Through the theoretical perspective of the Political Sociology of Public Policy Instruments (Lascoumes & Le Galès 2004), the thesis explores the role of the slum upgrading instrument in the evolution of Rio de Janeiro's housing policy and governance. Specifically, it examines the significance of slum upgrading choice and use over the past two decades. The research is guided by the following question: how did the slum upgrading influence Rio de Janeiro's housing policy and governance development from 1993 to 2012? The research considers three hypotheses: 1. The slum upgrading contributed to produce the inflexion points of the evolution of Rio's housing policy. 2. The slum upgrading fostered the transformation of Rio's housing governance. 3. The slum upgrading supported the depoliticization of Rio's housing policy. On its theoretical stand, the research builds on the one hand on the Political Sociology of Public Policy Instruments (PPI) approach that argues that policy instruments contribute to structure public policy as they generate specific effects (Lascoumes & Le Galès 2004). On the other, the research builds on the Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) that understands 'the social' as an heterogeneous network of entities called 'actants' created by a specific movement of 'associations' conceptualized as 'translation' (Latour 2005; Callon 1986). Based on these perspectives, the thesis analysed the slum upgrading as a 'policy instrument', itself being an 'actant'. Subsequently, through 'detective work' (Austrin & Farnsworth 2005), the thesis delved into the unfolding of Rio's slum upgrading network of 'associations' using primary municipal archives, semi-structured interviews and policy documents. The investigation resulted in the production of a chronological 'thick description' which reveals the slum upgrading role in Rio's housing policy and governance transformation.

Environmental surveillance on construction sites requires environmental information that is concise, to-the-point, timely and usable. However, physical surveillance and traditional environmental monitoring (measurement) are challenging, time consuming, labour-intensive and can involve deficiencies and discrepancies. Technology based surveillance provides an alternative, but with this kind of surveillance it is often difficult to demonstrate a connection between any pollution detected and a specific source in some circumstances. Thus, physical environmental surveillance (observation/walk-through inspection) still remains important but some improvements can be made to it by adopting technology based surveillance. This situation creates an opportunity for deploying an information system which capitalizes on the advantages of the Internet of Things, so that decision makers can obtain an accurate and up-to-date view of their environmental management issues and status. The aim of this research was, therefore, to set out to investigate the potential for a mobile environmental information system as a part of the Internet of Things technologies for environmental surveillance on Malaysian construction sites. Design Science Research (DSR) has been chosen as the philosophical approach and case study as the research method were adopted for this research in order to achieve its objectives. A literature review on construction environmental management and mobile environmental information management was undertaken, followed by engagement with environmental experts in order to obtain detailed information requirements and to identify user needs. These details were analysed and brought about the formulation of the system design goals, along with a conceptual model, which concluded in the development of the functional specification, the system architecture and the prototype development. The prototype system was demonstrated and evaluated interactively by construction environmental management teams, both in the UK and Malaysia. The main achievement of the research comprises the analysis of the needs required in a mobile environmental information system, the development of functional specifications and the demonstration and acceptance of the concept by practising construction environmental management teams. The research concludes that the concept of a mobile environmental information system is feasible, realising that it has greatly improving the task performing process as well as enhancing the flow of communication and reporting environmental surveillance activities on construction sites in nearly real time.

