Global reports over the years indicate that productivity development in construction is poor if compared to other industries, even negative in some countries, calling for a change to increase productivity. However, the construction industry has a problem of defining, measuring and using productivity. Previous research suggest that productivity is a multifaceted term, which meaning depends on the purpose of addressing productivity, the context where one uses the term, the level of analysis (e.g. task, project or industry) or even the background of who addresses the term. The multifaceted meaning seems to have encouraged the development of multiple methods for measuring productivity in construction. The variety of understandings indicate that different aspects of productivity are accounted for by different people. Moreover, the construction productivity measures at different levels account for different things, and there is a lack of a clear connection between the levels of analysis. Subsequently, the multiple meanings and measures hamper how to understand construction productivity, what or how to measure and how to use the measures to improve overall productivity. This thesis furthers how housebuilding productivity can be understood by drawing on how the literature and on‐site housebuilding contractors address productivity concerning how it is defined, measured and used. An understanding of productivity that has a base in how productivity can be defined and measured, including how different performance measures can be applied to represent measures of productivity and then be used to improve productivity. The research questions of how productivity is understood, measured and used by Swedish housebuilding contractors are answered and synthesized to contribute with an enhanced understanding of construction productivity. Empirical data was collected through 17 semi‐structured interviews and four workshops. The interviews were held with practitioners ranging from site‐, to project‐, to business area managers from one small and four of Sweden’s largest contractors. The workshops were held with senior managers in charge of production development at the four large companies. Data was cross‐analyzed to identify commonalities and contrasting findings connected to how productivity is defined or understood to represent and include, how productivity is measured, and how productivity is used. The findings suggest that productivity in on‐site housebuilding production is about how efficiently the production system reaches its goal. That is, how efficiently the building is produced in conformance with the requirements to meet client values. Hence, productivity in housebuilding production integrates efficiency, effectiveness and many other factors that make the production system function better towards reaching its goal. Yet, what is included in, and thus what productivity represents, differs, caused by the choice of level of analysis (e.g. task, project or industry) and the length of the considered system or value chain (e.g. only production, or design, planning and production). The results also indicate that housebuilding productivity includes planning, measurement, control and reporting results. While separate direct productivity measures can be used in planning and for reporting results, many different indirect productivity measures are applied to enable for and control productivity during operations. These different measures represent different factors understood to influence productivity at different levels. However, the choice of measures vary, their use is unstructured and the measures usually stay undocumented. The results suggest that one measure of productivity is not enough to understand productivity of building production systems, it is rather through the combination of direct and indirect measures of productivity. Yet, there is a need to adopt a systems perspective to understand how to structure and connect the different measures from sub‐processes to processes and productivity, which this thesis suggests as a line of future research. Moreover, it is not enough to measure productivity to develop productivity. Systematic routines for measurements, review and action based on the measures must be developed and implemented.

This research provides a basis to explore the relationship between Just-In-Time (m) and performance of the manufacturing system using a systems approach. Specifically, a conceptual model that captures system-wide performance of the manufacturing system was built using system dynamics in an effort to investigate the relationship between JIT and performance of the manufacturing system. The model was designed and built to measure total-factor productivity (TFP) which represents a global performance measure of the manufacturing system. TFP captures the integrated, synergistic effect of the system variables and functions on global system performance. A major part of the research was devoted to building and testing the system dynamics model. The model consists of four sectors: production-inventory, labor, machine, and material. The labor, machine, and material sectors represent the input classes used to produce the finished goods. The production-inventory sector contains a variable representing the finished goods (output of the system). It also contains the TFP variable which relates all the input classes and the output, and calculates the TFP value simulated under a specific system state. / Ph. D.

The South African economy desperately requires an injection from small manufacturing enterprises that are productive and highly organized - hence the need to identify suitable productivity measurement approaches for use in these enterprises. The following research question was formulated: Which productivity approach( es) is (are) generally most suitable for small manufacturing enterprises in the steel and engineering industry of South Africa? The following directions of research were identified: (1) A literature search revealed 12 productivity measurement approaches. The theory of each is discussed in detail. (2) An empirical search was performed to establish the requirements of industry. This process is fully discussed. The results of both the literature and empirical searches were used to develop a list of criteria. These criteria were compared with each of the approaches, and only three were found to conform to these requirements. The results of this comparison provided the answer to the research question. / Department of Business Management / M.Com (Business Management)

The South African economy desperately requires an injection from small manufacturing enterprises that are productive and highly organized - hence the need to identify suitable productivity measurement approaches for use in these enterprises. The following research question was formulated: Which productivity approach( es) is (are) generally most suitable for small manufacturing enterprises in the steel and engineering industry of South Africa? The following directions of research were identified: (1) A literature search revealed 12 productivity measurement approaches. The theory of each is discussed in detail. (2) An empirical search was performed to establish the requirements of industry. This process is fully discussed. The results of both the literature and empirical searches were used to develop a list of criteria. These criteria were compared with each of the approaches, and only three were found to conform to these requirements. The results of this comparison provided the answer to the research question. / Department of Business Management / M.Com (Business Management)

