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Construction companies have several possible growth paths to follow in their effort to develop. Studies show that the appropriate approach depends on the features of the company and the prevailing economic conditions, and support measures and incentives. This paper reports the results of a study on the paths which construction enterprises in Singapore have adopted since 1980. The main basis of the study was a mailed questionnaire survey. It was found that most local contractors have grown by working at home, either as main contractors or as specialist subcontractors. Some theoretical implications of the findings are outlined. Recommendations are offered on appropriate growth paths for Singaporean contractors under various circumstances.

The author describes how he entered the marketing field and describes his contributions in four sections: articles written, books published, students nurtured, and executives consulted and trained. He describes his contributions to the marketing field in nine areas: marketing theory and orientations, improving the role and practice of marketing, analytical marketing, the social and ethical side of marketing, globalization and international marketing competition, marketing in the new economy, creating and managing the product mix, strategic marketing, and broadening the concept and application of marketing.

While many procurement systems govern the construction sector, Design/Bid/Build is still prominent among the French building actors. The research applies Lean thinking (via a kaizen event) to the bidding phase of a building construction company to improve its bidding outputs.

The method used in this study is “Action-Research”. A two-month preparation phase was needed to prepare for the kaizen event. The results were based on an assessment conducted after 6 months of the kaizen event. Performance was measured following selected indicators related to ‘Time’, “Economical Impact”, “Quality” and “Sustainability”.

The Lean implementation had positive side-effects on the company’s organization and strategy as well.

The findings of this action-research project can be used to help researchers and practitioners assess the potential application of Lean in the bidding phase. It also provides insights into the importance of the cultural and existing practices for a successful Lean implementation.

A few research projects investigated the application of Lean thinking in bidding as it is considered as a wasteful process. However, waste can also be organized. The research proves that bidding can benefit from Lean thinking.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically review the existing literature on applications of Lean Methodology (LM) and Discrete-Event Simulation (DES) to improve resource utilization and patient experience in outpatient clinics. In doing, it is aimed to identify how to implement LM in outpatient clinics and discuss the advantages of integrating both lean and simulation tools towards achieving the desired outpatient clinics outcomes.

A theoretical background of LM and DES to define a proper implementation approach is developed. The search strategy of available literature on LM and DES used to improve outpatient clinic operations is discussed. Bibliometric analysis to identify patterns in the literature including trends, associated frameworks, DES software used, and objective and solutions implemented are presented. Next, an analysis of the identified work offering critical insights to improve the implementation of LM and DES in outpatient clinics is presented.

Critical analysis of the literature on LM and DES reveals three main obstacles hindering the successful implementation of LM and DES. To address the obstacles, a framework that integrates DES with LM has been recommended and proposed. The paper provides an example of such a framework and identifies the role of LM and DES towards improving the performance of their implementation in outpatient clinics.

This study provides a critical review and analysis of the existing implementation of LM and DES. The current roadblocks hindering LM and DES from achieving their expected potential has been identified. In addition, this study demonstrates how LM with DES combined to achieve the desired outpatient clinic objectives.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sent shockwaves throughout the world in less than two months. Countries in South East Asia are not spared in this plight. As the disease can be transmitted from human to human, extensive control and mitigation efforts have been taken by almost every country where the disease has been reported. Southeast Asian countries or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), being one of the closest regions with China, have taken various measures to slow down and contain the spread of the pandemic virus.

Multiple strategies have been taken by the government to reduce the number of infections in the region. This includes phases of lockdowns in affected areas and federal order to close businesses to reduce the rate of infection among the people. As ASEAN comprises diverse cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds and geographical differences, steps taken are definitely based on what are deemed important and applicable to each country.

This paper reviews what has been taken by each of the ASEAN members and further recommendations that can be taken to ensure the issue of human security in the region can be preserved.

The originality of this paper is to show mitigation and prevention strategies undertaken by ASEAN nation in combating COVID-19.

The Singaporean government has enjoyed an astounding record of success based on its ability to attract MNCs and corresponding capital. Government‐led development has involved crafting a culture that will adapt to MNCs’ needs and to fast‐changing global environments in a restructured economy. The socially re‐engineered Singaporean culture appears hierarchical, disciplined, authoritarian and a showcase for technocratic management. Yet, further crafting of the Singaporean culture along the top‐down, technocratic model seems to result in a diminishing ability to produce creative, innovative and productive workers for the knowledge economy and the MNCs that dominate it. The authors sketch the ideological bases for Singapore’s crafted culture and explore Singapore’s distinctive characteristics as well as governmental policies that have molded this culture. They proceed to highlight specific governmental policies that are designing Singapore for the restructured, globalizing and fast‐changing knowledge economy; and discuss the competing model offered by Taiwan. Finally, the authors propose some implications for civic society and cultural change in Singapore.

This study aims to investigate the impacts of online review and source features upon travelers’ online hotel booking intentions.

This study developed a research model and empirically examined the model by collecting data from business travelers in the Mainland China. Factor analysis was adopted to identify features of online reviews content and source attribute. Regression analysis was used to examine impacts of these attributes upon travelers’ online booking intention.

Six features of online reviews content and one source attribute were identified, namely, usefulness, reviewer expertise, timeliness, volume, valence (negative and positive) and comprehensiveness. Regression analysis results testified positive causal relationships between usefulness, reviewer expertise, timeliness, volume and comprehensiveness and respondents’ online booking intentions. A significantly negative relation between negative online reviews and online booking intentions was identified, whereas impacts from positive online reviews upon booking intentions were not statistically significant.

The major limitation of this study is that interrelationships among features of online reviews, which were discussed in other similar studies, were not considered. Still, this study benefited researchers from scrutinizing features of online reviews, rather than several of them. As such, it offered more comprehensive suggestions for practitioners in how to better utilize online reviews as a marketing tool.

Hospitality practitioners could enhance consumer review management by applying the six underlying factors of online review in the present study to find out the ways of increasing consumers’ booking intentions in the specific hotel contexts.

A major theoretical contribution of this paper is its comprehensiveness in examining features of review content as well as its source simultaneously. This study also offered areas worthy of more research efforts from perspectives of practitioners and researchers.