The context of this study is a Housing Market Renewal project (HMR) in a South Asian lowincome home-owning community, in a small town in northern England. Its focus is an investigation into perceived inequalities and discriminatory practices in a previously neglected domain. The field work primarily entailed an ethnographic approach and repeated interviews with residents. The study has applied a multi-methodological approach in order to reconceptualize housing-related inequalities and discriminatory practices: realist/contextualist, hermeneutic, and post-structuralist approaches and methods of analysis are deployed. The empirical data fills the epistemological gap that has been identified by academics regarding residents' experiences of dwelling and gives unprecedented voice to those residents who have lived through the experience of HMR. The results of the study indicate that the cultural dynamics of communities are more complex than has hitherto been recognized in the HMR literature which relies on quantitative data sets. From the study results a hypothesis is constructed: the early stages of the community engagement process instigate the conflict and re-configure the community dynamics. The multi-methodological approach reveals how complex is the functioning of the reproductive processes of housing related discrimination. It also identifies complexity in the cycle of disengagement from the regeneration processes. The theory building approach, entailing the application of post structural analysis to the empirical data, has advanced the theoretical understanding of the processes and inhumane consequences of discrimination practices which constrain minority groups from practicing their cultural specific housing needs. The study has developed a dialogical framework to be used by practitioners, in recognition of the complexity of building conceptions of equality into the planning of housing renewal developments. It is recommended that more sophisticated frameworks are developed to improve policies and practices for putting in place culturally sensitive housing provision and addressing the mechanisms of discrimination. Additionally, it is recommended that an ethical framework should be drawn up and agreed by academics working in this field, to address the urgent need for standards of methodological pluralism and rigour in both research design and practice.

Purpose - Construction projects, especially in the urban areas, generate serious environmental nuisances for the adjacent residents. Construction causative adverse impacts on the neighbouring communities are known as the social costs. The amount of social cost changes from country to country depending on the applied building code of practices and building permission regulations. If the relevant code of practice is mandatory or the regulations are strict, contractors inherently will pay more attention to obey them and the occurrence of the social cost is less likely. However, in many especially developing countries, like north Cyprus and Turkey, those rules are either not existing or loose and in this case high amount social costs are caused by the contactors. The presence of the social costs are broadly embraced in theory however, they are not predominantly applied yet during project initial cost estimation practices. One of the reasons for that is, the social costs are rather complicated to measure and quantify due to lack of a paradigm for practice that guides the professionals on how to classify and assess them in the most applicable way possible. Thus, this research aims to develop a generic a social cost estimation system for Turkey and North Cyprus construction industries which assists to identify the social cost drivers, to estimate the social costs on the basis of the identified drivers, to incorporate social cost into project initial cost and to compensate it for the third parties. In this system, the contractors will be enforced to minimize the nuisances of the people residing around a construction site. Otherwise, the contractors will be forced to compensate them through a bonding system. Design/Methodology/Approach – the research adopts a triangulation strategy adopting multi-method approach in tackling the social cost phenomenon through a rigorous research process. For example, through comprehensive literature review, the research identified the social cost impact types; social cost components are established by the focus group through brainstorming sessions, and observations and self-experience in case study projects either via site visits or participating in the case study projects; the enumeration of the qualitative components of the social costs are obtained via questionnaire based survey. Findings – The segmentation of the social costs are evaluated as the impacts on house, household and neighbourhood. A total of 17 perceivable nuisance criteria are defined for those segments. The enumeration of all perceivable nuisance criteria is implemented where the estimated total social cost can be generated by using them. Practical implications – It paves a solid foundation for the professionals in the Turkish construction industry to perform precise building construction associated social cost estimations. Originality/value – This research provides sound and sequential system to estimate and compensate social costs for building constructions in the residential areas of developing countries. Keywords – Social cost, construction adverse impacts, building construction nuisance criteria, Turkish construction industry, and quantification of the social costs.

Construction supply chains are problematic to manage. Examples of recurring problems in construction supply chains are increased levels of non-conformances, delivery delays, and disruptions in supply, among others. Theoretical developments in the field of construction supply chain management are recent. Existing approaches in the literature are focused on managing project supply chains rather than adopting a long-term perspective from the enterprise level. A significant portion of the existing supply chain methods and frameworks was deliberately adapted from other sectors without hardly considering the context. The aim of this research is to develop a conceptual framework and a set of practices to tackle the problems of construction supply chains. Based on a Design Science Research approach, an initial solution was proposed. The solution is composed of a conceptual framework and a set of best practices. In order to refine the solution, three case studies were carried out in organizations in the heavy construction sector. Next, a focus group evaluated the solution and provided inputs for developing the final version. The conceptual framework contains the key parties (Enterprise, Projects, and Suppliers), the interfaces between such parties (Interface A, Interface B, and Interface C), and the flows (Information Flow, Physical Flow, and Capital Flow) realizing the interfaces in construction supply chains. The practices comprise Supply Chain Governance, Supply Chain Flexibility and Risk Management, Performance Management,Early Supply Chain Involvement, Category Management, Supplier Development, Prequalification of Suppliers, and Supply Chain Strategic Alignment. The framework can be used as a means to locate the problems of construction supply chains in specific interfaces and flows. By precisely locating the problems, the involvement of the right parties is facilitated. The best practices can be used as references to guide design and improvement initiatives in construction supply chains.

