The need for construction to change its traditional working practices has been repeatedly expressed in government, industry, and academic publications. The Internet has been a major catalyst for change in most industry sectors, including the construction sector. The implementation of Internet-based technologies, such as ecommerce for achieving business targets, bring about changes in an organisation, its current practices, systems, processes and workflows. It is therefore important to evaluate the business process implications of adopting e-commerce in construction organisations. This was the focus of this study. The early stages of the research established the possible benefits, barriers, and drivers for the adoption of e-commerce technologies within construction. This was done by conducting an industry-wide survey that explored attitudes, current usage, barriers and enablers of IT and e-commerce within the UK construction sector. Survey results indicated that the exact benefits of using e-commerce within the construction industry were not known and more needed to be done to establish the effects of incorporating e-commerce applications into construction business processes and to demonstrate the opportunities of e-commerce for construction. To address this need a typical business process model that used the principles of business process re-engineering and demonstrated opportunities for e-commerce, was developed. Using this model it was possible to illustrate how, with the use of ecommerce applications, different members of the construction supply chain could derive business benefits and overcome traditional process inefficiencies. In order to effectively adopt e-commerce technologies in construction, companies may have to reengineer their current working methods, which could lead to a step change in current work practices. To facilitate such a step change it was essential to study and document the impact of specific e-commerce applications on their current end-user business processes. Case studies were conducted for this purpose. The case study findings showed that the end-user companies had accrued several business benefits from using e-commerce tools. Issues related to management buy-in and organisational culture were the main barriers to the wider use of e-commerce within the construction industry. The case studies and earlier findings indicated that e-commerce is 'here to stay' and it will not be long before it becomes an industry norm. Taking this into account, construction companies who are currently using, and those who have yet to use, e-commerce tools need to take measures to successfully adopt and benefit from these tools. It is important for companies that seek to adopt ecommerce to assess their 'e-readiness' for adopting e-commerce tools to ensure a productive and beneficial implementation of these tools. To address this need an ereadiness model for construction organisations and a prototype application, VERDICT, that assess e-readiness were developed and implemented. The model is based on the premise that for any company to be e-ready, its management, people, process and technology have to be e-ready in order to derive maximum business benefits. The research findings indicate that the use of e-commerce is still in its infancy within the construction industry. The current use of e-commerce has resulted in process automation, however, there is no evidence of process re-engineering. Such practices, although beneficial in the short-term, can have long-term implications in that the end-users are not necessarily making full use of the technology and hence not deriving full benefits from it. The model and e-readiness assessment prototype developed as part of this study will enable construction organisations to successfully adopt e-commerce and exploit its potential.

No description available.

ITC/USA 2011 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Seventh Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 24-27, 2011 / Bally's Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Isotropic radiator, a device capable of radiating energy evenly in all directions is an abstraction, itsʼ real counterpart is called an omnidirectional (omni) antenna. The omnidirectional antenna is found on many vehicles. Ideally, only one receiving system is ever needed to acquire an omni, no matter the vehicle orientation, given the range is not excessive. There are trade-offs with antenna efficiency, with gain typically around -15 dBi (95% coverage). This paper proposes abandoning this paradigm. If a vehicle knows where the ground is why radiate energy up into the sky, where there are no receiving stations. This can be achieved by integrating some instrumentation with a discrete antenna array so that it radiates only from selected elements. The accuracy required is modest, an inexpensive Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is sufficient to improve link margin by 10, 20dB or more. These numbers are credible, as outlandish as they are, and substantiated in this paper. Ironically, from the ground this non-isotropic antenna looks very isotropic. Of significant benefit, this Smarter Antenna concept enables spatial discrimination and with that comes spectrum efficiency gains beyond that achieved by other means including advanced modulation formats.

The cost of health care services is rising and the number of patients requesting overseas treatment from the Kuwait Government continues to increase; this is becoming an unsustainable financial burden. A telemedicine system has the potential to support the Kuwaiti health system to provide medical consultations from global medical centres, and thereby reduce the number of Kuwaiti patients being sent abroad for treatment, and so reduce costs. This research investigates the readiness of the key stakeholders in regard to adoption of telemedicine systems in the Kuwaiti healthcare system. This is achieved by assessing the readiness of individuals (physicians and patients), the organisation (policy makers) and the technical infrastructure (IT managers). Moreover, the lack of research on this topic, particularly in the Arabian Gulf Region, was the reason behind carrying out this study. An in-depth study was conducted by using a quantitative and qualitative approach. A questionnaire was used to explore the attitudes of specialised physicians and patients by obtaining their opinions based on specific criteria. Next, semi-structured interviews were conducted: (1) with IT managers to assess the technical infrastructure of the health system; and (2) with policy makers to assess the organisation in regard to its readiness towards telemedicine adoption. The study shows that the overseas referral patients are ready to use telemedicine systems, as a consequence of their need to receive medical consultations from global experts. However, they expressed some concerns, such as privacy and confidentiality of their data. The specialised physicians also showed readiness towards adoption of telemedicine in the Kuwaiti health system, and their responses indicated that they are willing to use such systems. However, the findings of the interviews reveal that the current technical infrastructure for ICT in the Kuwaiti healthcare system is not ready for telemedicine adoption and there are needs to be change in the way management is organized in order to improve and enhance trust among departments. The qualitative approach identified factors that would inhibit and hinder the adoption of telemedicine in Kuwait, as well as the supportive factors in the organisation. Using the results, a strategy was developed to demonstrate how the Kuwaiti health system could be made ready to receive a telemedicine system, together with policies for the use of telemedicine systems by overseas referral patients. A comparison with Jordan and Syria shows that the Kuwaiti healthcare system is more ready to adopt a telemedicine system with respect to the individuals, technical infrastructure and governmental support. Finally, an economic analysis was performed in order to investigate the cost effectiveness of the proposed system.

