systematic review of previous research, literature on existing programmes, models and frameworks commonly used for improving performance was undertaken to identify the most important success factors. The identified factors were scored and ranked with 16 of the most frequently occurring success factors selected. A questionnaire-based survey of Ghanaian contractors explored their perceptions of the most important success factors. Using factor analysis, the most important success factors were extracted.

Eight CSFs were identified for Ghanaian contractors. These were: quality and zero defects culture, organisational design, work culture and work environment, client satisfaction, strategy, leadership, measurement, analysis of information and knowledge management and implementation of lean principles.

The CSFs developed provides a ready set of criteria which can be used by contractors with little or no experience of benchmarking to compare their performance in best practices or to implement improvement programmes.

The first formal set of CSFs for Ghanaian contractors is presented. Not much research work has been done on organisational CSFs that are focused by this research.

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology and framework to assist construction firms and contractors in incorporating sustainability measures into their benchmarking efforts.

A methodology that incorporates both strategic and activity‐based criteria for identifying areas for benchmarking is developed by modifying an existing methodology of enterprise performance management. The benchmarking framework makes use of aspects from well‐established management practices such as activity‐based management, balanced scorecard, and multi‐attribute decision models. It allows for the integration of sustainability measures into more conventional measures of construction practice.

The paper finds that activity and strategic metrics can be integrated into a framework for benchmarking. Additionally, metrics specific to sustainability can be incorporated with more traditional measures to provide a holistic analysis of construction practices.

The framework for sustainable construction is useful for benchmarking. It provides a generic structure, which allows for flexibility when applied to a specific organization. The methodology and model, while geared toward the construction industry, can be easily adapted to other industries.

The paper presents a framework for benchmarking in the important area of sustainability within the construction industry. The framework represents a novel integration of activity and strategic analysis into the benchmarking process.

This paper reviews the normative literature of performance measurement within the context of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of current ex post evaluations of PPPs and identify a feasible direction to comprehensively and effectively measure the performance of PPP infrastructure projects.

An in-depth literature review is conducted in this paper. The focus of the review is associated with the general performance measurement and performance measurements of PPPs.

This paper identifies that conventional ex post evaluation is not robust enough to measure the performance of PPP projects. Based on the characteristics of PPPs, the life-cycle (process-based) evaluation under performance measurement system is a promising approach to comprehensive and effective PPP performance measurement.

The outcomes of this paper can be used as a theoretical base for the development of PPP performance measurement framework.

Performance measurement is essential to business success, whether it is at the organisation or project level. Limitations on public funds have encouraged more and more governments across the world to use PPPs to procure economic and social infrastructure projects. Similar to traditional procurement, ex post evaluation is being widely used in PPP projects. However, PPPs are more complicated than other traditional procurement approaches. Exploration of literature suggests that limited research has been undertaken to examine if conventional ex post evaluation is sufficient to measure the performance of PPPs. This paper will bridge this significant knowledge gap.

This paper presents a developed spatial-temporal analysis framework for the case of investigating the business performance of construction consultancy services (CCS) in China.

The spatial-temporal analysis is based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique. The spatial analysis follows the DEA results under a contemporaneous benchmark technology and a virtual decision-making unit, consisting of ranking analysis, cluster analysis and variation analysis. The temporal analysis is reliant on the DEA results under a global benchmark technology and the time value of money, including trend analysis and driving force analysis containing pure technical and scale efficiency factors.

Three CCS types in China are investigated, including engineering survey and design, construction supervision and procurement agency. The performance rank order and cluster classifications are mainly related to economic development levels. Engineering survey and design demonstrates the best performance and higher imbalances; however, construction supervision and procurement agency illustrate lower performance and imbalances. Scale efficiency significantly promotes business performance, whereas pure technical efficiency plays an inconspicuous role.

The CCS promote technical efficiency by developing their service and innovation levels. The service of engineering survey and design registered in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong is recommended for entering the service market in China.

The spatial-temporal analysis framework was developed, which is generic and provides a pathway to measure, compare and assess performance comprehensively. The CCS business performance is firstly measured.

This paper aims to examine and compare a performance measurement system and performance frameworks commonly used within the construction industry. The paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of balanced scorecard (BSC) and business excellence model (BEM) to propose an integrated model for measuring strategic performance of construction organisations as a single model. The purpose is to help organisations achieve performance excellence, financial integrity and continuous improvement in business results to sustain competitive advantage.

This paper examines and compares performance measurement system and performance frameworks commonly used within the construction industry. The paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of BSC and BEM to propose an integrated model for measuring strategic performance of construction organisations as a single model. The purpose is to help organisations achieve performance excellence, financial integrity and continuous improvement in business results to sustain competitive advantage.

The study reveals that the most popular performance measurement framework in construction includes: BSC; Key Performance Indicators and European Foundation for Quality Management. However, literature also reveals that Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is being used to measure performance in the construction. The study findings indicated that BSC and BEM could be combined to provide an integrated model that will encompass every facet of construction performance measures.

The paper integrates the BSC and BEM performance measurement models, to provide construction organisations the opportunities of benefitting from the two models as a single tool without having to use more than one model or miss out any important aspect of performance measures. The model will assist organisations perform regular health checks of all business process and at the same time help align organisational activities with strategic primacy.

The paper offers an integrated construction excellence model as a useful tool for measuring both financial and non-financial performance aspects of construction organisations. This will provide managers, owners and other stakeholders the chance of measuring processes and pre-eminent strategic initiatives using a single model.

The conceptual paper presents an integration of processes and perspectives for measuring performance as a new and useful tool in the context of the South African construction industry. The paper suggests that research efforts should be directed on how to implement the strategic performance model efficiently within a specific construction environment.