Formal Project Management Research Articles

The Pragmatic Comportment Compass: Rethinking projectification in public sector projects

This study explores the relationship between public sector project managers and their organizations' formal project management processes. Utilizing Heidegger's concept of ‘practical comportment,’ we develop the ‘Pragmatic Comportment Compass,’ which identifies four primary modes of this relationship: to use, manipulate, circumvent, and suffer. Based on qualitative data from a focus group of nine experienced project managers in the Australian state government, our findings reveal a tendency to prioritize the public good over strict protocol adherence. This results in adaptive strategies that respond effectively to complex public service realities, ensuring project progress. Our findings challenge the conventional definition of projectification, proposing an alternative that emphasizes the importance of discretion and strategic flexibility. We align this alternative with the principles of street-level bureaucracy and contingency theory, highlighting the necessity for situational responsiveness and resilience in navigating the bureaucratic and procedural obstacles inherent in public sector projects.

BUILDING SHOWCASE PLATFORM

Abstract : Formal project management is not widespread in SMEs. Most of the office work and normal business activities are looked by the staff in an informal manner and in most cases without any project management training. This is not to say that their projects are not successful. Many SMEs handle projects well and are successful. This could be due to their tactical knowledge and the individuals involved rather than a conscious effort. But these companies could be falling short of their potential and may perform better if they follow a proper formal system of project management practices. Management, produces a degree of predictability, focuses on systems, relays on control, organizes and staffs, accepts the status quo and motivates people to comply with standards. This project aims to study the approach of small and informal construction firms towards construction management and the various techniques adopted by them and thereby suggest systems and methods in project management to improve their performance. A startup construction firm that did not have formal project management systems and techniques in place was identified and upon discussion with their owners and employees regarding their practices, they were willing to let us assist them in their projects by setting up a project management function there by analyzing their work. During the course of the study, significant improvements were observed in the system adopted by the firm in various aspects like quality control, project monitoring & tracking and safety. It can thus be concluded that introduction of project management techniques even though on a small but systematic way can help bring improvement in the performance of the firm and contribute to the organization’s growth in the long run. IndexTerms – Web-Based Application, Modern structure.

A Typology of Project Types and Processes Offering Flexibility for the Project Manager

We present a typology in which commonly encountered project types and widely used project management process types are matched. This generates four propositions: (1) Process types match project types but do not cover all encountered project types; (2) a formal project management change process should be articulated; (3) the project management processes represent a portfolio that can help managers address project types (or other nonroutine challenges for the organization) in productive ways; and (4), while array and wicked projects cannot be fully addressed by any one of the project management processes, combinations of the processes may be able to deliver such projects.

Tool support for implementing a methodology in magnet development projects at CERN

AbstractAbstract product development models, such as the Integrated Product Engineering Model (iPeM), are insightful yet complex, hindering practical application. The paper introduces a prototypical tool designed to simplify the application of iPeM. A case study at CERN showcases the tool's capability in utilizing the iPeM to streamline the tailoring of standards into methodologies for research environments. The tool's impact is evaluated through interviews at CERN. The findings suggest the tool's benefits, especially for individuals without formal project management backgrounds.

Building a Collaborative STEM Culture through Website, Radio, and Journal Creation with High School Students from the 4th High School of Ilion: An Evaluation of a Technology-Enhanced Educational Project

In today’s digital age, educators must employ innovative and creative approaches to engage students in collaborative and interdisciplinary STEM education. Integrating technology tools like Photoshop, Audacity, and social media platforms such as Instagram offers students the chance to acquire and apply vital skills in real-world contexts. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a technology-enhanced educational project where high school students collaboratively build a formal school site, radio, and journal, fostering communication, collaboration, and project management skills. Drawing on research highlighting students’ autonomy and technology integration in education, this study examines the project’s impact on student learning outcomes. It investigates how the project influences student engagement, collaboration, and creativity. The use of technology in the project is expected to boost student motivation and enable personalized learning, ultimately enhancing the educational experience. The research questions explore the effects of the technology-enhanced project on student engagement, collaboration, and creativity within the context of building a school site, radio, and journal. Additionally, the study aims to understand students’ perceptions of the project, including their satisfaction, motivation, and self-efficacy. The findings will suggest improvements to support STEM education and enhance student learning outcomes.

