Experienced Project Managers Research Articles

Ladder to success – eliciting project managers’ perceptions of IS project success criteria

The traditional approach to assess information system (IS) project success is adherence to planning (ATP) – meeting budget, schedule, and requirements targets. Today, scholars agree that ATP is insufficient to adequately assess IS project success, but an agreed-on set of success criteria is still missing. Many works on this topic are based on theoretical considerations rather than empirical inquiries. We analyze practitioners’ subjective perspectives by investigating what criteria IS project managers consider relevant for IS project success assessment. We interview eleven experienced project managers in Germany, applying Repertory Grid and Laddering to minimize potential biases. Our results yield eight success criteria, indicating that criteria like process efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction must be considered in addition to ATP. Scholars can use our findings to apply the identified success criteria in future studies. Practitioners gain insights into the expert perspective on project success and might rethink the way of assessing success in their projects.

Establishment of prediction system for cost of defect liability phase in construction project

PurposeThis study aims to establish a new system to predict the defect liability phase (DLP) cost using the Six Sigma methodology, which investigates sources of variations and reduces the error level to 3.4 per million through five phases: define, measure, analyze, design and verify.Design/methodology/approachAfter the initial handover of the construction project, the DLP follows the practical completion. During this stage, the contractor is responsible for the remedy of any defects that appeared in the project. Many researchers have studied defect reasons and their associated costs in different industries, while the construction industry remains a green field for this kind of research. The objective of this study was to develop a model to predict the DLP cost. The research methodology adopted the five stages of the Six Sigma cycle: defining objectives, measuring the data, analyzing performance, designing the model and verifying the results. Twenty factors were identified as potential factors affecting the DLP cost. Factors were categorized into two main clusters: project data and organization data. Interviews were conducted with 42 project management experts, who have 8–35 years of experience in construction project management, to rank the 20 factors based on their importance. Simo’s procedure was used to obtain the weight of each factor affecting the DLP cost based on the opinions of the experts. The Pareto principle was used to select the “Vital Few” factors affecting the DLP cost, and six factors were selected. The design of experiments (DOE) was used to establish a dynamic model to predict the DLP cost using a sample of 41 construction projects obtained from the above-mentioned 42 project management experts. The model accuracy was verified using data obtained from a different sample of five construction projects, which were not used to establish the model.FindingsThe results showed that among the 20 factors, only six were found to have a cumulative impact of 50% over the cost of the DLP: type of project, project contract value, nationality of the employer, project manager experience, DLP duration and sector of the employer. A model was established through the DOE to predict the DLP cost using the values of the aforementioned factors.Research limitations/implicationsAs a natural limitation of using DOE, the newly developed model can be applied to predict the DLP cost based on data within the range of data used during the model development, which means that model is confined within the specific measured values of factors. Furthermore, it will be beneficial for future studies to study the impact of other factors related to the types of materials or equipment used in building the project because it was not considered during this study because of the huge diversities in these factors and difficulties in determining its impact on the DLP cost.Practical implicationsThe unique results of using DOE through Minitab software facilitated obtaining of a dynamic model, which means that researchers can modify any value of the six factors and monitor instantly the expected change in the DLP cost, which will allow a better understanding of the impact of each factor on the DLP cost. Moreover, the new model will help contractors to predict the expected DLP cost to be added for their project budget, which will mitigate the risk of cost overrun resulted from the cost of defect rectification.Originality/valueA dynamic model was established to predict the DLP cost using the DOE. The new model was validated, and the prediction error ranged from −18% to +21%.

Providing in-service online language training for primary teachers of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract This report assesses the use of a Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) to provide an in-service language training programme for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in a primary school in Shanghai, China. The 12-month oral English training programme featured unique in-depth university-school collaborations, tiered project management and flexible self-directed learning experiences by the participants. This programme was a piloting project aimed at exploring an effective way of workplace language training and usefulness of Moodle-LMS’ potential in providing a flexible and interactive learning environment for training primary school language teachers.

