The theoretical aspects of Architectural Management (AM) have been widely researched from a variety of international perspectives through the published research work of the CIB W096 Working Group. There is much less research, however, covering the transfer of these theoretical aspects into professional practice. There is a lack of a holistic approach towards defining AM, explaining what it constitutes, its deliverables to its users, whether there is a need for architectural managers, and if so, what are their qualifications. Similarly, there is a lack of research concerning the opinions of those outside the CIB W096 community with regard to Architectural Management. This research has contributed to the theory and practice of AM by conducting a combination of inductive/deductive, exploratory/explanatory, and qualitative/quantitative approaches in order to understand the exact meaning of AM; capture and detail its components; and to validate all these issues by examining the professional opinions of two groups: researchers and practitioners. The primary focus of this research was answering the question as to how AM can be transferred successfully from theory into practice. In order to answer this question, the research was divided into five consecutive phases. Firstly, reviewing the literature helped establish a solid theoretical background for the research, and it helped in highlighting the major gaps in knowledge associated with AM. Subsequently, and in response to the shortage of information within the AM literature, a preliminary study was found to be a useful source for gathering information about the meaning, components, benefits, strategies and requirements of AM, and the need for architectural managers. Then, both the data extracted from the literature and the data obtained through the preliminary study were analysed and combined, generating a framework for transferring AM from theory to practice using the grounded theory methodology. Then the AM framework testing process was conducted in three stages through a workshop, interviews, and questionnaire survey examining the professional perspectives of architectural researchers (within and outside the CIB W096) and the leaders of UK architectural firms. The final stage involved discussing and synthesising the data obtained through the entire course of this research and generating conclusions. During its testing and after refinement, the newly proposed AM framework proved its practicality and usefulness for transferring Architectural Management from theory to practice. The findings indicated that the decision to adopt AM should be taken at the firm’s strategic management level; and there is a need for a facilitator expert in design, management and construction to lead the successful adoption and application of AM. Similarly, the findings revealed that adopting AM in practice has the capability to increase a firm’s competitiveness. However, this requires effective communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing within the firm’s internal and external environments. Similarly, the findings indicated the crucial role of basic and vocational architecture education in spreading the concept of AM and assuring its successful application.

Architectural management: a strategic framework to achieve competitiveness

Purpose: The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the associated economic lockdown provided a jolt to businesses around the world and the global economy Amid the ongoing uncertainty, circumstances varied across business sectors and regions, but the common goal for business organizations was to respond effectively, devising strategies to survive the turmoil and accelerate recovery The narrative in India was no different from the rest of the world Due to the novelty of the event, literature regarding its impact on the strategic management of firms was scarce Thus, this paper aims to attempt to ascertain the crisis impact on firms and subsequently unravel the tactical short-term and long-term strategic responses initiated by Indian firms Design/methodology/approach: The authors carried out an empirical investigation to comprehend the strategic foresight adopted by Indian firms Following a structured literature review, the authors conducted semi-structured open-ended interviews with 28 business experts who were involved in drafting strategic responses for their respective firms Subsequently, the authors performed a thematic content analysis of the expert interview responses to document firm-level strategic responses to the COVID-19 crisis and associated economic lockdown The authors further searched reputed media articles to supplement and triangulate the primary research findings with management perspectives Findings: The authors identified that managers had adopted a dual approach responding to the disruption Companies simultaneously focused on surviving the crisis in the short-term by reconfiguring existing resources and initiated long-term recovery by mobilizing efforts for a redesigned business model The research findings indicated that companies had adapted to the dynamic chaotic crisis environment to fulfill the changed consumer expectations Remote working was widely implemented, supply networks were adjusted, operations were managed with minimal resources, working capital was closely monitored and the product-portfolio was revamped to reap benefits in an essentials-only world The impact of several strategic firm responses was determined through this study on the revenue, profitability, operational costs and regulatory adherence of the companies along with the ability to meet stakeholder expectations The study suggested that companies encouraged innovative solutions and highlighted the importance of collaborative inter-organizational practices Research limitations/implications: The study contributed to an inter-theoretical perspective on firm strategic initiatives to confront a global crisis Resource-based view, dynamic capabilities perspective and industrial-organizational theory-based perspectives, were applied This facilitated an extensive analysis of the entire business ecosystem to identify various paths to accelerated recovery during and post COVID-19 world Practical implications: The research findings would aid managers in drafting a comprehensive response strategy during and post COVID-19 world This study results would help managers in addressing multiple concerns such as the sustainability of operations in the short-term through working capital management, the fulfillment of changing consumer needs through sustained innovation and business model alterations to ensure long term growth The study enabled managers to prioritize necessary actions, ascertain the impact of strategic initiatives and build sustainable competitive advantage for long-term growth Originality/value: The novel coronavirus pandemic and the associated economic lockdown impacted firm strategies and this was one of the very first empirical studies regarding how firm-level short-term tactics and long-term strategies were getting reshaped Traditionally, companies were prepared to handle localized disruptions but a crisis of such epic global proportions jeopardized most business This study provided an extensive review of the short-term tactical and long-term strategic response perspectives adopted by Indian firms to ab orb the impact of this unique crisis and expected recovery with renewed strength This was one of the first research articles to provide an inter-theoretical perspective on the ongoing global pandemic This integrated view of the possible impacts of firm-level strategic initiatives provided a detailed knowledge repository to design the crisis response capability of firms © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

