Peter Barrett and Lucinda Barrett
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key characteristics of the highest‐performing construction projects, so that future procurement, briefing, design and construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key characteristics of the highest‐performing construction projects, so that future procurement, briefing, design and construction management processes can be improved in the light of these experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
Workshops were carried out in Australia, Singapore and the USA involving 40 senior participants, representing a good cross‐section of the stakeholder interests around construction. These individuals were each asked to identify the best construction project with which they had been involved at any point in their careers and to identify the major reasons for its success.
Findings
A synthesis is provided of the characteristics that characterise the exemplary projects cited by the workshop participants. These are typified by the “4Cs”, namely constraints driving collaboration and creativity, ideally leading to community benefits. The 17 exemplars provided by the participants show project teams facing demands that act to break the dysfunctional paradigm of normal practice, so allowing refreshing and motivating actions to follow. This schema is reinforced by the three case study vignettes that illustrate in more detail the factors at work and their interactions. Linkage to prominent issues apparent in the literatures related to procurement, briefing, design and construction management are shown, together with pointers as to the connections between these issues as experienced in specific real world, project situations. In particular, the potentially pervasive impact of selective priority‐setting is highlighted.
Practical implications
This paper provides a glimpse of how construction operates at its best, the industry explicitly contributing to, and getting credit for, adding value to society economically, but also culturally, socially and environmentally.
Originality/value
The work reported on here covers 17 mini‐cases and three fuller cases, all drawn from three countries. Further work to build additional cases from a wider range of countries would test the broad outline of the 4Cs model and increase one's understanding of the dynamic mechanisms at work.
Details
Keywords
Sacha Evans, Faisil Sethi, Oliver Dale, Clive Stanton, Rosemary Sedgwick, Monica Doran, Lucinda Shoolbred, Steve Goldsack and Rex Haigh
The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the field of personality disorder since the publication of “Personality disorder: no longer a diagnosis of exclusion” in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the field of personality disorder since the publication of “Personality disorder: no longer a diagnosis of exclusion” in 2003.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of both the academic literature contained within relevant databases alongside manual searches of policy literature and guidance from the key stakeholders was undertaken.
Findings
The academic and policy literature concentrates on treating borderline and antisocial personality disorders. It seems unlikely that evidence will resolutely support any one treatment modality over another. Criticism has arisen that comparison between modalities misses inter and intra patient heterogeneity and the measurement of intervention has become conflated with overall service design and the need for robust care pathways. Apparent inconsistency in service availability remains, despite a wealth of evidence demonstrating the availability of cost-effective interventions and the significant inequality of social and health outcomes for this population.
Research limitations/implications
The inclusion of heterogeneous sources required pragmatic compromises in methodological rigour.
Originality/value
This paper charts the recent developments in the field with a wealth of wide-ranging evidence and robust guidance from institutions such as NICE. The policy literature has supported the findings of this evidence but current clinical practice and what patients and carers can expect from services remains at odds. This paper lays bare the disparity between what we know and what is being delivered. The authors argue for the need for greater research into current practice to inform the setting of minimum standards for the treatment of personality disorder.
Details
Keywords
Jamie Wood, Antonella Liuzzo Scorpo, Silvia Taylor, Muzna Rahman, Erin Bell and Lucinda Matthews-Jones
Social bookmarking is an online tool that can enable students to develop their skills in finding, sharing and (re)organising online information. Research has demonstrated that it…
Abstract
Social bookmarking is an online tool that can enable students to develop their skills in finding, sharing and (re)organising online information. Research has demonstrated that it has the potential to impact positively on students’ digital literacies – their ability to use the Internet critically to support their learning – and particularly on the kinds of online research skills that are vital to supporting inquiry-based approaches to learning and teaching in history. This chapter provides a detailed overview of how online social bookmarking tools have been used to support the development of students’ digital literacies in history in a number of UK higher education institutions. The general approach which has been adopted is based on constructivist principles and requires students to develop their skills and appreciation of the Internet as a venue for scholarly research in order to strengthen their inquiry skills in preparation for more independent work at higher levels of study. The chapter presents evaluative data that has been collected from students who have used social bookmarking to support inquiry activities within modules and as part of their independent learning activities. We also report staff reflections on the usefulness of social bookmarking to support student learning in history and make some recommendations for the practical application of such tools elsewhere. These include the potential significant impact of social bookmarking on students’ ability to interact productively and creatively with online resources in the course of their learning; the usefulness of the tool in supporting collaborative working and sharing materials; the need to ensure that students receive adequate training in using social bookmarking and that their work receives adequate credit (which will, in turn, increase motivation).
The following annotated bibliography of materials on orienting users to libraries and on instructing them in the use of reference and other resources covers publications from…
Abstract
The following annotated bibliography of materials on orienting users to libraries and on instructing them in the use of reference and other resources covers publications from 1981. A few items from 1980 have been included because information about them was not available in time for the 1980 listing. A few items have not been annotated because the compiler was unable to secure copies of these items.