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No cenário atual do setor sucroenergético, as operações mecanizadas da colheita são importantes para garantir a competitividade econômica. Entretanto, as atuais técnicas mecânicas de conservação do solo e água, atreladas a inexistência de uma fase de projeto, reduzem a eficiência operacional e econômica das máquinas e equipamentos. Diante disto, este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma alternativa conservacionista baseada na drenagem superficial do excesso de chuva via microterraços de drenagem, dimensionados através de conceitos de hidráulica de canais abertos, através do planejamento e projeto detalhado das áreas de plantio visando otimizar as operações de colheita mecanizada. Foram elaborados os fluxogramas das etapas de planejamento e projeto para o plantio de cana-de-açúcar, buscando organizar e auxiliar as tomadas de decisão com a compreensão facilitada dos processos através de uma representação gráfica simples. Também foi realizada uma aplicação experimental do método proposto, para a situação analisada, os parâmetros hidráulicos atenderam às restrições conservacionistas de erosão, além do novo projeto possibilitar um incremento de 2,7% em área útil de plantio, resultando em um aumento de produção de matéria-prima. Soma-se ainda, um incremento no desempenho das colhedoras da ordem de 8,4% refletindo na redução dos custos de colheita. Concluindo, o método alternativo de conservação do solo através dos microterraços de drenagem se mostra promissor. Os conceitos de hidráulica de canais abertos, aplicados em conjunto com modelos digitais do terreno, na avaliação de alternativas de conservação do solo e da água nas etapas de planejamento e projeto de áreas de plantio, favorecem o manejo cultural, a conservação do solo e o rendimento operacional das máquinas e equipamentos de colheita de cana-de-açúcar. No exemplo prático de aplicação, os custos de implantação/ha são da mesma ordem de grandeza do método convencional de terraços de infiltração. Assim, neste caso, o lucro é maior quando se aplica o método dos microterraços de drenagem, para um ciclo de produção de cinco anos. / In the current scenario of the sugarcane industry, mechanized harvesting operations are important to ensure economic competitiveness. However, the current mechanical techniques of soil and water conservation, linked to the lack of a design phase reduce operational and economic efficiency of machinery and equipment. Thus, this work aims to present a conservation alternative based on the surface drainage of the rain excess by microterraces, sized through hydraulics concepts of open channel flow, through the planning and detailed design of the planting areas to optimize the operations of mechanical harvesting. Flowcharts were elaborated to represent the stages of planning and design for the sugarcane plantation, seeking to organize and assist the decision making with easier understanding of the processes through a simple graphical representation. Also an experimental implementation of the proposed method was performed, for the analyzed situation, the hydraulic parameters met the conservation restrictions of erosion, and the new design allows for increased 2.7% in planting area, resulting in increased production of raw material. Added to an increase in the performance of harvesters in the order of 8.4% reflecting the reduction of costs and increase profit. In conclusion, the alternative method of soil conservation through microterraces drain shows promising. The concepts of hydraulics of open channels, applied in conjunction with digital models of the terrain, in the evaluation of alternatives for the conservation of soil and water in the stages of planning and design of planting areas, promote the cultural management, soil conservation and the operating performance of the machines and equipment for harvesting of sugarcane. In the practical example of application, the deployment costs/ha are at the same order of magnitude, compared with the conventional method of infiltration terraces. Thus, in this case, the profit is greater when applying the method of drainage microterraces, for a production cycle of five years.

I examine how managerial reputation affects the quality of non-GAAP earnings disclosures and how the market reacts to non-GAAP earnings disclosures associated with managerial reputation. Although there was an initial dip in the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures after SOX and Regulation G, the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures has increased in recent years (Brown, Christensen, Elliott and Mergenthaler 2012). Motivated by the efficient contracting theory and managerial reputation incentives, I investigate whether reputable managers are associated with higher quality non-GAAP earnings disclosures. I also investigate whether the market is more responsive to non-GAAP earnings disclosed by reputable managers. Using empirical models modified from prior research, I find that reputable managers are less likely to disclose non-GAAP earnings, which is consistent with the efficient contracting explanation. I also find that reputable managers exclude more recurring items that are related to future operating earnings when they disclose non-GAAP earnings, which is consistent with the rent extraction explanation in prior research. Finally, I find that managerial reputation has an incremental effect on the market reaction and that the market is more responsive to non-GAAP earnings disclosed by reputable managers if the unexpected earnings are positive. The study contributes to both non-GAAP earnings disclosures literature and managerial reputation incentives literature. It also has implications for investors, managers, and regulators. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