Coronavirus pandemic and economic lockdown;study of strategic initiatives and tactical responses of firms

Background
Research suggests that persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) are expected to be more compliant than persons without disabilities and that expectations for compliance begin in childhood. No study, however, seems yet to have included a primary focus on the participatory rights, or rights to express opinions, desires and preferences and to be heard and taken seriously in decision making among young people with ID who are not yet considered legally adult. The purpose of the two current studies was to explore how the right to participation is negotiated for young people with ID in a family context and to determine family members’ recommendations for strategies to facilitate the participation of young people with ID.

Method
In the first study, four young people with ID, their mothers and two siblings from four families took part in semi-structured interviews about decision making in the family context. In the second study, a mother and daughter from the first study discussed and developed strategies to promote participation for young people with ID.

Results
In the first study, all participants communicated that young people with ID follow an age-typical yet restricted pattern of participation in decisions about their lives. Young people's participation was consistently framed by familial norms and values as well as their families’ desire to protect them. In the second study, both participants suggested communication about the outcomes of real or imagined decisions would help young family members rehearse decision-making strategies that would facilitate their autonomy while remaining within the bounds of familial norms, values and perceptions of safety.

Conclusions
Although young people with ID may make fewer independent decisions about their lives than typically developing peers, support in decision making can enable both increased protection and independence.

Protection, participation and protection through participation: young people with intellectual disabilities and decision making in the family context.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the common meaning of vernacular usage of “cool” in terms of the related concepts consumers use to describe the term, using the symbolic interactionist perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Using literature review, we first analyse how cool has evolved from its original meaning to its contemporary form in global consumer culture (GCC). Next, from a content analysis approach, using associative group analysis (Szalay and Deese, 1978) we determine the cultural meaning of cool from a sample of young respondents (n=127) drawn from United Arab Emirates. Then, using another set of respondents (n=98), we assess the statistical reliability of our themes. Findings – Results of our analysis indicate that there is a common set of themes describing the term cool: fashionable, amazing, sophisticated, unique, entertaining, eye-catching and composed. Fashionable theme significantly dominates the meaning of cool. Research limitations/implications – The findings are on...

“Wow! It's cool”: the meaning of coolness in marketing

Central European attitudes towards Chinese energy investments: The cases of Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic

The more recent interpretation of triangulation in social and educational research was summarised and examined with reference to theory triangulation applied in an empirical study. The construction of special educational needs (SEN) from the individual experiences of a sample of SEN co‐ordinators and SEN teachers, parents, and adolescents with emotional and behavioural difficulties or physical disabilities were interpreted from the perspectives of personal construct theory, bio‐psycho‐social model, socio‐psychological analysis, bioecological model of human development and a developmental model of self‐understanding. Their points of convergence and divergence enriched and extended theoretical understanding. The focus on the ‘verstehen’ psychological level of analysis and on forging closer theory, concept and data connections influenced the range of theory choice. This instance of theory triangulation casts doubts on the Duhem‐Quine thesis of underdetermination.

Agnes Ma

Papers

Triangulation and Theoretical Understanding