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This study investigated the myriad risk factors contributing to cost overruns in healthcare construction projects. It determined the impact of managerial, financial, workerpower, and environmental considerations, focusing on the intricacies of healthcare facilities. By employing a modified fuzzy group decision-making approach (MFGDMA), the research methodically quantified the subjective perceptions of diverse stakeholders involved in project execution. Results reveal that labor-related issues—such as shortages, productivity, and skill deficits—along with managerial delays, particularly in decision-making and change orders, significantly contribute to cost escalations. The study's novelty lies in its integration of fuzzy logic to defuzzify risk perceptions, providing a clear hierarchy of risk factors, which assists in the strategic prioritization of risk mitigation efforts. Additionally, it demonstrates a risk response plan considering the fuzzy-based risk assessment findings, which can serve as a hands-on tool guiding healthcare project practitioners to develop their risk management plans and monitor cost overrun risks throughout the execution phases of a project. The application of the research findings suggests policy implications for improved risk management frameworks toward the development of more-resilient and -efficient strategies for managing healthcare construction projects without prohibitive cost overruns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck the construction industry gravely. Accordingly, numerous studies reported the impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of the construction industry and projects. However, there exists no framework that can guide the evaluation of holistic impact of COVID-19 on a construction project specifically for developing countries. To fulfill this knowledge gap, this study conducted state-of-the-art review of recent related journal articles from developing countries and developed an eight-dimensional assessment framework to assess the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects. These eight dimensions include: (1) on-site safety measures, (2) productivity, (3) supply chain management, (4) transportation, (5) labor issues, (6) time and cost performances, (7) contractual implications, and (8) social impact. Additionally, to demonstrate the usefulness of the framework, the study utilized the framework to assess four projects in three developing countries: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Finally, the study presented the best practices to mitigate the impacts of any future wave of COVID-19 on construction projects. The developed framework holds potential applications ranging from policy planning to construction operations under COVID-19 and similar pandemics. It can be implemented to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on the construction industry, evaluating project performance across eight dimensions. Moreover, it aids in the development of COVID-19 impact management actions to control project performance. Additionally, the framework assists in building organizational resilience for managing construction projects under the challenges posed by COVID-19 or similar pandemic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaya began its relationship with the Ottoman Turkish Empire in the 15th century, during the time of the Melaka-Sultanate. This relationship continued even after the arrival of colonialists and the fall of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. At first, their relations were focused on politics and economics. These two kingdoms were considered to be the powerful Islamic forces that influenced Europe and Asia. The Sultan of Melaka visited Turkey several times to strengthen their relationship and even took an oath of allegiance to the Ottoman Turkish Empire, promising to defend Islam in Asia. After the fall of Melaka, the Ottoman Turkish Empire provided war aid through Aceh to help Melaka regain control of the seized kingdom. The Ottoman Turkish Empire also influenced the Malay community’s thinking and struggle to resist colonialism in the 18th century. The Malay community even took the Ottoman Turkish Empire as a model for freeing Malaya from Western threats. This paper will examine the initial relationship between the Melaka Malay Kingdom and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, particularly from a political perspective, and the type of influence that catalysed the Malays’ spirit to continue to rise and defend Malaya from external threats. This research will focus on document analysis and descriptive writing methods. The relationship between Malaya and the Turkish Government lasted until the Islamic caliphate fell in 1923. Furthermore, Ottoman Turkey was a significant Islamic government that the Malays expected to obey, as it acted as a power that was always concerned with Islam and the country as an Islamic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and intervention: Before-and-after evaluation of web-based mindfulness training for staff caring for people living with dementia in care homes. Stepped-wedge cluster randomised design. Setting and participants: Random sample of 31 care homes for people living with dementia. Homes started mindfulness training at a random time over 35 weeks. From these homes 172 staff volunteered, 151 (88%) started training, and 111 (67%) completed questionnaires after 20 weeks. Methods: Questionnaires completed at baseline, 8 and 20 weeks included job stress (WSI) and health and well-being (SF-12). Results: There were significant reductions in job stress of 0.07 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02, 0.13) at 8 weeks and 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.11) at 20 weeks; and improvements of 2.49 points (95% CI: 0.81, 4.17) in the SF-12 Mental Component Score at 8 weeks and 3.41 (95% CI: 1.88, 4.94) at 20 weeks. Conclusions: Web-based mindfulness training improved the psychological well-being of care home staff and reduced their stress with small to moderate effects in both short and medium term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that unremitting conflicts between the power centres and the individuals from the borderline spaces of the society characterise Doris Lessing’s novels The Fifth Child and Ben, in the World. The paper seeks to further the argument by applying Michel Foucault’s early work on power and Zygmunt Bauman’s theory on liquid, thus postmodern, fear to manifest the implosion of the contemporary civilization that lives on global/local disparities and operates through subversive surveillance.