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Purpose Primary and secondary education (P&SE) is fundamentally important for achieving a high-quality education system. P&SE delivers more extensive social returns than higher education and is perhaps the most important locus where core values are established and the foundation for educational super-systems. The purpose of this paper is to develop a structured approach for the implementation of total quality management (TQM) in P&SE and validate it empirically. Design/methodology/approach A 7-dimensioned and a 66-itemed instrument was developed and administered to education professionals at Greek P&SE institutions to measure TQM implementation at present and its potential for the future. The measures were tested for validity and reliability. Findings The findings confirmed that the instrument developed is both valid and reliable. The factors of TQM identified for P&SE were leadership, student focus, continuous improvement, process control and involvement, education and training, measurement and evaluation, and change management. Practical implications P&SE institutions can employ the instrument developed to guide their implementation of TQM practices. Researchers and practitioners can use it to build models to relate facilitating practices to quality performance while enhancing social empowerment and contributing to economic growth, particularly at times of economic difficulty. Originality/value The present study adds value to the existing literature by investigating the unexplored field of TQM in P&SE at a time of economic downturn by offering researchers and practitioners a starting point to identify areas that require further support and improvement or have potential efficiency gain.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to respond to the increasing demands that education currently faces and develop a structured approach for the implementation of lean thinking (LT) in primary and secondary education (P&SE) and empirically validated it. Design/methodology/approach An extended literature review was conducted of studies on LT in education, service and manufacturing, in which a preliminary list was formed of LT dimensions, which were subsequently reviewed by a focus group. An instrument was generated, which was distributed to 1,400 education professionals, and 394 replies were received. The measures were tested for validity and reliability. After the first round of analyses, measures were tested further to strengthen the proposed instrument. Findings The findings confirmed that the instrument developed is both valid and reliable and that the proposed measures consist actual dimensions of LT in P&SE. A number of success factors that would be required for LT initiatives to be implemented effectively within the P&SE context in a holistic perspective were revealed. Practical implications Although a number of studies have been developed on LT in the manufacturing or service sector, its implementation in education and particularly in P&SE remains scant. The instrument developed provides sufficient knowledge of which are the most important dimensions to consider when pondering LT in education. Originality/value While LT has been the subject of previous research in education, this study represented the first look at lean in P&SE and was the first of its kind to develop and validate in a real environment a lean implementation instrument for use in educational institutions. Researchers and practitioners can use the proposed instrument to build models of facilitating practices to improve performance while contributing to economic growth and enhancing social empowerment.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and evaluate the available literature with respect to critical success factors (CSFs) for sustainable construction (SC). Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken to assist in the identification of the most pertinent papers from three publishers: Emerald, Elsevier and Wiley. The literature findings were assessed and presented relative to publication, author and contents as determined by review. Findings The SLR was conducted using a number of search criteria. A final set of 31 publications were detected for further examination. The characteristics in terms of publications, authors and contents of the extracted publication set were examined and discussed. A total of 35 factors were identified, distributed in five research categories. The frequency of the extracted factors within the publication set was investigated and enabled valuable quantitative and qualitative observations of current trends for SC. Interestingly, all research categories were represented in the top-counted factors, demonstrating a holistic perception of SC. Given the publication set, in most aspects, the research area examined seems to demonstrate features of an emerging field, which is not yet well established. Research limitations/implications SLR cannot ensure that all pertinent publications were identified, because it was tailored to a number of search criteria, although certain actions were taken to moderate this limitation. However, the outcome adequately identifies trends and offers valuable information and knowledge for SC and its successful implementation. Originality/value The present study presents a broad list of factors for SC, integrated from a variety of disciplines and stakeholders. The findings, therefore, provide a valuable reference for both construction professionals and practitioners attempting to implement SC. Furthermore, the list can be of use to academic scholars for further empirical work and basis for future research.

Total Quality Management (TQM) practices are well established in higher education. However, their application in primary and secondary schools is less well established. This study aimed to critically review and discuss different applications of TQM in primary and secondary schools by presenting critical perspectives from the literature. The study analysed and critically reviewed specific applications and the impact of their implementation. Thus, theoretical constructs and propositions were based on empirical evidence. The majority of schools used certain principles of TQM but did not follow a holistic approach. The adoption of TQM in schools improved learning outcomes, empowered personnel, and promoted a culture of continuous improvement. The obstacles encountered were mainly related to mentality or culture. However, the preliminary results are encouraging. This study contributes to increasing the understanding of TQM concepts in the education sector, and raises useful points for education stakeholders (including policymakers) aiming to improve education quality.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the topic of sustainable construction and provide an adequate discussion of the current thinking. Achieving a balance between economic, social and ecological aims is a challenge. Managing and implementing sustainability requires the commitment of all stakeholders and new ways of working, thinking and learning. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology of this study consists of a literature review in the research field of sustainable construction and its associated impacts upon the climate, waste production and energy, materials and water usage. The aim is not to provide an in-depth, detailed analysis of specific processes and cases in the construction sector, but to present the need for rethinking sustainable construction in comprehensive terms. Findings – The paper provides insights about the importance of sustainable construction. It suggests that all stakeholders at all stages should commit to sustainability to enable change in perception to start with. Research limitations/implications – Further investigation on methods and techniques and interviews to construction companies will suggest a consistent framework for implementation “real-time”. Practical implications – The paper highlights the importance of a coordinated supply chain action in the construction sector and emphasizes the need for construction companies to train and invest in resource- efficient building methods and practices. This will manage the balance between stability and change. Originality/value – This paper demonstrates the need to study further how resources efficiency can be adopted in the construction sector to further enable sustainability.

