Diverse kinds of knowledge are vital for each organization that would successfully compete today in an international scenario. The emergent relevance of knowledge and its management in an even more complex environment opens up the possibility to analyze, investigate and deepen our understanding on different aspects related to several functional areas in business management. Nowadays, firms that create new knowledge and apply it effectively and efficiently will be successful at creating competitive advantages. The choices of the firms in selecting and applying different knowledge process (such as knowledge sourcing, transferring and exploiting) as well as knowledge tools may be crucial. Thus, the role of knowledge as the key source of potential advantage for organizations and indeed whole economies is still a hot debate in the international landscape. This book develops insights for the management of knowledge in cross-functional business areas to originate an innovative approach to the classical Knowledge Management (KM) field. This book provides a fresh perspective on different knowledge related topics in an international landscape, highlighting the key role of knowledge and its management in business activities. Overall, the primary aim of this book is to extend our understandings on how KM can be helpful in several cross-functional management areas, such as strategic management, finance, HRM and innovation as well as in different business circumstances such as M&A, internationalization processes and risk management.

This book provides a detailed introduction to the theoretical and methodological foundations of production efficiency analysis using benchmarking. Two of the more popular methods of efficiency evaluation are Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), both of which are based on the concept of a production possibility set and its frontier. Depending on the assumed objectives of the decision-making unit, a Production, Cost, or Profit Frontier is constructed from observed data on input and output quantities and prices. While SFA uses different maximum likelihood estimation techniques to estimate a parametric frontier, DEA relies on mathematical programming to create a nonparametric frontier. Yet another alternative is the Convex Nonparametric Frontier, which is based on the assumed convexity of the production possibility set and creates a piecewise linear frontier consisting of a number of tangent hyper planes. Three of the papers in this volume provide a detailed and relatively easy to follow exposition of the underlying theory from neoclassical production economics and offer step-by-step instructions on the appropriate model to apply in different contexts and how to implement them. Of particular appeal are the instructions on (i) how to write the codes for different SFA models on STATA, (ii) how to write a VBA Macro for repetitive solution of the DEA problem for each production unit on Excel Solver, and (iii) how to write the codes for the Nonparametric Convex Frontier estimation. The three other papers in the volume are primarily theoretical and will be of interest to PhD students and researchers hoping to make methodological and conceptual contributions to the field of nonparametric efficiency analysis.

Inventory Planning with Innovation: A Cost Focus discusses inventory planning concepts with major emphasis on innovation to reduce cost in a single volume. Provides an understanding of innovation efforts and linking it with inventory planning in reducing cost. Offers various factors influencing innovation efforts, knowledge of investment or expenditure that might be estimated before starting the innovation efforts, purchase inventory, and the manufacturing inventory. Covers important concepts including innovation efforts, strategic period, procurement inventory, total cost estimation, production inventory, related total cost planning, multiple products, multiple items procurements, and multiple items manufacture. This reference is primarily written for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and professionals in the field of industrial engineering, production engineering, and manufacturing science.

Knowledge capital is at the core of the socio-economic global system. Profit and not-for profit firms, institutions, and organizations, in general, face unique opportunities and threats related to knowledge management. Digital technologies and digital transformation offer a wide array of opportunities for value creation. At the same time, organizations need to foster newer, faster, and more dynamic ways of mobilizing and managing knowledge. Emerging trends, such as artificial intelligence, collective intelligence, agile methodologies, open innovation, and co-creation enable new business models and managerial paradigms that need to be understood and conceptualized. This book offers an extensive overview of the most recent trends in knowledge management and the most advanced theoretical approaches, while, at the same time, providing a wide array of case studies and evidence-based knowledge management practices. It takes into account the interrelation between ICT and knowledge management challenges, in terms of human/non-human interactions, which requires extraordinary organizational change and renewal. Further, the book presents an up-to-date examination of and guidance for the implementation of knowledge management in an era of unprecedented human/non-human interaction. The book conveys the results of more than a decade of research and applied experience in the field of knowledge management carried out by the author. It is intended not only for students and academics but also for managers and practitioners who are interested in deepening their understanding of knowledge and learning.

