Set Of Key Performance Indicators Research Articles

Identification and Prioritization of Key Performance Indicators for the Construction Small and Medium Enterprises

The central purpose of this study is to propose a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the performance of construction small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have been ignored in the performance management literature so far. Secondly, this study aims to determine the most crucial KPIs by using the fuzzy VIKOR method to improve cost-effectiveness in the performance measurement of construction SMEs. At the first stage of this study, KPIs proposed by the existing studies were identified via a literature survey. Then, the KPIs extracted from the literature survey were verified, and eight new KPIs were proposed as a result of focus group discussions with 12 participants who are owners/managers of construction SMEs. Additionally, the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) was modified in line with the needs of construction SMEs, and each KPI was grouped into a BSC perspective. A questionnaire survey followed this grouping to gather data associated with the KPIs. Based on these data, KPIs were prioritized by using the fuzzy VIKOR. It is found out that external indicators such as “effectiveness of monitoring market conditions” are determined as the most important KPIs, in contrast to the findings in the studies about large-scale companies. Furthermore, “Attracting new customers”; “Reliability of financial performance” and, “Competency of managers” are identified as important indicators. Four KPIs proposed by experts during the focus group discussion are placed among the most important KPIs, which highlights the need for a specific performance measurement system (PMS) for construction SMEs.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE INNOVATIVENESS ECOSYSTEM

The article contains a qualitative assessment of the effectiveness of the individual components with in the innovativeness ecosystem. The aim of the study is to identify key performance indicators in the context of assessing the effectiveness of individual elements of the innovation network. A set of key performance indicators was developed for each of the six identified components of the innovativeness ecosystem in Northeastern Pennsylvania USA. The performance indicators were assessed using a qualitative method in the form of interviews with the key personnel and clients. The article also contains recommendations for managing an innovativeness network. The management of the innovativeness network needs to be based on leveraging strengths to maximize opportunities and minimize threats.

6G mobile network requirements and technical feasibility study

The sixth generation (6G) mobile network is envisaged to be commercially deployed around 2030, which will profoundly change people's lifestyles and accelerate the digitalization of society. To ensure that the requirements of 6G can be achieved, it is essential to establish a set of key performance indicators (KPIs). This paper comprehensively assesses the KPIs not only from the service requirements but also from the technical feasibility points of view. Specifically, theoretical derivations of KPIs have been clarified, and numerical evaluations have been conducted with reasonable technical assumptions. Evaluation results show that some KPIs defined from the service requirements can be improved through advanced technologies while some are still challenging for practical implementations, such as Tbps-level peak data rate and 0.1ms user plane latency. In addition, it is also necessary to comply with multiple KPIs for some cases. Furthermore, based on the technical analysis, the potential enabling technologies are outlined and foreseeable implementation challenges as well as possible solutions are presented, which promotes a more reasonable design for 6G mobile network.

Developing guideline-based key performance indicators for recurrent miscarriage care: lessons from a multi-stage consensus process with a diverse stakeholder group

BackgroundStandardised care pathways tailored to women/couples who experience recurrent miscarriage are needed; however, clinical practice is inconsistent and poorly organised. In this paper, we outline our processes and experiences of developing guideline-based key performance indicators (KPIs) for recurrent miscarriage care with a diverse stakeholder group which will be used to evaluate national services. To date, such exercises have generally only involved clinicians, with the need for greater stakeholder involvement highlighted.MethodsOur study involved six stages: (i) identification and synthesis of recommendations for recurrent miscarriage care through a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines; (ii) a two-round modified e-Delphi survey with stakeholders to develop consensus on recommendations and outcomes; (iii) four virtual meetings to develop this consensus further; (iv) development of a list of candidate KPIs; (v) survey to achieve consensus on the final suite of KPIs and a (vi) virtual meeting to agree on the final set of KPIs. Through participatory methods, participants provided feedback on the process of KPI development.ResultsFrom an initial list of 373 recommendations and 14 outcomes, 110 indicators were prioritised for inclusion in the final suite of KPIs: (i) structure of care (n = 20); (ii) counselling and supportive care (n = 7); (iii) investigations (n = 30); treatment (n = 34); outcomes (n = 19). Participants’ feedback on the process comprised three main themes: accessibility, richness in diversity, streamlining the development process.ConclusionsIt is important and feasible to develop guideline-based KPIs with a diverse stakeholder group. One hundred and ten KPIs were prioritised for inclusion in a suite of guideline-based KPIs for recurrent miscarriage care. Insights into our experiences may help others undertaking similar projects, particularly those undertaken in the absence of a clinical guideline and/or involving a range of stakeholders.

