Chapter 16 explains that decisions concerning infrastructure are taken under three
types of environments – (a) decision making under certainty conditions, (b) decision
making under uncertainty conditions and (c) decision making under conditions of
risk – and presents a few examples showing the use of different criteria.
Chapter 17 clarifies the different concepts of private goods and public goods,
along with the externalities involved, and provides examples of the same. Given the
wide variety of infrastructure, the demarcation is not always clear. In some cases,
infrastructure may also present the symptoms of the Tragedy of the Commons.
Chapter 18 explains the concepts of Build Operate Transfer (BOT) and the potential
advantages and risks involved. Whether the approach always works also depends on
the cultural history of the nation and prevalent circumstances and conditions.
Chapter 19 uses the example of a dam providing water storage for different
purposes by different organisations which need to share the cost. The underlying
principle of cost allocation for infrastructure investment behind the different methods
available to calculate cost apportionment is explained through worked examples.
Chapter 20 develops the idea that people matter. Infrastructure certainly needs
people to design the systems that will provide the services. However, once operational,
the infrastructure network or service needs other people to run the organisation, be it on
the maintenance side for equipment or public relations when dealing with customers.
Chapter 21 stresses that infrastructure services are provided by its operation and
complex interaction between human, economic and technical systems and the
environment. It examines several facets of service related to the infrastructure sector
and discusses some approaches to improve the perception of service to the customer.
Chapter 22 describes in detail the different steps that occur from the moment
someone gets a brilliant idea that he or she wants implemented and explains that all
parties to the project (client, consultant, contractor and probably the funding agency)
need, individually, a project manager to monitor the progress of the relevant parts of
the project under their responsibility.
This last chapter also brings out the necessity of (1) proper project management
and (2) project economics, which, it is hoped, will be the subject of future publications from the infrastructure perspective.
The use of quotations abstracted from literature (classical and modern) shows that
infrastructure or its associations have been raising concerns since long. Nowadays,
the Internet has helped greatly in searching for them as well.
It is expected that this book will prove valuable to all those interested or attracted
to the subject of infrastructure. For a few, it might be a confirmation of what they
already guessed, while for others it might open the route to amazing links which
need to be discovered. I hope you are in the latter category.
May you enjoy your reading!
Virendra Proag
Reduit, Mauritius
Virendra Proag
xii
Preface
types of environments – (a) decision making under certainty conditions, (b) decision
making under uncertainty conditions and (c) decision making under conditions of
risk – and presents a few examples showing the use of different criteria.
Chapter 17 clarifies the different concepts of private goods and public goods,
along with the externalities involved, and provides examples of the same. Given the
wide variety of infrastructure, the demarcation is not always clear. In some cases,
infrastructure may also present the symptoms of the Tragedy of the Commons.
Chapter 18 explains the concepts of Build Operate Transfer (BOT) and the potential
advantages and risks involved. Whether the approach always works also depends on
the cultural history of the nation and prevalent circumstances and conditions.
Chapter 19 uses the example of a dam providing water storage for different
purposes by different organisations which need to share the cost. The underlying
principle of cost allocation for infrastructure investment behind the different methods
available to calculate cost apportionment is explained through worked examples.
Chapter 20 develops the idea that people matter. Infrastructure certainly needs
people to design the systems that will provide the services. However, once operational,
the infrastructure network or service needs other people to run the organisation, be it on
the maintenance side for equipment or public relations when dealing with customers.
Chapter 21 stresses that infrastructure services are provided by its operation and
complex interaction between human, economic and technical systems and the
environment. It examines several facets of service related to the infrastructure sector
and discusses some approaches to improve the perception of service to the customer.
Chapter 22 describes in detail the different steps that occur from the moment
someone gets a brilliant idea that he or she wants implemented and explains that all
parties to the project (client, consultant, contractor and probably the funding agency)
need, individually, a project manager to monitor the progress of the relevant parts of
the project under their responsibility.
This last chapter also brings out the necessity of (1) proper project management
and (2) project economics, which, it is hoped, will be the subject of future publications from the infrastructure perspective.
The use of quotations abstracted from literature (classical and modern) shows that
infrastructure or its associations have been raising concerns since long. Nowadays,
the Internet has helped greatly in searching for them as well.
It is expected that this book will prove valuable to all those interested or attracted
to the subject of infrastructure. For a few, it might be a confirmation of what they
already guessed, while for others it might open the route to amazing links which
need to be discovered. I hope you are in the latter category.
May you enjoy your reading!
Virendra Proag
Reduit, Mauritius
Virendra Proag
xii
Preface