Construction Cost Estimating equips a new generation of students and early-career professionals with the skills they need to bid successfully on projects. From developing bid strategies to submitting a completed bid, this innovative textbook introduces the fundamentals of construction estimating through a real-life case study that unfolds across its 24 chapters. Exercises at the end of each chapter offer hands-on practice with core concepts such as quantity take-offs, pricing, and estimating for subcontractor work. Online resources provide instant access to examples of authentic construction documents, including complete, detailed direct work estimates, subcontractor work estimates, general conditions estimates, markups, and summary schedules. Through its unique mix of real-world examples and classroom-tested insights, Construction Cost Estimating ensures that readers are familiar with the entire estimating process even before setting foot on the jobsite.

This book presents some twenty case studies, showing how companies in different industry sectors and of different sizes make advances in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Like the author's previous volumes, this book provides a valuable resource for those wishing to learn about PLM and how to implement and apply it in their companies. Helping readers to * learn about implementing and benefiting from PLM; * learn about good PLM solutions and best practice; * improve their planning and decision-making abilities; * benefit from the lessons learned by the companies featured in the case studies; * proceed faster and further with PLM the book presents effective PLM solutions and best practices. At the same time, the case studies included demonstrate how different companies implement and benefit from PLM. Each case study is addressed in a separate chapter and details a different situation, enabling readers to put themselves in the situation and think through different actions and decisions. A valuable resource for PLM team managers and employees in engineering and manufacturing companies, the book is also of interest to researchers and students in industrial engineering fields.

Strong leadership is necessary to drive the transformational change required to build and apply digital capabilities across organizations. Digital transformation in the supply chain is a leadership problem first and foremost. This book draws out some of the key digital business strategies supply chain leaders must become familiar with as they take on the responsibilities of leading transformations within their firms. The central rationale of the book is to establish a clear business case for the performance shifts and opportunities of the Digital Supply Chain. The benefits of a digital supply chain for firms can be summarized as uniquely reducing the amount of trade-off between costs and customer satisfaction. The challenges, complexity, and management involved in transforming to a digital supply chain have slowed many firms in their implementation. The key to unlocking this value and advantage is a new, robust, and digitally aware supply chain leadership mindset. It will provide readers with a practical Digital Supply Chain Leadership Road Map that will accelerate actions in technology, analytics, talent and business models. The road map to digital transformation will step the reader through these critical dimensions and illustrate how they can support their own organizational transformation by developing greater levels of maturity. This book will be most valued by supply chain leaders in medium to large scale organizations, as well as consultants and academics interested in digital business and supply chain transformation. The book will also be valuable for students studying digital transformation, supply chain, and operations.

An Introduction to Acceptance Sampling and SPC with R is an introduction to statistical methods used in monitoring, controlling and improving quality. Topics covered include acceptance sampling; Shewhart control charts for Phase I studies; graphical and statistical tools for discovering and eliminating the cause of out-of-control-conditions; Cusum and EWMA control charts for Phase II process monitoring; and the design and analysis of experiments for process troubleshooting and discovering ways to improve process output. Origins of statistical quality control and the technical topics presented in the remainder of the book are those recommended in the ANSI/ASQ/ISO guidelines and standards for industry. The final chapter ties everything together by discussing modern management philosophies that encourage the use of the technical methods presented earlier. In the modern world sampling plans and the statistical calculations used in statistical quality control are done with the help of computers. As an open source high-level programming language with flexible graphical output options, R runs on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and has add-on packages that equal or exceed the capability of commercial software for statistical methods used in quality control. In this book, we will focus on several R packages. In addition to demonstrating how to use R for acceptance sampling and control charts, this book will concentrate on how the use of these specific tools can lead to quality improvements both within a company and within their supplier companies. This would be a suitable book for a one-semester undergraduate course emphasizing statistical quality control for engineering majors (such as manufacturing engineering or industrial engineering), or a supplemental text for a graduate engineering course that included quality control topics.