Rapid Evaluation Method for Modular Converter Topologies

The success of modular multilevel converters (MMCs) in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) applications has fueled the research on modular converter topologies. New modular converter topologies are often proposed, discussed, and sometimes applied in HVDC, as well as other industrial application such as STATCOMs, DC/DC HVDC, medium-voltage direct current (MVDC), etc. The performance evaluation of new modular converter topologies is a complex and time-consuming process that typically involves dynamic simulations and the design of a control system for the new converter topology. Sadly, many topologies do not progress to the implementation stage. This paper proposes a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to the cost and footprint of the converter and a procedure designed to rapidly evaluate these indicators for new converter topologies. The proposed methodology eliminates the need for dynamic simulations and control-system design, and is capable of identifying whether a particular converter is worth considering or not for further studies of a specific application, depending on the operating requirements. Thanks to the method outlined in this work and via the key parameters quantifying the “relevance” of the analyzed converters, promising topologies were easily identified, while the others could be rapidly discarded, resulting in saving valuable time in the study of the solutions that have a real potential. The proposed method is first described from a general point of view and then applied to a case study of the new converter topology—Open-Delta CLSC—and its application in two use cases.

Drivers for energy analysis towards a BIM-enabled information flow

PurposeEnergy analysis (EA) within a building information modelling (BIM) enables consistent data integration in central repositories and eases information exchange, reducing rework. However, data loss during information exchange from different BIM uses or disciplines is frequent. Therefore, a holistic approach for different BIM uses enables a coherent life cycle information flow. The life cycle information flow drives the reduction of data loss and model rework and enhances the seamless reuse of information. The latter requires a specification of the EA key performance indicators (KPIs) and integrating those in the process.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a set of KPIs extracted from the developed EA process maps and interviews with expert stakeholders. These KPIs stem from the literature review and link to the benefits of EA through industry expert review. The study includes (1) development and validation of EA process maps adjusted to requirements from different stakeholders. (2) KPIs aligned with the EA process map, (3) identification of the drivers that can facilitate life cycle information exchange and (4) opportunities and obstacles for EA within BIM-enabled projects.FindingsThis paper depicts a viable alternative for EA process maps and KPIs in a BIM-enabled AEC design industry. The findings of this paper showcase the need for an EA within BIM with these KPIs integrated for a more effective process conforming to the current Open BIM Alliance guidance and contributing towards sustainable life cycle information flow.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of the research is the challenge of generalising the developed EA process maps; however, it can be adjusted to fit defined organisational use. The findings deduced from the developed EA process map only show KPIs to have the ability to facilitate adequate information flow during EA.Practical implicationsThe AEC industry will benefit from the findings of this primary research as the industry will be able to contrast its process maps and KPIs to those developed in the paper.Social implicationsThis paper benefits the societal values in EA for the built environment in the design stages. The subsequent life cycle information flow will help achieve a consistent information set and decarbonised built environment.Originality/valueThe paper offers a practical overview of process maps and KPIs to embed EA into BIM, reducing the information loss and rework needed in the practice of this integration. The applicability of the solution is contrasted by consultation with experts and literature.

Assessment of the Sustainability Performance of Eco-Engineering Measures in the Mediterranean Region

Eco-engineering has a crucial role in defining and achieving the sustainability credentials of a civil engineering project. Better eco-engineering practices would help better in reducing the adverse impacts on the environment and society, but also on the financial performance of the project. However, the assessment of the sustainability effects of eco-engineering strategies can be challenging, as the treatment of this topic has been neglected in the scientific literature. The challenges lie in balancing the project delivery objectives with the sustainable design that will ensure appropriate and satisfactory environmental and financial performance and deliver social benefits such as ecosystem services. In order to achieve better practice and advance the knowledge in the field, there is a need for broader analysis of completed eco-engineering projects applied at different spatio-temporal scales. The aim of this study was to critically analyse 23 eco-engineering case studies provided by the ECOMED project partners using a life cycle analysis through a single sustainability framework based on a relatively small set of key performance indicators (KPIs), which reflect the principles of sustainability, and which are not contextual for eco-engineering projects. The objectives of this study are twofold: (i) to highlight areas of best practice and potential enhancement in the application of eco-engineering strategies, and (ii) to propose refinement and enhancement of the existing framework with KPIs contextual to eco-engineering projects. The results of the study suggest that the feasibility, mobilisation, and the long-term stages of an eco-engineering project are the most sustainable project stages, while the award, construction, and monitoring stages could generally benefit from a range of enhancements including benefits stemming from double-loop learning and a common basis for the specification and quantification of the financial resources needed to apply eco-engineering strategies. The outcomes of this study will benefit decision makers and eco-engineering practitioners alike in terms of not only raising the sustainability profile of the projects they are involved in, but also in terms of more efficient and cost-effective application of eco-engineering strategies.

