A methodology to assess the competitiveness of real estate developers in China

Real estate, or property development, is considered one of the pillar industries of the Chinese economy. As a result of the opening up of the economy as well as the "macro-control" policy of the Central Chinese Government to moderate the frenetic pace of growth of the economy, the real estate industry has faced fierce competition and ongoing change. Real estate firms in China must improve their competitiveness in order to maintain market share or even survive in this brutally competitive environment. This study developed a methodology to evaluate the competitiveness of real estate developers in the China and then used a case study to illustrate the effectiveness of the evaluation method. Four steps were taken to achieve this. The first step was to conduct a thorough literature review which included a review of the characteristics of real estate industry, theories about competitiveness and the competitive characteristics of real estate developers. Following this literature review, the competitive model was developed based on seven key competitive factors (the 'level 1') identified in the literature. They include: (1) financial competency; (2) market share; (3) management competency; (4) social responsibility; (5) organisational competency; (6) technological capabilities; and, (7) regional competitiveness. In the next step of research, the competitive evaluation criteria (the 'level 2') under each of competitive factors (the 'level 1') were evaluated. Additionally, there were identified a set of competitive attributes (the 'level 3') under each competitive criteria (the 'level 2'). These attributes were initially recognised during the literature review and then expanded upon through interviews with multidisciplinary experts and practitioners in various real estate-related industries. The final step in this research was to undertake a case study using the proposed evaluation method and attributes. Through the study of an actual real estate development company, the procedures and effectiveness of the evaluation method were illustrated and validated. Through the above steps, this research investigates and develops an analytical system for determining the corporate competitiveness of real estate developers in China. The analytical system is formulated to evaluate the "state of health" of the business from different competitive perspectives. The result of empirical study illustrates that a systematic and structured evaluation can effectively assist developers in identifying their strengths and highlighting potential problems. This is very important for the development of an overall corporate strategy and supporting key strategic decisions. This study also provides some insights, analysis and suggestions for improving the competitiveness of real estate developers in China from different perspectives, including: management competency, organisational competency, technological capabilities, financial competency, market share, social responsibility and regional competitiveness. In the case study, problems were found in each of these areas, and they appear to be common in the industry. To address these problems and improve the competitiveness and effectiveness of Chinese real estate developers, a variety of suggestions are proposed. The findings of this research provide an insight into the factors that influence competitiveness in the Chinese real estate industry while also assisting practitioners to formulate strategies to improve their competitiveness. References for studying the competitiveness of real estate developers in other countries are also provided.

Understanding the phenomenon of IS success in China through the lens of the IS-Impact model