PurposeThe aim of the present study is to contribute to the discussion introducing the concept of social capital as a significant parameter influencing students' perceptions concerning greening initiatives in HEIs.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical analysis is presented concerning the possible links of social capital components with students' perceptions on environmental management initiatives. Furthermore, the results of an empirical study are presented exploring these issues from the perspective of students, both through quantitative and qualitative social research methods.FindingsThe empirical study reveals that students' social capital is connected with their perceptions for the environmental management of the university.Social implicationsThe paper underlines the importance of examining and taking into consideration social factors prior to the implementation of environmental management initiatives in HEIs, in order to increase their effectiveness.Originality/valueThe paper is a first attempt to empirically explore the influence of students' social capital on their perceptions for environmental management initiatives in higher education institutions.

This paper puts forward a theoretical framework for regional classifications and rankings based on the development of environmental indices. This framework can be used to classify European Union countries according to the extent to which they are influenced by supply-side (producer) and demand-side (consumer) responses to their specific bundle of economic and environmental attributes. This kind of classification is useful because it provides information about the relative attractiveness to producers and consumers of the combination of economic and environmental attributes indigenous to each region. It, therefore, has implications for the design and focus of the regional and environmental policies of the European Union. The analysis identifies 4 groups of countries with similar characteristics (high productivity, low productivity, high amenity, low amenity) and the appropriate mix of environmental and regional policies for each one of them.

We utilized data from the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey (NMHIS) to analyze the risk of SIDS and other infant deaths among women who smoke during pregnancy adjusting for potentially modifiable risk factors such as secondhand smoke exposure and breastfeeding. The following variables were assessed with respect to risk for SIDS and other infant deaths: smoking exposure, level of education, infant and maternal age, infant and maternal birthweight, maternal BMI, gender, secondhand smoke exposure, breast feeding, prenatal vitamins, WIC, multiple gestation, sleep apnea monitor prescription, sleep apnea incidents and maternal alcohol use. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify variables significantly associated with the odds of mortality from SIDS. Analysis utilized weighted estimates using SUDAAN 9.0.0 to adjust for design effects. A p-value

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the provision of environmental and social performance information have gained momentum over the past decade. In this respect, the practice of organisational accountability has expanded to include aspects of non-financial nature and issues that can enhance the transparency of business activities and empower stakeholders' decision making. In this paper, we attempt to shed light on the status of CSR reporting of the building and construction industry. Focusing on the UK, we benchmark the CSR reports of building and construction firms against the de facto standard for non-financial reports: the global reporting initiative guidelines. Findings indicate that the CSR reporting practices of assessed UK building and construction firms are lacking in key respects, leave much to be desired and have plenty of room for improvement.

Do organizations certified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) effectively discharge their environmental accountability through their statements? Is the EMAS statement a step forward for the transparency of environmental management and the empowerment of organizational stakeholders' decision-making? Drawing from the Greek EMAS registry we apply an evaluation method for the completeness and materiality of environmental statements. While the latest version of the EMAS Regulation has introduced a set of forward-looking - yet challenging - improvements, the application of the standard should be closely examined. With this in mind, the key objective of this research note is to provide - from a descriptive standpoint - insights on the content of EMAS-based environmental accountability and a basis for future research as well as fruitful policy debate.

University rankings have a long history and have been based on a number of criteria, the most important of which is research output and quality. There is a lot of discussion on the controversy that surrounds all the methods developed and whether research should be the only factor to examine. The present paper presents a methodology for ranking universities based on research using as criterion the different academic positions in a university i.e. professors, assistant professors, and uses the Greek departments of economics as a case study. The results are evaluated in the context of each position but also on a departmental level (all academic positions) producing useful conclusions for the present and future status of the institutes. Decision-makers can use the results as guidance to assess their present status and to identify if and how they want to improve.

Different methodologies for the assessment of universities have been developed over the years using criteria such as research, teaching and social input, which have been an issue of controversy. University rankings have received a lot of criticism but are still very popular for a number of parties such as academics, students, parents, funders, employers and society. Greek universities have not been ranked, up to date. The present paper presents a methodology for ranking universities based on research and education and uses the Greek departments of economics as a case study. The results allow the interested party to judge the overall performance (research and education) of the department or the research/education performance accordingly depending on the party’s needs.

This paper describes a geographical information system (GIS)-based prediction and quantification framework for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of road schemes. The key feature of the framework is that it accounts for the spatial variability of environmental components and potential impacts. Spatial impact functions, embedded within a GIS, have been developed for the prediction of road noise, air quality, visual impact and direct loss. A quantitative cumulative impact score is derived for each alternative option through the application of weightings to the predicted impacts, thus enabling alternatives to be compared rapidly and objectively. The framework incorporates a route optimisation tool based on Monte-Carlo simulation. The sensitivity of the apparent ‘best’ option to the allocation of impact weightings has been explored. The application of the framework is illustrated using two case studies—the A50 (A564) Doveridge Bypass and the A69 Haltwhistle Bypass. A discussion on the relevance of the methodology in the context of current UK procedures for road EIA is presented.