An Introduction to Acceptance Sampling and SPC with R is an introduction to statistical methods used in monitoring, controlling and improving quality. Topics covered include acceptance sampling; Shewhart control charts for Phase I studies; graphical and statistical tools for discovering and eliminating the cause of out-of-control-conditions; Cusum and EWMA control charts for Phase II process monitoring; and the design and analysis of experiments for process troubleshooting and discovering ways to improve process output. Origins of statistical quality control and the technical topics presented in the remainder of the book are those recommended in the ANSI/ASQ/ISO guidelines and standards for industry. The final chapter ties everything together by discussing modern management philosophies that encourage the use of the technical methods presented earlier. In the modern world sampling plans and the statistical calculations used in statistical quality control are done with the help of computers. As an open source high-level programming language with flexible graphical output options, R runs on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and has add-on packages that equal or exceed the capability of commercial software for statistical methods used in quality control. In this book, we will focus on several R packages. In addition to demonstrating how to use R for acceptance sampling and control charts, this book will concentrate on how the use of these specific tools can lead to quality improvements both within a company and within their supplier companies. This would be a suitable book for a one-semester undergraduate course emphasizing statistical quality control for engineering majors (such as manufacturing engineering or industrial engineering), or a supplemental text for a graduate engineering course that included quality control topics.

Herbert William Heinrich has been one of the most influential safety pioneers. His work from the 1930s/1940s affects much of what is done in safety today - for better and worse. Heinrich's work is debated and heavily critiqued by some, while others defend it with zeal. Interestingly, few people who discuss the ideas have ever read his work or looked into its backgrounds; most do so based on hearsay, secondary sources, or mere opinion. One reason for this is that Heinrich's work has been out of print for decades: it is notoriously hard to find, and quality biographical information is hard to get. Based on some serious "safety archaeology," which provided access to many of Heinrich's original papers, books, and rather rich biographical information, this book aims to fill this gap. It deals with the life and work of Heinrich, the context he worked in, and his influences and legacy. The book defines the main themes in Heinrich's work and discusses them, paying attention to their origins, the developments that came from them, interpretations and attributions, and the critiques that they may have attracted over the years. This includes such well-known ideas and metaphor as the accident triangle, the accident sequence (dominoes), the hidden cost of accidents, the human element, and management responsibility. This book is the first to deal with the work and legacy of Heinrich as a whole, based on a unique richness of material and approaching the matter from several (new) angles. It also reflects on Heinrich's relevance for today's safety science and practice.

Recent developments in reliability engineering has become the most challenging and demanding area of research. Modeling and Simulation, along with System Reliability Engineering has become a greater issue because of high-tech industrial processes, using more complex systems today. This book gives the latest research advances in the field of modeling and simulation, based on analysis in engineering sciences. Features Focuses on the latest research in modeling and simulation based analysis in reliability engineering. Covers performance evaluation of complex engineering systems Identifies and fills the gaps of knowledge pertaining to engineering applications Provides insights on an international and transnational scale Modeling and Simulation Based Analysis in Reliability Engineering aims at providing a reference for applications of mathematics in engineering, offering a theoretical sound background with adequate case studies, and will be of interest to researchers, practitioners, and academics.

This book focuses on digitalised talent management-the use of information technologies in talent management. The book affords theoretically, methodologically and empirically informed insights that are especially salient given the need for executives and organisations to balance the role of humans and technology, while ensuring competitiveness in this interconnected and increasingly digital world. In doing so, the book will shape and contribute to academic and industry-based conversations about the role of technological innovations in enabling organizations to transition towards digital ways of organising talent, as well as the associated implications for the who, what, where, when, and why of talent management as stakeholders decide which aspects of talent management can be delegated to technology, and those that require human agency. This book adds value by assembling subject matter experts currently siloed within traditional research domains whilst also highlighting the complexity of managing talent. By synthesising content from world-leading academics who herald from various backgrounds, the book will instigate, shape and contribute to conversations about both the promises and perils of digitalised talent management and the extent to which judgments and decisions about an organisations most valuable asset-it's talent-should be delegated to non-human agents. This book will be of interest to researchers, academics and students in the fields of talent management and organisational design, especially those interested in digital ways of working, managing and leading.