О КРИТЕРИЯХ КАЧЕСТВА ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫХ ПРОЕКТОВ

The development of strategic planning in Russia using program-targeted budgeting approaches, the adoption of effective managerial decisions in the public sector determines the relevance of the problem of improving the efficiency of projects and programs implemented mainly at the expense of the state budget. The importance of these issues is growing due to the scale of the tasks solved through government programs and national projects, significant amounts of resources allocated for their implementation in the presence of budgetary constraints in the context of global instability and a significant level of uncertainty. An analysis of the domestic regulatory legal, methodological framework governing the development of national projects, international experience in project management, shows that the assessment of the quality of project development is not sufficiently carried out and methodologically supported. At the same time, the success and efficiency of the project is largely determined by the quality of the development plan for its implementation. The article defines general principles and proposes a model for assessing the quality of the development of national and federal projects. Based on the approbation of the proposed tools, shortcomings in the planning of national and federal projects were identified, proposals were made to improve the methodological support for the development of plans for their implementation. It is concluded that the implementation of project quality assessment procedures will improve the planning of state projects, including through increased performance discipline, a more balanced and thoughtful approach of developers to drafting projects. The combination of a formalized state assessment and independent public expertise will ensure a high degree of objectivity in the audit of project plans and will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their implementation.

Agile Project Management and Project Risks Improvements: Pros and Cons

This report discusses improving Project Risk Management in agile projects in different sectors in the UAE and explores if adopting a hybrid approach can deliver better results in project risk management in an agile environment. Also, it was aimed to understand if enhancement of project risk management for agile projects will have a positive impact on project success. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for this report. Data was collected through qualitative interviews, observations and surveys. The research was conducted in Al Dhafra Municipality, DEWA, Etisalat & Abu Dhabi Government. The findings identified risks like Organizational risk, Process risk, Business risk, Technology risk and Monitoring and analysis risk. It was also found that while all projects contain some risk, using agile projects or hybrid projects can reduce the risk in comparison to a waterfall. The underlying reason was that splitting the project into smaller pieces reduces risk and fulfills quality requirements easily. The research recommended using customer vision, selecting the right approach for project selection, having an experienced project manager and team, customer involvement, organizational policy support for an agile approach, having a supportive culture and using analytical tools. The research suffered from the limitation that only 4 organizations could be used, which may limit the scope of applicability of the findings to diverse settings.

Understanding the Hiring Issues of the Craft Workers in the UAE’s Construction Labor Market: Project Managers Perspective

The construction industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is faced with negative project performance, including low productivity, higher costs, delays in project completion, and defects during construction. One of the main reasons for these issues is the engagement of unskilled craft workers. Despite these labor issues, demand for construction projects in the UAE has been explosively increasing, in part due to Dubai winning the hosting of Expo 2020, which has given rise to an unprecedented demand for skilled construction craft workers. This study aimed to investigate the views and experiences of construction project managers regarding the reasons and challenges associated with the hiring of skilled craft workers in the construction labor market of the UAE. To fulfill the study purpose, the authors conducted structured open-ended interviews with UAE construction project managers. The results revealed several reasons for hiring craft workers despite a clear lack of qualifications and suggest some potential solutions.

Using altruism in project management education: How ‘Doing Good’ impacts student motivation

Data derived from a project-based learning course, Actual Project Management Experience in the Master of Project Management program at Reykjavik University in Iceland, augments earlier findings from studies on project management education. It shows the importance of active learning and actual project experience as an integrated part of students' educational journeys. The study compared projects where the altruistic dynamic was clearly at play and projects where the altruistic motive was absent. The finding is that the altruistic social meaning greatly sparked students' motivation. Based on this, it is speculated whether the altruistic tendency, i.e. human desire to do good and contribute to society's greater good, could not inspire project leaders and managers in general.

The Improvement Factors of Leadership Skills among Project Managers in Pre-Construction Phase of Sustainable Construction Projects

Leadership skills are required in any area, including the construction industry. Compared to conventional construction projects, the obstacles of practising leadership skills are more significant in sustainable construction projects. In the context of managing a project, a project manager is accountable for overseeing the project from the pre-construction phase to the post-construction phase. Nevertheless, project managers often encountered utmost difficulties in sustainable construction projects during the pre-construction phase. Despite that, improving leadership skills would emerge to boost project manager performance in managing sustainable construction projects. Thus, this paper aims to determine the improvement factors of leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects. A questionnaire survey was developed with 44 improvement factors of leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects, in which 153 experienced project managers in sustainable construction projects in Malaysia responded. Data were analysed using normality test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis via IBM SPSS version 24 software. The finding reveals that all improvement factors were significant to improve leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects. Hence, this paper's findings would assist project managers in grasping the improvement factors that can improve their leadership skills, particularly in sustainable construction projects.

