Abstract
There is growing interest in the ways that value is understood in the context of projects and within project-based settings. Recent studies emphasise the multiplicity of project value in various project settings as perceived by different project actors. Drawing on previous work on project value and project front-end, this study expands on the idea of multiplicity of project value in the early project definition phase. To this end, the study draws from empirical data on infrastructure projects provision, including semi-structured interviews with a set of highly experienced and senior level informants with extensive knowledge and familiarity of infrastructure project planning and front-end decision making. The study is bounded with a focus on London, UK as an example of a complex, highly established global city with a great reliance on its infrastructure and a well-established projects ecology. Through inductive qualitative data analysis the study explores the role of infrastructure projects as solutions to policy problems, the multiple and complex nature of value in project definition and identifies three value levels, which are instrumental for project definition: local value, sector value and user value. The multi-level value framework in the project front-end extends and complements early decision making in planning and setting up of infrastructure projects.
Highlights
It has been widely acknowledged that the justification of a project should be based on long-term benefits that will be realized after the project is delivered (Morris and Hough, 1987; Morris, 2013)
We continue by introducing the empirical setting of the London infrastructure projects ecology and interviews with the elite informants who informed this research, before presenting findings focusing on the multiple levels of project value we identified in the data
The study of multiplicity of value in project definition presented in this paper reports on an interpretive analysis (Sandberg, 2005) of interviews with elite informants (Aguinis and Solarino, 2019; Mikecz, 2012; Harvey, 2011) comprising senior industry and public sector individuals significantly involved in the planning and investment decisions for infrastructure projects
Summary
It has been widely acknowledged that the justification of a project should be based on long-term benefits that will be realized after the project is delivered (Morris and Hough, 1987; Morris, 2013). These arguments are often discussed in the context of ‘value’, which will accrue in different forms as a result of the project being undertaken (Laursen and Svejvig, 2016). A clear articulation of the understanding of value and its role in the definition of projects is very scarce This is surprising, because justifications of project value drive project definition and initiation, a key point in the realisation of any project. This argument is often promoted and enacted by actors in the project front-end who play an important role in mobilizing the support and stakeholders to get the project off the ground (Flyvbjerg et al, 2018)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