This book presents a big-picture overview of the entire Shingo improvement process. It fully discusses the needs and benefits of the Shingo process, and what is required if you seek to execute the Shingo Model in your enterprise and focuses on creating an enduring organization-wide continuous improvement process. It gives the reader a discussion of the entire Shingo experience while the most existing books on the model are course specific. There are numerous discussions, conference talks, and webinars of why the Shingo process is beneficial, and what types of improvements can be achieved, but the crucial material has not been assembled in one concise book, giving the executive, manger, or supervisor an overview and understanding of what the Shingo experience entails. The main purpose of this book. It is for the executives who want to understand their role in supporting and leading middle management with its implementation. Many executives from developing countries all over the world are seeking a concise definition of what the Shingo model is, and this book functions as the perfect primer. Even those who have attended and implemented the lessons from the Shingo Institute's courses would find this book a benefit as it serves perfectly as backup and reference material. In addition, this book helps anyone who has started their journey with the Shingo model and may be confused about what to do and expect -- It gives them a vision of what the continuing journey will look like. The Shingo process is being taught at numerous universities and this book could indeed serve as the appropriate textbook or supplemental reading. Essentially, this book teaches an innovative and extremely successful approach to continuous improvement, referred to as the Shingo process. It is based on a set of universally accepted principles that are endorsed by improvement leaders such as Covey and companies such as Toyota. This book is not a detailed review or a replacement of the Shingo workshops. It is an overview of the entire Shingo process, starting with a discussion of the challenges that many of todays enterprises are experiencing. The author, in his role as a PhD in economics, has studied industries and has worked closely with many of them attempting to understand their weaknesses. Next, this book builds upon an understanding of these weaknesses. The book discusses how the over-all Shingo methodology fits into these organizations and highlights the benefits. The next step is then to discuss what requirements are necessary for an organization to get ready for a Shingo transformation. What are the steps that the organization needs to go through, and when will it know that it is ready to begin? The book briefly reviews the Shingo Insights and Principles and explains how the Shingo courses should be best utilized to facilitate the desired transformation. It suggests some alternative plans for over-all implementation based on the current state of the enterprise. It explains why there is no "one way" for successful implementation and how the implementation sequence needs to be customized. It also discusses the length of time needed for success and how this differs depending on the current enterprise environment. Lastly the book explains how the implementation and Shingo training is never finished. It is an on-going process and success is defined by internal improvements, not by some arbitrary external benchmark. The book is intended to be educational, thought provoking, entertaining in its stories and examples, and a guideline towards the development of a plan for continuous improvement. This book is filled with stories and examples, showing successful and not so successful implementations. The stories are used to highlight many of the pitfalls that have arisen and may arise for you and which can be avoided if the reader is aware of them and knows how to watch for them.

This book discusses the main techniques and newest trends to manage and optimize the production and service systems. The book begins by examining the three main levels of decision systems in production: the long term (strategic), the middle term (tactical) and short term (operational). It also considers online management as a new level (a sub level of the short term). As each level encounters specific problems, appropriate approaches to deal with these are introduced and explained. These problems include the line design, the line balancing optimization, the physical layout of the production or service system, the forecasting optimization, the inventory management, the scheduling etc. Metaheuristics for Production Systems then explores logistic optimization from two different perspectives: internal (production management), addressing issues of scheduling, layout and line designs, and external (supply chain management) focusing on transportation optimization, supply chain evaluation, and location of production. The book also looks at NP-hard problems that are common in production management. These complex configurations may mean that optimal solutions may not be reached due to variables, but the authors help provide a good solution for such problems. The effective new results and solutions offered in this book should appeal to researchers, managers, and engineers in the production and service industries.

The Internet of Services and the Internet of Things are major building blocks of the Future Internet. The digital enterprise of the future is based not only on mobile, social, and cloud technologies, but also on semantic technologies and the future Internet of Everything. Semantic technologies now enable mass customization for the delivery of goods and services that meet individual customer needs and tastes with near mass production efficiency and reliability. This is creating a competitive advantage in the industrial economy, the service economy, and the emerging data economy, leading to smart products, smart services, and smart data, all adaptable to specific tasks, locations, situations, and contexts of smart spaces. Such technologies allow us to describe, revise, and adapt the characteristics, functions, processes, and usage patterns of customization targets on the basis of machine-understandable content representation that enables automated processing and information sharing between human and software agents.

This book explains the principal achievements of the Theseus research program, one of the central programs in the German government's Digital 2015 initiative and its High-Tech Strategy 2020. The methods, toolsets, and standards for semantic technologies developed during this program form a solid basis for the fourth industrial revolution (Industrie 4.0), the hybrid service economy, and the transformation of big data into useful smart data for the emerging data economy.