This study is conducted within the IS-Impact Research Track at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The goal of the IS-Impact Track is, “to develop the most widely employed model for benchmarking information systems in organizations for the joint benefit of both research and practice” (Gable et al, 2006). IS-Impact is defined as “a measure at a point in time, of the stream of net benefits from the IS, to date and anticipated, as perceived by all key-user-groups” (Gable Sedera and Chan, 2008). Track efforts have yielded the bicameral IS-Impact measurement model; the “impact” half includes Organizational-Impact and Individual-Impact dimensions; the “quality” half includes System-Quality and Information-Quality dimensions. The IS-Impact model, by design, is intended to be robust, simple and generalizable, to yield results that are comparable across time, stakeholders, different systems and system contexts. The model and measurement approach employ perceptual measures and an instrument that is relevant to key stakeholder groups, thereby enabling the combination or comparison of stakeholder perspectives. Such a validated and widely accepted IS-Impact measurement model has both academic and practical value. It facilitates systematic operationalization of a main dependent variable in research (IS-Impact), which can also serve as an important independent variable. For IS management practice it provides a means to benchmark and track the performance of information systems in use. The objective of this study is to develop a Mandarin version IS-Impact model, encompassing a list of China-specific IS-Impact measures, aiding in a better understanding of the IS-Impact phenomenon in a Chinese organizational context. The IS-Impact model provides a much needed theoretical guidance for this investigation of ES and ES impacts in a Chinese context. The appropriateness and soundness of employing the IS-Impact model as a theoretical foundation are evident: the model originated from a sound theory of IS Success (1992), developed through rigorous validation, and also derived in the context of Enterprise Systems. Based on the IS-Impact model, this study investigates a number of research questions (RQs). Firstly, the research investigated what essential impacts have been derived from ES by Chinese users and organizations [RQ1]. Secondly, we investigate which salient quality features of ES are perceived by Chinese users [RQ2]. Thirdly, we seek to answer whether the quality and impacts measures are sufficient to assess ES-success in general [RQ3]. Lastly, the study attempts to address whether the IS-Impact measurement model is appropriate for Chinese organizations in terms of evaluating their ES [RQ4]. An open-ended, qualitative identification survey was employed in the study. A large body of short text data was gathered from 144 Chinese users and 633 valid IS-Impact statements were generated from the data set. A generally inductive approach was applied in the qualitative data analysis. Rigorous qualitative data coding resulted in 50 first-order categories with 6 second-order categories that were grounded from the context of Chinese organization. The six second-order categories are: 1) System Quality; 2) Information Quality; 3) Individual Impacts;4) Organizational Impacts; 5) User Quality and 6) IS Support Quality. The final research finding of the study is the contextualized Mandarin version IS-Impact measurement model that includes 38 measures organized into 4 dimensions: System Quality, information Quality, Individual Impacts and Organizational Impacts. The study also proposed two conceptual models to harmonize the IS-Impact model and the two emergent constructs – User Quality and IS Support Quality by drawing on previous IS effectiveness literatures and the Work System theory proposed by Alter (1999) respectively. The study is significant as it is the first effort that empirically and comprehensively investigates IS-Impact in China. Specifically, the research contributions can be classified into theoretical contributions and practical contributions. From the theoretical perspective, through qualitative evidence, the study test and consolidate IS-Impact measurement model in terms of the quality of robustness, completeness and generalizability. The unconventional research design exhibits creativity of the study. The theoretical model does not work as a top-down a priori seeking for evidence demonstrating its credibility; rather, the study allows a competitive model to emerge from the bottom-up and open-coding analysis. Besides, the study is an example extending and localizing pre-existing theory developed in Western context when the theory is introduced to a different context. On the other hand, from the practical perspective, It is first time to introduce prominent research findings in field of IS Success to Chinese academia and practitioner. This study provides a guideline for Chinese organizations to assess their Enterprise System, and leveraging IT investment in the future. As a research effort in ITPS track, this study contributes the research team with an alternative operationalization of the dependent variable. The future research can take on the contextualized Mandarin version IS-Impact framework as a theoretical a priori model, further quantitative and empirical testing its validity.

Natural convection flow in a porous enclosure with localized heating from below

Natural convection flow in a two-dimensional fluid saturated porous enclosure with localized heating from below, symmetrical cooling from the sides and the top and rest of the bottom walls are insulated, has been investigated numerically. Darcy’s law for porous media along with the energy equation based on the 1st law of thermodynamics has been considered. Implicit finite volume method with TDMA solver is used to solve the governing equations. Localized heating is simulated by a centrally located isothermal heat source on the bottom wall, and four different values of the dimensionless heat source length, 1/5, 2/5, 3/5 and 4/5 are considered. The effect of heat source length and the Rayleigh number on streamlines and isotherms are presented, as well as the variation of the local rate of heat transfer in terms of the local Nusselt number from the heated wall. Finally, the average Nusselt number at the heated part of the bottom wall has been shown against Rayleigh number for the non-dimensional heat source length.

Motivational Interviewing (MINT) improves Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) acceptance and adherence : a randomised controlled trial

Objective: Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP) for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is poor. We assessed the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing intervention (MINT) in addition to best practice standard care to improve acceptance and adherence to CPAP therapy in people with a new diagnosis of OSA. Method: 106 Australian adults (69% male) with a new diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea and clinical recommendation for CPAP treatment were recruited from a tertiary sleep disorders centre. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either three sessions of a motivational interviewing intervention ‘MINT’ (n=53; mean age=55.4 years), or no intervention ‘Control’ (n=53; mean age=57.74). The primary outcome was the difference between the groups in objective CPAP adherence at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months and 12 months follow-up. Results: Fifty (94%) participants in the MINT group and 50 (94%) of participants in the control group met all inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the primary analysis. The hours of CPAP use per night in the MINT group at 3 months was 4.63 hours and 3.16 hours in the control group (p=0.005). This represents almost 50% better adherence in the MINT group relative to the control group. Patients in the MINT group were substantially more likely to accept CPAP treatment. Conclusions: MINT is a brief, manualized, effective intervention which improves CPAP acceptance and objective adherence rates as compared to standard care alone.

