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A successful completion of infrastructure projects in developing countries is greatly affected by poor and incomplete design. In this regard, it is imperative to study the major causes and overall impacts of design change in infrastructure projects across the public market. The primary objective of this research is to identify and analyze the major causes that lead to design change in the implementation phase of construction projects. In addition, the study aims to examine the impacts of design change in terms of cost overrun and time variance during the design and construction stages of infrastructure construction projects. To achieve these goals 48 critical causes and 7 impacts of design changes were identified through a systematic literature review, 23 key causes and 7 impacts were then refined according to the opinions of relevant experts involved in infrastructure projects. Then, a structured questionnaire survey was employed to collect data from various sources. More so, 31 projects were identified as part of the case studies conducted to evaluate the impacts of design change of infrastructure projects. The study analyzed the collected data by Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and to classify the causes using the Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à UN Classement (MICMAC) technique. The result showed that Inadequate project objectives, Unrealistic clients demand, and Obstinate nature of client are the top factors. The findings are believed to be helpful for practitioners, and policy makers to trap the key factors, causes and impacts of design changes across the Ethiopian construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn the context of the halal supply chain, the need for flexibility of halal suppliers is increasing along with changes in regulations, policies, markets, and technology that change dynamically. Therefore, more systematic and dynamic modeling of flexibility criteria for halal suppliers is needed to improve the quality of halal supply chain management as a whole. The purpose of this study is to identify the criteria for halal suppliers by considering flexibility in the context of a halal supply chain. In this study, modeling the criteria for the flexibility of halal suppliers is carried out using the Interpretive Structural Modeling—Matriced’ Impacts Croisés Appliquée á un Classement (ISM-MICMAC) hybrid approach and a dynamic perspective. This study resulted in 11 criteria for halal suppliers which were divided into four levels in the ISM hierarchical structure. The criteria were spread over three quadrants of the MICMAC analysis, namely independent, linkage, and dependent. The results of the ISM and MICMAC approaches are then represented in a causal loop diagram which consists of an amplifying loop and a closed loop. The reinforcing circle consists of the criteria of responsibility-service-security-trust, while the balancing circle consists of traceability and costs. Even though the flexibility criterion is not in between the two loops, the criterion still influences other halal supplier criteria. This shows that flexibility criteria have important relationships and influences in the context of halal supply chain management.

In the context of the halal supply chain, the need for flexibility of halal suppliers is increasing along with changes in regulations, policies, markets, and technology that change dynamically. Therefore, more systematic and dynamic modeling of flexibility criteria for halal suppliers is needed to improve the quality of halal supply chain management as a whole. The purpose of this study is to identify the criteria for halal suppliers by considering flexibility in the context of a halal supply chain. In this study, modeling the criteria for the flexibility of halal suppliers is carried out using the Interpretive Structural Modeling--Matriced' Impacts Croisés Appliquée á un Classement (ISM-MICMAC) hybrid approach and a dynamic perspective. This study resulted in 11 criteria for halal suppliers which were divided into four levels in the ISM hierarchical structure. The criteria were spread over three quadrants of the MICMAC analysis, namely independent, linkage, and dependent. The results of the ISM and MICMAC approaches are then represented in a causal loop diagram which consists of an amplifying loop and a closed loop. The reinforcing circle consists of the criteria of responsibility-service-security-trust, while the balancing circle consists of traceability and costs. Even though the flexibility criterion is not in between the two loops, the criterion still influences other halal supplier criteria. This shows that flexibility criteria have important relationships and influences in the context of halal supply chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban Transportation Infrastructure (UTI) is a key asset for any city as it affects economic growth and urban functioning; UTI is more valuable than ever due to the urbanization process that concentrates many people to the urban centers, generating a major mobility demand and car usage. Hence, an approach to UTI management is required, which would provide a greater significance to sustainable mobility. This paper’s objective is to structure in hierarchical manner UTI and urban surroundings indicators related to sustainable mobility in order to create a decision-making instrument related to UTI management in the form of a weighted index and to evaluate public policies-strategies associated to these indicators. This was accomplished through the structural analysis-MICMAC method; the results showed which indicators are the most important and the necessity to prioritize them in order certain public policies to be more effective conforming to their impact on the weighted index.

Urban Transportation Infrastructure (UTI) is a key asset for any city as it affects economic growth and urban functioning; UTI is more valuable than ever due to the urbanization process that concentrates many people to the urban centers, generating a major mobility demand and car usage. Hence, an approach to UTI management is required, which would provide a greater significance to sustainable mobility. This paper’s objective is to structure in hierarchical manner UTI and urban surroundings indicators related to sustainable mobility in order to create a decision-making instrument related to UTI management in the form of a weighted index and to evaluate public policies-strategies associated to these indicators. This was accomplished through the structural analysis-MICMAC method; the results showed which indicators are the most important and the necessity to prioritize them in order certain public policies to be more effective conforming to their impact on the weighted index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]