Project Management Dynamics and Performance of Kenya Electricity Generating Company Projects

Kenya continues to face challenges regarding the actualization and timely implementation of electricity generation projects aimed at increasing the electricity capacity required in the quest for attaining industrialization status by the year 2030. Out of the projected flagship electricity generation projects, less than 20 percent of the projects had been translated into the national grid by the end of the year 2022. Such trends call for an in-depth study of project dynamics that determine the performance of electricity generation projects. To research the problem, the focus was given to Kenya Electricity Generation Company (KenGen) Plc, which is a state-owned electricity generation company accounting for 60 percent of the electricity generation market share in Kenya. The purpose of the study was to determine the project management dynamics that determine the performance of electricity generation projects. Specifically, the study sought to evaluate the influence of project financing, project procurement, organization dynamics, individual dynamics and stakeholder management dynamics on the performance of electricity generation projects in KenGen. The study was anchored on system theory, constraints theory, and competence theory of project management. The earmarked population was 10 electricity generation projects implemented by sixty-eight employees who had formal project management appointments in the power plant construction projects that ranged from hydroelectric, geothermal, thermal and wind generation modes. A census survey method was used, targeting the sixty-eight respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables. The study established that all the independent variables had positive regression coefficients, indicating that a unit rise for each independent variable facilitated a consequent rise in the dependent variable. However, only finance dynamics revealed a statistically significant effect, indicating that project finance dynamics had a significant effect on the performance of electricity generation projects. The study recommended that priority should be given to finance dynamics while scoping the electricity projects above other project dynamics. Financial analysis of the project financier's capacity to ensure uninterrupted project milestones financing was identified as an aspect requiring consideration in project financing. This outcome will be helpful to stakeholders in the energy sector, academicians and electricity project financiers. Suggestions were made for further studies on other financial dynamics not accounted for in the study and non-financial dynamics that were not established to have a significant effect on generation projects

The Role of Project Management Office in Managing Project Portfolio Managem ent: A D escriptive S tudy i n Indonesian B anks

Purpose: This paper presents a preliminary study of the complete research to explore how strategic initiatives are implemented in Indonesian banks. It has the aim to descriptively compare the Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Capabilities and bank performance between banks that are applying Project Management Office (PMO) practices and not.
 Design/methodology/approach: Empirical research has been performed through a survey using questionnaires to define the contribution of formal project management office practices in managing strategic initiatives in Indonesian banks. The data from 82 banks from a total of 115 banks in Indonesia based on the list of Indonesian Financial Authority were collected and analyzed using descriptive analysis with help of statistical tools SPSS 22.
 Findings: As a preliminary stage, this paper found that banks with formal project management office practices tend to be more effective in managing their strategic initiatives.
 Research limitations/implications: However, further analysis still needs to be performed to explore how project PPM capabilities and PMO practices influence the bank's performance positively.
 Originality/value: This study introduces how the project management office and project portfolio management practices in Indonesian Banks at glance and how its comparison those with and without project management practices.

The Effect of Innovation on the Company’s Performance in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses with the Mediating Role of Lean: Agile Project Management Office (LAPMO)

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) require less formalized project management methods than large corporations. However, project management can play a significant role in implementing innovations. Even though lean-agile project management offices (LAPMO) are becoming increasingly important for SMEs, each company’s performance varies significantly due to varying innovative capabilities and the dynamism of internal and external contexts. Based on a literature study, innovative capabilities, and LAPMO, we have developed a theoretical model with 11 assumption models. As a follow-up, we conducted empirical research, including critical variable metrics, data collection and analyses, validity tests, reliability tests, regression analysis, and structural equation modeling. The model developed in this study considers the many roles that innovation capacity and project agility play in enhancing corporate performance. LAPMO mediates the relationship between innovation and performance in small and medium-sized businesses. Organizational innovation, open innovation, and innovation capabilities affect companies’ performance. In small and medium businesses, they also affect LAPMO. For small and medium-sized businesses, LAPMO mediates the relationship between organizational innovation, open innovation, and innovation capabilities.

