Recognised Researcher

Mahtab Akhavan Farshchi (MSc, Architecture with distinction, Iran, 1980; MSc in Construction Economics and Management, SBU, 1992) is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Property, Surveying and Construction Management, the Faculty of Science and the Built Environment, London South Bank University; and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Department of Economics, the University of Reading.

She has been a part-time lecturer at London South Bank University; Birkbeck College, University of London; and the Department of Construction and Engineering, the University of Reading. She is a member of the European International Business Association (EIBA), Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA), London; and Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ). Mahtab received ‘Top MSc Student Prize’ and ‘Head of School Prize’ in 1992 from South Bank University and since 1998 she has continued with her collaborations with the Graduate School of Socio Engineering (Architecture), Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan.

Her research mainly focuses on the key questions concerning MNCs’ international strategies regarding development of ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ technologies; and comparing and reconciling the two main theoretical perspectives - those of transaction cost economics and the evolutionary theories of the firm.

In her recent role as the principal researcher on a EU-funded project (2002-2004) ‘Industrial Districts' Relocation Processes: Identifying Policies in the Perspective of EU Enlargement’ (WEID) co-ordinated by R. Sarcina at the ‘Fondazione Istituto Guglielmo Tagliacarne’ (2001-2004) Mahtab has focused on specific locational advantages (especially those due to clustering) and their impact on firm’s innovative performance by conducting an extensive study of the component suppliers and the vehicle manufacturers in the automotive sector within the West Midlands region of the UK. She has contributed to other EU-funded projects such as: ‘Assessing the Impact of Technological Innovation and Globalisation: the Effects on Growth and Employment’ (AITEG), 2000-2002, which was partly managed by Professor John Cantwell at The University of Reading. In her ongoing research she has examined the strategies of multinational construction companies by comparing their evolution and historical development in the US, UK and Japan.

Publications

Refereed Journals:

• (With N. Matsumoto, K. Ohyama, and N. Fisher) 2003. Data for Planning Airport Terminal Buildings Based on Staff's Opinion: Planning of Airport Terminal Buildings, Part 2, Journal of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Engineering (AIJ).
• (With M. Ball, M and M. Grilli) 1999. 'Competition and the Persistence of Profits in the UK Construction Industry', Journal of Construction Economics and Management, 18 (7) 733-745.
• (With A. R. G. Parsa) 1996. 'Environmental Regulations and the Real Estate Industry', Property Management, 14 (1), 6-23.
• Farshchi, M. A., 1995. 'Construction Industry and the Question of Environment', ARCOM News Letter, 10(3), August.
• (With N. Matsumoto, S. Ichiki, K. Ohyama, M Yamada and N.Fisher) 2002. 'Data for Planning Airport Terminal Buildings Based on Visitors Opinion: A Study on Planning Airport Terminal Buildings, Part 1. Journal of Planning and Environmental Engineering, AIJ, Japan. 560, 103-110.

Book Chapter:

• (With N. Fisher, N.) 2000. 'Emotion and Environment: the Forgotten Dimension'. In D. J. Clements-Croome (ed.), Creating the Productive Workplace, London: E& FN Spon, Routledge. 51-70.

Published Report:

• (With N. Bowman, N. Fisher, and K. Hutchinson) 2000. Better Briefing:Capturing user requirements for buildings - A Clients' Definition Tool - Implementation Guide, London: Construction Research Communications Ltd. ISBN 1 86081 412 3.
• (with Odile Janne), 2003. Methodological Framework: The West Midlands Automotive ID. Project West-East ID “Industrial Districts’ Re-Location Processes: Identifying Policies in the Perspective of the European Union Enlargement”, Contract no. HPSE-CT2001-00098.
• (with Odile Janne) 2004. Case Study Report: The West Midlands Automotive ID. Project West-East ID “Industrial Districts’ Re-Location Processes: Identifying Policies in the Perspective of the European Union Enlargement”, Contract no. HPSE-CT2001-00098.