Regulations and policy measures related to the reduction of ambient particulate matter

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Identification of selection criteria for operational variations of the design-build system : a delphi study in China

The design-build (DB) system has been demonstrated as an effective delivery method and has gained popularity worldwide. However it is observed that a number of operational variations of DB system have emerged since the last decade to cater for different client’s requirements. After the client decides to procure his project through the DB system, he still has to choose an appropriate configuration to deliver their projects optimally. However, there is little research on the selection of DB operational variations. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of evaluation criteria for determining the appropriateness of each operational variation. To obtain such criteria, a three-round Delphi survey has been conducted with 20 construction experts in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Seven top selection criteria were identified. These are: (1) availability of competent design-builders; (2) client’s capabilities; (3) project complexity; (4) client’s control of project; (5) early commencement & short duration; (6) reduced responsibility or involvement; and (7) clearly defined end user’s requirements. These selection criteria were found to have a statistically significant agreement. These findings may furnish various stakeholders, DB clients in particular, with better insight to understand and compare the different operational variations of the DB system.

Stability of hydrotalcites formed from Bayer refinery environmental control processes

Bauxite refinery residues (red mud) are derived from the Bayer process by the digestion of crushed bauxite in concentrated sodium hydroxide at elevated temperatures and pressures. This slurry residue, if untreated, is unsuitable for discharge directly into the environment and is usually stored in tailing dams. The liquid portion has the potential for discharge, but requires pre-treatment before this can occur. The seawater neutralisation treatment facilitates a significant reduction in pH and dissolved metal concentrations, through the precipitation of hydrotalcite-like compounds and some other Mg, Ca, and Al hydroxide and carbonate minerals. The hydrotalcite-like compounds, precipitated during seawater neutralisation, also remove a range of transition metals, oxy-anions and other anionic species through a combination of intercalation and adsorption reactions: smaller anions are intercalated into the hydrotalcite matrix, while larger molecules are adsorbed on the particle surfaces. A phenomenon known as ‘reversion’ can occur if the seawater neutralisation process is not properly controlled. Reversion causes an increase in the pH and dissolved impurity levels of the neutralised effluent, rendering it unsuitable for discharge. It is believed that slow dissolution of components of the red mud residue and compounds formed during the neutralisation process are responsible for reversion. This investigation looked at characterising natural hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(OH)16(CO3)∙4H2O) and ‘Bayer’ hydrotalcite (synthesised using the seawater neutralisation process) using a variety of techniques including X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. This investigation showed that Bayer hydrotalcite is comprised of a mixture of 3:1 and 4:1 hydrotalcite structures and exhibited similar chemical characteristic to the 4:1 synthetic hydrotalcite. Hydrotalcite formed from the seawater neutralisation of Bauxite refinery residues has been found not to cause reversion. Other components in red mud were investigated to determine the cause of reversion and this investigation found three components that contributed to reversion: 1) tricalcium aluminate, 2) hydrocalumite and 3) calcium hydroxide. Increasing the amount of magnesium in the neutralisation process has been found to be successful in reducing reversion.

Grading scales for contact lens complications

Purpose. To devise and validate artist-rendered grading scales for contact lens complications Methods. Each of eight tissue complications of contact lens wear (listed under 'Results') was painted by a skilled ophthalmic artist (Terry R. Tarrant) in five grades of severity: 0 (normal), 1 (trace), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate) and 4 (severe). A representative slit lamp photograph of a tissue response of each of the eight complications was shown to 404 contact lens practitioners who had never before used clinical grading scales. The practitioners were asked to grade each tissue response to the nearest 0.1 grade unit by interpolation. Results. The standard deviation (± s.d.) of the 404 responses for each tissue complication is tabulated below:_ing_ 0.5 Endothelial pplymegethisjij-4 0.7 Epithelial microcysts 0.5 Endothelial blebs_ 0.4 Stromal edema_onjunctiva! hyperemia 0.4 Stromal neovascularization 0.4 Papillary conjunctivitis 0.5 The frequency distributions and best-fit normal curves were also plotted. The precision of grading (s.d. x 2) ranged from 0.8 to 1.4, with a mean precision of 1.0. Conclusions. Grading scales afford contact lens practitioners with a method of quantifying the severity of adverse tissue responses to contact lens wear. It is noteworthy that the statistically verified precision of grading (1.0 scale unit) concurs precisely with the essential design feature of the grading scales that each grading step of 1.0 corresponds to clinically significant difference in severity. Thus, as a general rule, a difference or change in grade of > 1.0 can be taken to be both clinically and statistically significant when using these grading scales. Trained observers are likely to achieve even greater grading precision. Supported by Hydron Limited.

