Key performance indicators for measuring performance of facilities management services in hotel buildings: a study from Sri Lanka

Purpose The concept of facilities management (FM) has been acknowledged as a novel avenue brought in to ensure productivity and customer satisfaction in the Sri Lankan hotel industry. Accordingly, performance measurement (PM) has become a crucial entity, where key performance indicators (KPIs) have become the most important instruments of PM in determining how well these FM services are performing. Unfortunately, nowadays, the service quality of hotel buildings has significantly retreated due to the absence of a proper PM system with relevant KPIs. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify relevant KPIs to measure the performance of the FM services in Sri Lankan hotel buildings. Design/methodology/approach A mixed approach was used to conduct this study. Data were gathered through expert interviews and an expert survey. The expert interviews were conducted to identify the relevancy of KPIs that are discovered through literature review to the Sri Lankan context, and the expert survey was conducted to identify their level of importance. Collected data were analysed using content and statistical data analysis methods. Findings Empirical findings revealed that a PM system with relevant KPIs can be identified as a crucial requirement for FM services in hotel buildings in Sri Lanka to meet the customer needs successfully. Adequate and relevant KPIs are significantly vital for an effective PM system for FM services. Thus, ultimately, 68 most important KPIs have been captured amongst the generally identified KPIs, which can be used in developing a proper PM system to measure the performance of FM services in hotel buildings. Originality/value The previous studies have just focused on the PM in FM services in a general manner where a significant dearth in existing knowledge can be identified when it comes to exploring relevant KPIs for an effective PM system to be implemented in hotel buildings in Sri Lanka to measure the performance of FM services. Accordingly, the current study unveils the most important KPIs, which can be used in measuring the performance of FM services in hotel buildings. The study recommends the use of a proper PM system with identified KPIs by respective industry practitioners to enrich the performance of FM services in hotel buildings in Sri Lanka and thereby achieve the ultimate goals successfully.

Regions of the North-West of Russia: Analysis of the Conditions for the Implementation of Social Innovation

Introduction. International experience shows that social innovation is an important tool for regional development, although this type of innovation is a relatively new phenomenon for Russia. On the basis of the research conducted, the article analyzes the conditions for the implementation of social innovation which has a significant potential to meet the challenges of territorial development. Materials and Methods. Based on materials from open sources, as well as on an expert survey conducted by the Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the direct participation of the author, the conditions for the implementation of social innovation prevailing in the constituent entities of the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation were analyzed in the context of legal, infrastructural, economic, and socio-cultural components. Using the results of the expert survey, a quantitative assessment of the level of development of the conditions for the implementation of social innovation was given. The main barriers preventing the reproduction of social innovation within the territory under consideration were revealed. Results. The study has revealed that in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District the conditions for the implementation of social innovation are at the stage of active development: infrastructure and legislation are being formed; financial, tax and property support is being provided; educational programs are being implemented. The study has also shown that there are a number of problematic aspects associated with the underdevelopment of the regulatory framework, with the lack of Centers for innovation in the social sphere in a number of constituent entities, with the limited availability of some financial instruments, with low social and innovative activity of people, etc. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained are supported by other studies, which substantiates the need for policy adjustment towards improving the relevant regulatory framework, economic conditions, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. The research materials can be used by regional authorities when making managerial decisions to support social innovation; they can also be useful for further studies within the framework of the issues under consideration.

Regions of the North-West of Russia: Analysis of the Conditions for the Implementation of Social Innovation

Introduction. International experience shows that social innovation is an important tool for regional development, although this type of innovation is a relatively new phenomenon for Russia. On the basis of the research conducted, the article analyzes the conditions for the implementation of social innovation which has a significant potential to meet the challenges of territorial development. Materials and Methods. Based on materials from open sources, as well as on an expert survey conducted by the Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the direct participation of the author, the conditions for the implementation of social innovation prevailing in the constituent entities of the Northwestern Federal District of the Russian Federation were analyzed in the context of legal, infrastructural, economic, and socio-cultural components. Using the results of the expert survey, a quantitative assessment of the level of development of the conditions for the implementation of social innovation was given. The main barriers preventing the reproduction of social innovation within the territory under consideration were revealed. Results. The study has revealed that in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District the conditions for the implementation of social innovation are at the stage of active development: infrastructure and legislation are being formed; financial, tax and property support is being provided; educational programs are being implemented. The study has also shown that there are a number of problematic aspects associated with the underdevelopment of the regulatory framework, with the lack of Centers for innovation in the social sphere in a number of constituent entities, with the limited availability of some financial instruments, with low social and innovative activity of people, etc. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained are supported by other studies, which substantiates the need for policy adjustment towards improving the relevant regulatory framework, economic conditions, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. The research materials can be used by regional authorities when making managerial decisions to support social innovation; they can also be useful for further studies within the framework of the issues under consideration.