The energy sector dominates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and consists of various assets - electricity, oil and natural gas - that are geographically dispersed and connected by systems and networks. The protection of these systems and assets within the energy sector, especially the safeguarding of the oil and gas infrastructure from any internal and external threats, should become a top priority in the UAE. Threats to geopolitical and economic stability that need to be considered and prepared for include tectonic activity, climate change, nuclear energy, terrorism and war. The aim of this research is to develop a framework to enhance the resilience of the UAE’s critical energy infrastructure facilities through a strategic disaster mitigation plan. The philosophy of this research is interpretivism. The research approach is inductive, whilst the research strategy is case study. The secondary data was taken from various academic and professional sources whilst the primary data collection included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Three facilities were selected for this research and they were electricity generating plants using gas - one in Abu Dhabi, one in Dubai and one in Sharjah. In total 100 questionnaires were distributed, out of which 42 were answered by energy sector workers (20 from Abu Dhabi, 15 from Dubai and 7 from Sharjah). Respondents of the questionnaire discussed issues such as energy sector preparedness, vulnerability and barriers to be overcome. Respondents believed that while the energy sector is best prepared for terrorism, extreme heat, and health and safety related accidents, it is ill prepared when it comes to facing natural hazards. The risk of terrorism was thought to be the greatest vulnerability. In addition, a total of 9 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Emirati energy sector managers who discussed the questionnaire responses and proposed further solutions to the concerns raised. This thesis provides important practical knowledge and makes a contribution to the provision of advice and methodological steps, derived from fieldwork, when it comes to developing a strategic mitigation plan and communicating it to the energy sector. It provides key information that could be used to improve the design and structure of current educational and professional programmes undertaken by individuals in the 2 disaster sector. The thesis provides tools for qualitatively evaluating the various threats and vulnerabilities faced by the UAE and acts as a platform for change. In terms of theoretical contributions, this research represents the first of its kind that engages both workers and managers in the Emirati energy sector. This gives academics and professionals unique insights into some of the significant problems that have become latent and perhaps would have continued unnoticed but require more comprehensive investigation. The study has specific implications for policy and practices within energy organisations operating in such settings, not to mention the way disaster is viewed.

This research provides a significant and original contribution to knowledge, theory, the English local government, and other sectors. A robust examination of four outsourcing projects provides an important contribution to knowledge. The use of personal construct theory during the case study phase provides an original contribution to theory. The research and resulting framework provides beneficence to clients, suppliers, users, and researchers with a sourcing interest at both academic and practical levels. The literature suggested that cost, quality, and speed are the key drivers of sourcing. However, all three were rarely attained together. The literature also identified the importance of understanding the nature of the client / vendor relationship at operational and strategic levels, and the contingent preparation of a turnback / exit strategy. The research incorporated a mixed methods approach. The initial phase of the research employed a survey to contextualise the nature of sourcing within the local government sector. The survey was undertaken from an objectivist position. The results from the first phase indicated that facilities management was amongst the most popular services outsourced. The main driving factors were cost saving, improvements to operational capacity, and access to skills and technology. The popular contract values were up to £5m, and greater than £20m with contract durations 3 – 5 years and 10 plus years. The second phase of the research used a case study strategy that incorporated interview tactics from an interpretivist position. To observe the ‘truth of their reality’ personal construct theory incorporating repertory grids was used to elicit constructs from the participants, and ultimately inform the framework. The main issues arising from the case studies included: lack of client / supplier trust, contractual restrictions, performance monitoring, over promising and under delivering. The framework was synthesised from the key issues identified within the research modes of enquiry.