Business as usual? Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to research, development and innovation (RDI) activities of universities of applied sciences

Universities of applied sciences (UAS) have a strong mandate to carry out research, development and innovation (RDI) activities in collaboration with local stakeholders. Geographical proximity is one of the key factors for the creation and success of RDI activities because of the positive balance between costs and benefits of local knowledge transfer, but they also depend on the networks of individual staff members. This paper aims to explore how maintaining and developing purpose-built and individual RDI partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic has been managed. An enhanced conceptual framework for assessing contextual dimensions of the RDI activities beyond academic entrepreneurship as business ventures has been developed. The paper focuses on a single case study drawing on semi-structured research interviews investigating how the swap to remote working have affected RDI activities at Tampere University of Applied Sciences, one of the biggest UAS in Finland with intense regional linkages. The contribution of the study is twofold; firstly, the paper introduces an expanded theoretical approach for assessing the external and internal factors having an impact on the RDI activities beyond academic entrepreneurship. Secondly, by testing the proposed framework, it shares insights and good practices derived from empirical evidence, namely binary data and semi-structured interviews revealing experiences of RDI personnel and project managers involved with different phases of RDI process, for optimising high-quality innovation support, knowledge transfer activities and co-creation of new knowledge in exceptional circumstances.

In whom do we trust? Critical success factors impacting intercultural communication in multicultural project teams

Trust is a significant enabler for intercultural communication in project teams. Researchers and practitioners, therefore, need to know which factors might enhance trust in intercultural communication. Contributing to the yet limited number of studies in the field of intercultural communication for multicultural project teams, this research theoretically analyzes and empirically investigates the enablers of trust for intercultural communication focusing on emotional intelligence, empathy, interaction, and transparency. Using a field sample of 117 experienced project managers working in multicultural project teams, we find that interaction and transparency significantly and positively influence trust in intercultural communication; empathy marginally and positively influences trust. Emotional intelligence does not exert an effect on it. These results provide novel theoretical and empirical insights which have practical implications for project managers. The findings direct suggestions for additional theoretical work.

Defining work-zones for resource allocation in Hong Kong public housing project construction using heuristic rules and operations simulation

In Hong Kong, 6-day construction cycle always being used for constructing one typical floor of concrete building superstructure in a week. Work-zones are defined in the working platform for better allocation of limited resources. Once the work-zones are defined, the resources (labour, plant, materials) will be allocated to a specific zone to deliver the works on a particular day of the 6-day construction cycle. In practice, the definition of work-zone is dependent on the experience of project manager. Yet, there is no past research studied the evaluation of work-zone definition schemes. As such, in this research study, three heuristic rules are proposed for choosing better scheme of work-zone. The heuristic rules are based on (i) lengths of work-zone dividing line, (ii) fluctuations of daily duration, and (iii) utilisation rates of resource. To illustrate the steps of evaluating the scheme, an illustrative example is given. To illustrate the method application of the rules, a practical case study of constructing a 40-storey housing is given. The proposed rules were verified based on sensitivity analysis and expert validation. Conclusions are drawn by expressing the contributions and limitations of the proposed rules, followed by suggesting future research works.

Developing an analytic hierarchy process-based decision model for modular construction in urban areas

PurposeModular construction is considered a well-established construction method for improving the efficiency of the construction industry worldwide. However, the industry struggles to achieve higher levels of modularisation in urban areas. Previous studies on decision-making for modularisation have, so far, not focussed much on its application in urban areas. As modular construction could bring lots of advantages such as speed of construction, This study aims to develop a decision-making tool that can assist the project planners in deciding whether the modular construction techniques should be applied in their urban area project.Design/methodology/approachBased on the literature review, a total of 35 decision-making factors of modularisation were identified for this study. The decision-making model is then developed to evaluate the significance of each factor using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. A total number of 72 valid responses were obtained and analysed. The geometric mean of priorities is adopted to obtain the par-wise comparison between the critical factors in which each factor’s weighting in the decision-making model is calculated. Afterwards, the robustness of the decision-making model is demonstrated by the real-life projects in China, Hong Kong and the UK, respectively.FindingsA total of 35 decision-making factors allocated in five criteria for modular construction selection in urban areas were identified. The criteria include site attributes, project characteristics, labour consideration, environmental and organisation and project risk. Their impact was calculated using the AHP to indicate the relative importance with respect to the adoption of modularisation in urban areas. Afterwards, a two-level decision-making model was developed that can be used as a decision-making tool for the adoption of modular construction.Practical implicationsThe outcome of this research will be beneficial to industrial practitioners and academics in understanding the critical attributes that affect the adoption of modular construction in an urban area. It further enables the building professionals to assess the feasibility of using modular construction in their projects, especially at the early stage, so as to facilitate its use.Originality/valueThere is a number of literature on the decision-making model on the adoption of modular construction. However, previous studies did not provide specific concerns related to urban areas, whereas there is an urgent need to have an updated analysis that can be catered to the modular construction in the urban area. In this research study, the 35 decision-making factors were ranked by the experienced project managers and then a pair-wise comparison was conducted. With this information, the robust decision-making model is formulated to offer a kept promised indicator in adopting modularisation in the urban area.