KPI dashboard for Customer Intelligence tasks: application and significance for business

The contribution of business is very significant in the economic development of countries, the creation of new jobs, the development of education, the improvement of the environment, and the improvement of the population’s living standards. For enterprises themselves, stable and competitive development and efficient marketing activity are vital, where the significant role is played by customer intelligence (CI). It is determined by the fact that in modern world customer focus and centricity give companies the ability to be more successful and stable on the market. The global digital transformation has provided companies with many opportunities for customizing products and services, which generally increases competitiveness on the one hand, and on the other hand, opens up new opportunities for working with consumers. Based on consumer databases in marketing activities, it is possible to start applying CA. Today, many methods and technologies allow to start using KA to collect and process consumer databases. This article aim is to present the practical approach to Customer Intelligence tasks through the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) dashboard, where the dashboard is the set of KPIs chosen based on CI tasks realizations. Using this panel will allow companies to follow the path of implementing CA with an understanding and evaluation of the effectiveness of using this technique. The systematic use and tracking of results will ultimately affect the stability and viability of companies.

An In-Depth Experimental Investigation of the Outdoor Performance of Wafer and Thin Film Photovoltaics Technologies in a Tropical Climate

Abstract The photovoltaics (PV) industry is booming at an impressive rate. Knowledge of the outdoor performance of different PV technologies under different climatic conditions is becoming increasingly important for all stakeholders. The aim of this research was to perform the outdoor characterization of three PV technologies in a tropical climate and evaluate their performances with the aid of a set of key performance indicators. An innovative energy autonomous outdoor test facility has been used to measure the weather conditions and the IV curves of mono-Si, poly-Si, and Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) PV modules. Each IV curve was sampled within less than a second, for every 10 min, between sunrise and sunset for a whole year, representing a data set of around 28,000 IV curves of 240 points each. The variations of current, voltage, and power were thoroughly studied for changes in temperature and irradiance. This paper reports the variations of temperature coefficients of current, voltage, and power with the intensity of light. While PV module documentation only presents the temperature coefficients of the short circuit current and open circuit voltage at standard test conditions, this paper additionally provides highly valuable information to PV system designers on the variation of these coefficients in the field. The research is also the first to report the variations of the fill factor with temperature and irradiance. In general, the wafer technologies were found to have a better performance than the thin film technology. Moreover, the open-circuit temperature coefficient was found to improve for higher irradiances only for the wafer technologies, while that for the thin-film technology experienced a degradation. The temperature coefficient of current for the mono-Si module was found to be positive at low irradiance levels, but negative at higher irradiance levels.

Design of a Lifecycle-Oriented Environmental and Economic Indicators Framework for the Mechanical Manufacturing Industry

As a result of the worldwide depletion of natural resources, increased energy use, and environmental, economic, and social imbalance, organizations are working to identify the proper strategies supporting the continuous reduction of their impacts. While this trend is fundamentally agreed upon in the literature, several manufacturing industries still fail to identify which elements most influence their contributions to the impact of sustainability and how to easily manage the calculation of these effects within a manufacturing system. The purpose of this article is to incorporate sustainability practices into manufacturing by developing a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing and improving environmental and economic management practices at the corporate and production level. The definition of the framework began with in-depth research of the leading indicators and framework types in the literature, integrating the most exploited industrial standards to make them easily acceptable in the industrial domain. Then, to provide a broad view of company behavior, the framework has been designed to take either an inventory and impact point of view, thus providing indicators for the online monitoring of the company operations, or assessing their impacts in an LCA-LCC perspective. In selecting the indicators and the definition of the framework structure, five industrial cases covering different business sectors were involved in identifying the most critical indicators in terms of calculability and defining a structure that would allow for their application in various business situations. Therefore, the defined framework has been validated at a conceptual level, thus laying the basis for future quantitative validation. Twenty key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing the sustainability of manufacturing firms have been created based on the 163 indicators studied.