The Impact of Strategic Project Management on Performance of Taiwan’s Textile Industry

With competition increasing technology companies have become more aggressive in their pursuit of customers and funding many are relying more on external relationships to achieve their strategic objectives. Executives must be creative, strategic, pragmatic, and aggressive in forming project managements. They must also remain cautious and pay attention to detail when framing and executing against the partnership objectives. Nearly two-thirds of all project managements experience severe problems and most problems are found within companies with less project management experience. If you overlook basic management principles during the initial courtship, the project management will suffer. Successful partnerships often create a formal project management process that incorporates some form of project management integration, management, negotiation, and assessment. Self-assessment and partner assessment is critical, and needs to be built into the overall process. These have lately presented themselves in a variety of failures that range from financial failure, epidemics, and other natural calamities; violent actions among staffs and from terrorist factions as well. The private sector is confronting change as varied organizations experienced transitions, as a result of strong competition and compelling technological advances that arise during periods of socio-economic and political progress. Firms do not manage these factors by themselves but will respond to changes if they are required to strategically devise schemes. To be resilient, firms will need to use intensively strategic planning in turbulent and changing situations in order to survive and thrive. It is the responsibility of managers and leaders in firms to consider all these types as possibilities for crises and have strategic and tactical plans, as a result crises could be rapidly resolved or prevented from happening. Strategic planning is critical to make sure that the textile sector is prepared to meet future difficulties. Modern strategy-oriented planning comprises a lengthy system for realizing a vision or managing future environmental conditions. The processes are neither fully prescriptive nor fully clear. Given this assumption, we typically characterize strategy-oriented planning processes in terms of structured activities that continually cover objectives and mission, survey the competitive environment, analyses strategic options, and coordinate implementing activities throughout an entire organization. Keywords: Strategic project management, Performance, Textile Sector, Taiwan

Interchange roles of formal and informal project management on business operational success

While there are numerous studies on factors affecting the project and business performance in the literature, no research published on the concurrent roles played by formal (FPM) and informal (IPM) project management on project success. The study’s three main objectives are: first, give a conceptual framework for evaluating the individual and concurrent contributions of FPM and IPM to project success. Second, the project management methods’ mediation effects on the link between senior management support and project success are evaluated. Third, the effects of using multiple environmental control variables are investigated. A sample of 103 small to medium-sized enterprises was used to collect managerial and business operational data. Using structural equation modelling and correlational relationships, ten different models are examined. The findings revealed that IPM has a partial mediation effect, whereas FPM has no effect. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that IPM has the greatest impact on project success. Integration of FPM and IPM with environmental factors is considered. These findings are explained in terms of business, economic, and commercial diversities.

Clinical Redesign: An Innovative Approach to Leading Change at an Academic Healthcare System.

SUMMARY Goal: We characterized the core elements of a clinical redesign program (CRDP) to represent both a team and a methodology to rapidly improve outcomes important to patients and hospitals (e.g., length of stay, unnecessary care, and cost). Unique features of our CRDP included a clinician lead, engagement from senior leadership, formal project management, and rapid cycle implementation. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of this strategy across three different project examples. Methods: Using an observational pre–post study design, we compared the patient-level data for three representative projects applying the core elements of the CRDP: (1) optimizing telemetry utilization, (2) creating a high flow nasal cannula protocol in the pediatric intensive care unit, and (3) standardizing care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. Principal Findings: The primary metrics for all three projects were a project-specific clinical outcome and cost per case. Telemetry utilization was reduced from a peak of 26.0% to 19.6% with a $1,075 reduction in cost per case. Creation of a high flow nasal cannula protocol led to a decrease in median pediatric intensive care unit length of stay from 77.3 to 75.8 hours with a $2,020 decrease in cost per case. Decreasing variation of care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia diagnoses led to a $371 decrease in cost per case. Applications to Practice: The CRDP adds to existing clinical quality improvement models using a structured process for a 90-day rapid cycle project turnaround. In addition, the CRDP incorporates project management and defined team members for the completion and sustainability of projects. The CRDP also facilitates the scalable translation of projects from local to systemwide and incorporates tracking of clinical and financial outcomes through interval internal auditing. These elements provide prioritization, resource allocation, and expertise for improved patient care and high-value care delivery. The CRDP can be adapted for other contexts to lead and foster momentum and drive rapid and successful completion of clinical improvement projects.