Lifting path planning of mobile cranes based on an improved RRT algorithm

Lifting operations of mobile cranes are one of the commonly-seen and most important activities for prefabrication housing production (PHP) on sites. However, relevant operations are normally based on the experience of operators or project managers, this often leads to low efficiency as well as high accident rate due to dynamic and complex construction sites. Thus, it is important and necessary to develop an appropriate approach to the lifting planning of mobile cranes so as to guide on-site operations. This paper proposes an improved Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm for lifting path planning of mobile cranes. Considering the critical role of Nearest Neighbor Search (NNS) in the implementation of RRT algorithm, a novel strategy for searching the nearest neighbor is developed, i.e., Generalized Distance Method and Cell Method. Both methods are tested in simulation-based experiments. The results show that 1) the Generalized distance method not only reduces the search time, but also unifies the unit of distance measurement and clarifies the physical meaning of distance; 2) the Cell method dramatically reduces the traversal range as well as the search time; and 3) both methods improve the quality of lifting path planning of mobile cranes. This improved RRT algorithm enables rapid path planning of mobile cranes in a dynamic and complex construction environment. The outcomes of this research not only contribute to the body of knowledge in spatial path planning of crane lifting operations, but also have the potential of significantly improving efficiency and safety in crane lifting practices.

Дизайн-мышление и креативные технологии в управлении проектами: многостадийный подход

The present article is devoted to the issues of applying design thinking and other creative technologies destined at the development of innovational solutions of the existing tasks and restrictions in project management processes. The authors are developing a conceptual framework by defining the focus of application of creative technologies in the project management practice as well as are proposing a custom approach to the application of the relevant instruments based on the project type and its lifecycle phases. The findings are made on the basis of fundamentals of project management, strategic management and design thinking methodology, as well as the authors’ own applied studies and experience in project and program management. The proposed approach allows broadening theoretical learnings on the project lifecycle stages from the perspective of creating and developing business innovations, as well as on the project manager role and skills, which in turn helps to resolve complex issues and controversies connected to the application of the existing project management methods in the organizational development and innovation product creation processes.

Perceived Complexity of a Project’s Optimal Work Plan Influences Its Likelihood of Adoption by Project Managers

Project managers commonly adopt suboptimal work plans, even when optimal plans are readily accessible. This research identifies a factor that elicits this seemingly irrational behavior: the perceived complexity of the optimal work plan, as reflected in the plan’s Gantt chart representation. Four controlled experiments show that among experienced project managers presented with a work plan explicitly stated to be optimal, those who view a low-complexity plan are more likely to adopt the plan compared with project managers who view a high-complexity plan. Work-related stress triggered by exposure to the work plan is shown to mediate the effect.

Identifying the risk factors in real estate construction projects: an analytical study to propose a control structure for decision-making

PurposeConstruction projects in the real estate sector are important for a nation’s economic growth. However, owing to several constraints and stereotypes, the construction industry is suffering from major capital losses. A review of recent literature revealed that risks occurring in real estate construction projects (RECPs) carried out in developing economies can be divided into four categories, i.e. financial risks, design risks, execution risks and sociopolitical risks. This study aims to identify the critical factors that lead to these risk categories and develop a control structure for RECPs.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method, i.e. a questionnaire-based survey, was used for this study. Using a random sampling technique the questionnaire was distributed to selected, highly experienced project managers. To determine whether the factors identified as part of the literature review strongly influence the categories, the factor analysis of the observations was performed.FindingsThe observations made in this study lead to the identification of six critical risk causing factors, i.e. lack of efficient planning, execution constraints, external constraints, client-induced constraints, project constraints and partner experience. The observations indicated a lack of knowledge of project management, organizational culture and a claims redressal mechanism in RECPs. Also, this study recommends a blockchain-based control structure to control the occurrence of the risk causing factors identified.Originality/valueThis study recommends a blockchain-based control structure for controlling the risks occurring.