Prioritisation of resilience criteria and performance indicators for road emergencies crisis response: an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach

PurposeThis paper aims to develop a crisis readiness framework for road traffic crisis response for law enforcement agencies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachA Delphi method was used that combined questionnaire-based survey and the analytical hierarchy process to collect quantitative and qualitative data from an expert panel of crisis readiness professionals on how they prioritise and weigh the different strategic criteria, sub-criteria and performance indicators in the context of law enforcement agencies’ traffic response.FindingsThe findings of this paper resulted in the identification, ranking and validation of ten key dimensions of crisis readiness clustered into three distinct sets of priority rankings: response planning, resources, training and coordination; information management and communication and risk and hazard assessment; and early warning, legal and institutional frameworks, recovery initiation and property protection. The results additionally established the relative priority of sub-criteria for each criterion and validated a broad set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the top six ranked criteria.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are based on a single case study focused on a specific area of operation within crisis response and one group of organisations of the UAE police sector. This potentially places a constraint on the wider generalisation of the findings to different operational areas and agencies, as they may have different priorities or organisational conditions that have implications for the framework application and the relative importance of certain criteria and sub-criteria.Practical implicationsThis paper provides strategic guidance in the form of a prioritised list of criteria, sub-criteria and KPIs that can direct efforts to optimise different dimensions of crisis readiness at a strategic and operational level.Originality/valueThis paper makes an original contribution in identifying the key criteria and performance indicators of crisis readiness for road traffic situations. The findings contribute a comprehensive strategic readiness framework that supports planning and decision-making for the development of organisational capacities that can enhance response times of police to road traffic crises. This framework ranks dimensions of crisis readiness and key sub-criteria in order of priority and validates the key components of crisis readiness that can support practitioners to structure, standardise and benchmark key processes and elements of crisis response.

Additive manufacturing and supply chain configuration: Modelling and performance evaluation

Purpose: the aim of the study is to compare the performance of different supply chain configurations adopting Additive Manufacturing. Five input factors have been varied with the aim of testing the response of the supply chain to different starting conditions. In order to evaluate the supply chain performance, a set of key performance indicators have been identified considering both manufacturing and logistic processes.Design/methodology/approach: A discrete event simulation model has been developed in order to reproduce the behavior of the players according to their role in the supply chain. Different supply chain configurations have been modelled to assess the performance of the solution combined with different input factors. Many scenarios have been tested with the aim of identifying suitable applications of the additive technology.Findings: in general, the decentralized configuration has better logistic performance than the centralized supply chain. In fact, it is more flexible, suitable for high service levels, and less affected by the variability of the demand. However, when the distances among players are very short and the average demand is low, the benefits in adopting a decentralized configuration are very limited.Concerning the performance of the production phase, the centralized structure allows providing a better capacity utilization, exploiting the potential of a High-cost machine with higher production camera volume and speed.Practical implications: the outcomes obtained allow deriving some useful guidelines, which could help practitioners to identify a suitable application of the additive technology.Originality/value: first, the model provides a quantitative evaluation. Moreover, the study analyzes the performance of the additive technology combined with different supply chain configurations. This is a strong point since it is well known that emerging manufacturing technologies can affect the structure and the performance of the whole supply chain.

ПІДХІД ДО РОЗРОБКИ КОМПЛЕКСУ КЛЮЧОВИХ ПОКАЗНИКІВ ОЦІНКИ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ПРИВАТНИХ МЕДИЧНИХ ЗАКЛАДІВ І ЙОГО ІНТЕГРАЦІЇ З СИСТЕМОЮ МОТИВАЦІЇ