Measures of Populism in the CHES 2017 Dataset

Populism is a fuzzy concept in world politics; it can take many shapes and colors, thus evading rigorous definition. Using expert evaluations provided in Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHES) 2017 data, we try to identify features that predict populism and to characterize various European parties on a populism scale. As a byproduct, we find that experts have often diverging opinions on a party’s stance on various issues. Keywords: populism, CHES 2017, EU politics

Effective selection of countries in sub-Saharan Africa for new market entry by independent wind power producers

When independent power producers (IPPs) assess new market entry opportunities, subjective decision making can result in an unfavourable outcome. Multi-criteria decision analyses (MCDA) objectify the decision process and help to achieve better results. The aim of this study is to determine and rank the most important criteria for market entry and then determine which selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa are most favourable for wind IPPs. A combination of MCDA methods was used to rank seven countries. Nineteen criteria, identified in the literature reviewed, were included in the analyses. In the first phase of the study an industry expert survey was conducted and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used to rank the criteria in order of importance. In the second phase, a preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) was employed to rank the countries from most to least favourable for IPP market entry. The expert survey and AHP showed that political and economic criteria are more important than technical and social criteria. The PROMETHEE model ranked South Africa followed by Ethiopia as the most favourable markets for wind IPPs to enter. These countries have strong natural wind resources but only South Africa offers incentives specifically for on-grid renewable energy. The methods used in this study are not restricted to the wind industry and can be expanded to different technologies and industries to assist with decision making.

Barriers to Start and Develop Transformative Ecotourism Business

This article aims to fill the cognitive gap by providing evidence for different barriers hampering the innovative activity in ecotourism which concerns the promotion of the so-called transformative tourism concept. The research is devoted to identifying what are the most important barriers in the two areas: i) policy and regulation; ii) regional economic development. The observed absence of appropriate representative data for defining the state of the art in the field of transformative ecotourism as a new phenomenon is evident; therefore, it is suggested to use an expert survey for barriers identification in the field. The expert survey was done in the four post-socialist Baltic Sea countries/regions: Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the St. Petersburg region (Russia) in autumn 2020. Research results disclose the existing similarities among barriers in researched regions and highlight the key areas for improvement in policy and regulation and economy-related fields, aiming to create a more favorable environment for promoting transformative ecotourism as prosperous innovation of future tourism.

Italian national consensus statement on management and pharmacological treatment of phenylketonuria

Background Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder caused by defects in the phenylalanine-hydroxylase gene (PAH), the enzyme catalyzing the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine. PAH impairment causes phenylalanine accumulation in the blood and brain, with a broad spectrum of pathophysiological and neurological consequences for patients. Prevalence of disease varies, with peaks in some regions and countries, including Italy. A recent expert survey described the real-life of clinical practice for PKU in Italy, revealing inhomogeneities in disease management, particularly concerning approach to pharmacotherapy with sapropterin hydrochloride, analogous of the natural PAH co-factor, allowing disease control in a subset of patients. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to continue the work initiated with the expert survey paper, to provide national guidances aiming to harmonize and optimize patient care at a national level. Participants The Consensus Group, convened by 10 Steering Committee members, consisted of a multidisciplinary crowd of 46 experts in the management of PKU in Italy. Consensus process The Steering Committee met in a series of virtual meeting in order to discuss on clinical focuses to be developed and analyzed in guidance statements, on the basis of expert practice based evidence, large systematic literature review previously performed in the expert survey paper, and evidence based consensus published. Statements were re-discussed and refined during consensus conferences in the widest audience of experts, and finally submitted to the whole consensus group for a modified-Delphi voting. Results Seventy three statements, divided in two main clinical areas, PKU management and Pharmacotherapy, achieved large consensus in a multidisciplinary group of expert in different aspects of disease. Importantly, these statements involve guidances for the use of sapropterin dihydrochloride, still not sufficiently implemented in Italy, and a set of good practice to approach the use of novel enzyme replacement treatment pegvaliase. Conclusions This evidence-based consensus provides a minimum set of guidances for disease management to be implemented in all PKU centers. Moreover, these guidances represent the first statement for sapropterin dihydrochloride use, implementation and standardization in Italy, and a guide for approaching pegvaliase treatment at a national level on a consistent basis.