Application of a new discreet form of Gauss’ theorem for measuring volume

Volume measurements are useful in many branches of science and medicine. They are usually accomplished by acquiring a sequence of cross sectional images through the object using an appropriate scanning modality, for example x-ray computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) or ultrasound (US). In the cases of CT and MR, a dividing cubes algorithm can be used to describe the surface as a triangle mesh. However, such algorithms are not suitable for US data, especially when the image sequence is multiplanar (as it usually is). This problem may be overcome by manually tracing regions of interest (ROIs) on the registered multiplanar images and connecting the points into a triangular mesh. In this paper we describe and evaluate a new discreet form of Gauss’ theorem which enables the calculation of the volume of any enclosed surface described by a triangular mesh. The volume is calculated by summing the vector product of the centroid, area and normal of each surface triangle. The algorithm was tested on computer-generated objects, US-scanned balloons, livers and kidneys and CT-scanned clay rocks. The results, expressed as the mean percentage difference ± one standard deviation were 1.2 ± 2.3, 5.5 ± 4.7, 3.0 ± 3.2 and −1.2 ± 3.2% for balloons, livers, kidneys and rocks respectively. The results compare favourably with other volume estimation methods such as planimetry and tetrahedral decomposition.

“They’re lunatics on the road” : Exploring the normative influences of parents, friends, and police on young novices’ risky driving decisions

Purpose: Young novice drivers experience significantly greater risk of being injured or killed in car crashes than older more experienced drivers. This research utilised a qualitative approach guided by the framework of Akers’ social learning theory. It explored young novice drivers’ perspectives on risky driving including rewards and punishments expected from and administered by parents, friends, and police, imitation of parents’ and friends’ driving, and advantages and disadvantages of risky driving. Methods: Twenty-one young drivers (12 females, 9 males) aged 16–25 years (M = 17.71 years, SD = 2.15) with a Learner (n = 11) or Provisional (n = 10) driver licence participated in individual or small group interviews. Findings and conclusions: Content analysis supported four themes: (1) rewards and (2) punishments for risky driving, and the influence of (3) parents and (4) friends. The young novice drivers differed in their vulnerability to the negative influences of friends and parents, with some novices advising they were able to resist risky normative influences whilst others felt they could not. The authority of the police as enforcers of road rules was either accepted and respected or seen as being used to persecute young novices. These findings suggest that road safety interventions should consider the normative influence of parents and friends on the risky and safe behaviour of young novices. Police were also seen as influential upon behaviour. Future research should explore the complicated relationship between parents, friends, the police, young novices, and their risky driving behaviour.

Assessment of the health impacts of the 2011 summer floods in Brisbane

Background: During December 2010 and January 2011, torrential rainfall in Queensland resulted in the worst flooding in over 50 years. We carried out a community-based survey to assess the health impacts of this flooding in the city of Brisbane. Methods: A community-based survey was conducted in 12 flood-affected electorates using postal questionnaires. A random sample of residents in these areas was drawn from electoral rolls. Questions examined sociodemographic information, the direct impact of flooding on the household, and perceived flood-related health impacts. Outcome variables included perceived flood-related effects on overall and respiratory health, along with mental health outcomes measured by psychosocial distress, reduced sleep quality and probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between flooding and health outcome variables, adjusted for current health status and socioeconomic factors. Results: 3000 residents were invited to participate in this survey, with 960 responses (32%). People whose households were directly impacted by flooding had a decrease in perceived overall health (OR 5.3, 95% CI: 2.8–10.2), along with increases in psychological distress (OR 1.9, 1.1–3.5), decreased sleep quality (OR 2.3, 1.2–4.4), and probable PTSD (OR 2.3, 1.2–4.5). Residents were also more likely to increase usage of both tobacco (OR 6.3, 2.4–16.8) and alcohol (OR 7.0, 2.2–22.3) after flooding. Conclusions: There were significant impacts of flood events on residents’ health, in particular psychosocial health. Improved support strategies may need to be integrated into existing disaster management programs to reduce flood‐related health impacts.