Rational management of any enterprise is impossible without the use of a set of indicators that measure the effectiveness and efficiency of its activities (key performance indicators). Competently built, a set of key performance indicators allows to monitor progress in achieving the strategic and tactical goals of the enterprise, to clearly communicate such goals to employees at all levels (managerial and executive), as well as to direct employees’ activities to achieve such goals. To achieve the last task, the set of key performance indicators of the enterprise must be integrated with the personnel motivation system, which is a rather difficult task that does not have a universal solution. The paper proposes an approach to the development of a set of key performance indicators of private medical institutions and the integration of such a set of indicators with the person- nel motivation system. The proposed approach includes six stages: selection of positions for which a set of key performance indicators and a corresponding system of material motivation will be developed; drawing up, based on the analysis of special literature, a list of key performance indicators that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness and to motivate the personnel work- ing in certain positions in private medical institutions; ranking and selection of a limited number of key performance indicators for each position; determination of the relative importance of the selected indicators for each of the positions by the analytical hierarchy process; determination of the measurement format of selected key performance indicators; development of a complex of key performance indicators for specific positions of employees of private medical institutions. The selected approach was implemented for the positions of doctor, nurse and administrator of a medical institution with the development of scales, according to which the variable part of the salary should be calculated. A relative format of presentation of the scales for key performance indicators is described. Relative format makes it possible to make scales more flexible, which is important due to the growth of nominal wages in Ukraine.

Changes in Business Models Caused by Digital Transformation and the COVID-19 Pandemic and Possibilities of Their Measurement—Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a key event that has changed our lives. Businesses had to change their daily operations, and working from home has become the norm. Almost everyone who is working from home must use some type of digital technology. It is possible to say that business activities and business models have undergone some form of digital transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we chose a company that was affected by these changes, and the main goal of our research was the identification of how the digital transformation that was caused by the pandemic changed the business models of the selected company. Because the analyzed company is operating in the financial sector, this article is a case study. The basic activities and elements of the business models of the selected company, before and during the pandemic, were identified using the Business Model Canvas. We propose a set of key performance indicators (KPIs), based on the Balanced Scorecard, for measuring the newly identified activities and elements of the business models that arose in the company as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The knowledge gained in this article shows how the digital transformation changed the functioning of the selected company. The conclusions of this article are mainly for the companies that are considering their own digitalization, which contributes to the long-term sustainability of banking.

Indicators for measuring Performance of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Khartoum State

Population and urbanization growth caused an increase in the amount of solid waste generated. The 7- cleaning projects responsible for the collection and transport of Solid Waste (SW) for Khartoum State are currently unableto perform their duties to the level expected with the result that the city is unclean and there is considerable impact on the environment and health of the citizens. There is a need to quantify these general observations. This isdone by the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This paper aims to identify a set of KPIs for measuring the performance of Solid Waste Management (SWM) system at the collection and transport level. The study targetedthe 7-cleaning projects -in particular, the operation department responsible for collection and transport of SW for each cleaning project together with the operation department at the Supervisory Authority of Cleaning Khartoum (SACKH) which supervises their work. List of 28 potential performance indicators have been identifed through the literature review. A surveyquestionnaire was conducted on a randomly selected sample of the operation departments . The statistical analysis of the collected responses was provided in 11 signifcant KPIs. It is hoped that the results of this study will becomethe frst step in developing Integrated KPIs for enhancing the performance of SWM of Khartoum state- the capital of Sudan.

A Composite Index to Measure Smartness and Competitiveness of Heritage Tourism Destination and Historic Building

The key issue of this current study is related to shaping the attractiveness of heritage destinations, highlighting the significance of reuse and upgrading their historical buildings to achieve a high level of competitiveness and distinctiveness through a smart approach. Some of these cultural assets and events tend to be monotonous, and not so attractive for various categories of tourists, which negatively affects investment opportunities, tourism development, and social and economic resources. Furthermore, previous works have criticized the lack of evidence to support that the structure contains critical attributes and measurement items linked to the competitiveness of smart heritage destinations. As a result, this study aims to design and develop a composite index for evaluating these destinations and their buildings, which includes nine dimensions (attributes) and a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) of intelligent performance and competitiveness, reflecting the combination and noticing the distinct perspective between them. A mixed-methods approach was used between qualitative and quantitative methods to perform content validation on the proposed index. Furthermore, a pilot study was implemented for tourism heritage destinations to improve the quality and efficiency of the proposed index. Then, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the data to develop the proposed index and measure its validity and reliability. Finally, the proposed composite index was finalized with 139 KPIs and applied to a case study (Salah El-Din Citadel). After that, we validated its utility in providing a quantitative evaluation of this heritage destination, identifying critical intervention priorities, and determining dimensions that need to be restructured. Additionally, it highlighted recommendations for future improvements to strengthen these heritage destinations to become smart heritage destinations capable of competition in the tourism sector.