Removing invasive conifers - considerations, complexity and costs

Invasive conifers are a significant problem in countries such as New Zealand, requiting a substantial investment to bring them under control. One of the critical elements of controlling invasive conifers is operational planning—determining where to control them, which trees to control, what methods to use, and the estimated cost. However, it is challenging to determine accurate costs due to the complexity of multiple site- and tree-related factors. In New Zealand, control costs are highly variable because understanding of costs per method are outdated and the complexities involved are not well elucidated. This paper explores why and how control costs vary to better predict costs in the future. To explore the factors that influence cost, we ran an online workshop that generally followed a nominal group process with several experienced project managers and contractors involved in invasive conifer control. To effectively estimate the cost of control, contractors and project managers must first understand how various site and tree-related factors influence the choice of control method. Contractors and project managers then determine how the factors influence cost. These results come at an important time in the management of invasive conifers in New Zealand and elsewhere. Control operations are increasing and expanding, requiring accurate estimates of costs to plan future operations. The findings will also be useful for training new staff and updating guidelines on invasive conifer control.

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT: UNDERLYING CAUSES IN MEGA-CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Construction claims remain unavoidable in any megaproject contractual relationship and can quickly escalate to misunderstandings, disputes and litigations if not appropriately managed. Disputes pose a significant risk in hindering project progress; they are characterised by lengthy legal battles that consume substantial time and financial resources. This study identifies the causes of claims encountered by clients, contractors and consultants in transport and energy sector mega construction projects in South Africa. A semi-systematic literature review was used to identify, select and appraise existing literature on this issue. Content analysis using NVivo 12 was used to identify factors causing claims in the construction sector, particularly in MCPs. Findings of the study revealed that construction projects occurring outside of South Africa experienced a delay in payments, time and cost overruns, change orders, inadequate project and drawing specifications, natural risks or force majeure. In South Africa, delays and cost overruns (due to insufficient experience and expertise of project managers and engineers) frequent to be the causes attributable to claims.

Project managers' breadth of experience, project complexity, and project performance

AbstractResearch has found that a project manager's experience is a driver of project performance. However, whether specialist or generalist project managers are more effective remains an open question to date. In this paper, we examine how project managers' breadth of experience influences project completion time under different levels of project complexity. Using longitudinal data from 9,765 enterprise resource planning (ERP) system projects executed by a software services organization, we find that managers' breadth of experience has a U‐shaped impact on project completion time. We also find that while we can identify an optimal level of breadth of experience that minimizes project completion time on the U‐curve, this optimal level becomes lower (the U‐curve shifts to the left) as project complexity increases. As project complexity decreases, the U‐curve flattens and tends to become monotonically decreasing, signifying that diseconomies from project managers' breadth of experience are less apparent in simpler projects. From a practical standpoint, these findings suggest that project managers' breadth of experience is a critical driver of project performance that should be a key consideration in the selection of managers to lead knowledge work, especially for complex projects.

The Etiology of Formation and Reacting Way to a Change in the Supply Chain

Purpose: The aim of this article was to determine the etiological factors of changes occurring in supply chains and to diagnose the reactions to these factors. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was carried out for separated 19 categories grouping etiological factors. To structure the data in the process of building the categories, a systematic diagram and a code distribution analysis diagram were used. In the next part, when creating the ASPM method, some assumptions of the Scrum and DSDM method were used. Due to the subject matter of the conducted research, it was decided to apply a case study supplemented by a structured interview. The sample consisted of companies conducting business in international supply chains and cooperation with logistics operators, including 4PL. Findings: The results show that the development should be towards a flexible organization. The process of flexible adaptation of an organization that is compound, i.e., the supply chain, to changes of an exo- and endogenous nature requires the operationalization of the entire concept based on the experience in project management, especially due to the non-linearity of emerging interactions within the framework of the change taking place. Practical Implications: Etiology, by focusing on the background of a given phenomenon, fact or process, by isolating etiological factors that cause them, allows us to discover the causes of the existing state of affairs. This applies to virtually every discipline and area of life. Originality/Value: The study identified factors of changes occurring in supply chains and to diagnose the reactions to these factors.