<p>U okviru disertacije se ispituje način integracije Interneta stvari<br />(IS) u univerzitetske kampuse. Analizirani su postojeći dostupni<br />modeli za ocenu spremnosti organizacija za IS. Prikazani su aktuelni<br />stavovi o mogućnostima primene IS-a u kampusima. Nakon toga je<br />prikazan razvijeni model za ocenu spremnosti kampusa za primenu IS-<br />a, koji sadrži i segment za ocenu spremnosti stanara studenstkog<br />kampusa za IS. Radi testiranja modela, razvijeni su upitnici i<br />softverski alat za podršku primene modela. Razvijeni model je<br />testiran u Studentskom centru Novi Sad sa zaposlenima i stanarima<br />kampusa, nakon čega su rezultati dobijeni modelom evaluirani.</p> / <p>This dissertation discusses possibilities of Internet of Things (IoT) integration<br />in university campuses. Available existing models for assessing an<br />organization readiness for IoT are analyzed. Actual viewpoints concerning<br />possibilities of IoT application in campuses are shown. Further, developed<br />model for assessing university campus readiness assessment for IoT, which<br />also include part for campus clients IoT readiness assessment, is presented.<br />With the purpose of model testing, supporting questionnaires and software<br />tool are developed. The model is tested in Student Center Novi Sad, with<br />both employees and campus habitants, and evaluation of results was done.</p>

Background: Measuring the acquisition of self-management skills are part of evidence based health care transition practice. Youth with Spina Bifida have significant demands for self-management and high self-care burden. We developed an 11 item Spina-Bifida -TRAQ to assess self-management skills specific for Spina Bifida including urine, stool continence management, and skin and shunt maintenance. A detailed description of the SB-TRAQ, its reliability and criterion validity are presented elsewhere. Objective: To examine the predictive validity of the Spina Bifida-TRAQ among youth with Spina Bifida. Design/Methods: Participants include 90 youth with Spina Bifida who attend a clinic participating in the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR) (see Table1 for demographics). Youth completed the newly developed 11-item SB-TRAQ. De-identified NSBPR data from the electronic medical record (EMR) was linked with participants’ responses from the SBTRAQ. Two separate regressions were conducted using: age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance, lesion level, lifetime # of shunt revisions, and SB-TRAQ to predict urinary incontinence (UI) episodes/month, and stool incontinence (SI) episodes/month. Results: Two separate multiple linear regressions were calculated to predict frequency (times per month) of UI and SI based on age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance, having an IEP, spinal cord lesion level, lifetime number of shunt revisions, and SB-TRAQ. For UI, a significant regression equation was found (F(9,77) = 2.44, p<.001), with an R2 of .22. SB-TRAQ and IEP were significant predictors of UI; youths’ UI decreased 1.15 days/month for each point increase in SB-TRAQ; youth with an IEP had .83 more episodes of UI/month than did youth without an IEP. The model for SI had a significant regression equation (F(9,75) = 3.18, p<.001), with an R2 of .28. SB-TRAQ and lesion level were significant predictors of SI; youths SI decreased .58 days for each point increase in SB-TRAQ; each lower lesion levels (.13/level) had fewer SI episodes/month than did those with higher lesion levels. Conclusion(s):

Background: Measuring the acquisition of self-management and health care utilization skills are part of evidence based transition practice. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is a validated 20-question and 5-factor instrument with a 5-point Likert response set using a Stages of Change Framework. Objective: To improve the performance of the TRAQ and allow more precise measurement across the full range of transition readiness skills (from precontemplation to initiation to mastery). Design/Methods: On data from 506 previously completed TRAQs collected from several clinical practices we used MPlus v.7.4 to apply a graded response model (GRM), examining item discrimination and difficulty. New questions were written and added across all domains to increase the difficulty and discrimination of the overall scale. To evaluate the performance of new items and the resulting factor structure of the revised scale we fielded a new version of the TRAQ (with a total of 30 items) using an online anonymous survey of first year college students (in process). Results: We eliminated the five least discriminating TRAQ items with minimal impact to the conditional test information. After item elimination (k = 15) the factor structure of the instrument was maintained with good quality, ?2 (86) = 365.447, CFI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.079, WRMR = 1.017. We also found that a majority of items could reliably discriminate only across lower levels of transition readiness (precontemplation to initiation) but could not discriminate at higher levels of transition readiness (action and mastery). Therefore we wrote 15 additional items intended to have higher difficulty. On the new 30 item TRAQ, confirmatory factor analysis, internal reliability and IRT results will be reported from a large sample of college students Conclusion(s): Using IRT and factor analyses we eliminated 5 of 20 TRAQ items that were poorly discriminating. We found that many of the items in the TRAQ could discriminate among those in the early stages of transition readiness, but could not discriminate among those in later stages of transition readiness. To have a more robust measure of transition readiness we added more difficult items and are evaluating the scale’s psychometric properties.