Performance quantification of icebreaker operations in ice management by numerical simulations

The paper addresses the problem of quantifying and assessing the effectiveness of icebreaker operations in ice management (IM) using a high-fidelity simulator. The numerical model includes an accurate geometric representation of an icebreaker, a cylindrical protected structure, and a synthetic ice environment. A set of key performance indicators (KPIs) are defined and proposed to quantify the effectiveness of IM strategies for protecting the downstream structure. This give better insight into which IM strategies are more effective with respect to different objectives for certain conditions, thereby enabling better planning and guidance of icebreaker operations.The results from a selection of the simulations performed with nearly 100% ice concentration are presented. This will illustrate the methodology using the different KPIs to quantify the effectiveness and highlight differences between the different IM strategies. From the simulations we see that all patterns have strengths and weaknesses; some KPIs are consistent while others are changing with the ice drift velocity.

Revealing the role of intellectual capital in digitalized health networks. A meso‑level analysis for building and monitoring a KPI dashboard

PurposeWe aim to provide a conceptual analysis about the role of intellectual capital in driving construction of a reliable measurement system in order to increase the effectiveness of healthcare policies. Specifically, we explore the building of a dashboard to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) in the digitalized health networks. The study seeks to improve healthcare policies by developing an integrated meso‑level framework based on the centrality of intellectual capital components (structural, relational, human). Design/methodology/approachTo tackle the research question, we follow a conceptual approach supported by direct observation of a cancer network in the Southern Italy. First, we performed an integrative literature review in order to reveal the role of intellectual capital in driving digital transition for healthcare networks. Second, we started from theoretical speculations in order to build up a reliable dashboard formed by a set of KPIs, aimed at monitoring the crucial operation of a digitalized cancer network. FindingsThe conceptual model outlines an inductive process model by which the managers of the healthcare network can develop a comprehensive multi criteria group decision making (MCGDM) dashboard of KPIs, automatically extracting most of the information about the network from the digital platform. We have chosen three main dimensions that drive the digital transition: technological, referring to human capital, organizational, referring to structural capital, and environmental, referring to relational capital. Originality/valueThe originality of the model lies in its specific focus on confronting the complexity and heterogeneity that irremediably affects the decision-making process. An intellectual capital-driven dashboard allows cancer network policy makers and practitioners to deal with digitalization in a very broad and successful way. This paper seeks to gain an overall understanding by merging different fields of research and providing a reliable baseline to set up further quantitative academic research, centered on the dashboard. Due to its standardized approach, the dashboard may improve comparability between different healthcare networks and open the way for comparative studies between different healthcare structures; it might represent an opportunity for practitioners and academics.

Challenges for Digitalisation in Building Renovation to Enhance the Efficiency of the Process: A Spanish Case Study

Although construction is one of the largest industries in the world, it is one of the least digitised and its productivity is still very low. Excesses of time and cost are common and are even more accentuated for building renovation. Recently, the building information modeling (BIM) methodology has strongly entered in the construction sector and appears to be an effective paradigm shift. Considering all of the previously mentioned aspects, this article addresses the identification and analysis of the critical barriers of renovation and the potential for digitalisation to overcome them using BIM. The methodology that was used is based on an open innovation approach called Living Labs, where consultations with the key stakeholders of the construction process aims for a higher digitalisation to focus on real needs and fitted to the user’s requirements. Starting from a worldwide survey, the analysis of the Spanish casuistry is deepened. From the analysis of barriers and opportunities, the necessary requirements for an optimal BIM application in renovation are highlighted. After identifying the key aspects that each stakeholder’ typology has considered as relevant, a set of key performance indicators have been selected, to monitor the improvements in the renovation process when BIM is adopted.

Healthcare Systems in Selected European Countries and Their Relevance to Malta

ABSTRACT This paper provides an assessment of how Maltese healthcare performance compares against that of other selected EU countries. The study analyses a chosen set of key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to the health sector, derived from seven areas of assessment: health status, determinants of health, efficiency, access, responsiveness, quality and resources. The findings indicate that the Maltese healthcare system performs 4th best overall and 2nd best in terms of value-for-money.