Most Recent Conference Papers / Presentations:

• (With Janne, O.E.M) 2003. ‘Industrial Transformation in the West Midlands Automotive Cluster: International Networks and Cooperative Behaviour’ 29th EIBA Conference, 11-13 December, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.
• (With Janne, O. E. M.) 2003. ‘Industrial Transformation in the West Midlands Automotive Cluster: International Networks and Cooperative Behaviour. Presented at ‘Clusters, Industrial Districts and Firms: The Challenges of Globalisation’ 12-13 September, Modena, Italy and ‘EUNIP 2003’, 18th-20th September, Porto, Portugal.
• (With Parsa, A. G.) 2003. ‘Environment and Construction: A Survey of A Survey of Environmental Policies of Large UK Firms’ EUNIP 2003 Conference, Organised by Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Portugal 18-20 September.
• Farshchi, M. A., 2003. 'Internationalisation Strategies of Multinational Construction Firms: A Critical Review', Globalisation and Services: New Research and Teaching on Corporate Control and the Emergence of the Modern Service Sector. Centre for Business History, The University of Reading, UK. 17 June. Reading, UK.
• Farshchi, M., A. 2002. 'International Business at Reading: Contributions of The Reading School to International Business: Internalisation', Panel presentation on International Business at Reading, chaired by Prof. Peter Buckley. 28th EIBA Conference, Athens 8-10 Dec.
• Farshchi, M. A., 1998. 'A Theory of Design Information - An Hierarchical Approach', In Proceeding of The 2nd European Conference on Product and Process Modelling in the Building Industry, BRE, August.
• (With N. Fisher, N.), 1997. 'The Emotional Content of the Physical Space'. The Construction and Building Research Conference of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, 10-12 September 1997, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth (12 pages).
• Farshchi, M. A., 1997. 'A User-Focus Approach to Architectural Design'. Sixth International Facet Theory Conference, 22-24 September 1997, Liverpool University, Liverpool.
• Farshchi, M. A., 1996. 'Large Construction Firms and the Environment'. In: Proceedings of The Third European Real Estate Conference, 26-28 June. University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• (With A. R. G. Parsa) 1994. 'Impact of EC Environmental Legislation on the UK Construction Industry, Construction and Environment: Links between industry and the academic community', Workshop organised by Construction Industry, Research and Information Association, Bartlett, University College, London, 28th January.

Book Reviews:

• Farshchi, M. A., 2004. Book Review : The Struggle for Control of Global Communication Business History (forthcoming).
• Farshchi, M. A., 2003. Book Review : Ruling the Waves by Deborah Spar. Business History. ISSN 0007-6791, January.

Japanese Publications:

• Ohyama, K., Matsumoto, N., Farshchi, M. A., and Yamada, M., 2001. “Study on Facilities of Airport Terminal Buildings Rated by Staff”, AIJ Tokai Chaoter Architectural Research Meeting, 39.
• Ohyama, K., Matsumoto, N., Farshchi, M.A., Yamada, M., 2000. “Spatial Environment of an International Airport Terminal Building Rated by Users”, AIJ Tokai Chaoter Architectural Research Meeting, 38, 605-608.
• Ohyama, K. Matsumoto, N., Ichiki, S., Farshchi, M.A., and Yamada, M., 2000. “Spatial Environment of an Airport Terminal Building Rated by Visitors-Study on Facilities Improvement of an Airport Terminal Building Rated by Visitors Part 2”- Summaries of Technical Papers of Annual Meeting Architectural Institute of Japan, 539-540.
• Ichiki, S. Matsumoto, N., Ohyama, K., Farshchi, M. A. and Yamada, M., 2000. “Demand for Improvement of Spatial environment in Airport Terminal Building Rated by Visitors-Study on Facilities Improvement of an Airport Terminal Building Rated by Visitors Part 2”, Summaries of Technical Papers of Annual Meeting Architectural Institute of Japan, 541-542.
• Ohyama K., Matsumoto, N, Farshchi, M. A., 1999. “Spatial Environment of an International Airport Terminal Building Rated by its Users”, Architectural Institute of Japan, September.
• Ohyama, K. Matsumoto, N. Farshchi, M. A., Yamada, M. and Kaneda, T., 1999. “Evaluation of impression at passenger Terminal Building in International Airport by Airport Visitor-Case Study at K international airport, Summaries of Technical Papers of Annual Meeting Architectural Institute of Japan, 897-898.

Other activities

• (with Odile Janne) Organiser of Reading International Workshop (22nd June 2004) ‘Industrial Regeneration and Regional Policy Options in a Global Economy: Perspectives on the West Midlands Automotive Cluster’, www.rdg.ac.uk/Business/