Facilities Management (FM) is an emergent field that offers great promise to organisations in terms of optimal value and support from physical resource and associated services, and can potentially be vital to the success of the core business itself. Although the strategic organisational role of FM has been explored in FM literature, there is little evidence to support the case for potential business centrality of the facilities function. It is argued in thesis that by gaining a greater understanding into the network position of the facilities function in organisations, and through determining which factors influence its role in the strategic management process, not only can the practice of strategic FM be better understood but that the theoretical underpinnings of the profession can also be refined. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis of a single case study using Social Network Analysis (SNA). Research findings indicate that organisational structures that share similarities with the Informed Client Function (ICF) appear to be very effective in utilising FM’s knowledge, accessing required organisational resources and delivering better value. Findings also reveal that in projects where there is a close interface between the senior management and the FM function, the facilities function tends to occupy a central network position in projects involving facilities-related organisational change. Within such organisations, the study concludes, the FM function is well placed to utilise and share its knowledge with key stakeholders, and act as a strategic function. The contributions of the study are two-fold: the introduction of a methodological approach new to facilities research; and a theoretical contribution to FM theory. Methodologically, the research introduces network-level analysis to strategic facilities management studies. Network-level analysis may prove to be a critically important approach in understanding the role of the FM function in relation to its various stakeholders. The study also builds FM theory by presenting important conclusions about the senior management interface, the nature of organisational structure that can leverage FM’s strategic role, and the need for established communication structures to support facilities change management.

The thesis sets out the candidate’s contribution to the field of landscape planning in relation to themes such as sustainability, multifunctionality and resilience. It contextualises the candidate’s work in terms of the literature linking spatial planning, natural resource management and sustainable development, and shows how these have, most recently, led to a concern for ‘re-connection’. It then considers more specifically the influence of ten published outputs concerning interventions on behalf of the cultural landscape. Substantially, the candidate’s contribution is viewed as a way of ‘designing with nature’, within the legacy of Ian McHarg. The first part of the thesis explains how the candidate contributed broadly to a gradual acceptance of natural resource management as a legitimate concern for spatial planning, and how this was subsequently re-interpreted within a discourse of sustainable development. A set of ten published outputs is then critically reviewed in terms of: a synoptic overview; a contribution to the theory of landscape planning; an exploration of aspects of practical implementation; and a consideration of future prospects for promoting social-environmental resilience through the medium of multifunctional landscape. The thesis concludes by anticipating further development of the themes of multifunctionality, sustainability, resilience and re-connection within a ‘Neo-McHargian’ context.

From within the European Union integration project, a shared spatial development agenda has emerged. From the beginning of the European Spatial Development Perspective process in 1989, to the post-enlargement Territorial Agenda of 2007, in a non-binding policy context of inexistent formal competencies, member-states agreed on a shared vision, spatial development objectives and planning principles for the EU territory. This catalysed the institutionalisation of European Spatial Planning. Fuelled by processes of socialisation framed within a platform for common policy learning the latter produced an undeniable cultural footprint. Growing attention has been given to the impact that this process has had on domestic planning systems and institutions among member-states. This impact is widely referred to as the Europeanisation of planning. This thesis examines the Portuguese National Spatial Planning Policy Programme (PNPOT) under the light of the hypothetical causal relationship between the Europeanisation of planning and institutional culture change in Portugal. As evidence mounts of innovation in policy discourse, conceptual paradigms, legal framework and practices, the research focus shifts to the domestic drivers, mechanisms, key actors and their motivations, enabling factors and obstacles to culture change. The outcome is a portrait of the contemporary challenges faced by planning in Portugal. The latter highlights the fragilities of the planning-related policy learning dynamics, capacity-building processes, inter-institutional coordination deficit and structural shortcomings in terms of the communicational capacity and the adaptational ability of institutions and practitioners in an evolving public policy context. Finally, although a policysteered process, planning culture change in Portugal, if to prevail, depends on the mobilisation of the community of planners. Through a communicative power framework they must work alongside central and local government and citizens in an inclusive spirit of mutual learning and partnership. For a culture change in planning to have any effect in shaping places, it must first shape minds.