Project management relationship to green innovation processes in sustainable fabric companies

The concept of green innovation refers to innovation that seeks to make radical or progressive improvements to products or processes that contribute to sustainable development. Green innovation can improve the global image of a business and lead to better market performance. Green innovation projects can contribute to economic growth and a positive quality of life without negatively affecting the environment. Consequently, this study aims to examine the relationship between the development of green materials resulting from green innovation and project management. To achieve the research objective, we conducted a multi-case study with companies developing green innovation derived textile. The findings show that the firms surveyed do not use formal project management to execute their green innovation projects and that their project management is intuitive. Although the companies surveyed are concerned with sustainable development and strive to innovate to satisfy their customers responsibly, their project management practices are informal. This study contributes to the practice. It is possible to introduce project management into enterprises to enhance green innovation while adapting practices or using less formal and bureaucratic techniques.

A conceptual framework for managing post-disaster reconstruction projects in emerging economies: the case of Angola

PurposeThis study develops a conceptual framework appropriate for managing Post-Disaster Reconstruction Projects (PDRPs) so as to avoid cost and time overruns in Angola.Design/methodology/approachAn explanatory sequential mixed research approach was used. Data was collected from project participants within the ministry of planning, the provincial government office of planning and the local government in Angola. A questionnaire with closed questions was completed by 130 survey respondents. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with seven participants selected through purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics, t-test and content analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.FindingsThe study indicates that there is presently no formal project management process. Neither have government project management standards been developed and broadcast. This results in ad hoc processes being mostly used for managing PDRPs. The study further presents disaster preparation programme, community engagement, resources and stakeholder's engagement, post-disaster procurement policies, financial guides, post-disaster recovery legislation, context-specific (social economic, demographic, political and cultural variables), programme preparation as essential components to be considered for developing an appropriate framework for managing PDRPs.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited by its geographical settings which focussed the results on one province in Angola. However, the findings can be useful for other countries wishing to gain insights on the framework with “overlooked components” for managing DPRPs in emerging countries with similar disaster environment, government policies and same business environment.Practical implicationsThe framework for managing PDRPs may positively impact project realization, hence minimization of time and cost overruns. The findings are vital for managers, local practitioners and policy/decision-makers in emerging countries of essential components and lessons useful for managing PDRPs and making decisions when they intend to participate in such projects. An understanding of which approaches are critical and essential components of the framework serves as a basis for improving project delivery. Future research studies should describe its practical application.Originality/valueThe study provides insights by identifying an ordered grouped set of project management models/approaches mostly applicable for managing PDRPs in Angola, better understanding of appropriate components/variables to be considered and develops a conceptual framework for managing PDRPs in emerging countries, post-war context.

“What's the Brief?”

“What's the Brief?”

Management of public–private R&D projects in Higher Education: key trends and issues

ABSTRACT Research and Development (R&D) project managers in Higher Education must deal with uncertainty, ambiguity, competition, accountability and different objectives for professors, scientists, firms, users and other stakeholders. Formal project management frameworks are commonly adapted to support this. However, the wide range of challenges related to R&D inhibits truly effective and efficient approaches. In this paper, the R&D project management literature is analysed, chief concepts are examined, and key areas to be considered by any management approach in Higher Education institutions are suggested. This will lead to more realistic management practices, focused on their added-value and on that of the particular project and not on the management framework/methodology per se. The particular case of collaborative private–public R&D projects funded by public funds is addressed in view of their increased importance as a key instrument for the implementation of public science policies.

Finding the roots: experimentation in innovation project management

PurposeProject management practices have been losing its central place in innovation processes within the companies due to its excessive control-oriented phased approach. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose and examine the project management practitioners' experiences on the systematic use of an experimentation framework to manage innovation projects.Design/methodology/approachThree case studies were carried out in three different Brazilian companies for a ten month period. The authors have chosen these companies for the following reasons: they were all in an innovation context; they have never carried out a project based on experimentation and they had previous experience with project management traditional tools.FindingsThe findings have shown that our framework can contribute to the project management available toolkit; once the rigid experimentation process, the authors’ proposed made it easier for project management practitioners to adapt to more flexible approaches. Nonetheless, stakeholders' involvement has shown to be a key success factor on the deployment of the framework.Practical implicationsManagers still need to add expertise in flexible methods into their managerial skills, so they are able to deal with innovation just as they deal with traditional processes they were trained to. This suggestion can also be extended to the business schools.Originality/valueThe case studies have shown that traditional project management practices can also be applied in innovation projects. So despite of generally being the opposite of an experimentation process, those practices are relevant in project management discipline, which means that formal project management training is still a good ally to project management practitioners.