The contributing authors are leading scientists and engineers, representing world-class academic and industrial research teams, and the ideas, technologies, and representative use cases they describe in the book derive from results in multidisciplinary fields, such as the Internet of Services; the Semantic Web, and semantic technologies, knowledge management, and search; user interfaces, multimodal interaction, and visualization; machine learning and data mining; and business process support, manufacturing, automation, medical systems, and integrated service engineering.

The book will be of value to both researchers and practitioners in these domains."

All over the world, vast research is in progress on the domain of Industry 4.0 and related techniques. Industry 4.0 is expected to have a very high impact on labor markets, global value chains, education, health, environment, and many social economic aspects. Industry 4.0 Interoperability, Analytics, Security, and Case Studies provides a deeper understanding of the drivers and enablers of Industry 4.0. It includes real case studies of various applications related to different fields, such as cyber physical systems (CPS), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, machine learning, virtualization, decentralization, blockchain, fog computing, and many other related areas. Also discussed are interoperability, design, and implementation challenges. Researchers, academicians, and those working in industry around the globe will find this book of interest. FEATURES Provides an understanding of the drivers and enablers of Industry 4.0 Includes real case studies of various applications for different fields Discusses technologies such as cyber physical systems (CPS), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, machine learning, virtualization, decentralization, blockchain, fog computing, and many other related areas Covers design, implementation challenges, and interoperability Offers detailed knowledge on Industry 4.0 and its underlying technologies, research challenges, solutions, and case studies

This book utilizes historical evidence to describe the development of the Toyota Production System (TPS). The development of TPS typifies the transformation of production control in interchangeable industries in the twentieth century. Much of the extensive literature available on TPS has been geared toward describing TPS from a number of different perspectives. Many researchers consider TPS distinct from American mass-production systems. Although TPS (and, more generally, the production control systems in the Japanese assembly industry) has differentiated itself from similar US production systems, the evolution of TPS is largely attributable to attempts to learn from, imitate, and modify pre-World War II US production methods. Through these efforts, TPS has achieved levels of efficiency in Japan comparable to those of US production systems. Additionally, a reliance on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in relation to production control has facilitated the development of TPS. The literature on TPS, however, has largely ignored the vital relationship between ICT and production control due to an inordinate focus on "Kanban." Kanban translates to "signboard" in Japanese but is used to refer to an organic linkage between work in preceding and subsequent production processes. This book sheds light on the development of a fully digitalized Bill of Materials (BOM) at Toyota, behind its Kanban and production control.

Maintaining good business leadership in a world of rapidly changing expectations levied by customers, investors, society, governments and employees is a challenge. These stakeholders are increasingly making choices about if or how they support businesses - through the purchase of their products and services, shareholdings and financing, regulatory approvals, and even experiences working for them - based on not just what a business does, but how it does it. We are seeing shifts in stakeholder sentiments that manifest in a greater expectation that businesses work with society in addressing society's contemporary concerns. This greater good that businesses bring is rewarded by a greater brand awareness, connection and loyalty, which in turn provides businesses with an underlying strategic advantage over the competition with its customers, investors and other stakeholders. But this greater good cannot be faked with PR and bought media; in an increasingly connected world populated by an increasingly savvy millennial stakeholder base, authentic leadership and its ability to effect cultural shifts in the DNA of businesses is essential. Failure to do so will likely result in shorter and less successful tenures of Board members and C-suite leaders as this business trend spreads. This book looks at how the emerging generation of leaders must change paradigms and transform their employees to do more than just operate a business. It examines how to effect culture shifts that are necessary to innovate businesses so that they simultaneously meet market needs while meeting stakeholder expectations on concerns as varied as ethical business conduct, labor practices, climate change, responsible use of diminishing natural resources and contribution to socio-economic challenges in their market catchments. These are perspectives and skills that are still glossed over, by academic and professional institutions, as they develop the leaders of the future. Essentially, this book: * Articulates the strategic business case for doing good in a good business; the why, and where this trajectory is leading * Provides strategies to lead authentically on the array of issues that provide key stakeholders - customers, investors, governments and employees - with a greater reason to engage with and build loyalty to the business * Provides strategies to energize and spark innovation among his/her employees in an organization on these issues so that transformative power is harnessed.

