John Kelly

Bio: John Kelly is an academic researcher from Glasgow Caledonian University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Value (mathematics) & Reuse. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 31 publications receiving 1063 citations.

Investigation of Critical Success Factors in Construction Project Briefing by Way of Content Analysis

Abstract: Construction project briefing is a complex and dynamic process which involves identifying and conveying clients’ actual needs and requirements accurately to the project team. The briefing process is critical to the successful delivery of a construction project and there are many limitations inhibiting its effectiveness. A study of factors which could contribute to a successful briefing (in this study referred to as critical success factors) will enable special attention to be paid to those areas which could improve its performance. The objectives of this study are to identify, categorize, and prioritize a general set of critical success factors for construction project briefing. This study is intended to complement the existing but limited research into the identification of such factors and to serve as a stepping stone to the identification and establishment of yardsticks which could be used by construction practitioners on all projects in the future. A questionnaire was used to collect opinions from exp...

Quantum Information and Relativity Theory

Abstract: Quantum mechanics, information theory, and relativity theory are the basic foundations of theoretical physics The acquisition of information from a quantum system is the interface of classical and quantum physics Essential tools for its description are Kraus matrices and positive operator valued measures (POVMs) Special relativity imposes severe restrictions on the transfer of information between distant systems Quantum entropy is not a Lorentz covariant concept Lorentz transformations of reduced density matrices for entangled systems may not be completely positive maps Quantum field theory, which is necessary for a consistent description of interactions, implies a fundamental trade-off between detector reliability and localizability General relativity produces new, counterintuitive effects, in particular when black holes (or more generally, event horizons) are involved Most of the current concepts in quantum information theory may then require a reassessment

Empirical Study of Risk Assessment and Allocation of Public-Private Partnership Projects in China

Abstract: Earlier research studies on public-private partnership (PPP) indicated that an objective, reliable, and practical risk assessment model for PPP projects and an equitable risk allocation mechanism among different parties are crucial to the successful implementation of these PPP projects. However, actual empirical research works in this research area are limited. This paper reports the first stage of a research study, which aims to identify and assess the principal risks for the delivery of PPP projects in China and to address their proper risk allocation between the private and public sectors. An empirical questionnaire survey was designed to examine the relative importance of different risk factors and to analyze the allocation of risk factors to different parties in PPP projects. A total of 580 questionnaires were sent out, and a total of 105 valid responses were obtained for data analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test is employed to investigate whether significant difference in perception existed first between the private and public sectors and second between industrial practitioners and academics in China. The empirical findings show that the three most important risk factors for PPP projects in China are (1) government intervention; (2) government corruption; and (3) poor public decision-making processes. These findings reveal that the Chinese government intervention and corruption may be the major obstacles to the success of PPP projects in China. A major cause for these risks may be attributed to inefficient legislative and supervisory systems for PPP projects in China. After conducting the Mann-Whitney U test on the 105 survey respondents, the empirical findings indicate that the perceptions of all 34 risk factors in China between the private and public sectors were not significantly different. Similarly, there were no significant differences between academics and industrial practitioners except that the former perceived the problem of government corruption to be more severe than did the latter. For risk allocation, the empirical results indicate that the public and private sectors were in general consensus with most of the risks identified. The major risks that the public sector preferred to accept are within the systematic risk category, especially political, legal, and social risks. The private sector preferred to retain the principal risks within the specific project risk category, especially construction, operation, and relationship risks, in addition to economic risks within systematic risk category. The remaining risk, environment risk, is preferred to be shared between the two sectors. This research study enables international construction companies to better understand how risks should be assessed and allocated for PPP projects in China. It also assists in risk response planning and control for future PPP projects in China. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000049. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Exploring critical success factors for stakeholder management in construction projects

Abstract: With a focus on different aspects of stakeholder management, various sets of critical success factors (CSFs) have been suggested in the literature. It is crucial to explore the relative importance and groupings of these factors. This paper aims to identify CSFs associated with stakeholder management in construction projects, and explore their ranking and underlying relationship. 15 CSFs were identified through a literature review, and consolidated by interviews and pilot studies with professionals in construction industry. A questionnaire instrument containing these 15 CSFs was sent out to project managers in Hong Kong, and 183 completed questionnaires were retrieved. The top three ranked factors for stakeholder management were “managing stakeholders with social responsibilities”, “assessing the stakeholders’ needs and constraints to the project”, and “communicating with stakeholders properly and frequently”. Using factor analysis and considering the high importance of the factor “managing stakeholders with social responsibilities”, the 15 CSFs were grouped into five dimensions namely, precondition factor, stakeholder estimation, information inputs, decision making, and sustainable support. All these five groupings and their relationship were included in a framework for successful stakeholder management in construction projects. These findings help to clarify what the high prioritized factors are, and could also be used as an assessment tool to evaluate the performance of stakeholder management and thus help to identify areas for improvement. Santrauka Atsižvelgiant į skirtingus suinteresuotųjų salių valdymo aspektus, literatūroje siūlomi įvairūs kritinių sėkmės veiksnių (KSV) kompleksai. Svarbiausia yra sugrupuoti siuos veiksnius ir nustatyti jų santykinį reiksmingumą. Sio straipsnio tikslas – nustatyti KSV, susijusius su suinteresuotųjų salių valdymu statybos projektuose, isnagrinėti jų prioritetus ir pagrindinius tarpusavio rysius. 15 KSV buvo nustatyta remiantis literatūros analize, statybos sakos profesionalų apklausomis ir eksperimentinėmis studijomis. Projektų valdytojams Honkonge issiųstas klausimynas ir gauti 183 atsakymai. Trys auksciausiai įvertinti veiksniai: projektų dalyvių socialinė atsakomybė, suinteresuotųjų salių poreikių ir apribojimų įvertinimas, tinkamas ir dažnas bendradarbiavimas su suinteresuotomis salimis. Naudojantis veiksnių analize ir atsižvelgiant į tai, kad socialinės atsakomybės rodiklis vertinamas kaip labai reiksmingas, 15 KSV suskirstyti į 5 grupes: isankstinių veiksnių, suinteresuotųjų grupių nustatymo, informacijos rinkimo, sprendimų priėmimo ir subalansuotos paramos. Visos sios grupės bei jų rysiai buvo įtraukti į sistemą, skirtą sėkmingam suinteresuotųjų salių valdymui statybos projektuose. Sie duomenys padeda paaiskinti, kokiems veiksniams suteikiamas prioritetas ir gali būti naudojami suinteresuotųjų salių valdymo įgyvendinimui įvertinti bei tobulintinoms sritims nustatyti. First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010 Reiksminiai žodžiai: kritiniai sėkmės veiksniai (KSV), suinteresuotųjų salių valdymas, statybos projektai, rangavimas ir grupavimas, Honkongas.

Research Validation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Construction Domain

Abstract: Validation of the research methodology and its results is a fundamental element of the process of scholarly endeavor. Approaches used for construction engineering and management research have included experiments, surveys and observational studies, modeling and simulation, theory building, case studies, and various subtypes thereof. Some studies use more than one approach. A particular contribution of this paper is that it reviews different types of validation using examples of studies, analyzes the specific challenges that were found to be significant, and presents how they were successfully overcome in each case. Another contribution is that it describes new opportunities for research validation that are emerging at the horizon as well as ongoing collaborative efforts to enhance the access of construction researchers to validation tools. This paper increases the awareness of the paramount role that validation techniques play in scholarly work by providing readers with recommendations to properly validate their own research efforts.