No description available.

Background: Measuring the acquisition of self-management and health care utilization skills are part of evidence based health care transition practice. Youth with Spina Bifida (SB) have significant demands for self-management and high self-care burden. To complement HCT skills assessed in the TRAQ, we developed an 11 item SB-TRAQ to assess self-management skills specific to Spina Bifida. Similar to the TRAQ, the SB-TRAQ uses a 5-point Likert responses using Stages of Change. Objective: To develop and assess the reliability and validity of a questionnaire to measure independence and skill acquisition for youth with SB. Design/Methods: Working with a multidisciplinary team of experts in the care of youth with SB we developed a twelve item questionnaire specific to the main facets of SB self-care and -management including urine and stool continence, prevention of skin breakdown and awareness of signs of shunt malfunction. The items were reviewed and revised through several iterations by healthcare providers and patients. The SB-TRAQ was fielded in an SB Specialty Clinic participating in the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR). Ninety youth with SB completed the 20-item TRAQ and the 12-item SB-TRAQ. Item response means, and distributions were assessed. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted with oblique rotation (promax). We also assessed criterion validity by examining the correlation of the SB-TRAQ supplement with the TRAQ and age. Results: Sample characteristics and scale information for the TRAQ and SB-TRAQ supplements are displayed in Table 1, including a Cronbach alpha of 0.9 for the SB-TRAQ. The item characteristics are provided in Table 2. Results of the factor analysis show eleven items loaded onto one factor, with almost all items loadings > 0.7 . One item did not load, resulting in an 11 item solution. The primary factor explained 62% of the variance. Intraclass correlations of the SB-TRAQ supplement with the TRAQ overall scale and subscales demonstrated good criterion validity (TRAQ overall ICC = .74; ICCs varied among the subscales and the SB-TRAQ). Additionally, the SB-TRAQ, as hypothesized, was significantly and positively correlated with age (Pearson correlation .29, p<.01). Conclusion(s): Results of our analyses demonstrate that the SB-TRAQ had good internal reliability and excellent criterion validity as demonstrated by strong correlation with age and the validated TRAQ. The SB-TRAQ can be a useful tool to help youth with SB achieve independence and self-management.

Introduction The implementation or transfer of production systems from the developing organisation to the receiving can induce difficulties, however a connection between achieving readiness of the receiver within the context of PSD has not been investigated previously. The aim of this thesis is thus to examine PSD in a core plant environment, focusing on the transfer activity and readiness for change. The following research questions were asked: How can assessing readiness potentially benefit a PSD project? How can preparation for transfer ensure readiness of the receiving organisation? Methodology A case study was performed and a company was selected due to a recently performed PSD project where the company went from a tradition line-based production to digitalised cells. The thesis is within the COPE research project; thus, some emphasis is on the global aspect. This exploratory and descriptive research study both examines and describes the studied phenomenon. The case study approach enabled the identification of organisational and human factors within the PSD project. Data collection contained interviews and a literature review was performed. Theoretical Framework A literature review was performed which provides insights regarding a general approach to a PSD process. Furthermore, core plant role and the strategic position within the network are described. Other investigated areas are within transfer of; processes, production and knowledge as well as prerequisites for those activities. Maturity assessment models are also introduced to provide an insight on assessing an organisations current state and to establish improvement strategies. An overview of competences which are required in an Industry 4.0 context are presented. Individual and organisational effect on change are presented as well as how change can be combated. Empirical Findings The empirical findings provide an overlook of the current manner in which PSD projects are executed, foremost by investigating a recent PSD project. The investigated aspects were more concretely regarding the need for a readiness assessment, and readiness to transfer a PSD project from the developing to the receiving organisation. Motivation to change and change management were also identified. Lastly, replicability within the core plant context were examined. Analysis and Discussion Possible benefits of a readiness assessment are identified, which are creation of a holistic view, alignment of vision, standardisation need and communication among other things. Participation and assignment of responsibility are also identified as lacking within the case company which is an essential asset within a PSD project. Lastly a framework is developed which can possibly guide the PSD process in achieving readiness for change. Conclusions and Recommendations Multiple benefits of a readiness assessment are identified which emphasises the human and organisational aspects of a change implied by a PSD project. The technical focus identified in the case company can be combated by acknowledging soft variables and skills and by understanding the decisions behind solutions. A framework is developed for Readiness Assessment with a focus on contesting the lack of responsibility and a “we against them” attitude. The mission of the framework is to create alignment and collaboration. / COPE / XPRES