This authoritative guide presents managers and engineers with proven strategies for implementing sustainable systems and practices in their manufacturing operations. Readers will gain a solid understanding of the challenges involved in sustainability by examining integrated strategies and practical tactics in the context of real-world industry applications. In this discussion, the authors effectively address the issues, costs, and value of sustainable design, environmentally sound resource, process, and facility management, waste minimization and pollution prevention, maximizing energy efficiency and sustainable energy sources, and green supply chain management.

Our world has changed, probably for good. Until now, the shift from brick-and-mortar to the smartphone has been about service, cost, and convenience. Now, it's also a matter of public health. How do we win this uncertain new game? How do we prosper in a digital world? In a cool, readable style Harnessing Digital Disruption: How Companies Win with Design Thinking, Agile, and Lean Startup tells the story of a major multi-national organization facing digital disruption and looming irrelevance. In a compelling novel format, the book demonstrates how to harness the power of digital technology, methods and thinking on the path to revival and prosperity. It illustrates the situations, characters, and blockers you'll likely face as you progress through your journey. The setting is Singapore and the heady world of international banking, but the prescription, methods and lessons apply equally to manufacturers, utilities, hospitals, insurers, and government agencies. You will learn how to: * Develop your Digital Transformation strategy and Innovation Portfolio * Reform customer journeys, launch new digital offerings, and validate new beta businesses * Develop senior leader digital literacy, and understanding of growth leadership * De-risk your journey using a proven overall approach based on proven principles * Cultivate a network of pragmatic entrepreneurs practicing a structured scalable innovation process

Process consultation, invented by Edgar Schein, is both a skill and an organization development change effort. As a skill, process consultation means the ability to observe and provide feedback about small group dynamics to a work group about how well group members interact and how to improve that interaction. Just as facilitators devote their time to (in one word) asking, process consultants devote their time to (in one word) watching-at an expert level. As a change effort, process consultation is a concerted effort to help members of a group work together more effectively. For that reason, the word "process" in this context should be interpreted to mean "interpersonal interaction in small groups." Historically, process consultation has focused attention on face-to-face groups and their group dynamics. But times are changing. More work is done online or in blended (online and onsite) groups than face-to-face alone. A 2017 survey of over 25,000 workers in 12 countries revealed that 62% of global workers are now working flexibly-with some residential work and some virtual work. The same survey found that workers believe that flexible work arrangements make them more productive and that 48% of survey respondents reported that their virtual interactions include representatives of other cultures. It is true that, for workers who can discipline themselves and manage distractions at home, virtual work can be more productive when commuting time is eliminated and workplace distractions are minimized. Virtual work has the advantage of reducing the need for childcare, slashing work wardrobe costs, and cutting unproductive, stressful commuting time. Despite how modes of working together have changed over the years-ranging from face-to-face to some degree of virtual (video conference, audio conference, print-only collaboration, and many blended combinations)-and the growing need for finding ways to help people work together more effectively, there has been no practical guideline of process consultation in a virtual or mixed work setting since Schein's process consultation initially focused on group dynamics in face-to-face settings. Therefore, this book aims to provide practical approaches to process consultation, helping group members discover more effective ways of working together in blended virtual/residential and cross-cultural settings. Essentially, this book provides a practical, how-to guide for virtual coaching, using step-by-step procedural approaches, cases, and helpful platforms/technologies and tools. It also provides information about how to use technology to support the process of improving virtual or mixed group relationship.