No cenário atual do setor sucroenergético, as operações mecanizadas da colheita são importantes para garantir a competitividade econômica. Entretanto, as atuais técnicas mecânicas de conservação do solo e água, atreladas a inexistência de uma fase de projeto, reduzem a eficiência operacional e econômica das máquinas e equipamentos. Diante disto, este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma alternativa conservacionista baseada na drenagem superficial do excesso de chuva via microterraços de drenagem, dimensionados através de conceitos de hidráulica de canais abertos, através do planejamento e projeto detalhado das áreas de plantio visando otimizar as operações de colheita mecanizada. Foram elaborados os fluxogramas das etapas de planejamento e projeto para o plantio de cana-de-açúcar, buscando organizar e auxiliar as tomadas de decisão com a compreensão facilitada dos processos através de uma representação gráfica simples. Também foi realizada uma aplicação experimental do método proposto, para a situação analisada, os parâmetros hidráulicos atenderam às restrições conservacionistas de erosão, além do novo projeto possibilitar um incremento de 2,7% em área útil de plantio, resultando em um aumento de produção de matéria-prima. Soma-se ainda, um incremento no desempenho das colhedoras da ordem de 8,4% refletindo na redução dos custos de colheita. Concluindo, o método alternativo de conservação do solo através dos microterraços de drenagem se mostra promissor. Os conceitos de hidráulica de canais abertos, aplicados em conjunto com modelos digitais do terreno, na avaliação de alternativas de conservação do solo e da água nas etapas de planejamento e projeto de áreas de plantio, favorecem o manejo cultural, a conservação do solo e o rendimento operacional das máquinas e equipamentos de colheita de cana-de-açúcar. No exemplo prático de aplicação, os custos de implantação/ha são da mesma ordem de grandeza do método convencional de terraços de infiltração. Assim, neste caso, o lucro é maior quando se aplica o método dos microterraços de drenagem, para um ciclo de produção de cinco anos. / In the current scenario of the sugarcane industry, mechanized harvesting operations are important to ensure economic competitiveness. However, the current mechanical techniques of soil and water conservation, linked to the lack of a design phase reduce operational and economic efficiency of machinery and equipment. Thus, this work aims to present a conservation alternative based on the surface drainage of the rain excess by microterraces, sized through hydraulics concepts of open channel flow, through the planning and detailed design of the planting areas to optimize the operations of mechanical harvesting. Flowcharts were elaborated to represent the stages of planning and design for the sugarcane plantation, seeking to organize and assist the decision making with easier understanding of the processes through a simple graphical representation. Also an experimental implementation of the proposed method was performed, for the analyzed situation, the hydraulic parameters met the conservation restrictions of erosion, and the new design allows for increased 2.7% in planting area, resulting in increased production of raw material. Added to an increase in the performance of harvesters in the order of 8.4% reflecting the reduction of costs and increase profit. In conclusion, the alternative method of soil conservation through microterraces drain shows promising. The concepts of hydraulics of open channels, applied in conjunction with digital models of the terrain, in the evaluation of alternatives for the conservation of soil and water in the stages of planning and design of planting areas, promote the cultural management, soil conservation and the operating performance of the machines and equipment for harvesting of sugarcane. In the practical example of application, the deployment costs/ha are at the same order of magnitude, compared with the conventional method of infiltration terraces. Thus, in this case, the profit is greater when applying the method of drainage microterraces, for a production cycle of five years.

After a century of sporadic advances in equipment, tools, materials, and methods, the US construction industry still faces a low rate of productivity growth. To improve the productivity of any site activity, it is important to rapidly record relevant data about utilized resources and processes, as well as about the output quantities produced by these activities. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that activity-level productivity measurement is the premise for making any productivity improvement decision. To date, certain aspects of productivity measurement, such as input/output quantities, are partially automated through advanced project control systems. However, measuring the process of construction activities for productivity improvement remains an elusive goal for most construction companies. This is mostly due to the massive manual effort embedded in these data collection methods. Digital cameras are inexpensive devices that are widely used in the construction industry as an effective site observation method. This opens the door for conducting scientific method studies on complex operations through examining recorded videos. However, in the absence of an efficient video interpretation method, tedious manual reviewing is currently still required to extract productivity information from the recorded videos. This research aims to develop a computational methodology to rapidly and intelligently interpret construction videos into productivity information. It determines what elements can represent the steps and information flows in construction video interpretation. It identifies, develops, and evaluates computer vision algorithms to enable reliable visual recognition and tracking of construction resources in typical construction environments. It develops methods to enable context aware video computing. A software prototype, the Construction Video Analyzer, was developed and implemented based on this conceptual methodology. The proposed methodology was validated through using the developed prototype system to analyze five construction video sequences that record various types of construction operations. The Construction Video Analyzer was able to interpret these videos into productivity information with an accuracy that was close to manual analysis, without the limitations of onsite human observation. The developed methodology provides site management with a tool that can rapidly collect productivity data with greatly reduced manual efforts. / text

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