Non-combinatorial library screening reveals subsite cooperativity and identifies new high-efficiency substrates for kallikrein-related peptidase 14

An array of substrates link the tryptic serine protease, kallikrein-related peptidase 14 (KLK14), to physiological functions including desquamation and activation of signaling molecules associated with inflammation and cancer. Recognition of protease cleavage sequences is driven by complementarity between exposed substrate motifs and the physicochemical signature of an enzyme's active site cleft. However, conventional substrate screening methods have generated conflicting subsite profiles for KLK14. This study utilizes a recently developed screening technique, the sparse matrix library, to identify five novel high-efficiency sequences for KLK14. The optimal sequence, YASR, was cleaved with higher efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)=3.81 ± 0.4 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)) than favored substrates from positional scanning and phage display by 2- and 10-fold, respectively. Binding site cooperativity was prominent among preferred sequences, which enabled optimal interaction at all subsites as indicated by predictive modeling of KLK14/substrate complexes. These simulations constitute the first molecular dynamics analysis of KLK14 and offer a structural rationale for the divergent subsite preferences evident between KLK14 and closely related KLKs, KLK4 and KLK5. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of binding site cooperativity in protease substrate recognition, which has implications for discovery of optimal substrates and engineering highly effective protease inhibitors.

Numerical methods for solving the multi-term time-fractional wave-diffusion equations

In this paper, the multi-term time-fractional wave diffusion equations are considered. The multiterm time fractional derivatives are defined in the Caputo sense, whose orders belong to the intervals [0,1], [1,2), [0,2), [0,3), [2,3) and [2,4), respectively. Some computationally effective numerical methods are proposed for simulating the multi-term time-fractional wave-diffusion equations. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of theoretical analysis. These methods and techniques can also be extended to other kinds of the multi-term fractional time-space models with fractional Laplacian.

Assessment of the health impacts of the 2011 summer floods in Brisbane

Background: During December 2010 and January 2011, torrential rainfall in Queensland resulted in the worst flooding in over 50 years. We carried out a community-based survey to assess the health impacts of this flooding in the city of Brisbane. Methods: A community-based survey was conducted in 12 flood-affected electorates using postal questionnaires. A random sample of residents in these areas was drawn from electoral rolls. Questions examined sociodemographic information, the direct impact of flooding on the household, and perceived flood-related health impacts. Outcome variables included perceived flood-related effects on overall and respiratory health, along with mental health outcomes measured by psychosocial distress, reduced sleep quality and probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between flooding and health outcome variables, adjusted for current health status and socioeconomic factors. Results: 3000 residents were invited to participate in this survey, with 960 responses (32%). People whose households were directly impacted by flooding had a decrease in perceived overall health (OR 5.3, 95% CI: 2.8–10.2), along with increases in psychological distress (OR 1.9, 1.1–3.5), decreased sleep quality (OR 2.3, 1.2–4.4), and probable PTSD (OR 2.3, 1.2–4.5). Residents were also more likely to increase usage of both tobacco (OR 6.3, 2.4–16.8) and alcohol (OR 7.0, 2.2–22.3) after flooding. Conclusions: There were significant impacts of flood events on residents’ health, in particular psychosocial health. Improved support strategies may need to be integrated into existing disaster management programs to reduce flood-related health impacts.

Introduction: Is a General Theory of Violence Possible?

"There once was a man who aspired to be the author of the general theory of holes. When asked ‘What kind of hole—holes dug by children in the sand for amusement, holes dug by gardeners to plant lettuce seedlings, tank traps, holes made by road makers?’ he would reply indignantly that he wished for a general theory that would explain all of these. He rejected ab initio the—as he saw it—pathetically common-sense view that of the digging of different kinds of holes there are quite different kinds of explanations to be given; why then he would ask do we have the concept of a hole? Lacking the explanations to which he originally aspired, he then fell to discovering statistically significant correlations; he found for example that there is a correlation between the aggregate hole-digging achievement of a society as measured, or at least one day to be measured, by econometric techniques, and its degree of techno- logical development. The United States surpasses both Paraguay and Upper Volta in hole-digging; there are more holes in Vietnam than there were. These observations, he would always insist, were neutral and value-free. This man’s achievement has passed totally unnoticed except by me. Had he however turned his talents to political science, had he concerned himself not with holes, but with modernization, urbanization or violence, I find it difficult to believe that he might not have achieved high office in the APSA." (MacIntyre 1971, 260)