Process consultation, invented by Edgar Schein, is both a skill and an organization development change effort. As a skill, process consultation means the ability to observe and provide feedback about small group dynamics to a work group about how well group members interact and how to improve that interaction. Just as facilitators devote their time to (in one word) asking, process consultants devote their time to (in one word) watching-at an expert level. As a change effort, process consultation is a concerted effort to help members of a group work together more effectively. For that reason, the word "process" in this context should be interpreted to mean "interpersonal interaction in small groups." Historically, process consultation has focused attention on face-to-face groups and their group dynamics. But times are changing. More work is done online or in blended (online and onsite) groups than face-to-face alone. A 2017 survey of over 25,000 workers in 12 countries revealed that 62% of global workers are now working flexibly-with some residential work and some virtual work. The same survey found that workers believe that flexible work arrangements make them more productive and that 48% of survey respondents reported that their virtual interactions include representatives of other cultures. It is true that, for workers who can discipline themselves and manage distractions at home, virtual work can be more productive when commuting time is eliminated and workplace distractions are minimized. Virtual work has the advantage of reducing the need for childcare, slashing work wardrobe costs, and cutting unproductive, stressful commuting time. Despite how modes of working together have changed over the years-ranging from face-to-face to some degree of virtual (video conference, audio conference, print-only collaboration, and many blended combinations)-and the growing need for finding ways to help people work together more effectively, there has been no practical guideline of process consultation in a virtual or mixed work setting since Schein's process consultation initially focused on group dynamics in face-to-face settings. Therefore, this book aims to provide practical approaches to process consultation, helping group members discover more effective ways of working together in blended virtual/residential and cross-cultural settings. Essentially, this book provides a practical, how-to guide for virtual coaching, using step-by-step procedural approaches, cases, and helpful platforms/technologies and tools. It also provides information about how to use technology to support the process of improving virtual or mixed group relationship.

Sustainable Entrepreneurship is nowadays considered as a discipline at the cross-roads of many others. This book describes recent cases, techniques and tools proposed for leaders, entrepreneurs, and practitioners who are involved and responsible for making strategic decisions in their companies and aiming at sustainable development. This book highlights the use of new business models/methods that can be employed by organizations and researchers to save millions of dollars, to enhance the economic growth, as well as to resolve environmental and social issues, via sustainable networks, renewal energy distribution, and social/green entrepreneurship. It will provide a comprehensive discussion of practical techniques, like Machine Learning, Robotics, Photovoltaic solar energy, in the field of renewable energy, and other digital tools, such as digital marketing, crowdsourcing platforms, and digital currency. Meanwhile, it will enlighten the way for entrepreneurs and decision makers by helping them to learn how to grow their business. The focus will be on how to benefit from these techniques to develop sustainable and renewable energy-based projects, as well as digitalized new ventures. The book walks the reader through the latest emerging trends in digitalization that can support practitioners, managers, entrepreneurs, and researchers to help them appreciate the application of sustainable solutions in various functional domains.

This book is an introductory text on building measurement and estimating for simple buildings in Hong Kong, based on the Hong Kong Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works 4th Edition Revised 2018 (HKSMM4 Rev 2018). It provides a toolkit for students and surveying technicians who are new to the subject. This second edition updates the contents in line with the HKSMM4 Rev 2018 and incorporates the latest industry developments such as BIM. The main text is divided into five parts following the development of a typical project. Part 1, Building the project team, introduces the team setup for a typical project. Part 2, Deciding the procurement strategy, explains the various procurement decisions to be made by an employer before any cost estimating and measurement work takes place. Part 3, Preparing for tender, covers the tendering methods, tender documentation and approximate estimating techniques used by Quantity Surveyors. Part 4, Measuring quantities, introduces measurement principles and HKSMM4 Rev 2018, followed by a detailed review of the measurement methods for each major trade, with worked examples. Part 5, Estimating unit rates, explores the basic techniques for unit rate preparation. The book contains worked examples from real Hong Kong building projects, self-assessment questions, reminders and points of note. It is essential reading for Hong Kong construction and surveying students, international Quantity Surveyors working in the local area and those wanting international examples of Quantity Surveryors practice.

Creating a Culture of Predictable Outcomes demonstrates the importance of creating cultures in the design and construction industries grounded in sophisticated-caring leadership, high-performing collaborative teams, and master-level decision-making discipline, informed by values, to finally address massive inefficiencies, waste, and unpredictability. Barbara White Bryson offers specific guidance to industry stakeholders to succeed in achieving project-related predictable outcomes by focusing on culture rather than process. This includes selecting the right team members by hiring and firing bravely, valuing psychological safety, leading with values, practicing respect and transparency, fostering empowerment to make decisions at the right level at the right time, and more. This book is a must-read for design and construction professionals who want to finally understand how to set goals and meet those goals for their clients as well as for their teams.