Executives’ Decision Processes at the Front End of Major Projects: The Role of Context and Experience in Value Creation

The front end of projects is strategically important; yet, how project concepts are identified, evaluated, and selected at the pre-project stage is poorly understood. This article reports on an inductive multiple-case study of how executives made such decisions in major upstream oil and gas projects. The findings show that in such a high-risk context, often an experienced executive makes these decisions alone and he creates value by facilitating growth. We identified three value-creating decision processes that varied by the executives’ risk approach and decision context. These processes depart from the formal project management prescriptions and the strategic decision-making literature.

A study on integration of building information modelling (BIM) in civil engineering curricular

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a practical approach that can manage the construction projects’ life cycle activities and be used by the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) to ensure the excellent quality of the projects, reduce cost and facilitate communication among contractor players. The development of the BIM uses in the construction industry has widely spread in many countries, unfortunately not in Malaysia even though it started in Malaysia since 2004. Several universities worldwide offer BIM courses in their program, while many others are under the process of integrating BIM into their curricula. Most of the universities lack the realization of the importance of BIM application, BIM teaching strategy, and plans to overcome the barriers to integration of BIM into the curriculum. This paper presents the current state of BIM education in the engineering program in the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FCE) as a case study. A detailed literature review and questionnaire survey performed for this purpose, followed by statistical analysis. The research presented the status of BIM education in FCE and formulated a framework that will provide guidelines for those universities which are not currently implementing BIM or just started developing BIM curriculum. More practical project-based class assignments that supported students with learning how to apply different formal project management methods to real-world project management problems will be adapt. The program in the universities will be able to produce graduates who are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills of modern tools such as BIM before they enter into their professional careers.

Exploring Student Perceptions of Their Readiness for Project Work: Utilizing Social Cognitive Career Theory

A changing labor market is leading to an increased prevalence in project work. In this study, we explore student perceptions of project work. We find that these emerging adults prefer leadership positions, are concerned with social values, and view project work as essential preparation for the workplace. Utilizing a social cognitive career theory lens, we find that the goals, interests, and self-efficacy beliefs of emerging adults align with the needs of project management, but there is a lack of technical knowledge on project processes. Framing the question from the viewpoint of students who will be entering the workforce at the end of their programs of study, we see that students embrace the concepts inherent in project work. The implication for human resource managers is that emerging adults believe that they can succeed in project work, but technical skills are needed to help them succeed in formal project management roles. We provide recommendations, discuss limitations, and suggest future research directions.

Examining the Performance of NGO Projects in Fragile States - The Case of World Vision South Sudan Program

The present study summarizes the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the research project “Examining the Performance of NGO Projects in Fragile States - The Case of World Vision South Sudan Program.” The purpose of this research is to assess the performance of projects in fragile states in terms of time, cost, scope, quality, and customer satisfaction. As cost and schedule are believed to comprise 2/3rd of the cost-schedule-quality equilibrium, the performance analysis was focused on time and cost elements. The motto of World Vision South Sudan (WVSS) is excellence in execution. The results of literature review, analysis of project performance data, organization’s level of project management maturity and customer satisfaction indicate that 80% of the past projects were completed behind schedule with 46% under spending and 39% cost overruns. Likewise, over 60% of the projects failed to achieve one or more deliverable objective. Consequently, only 15% of the projects ended on budget and on target. The earned value analysis also shows that 67% of the ongoing projects were behind the schedule. If the remaining project activities implemented at the current pace, over 60% of the projects will end far behind the schedule with US $15-20 million additional cost per year. Moreover, 99% of the project managers had no formal project management training or capacity. Furthermore, about 55% of community, local government & partner UN/NGO representatives were dissatisfied with WVSS’s project performance. Project implementation phase is the most challenging part of the project cycle often weighed down with uncertainties. Therefore, it is highly recommended that organizations operating in fragile contexts equipped with comprehensive project management capability and business process/operational excellence to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget with expected quality standards. Besides, projects must adapt flexibly and innovative ways of working in difficult environments in order comply with accountability standards and commitments to beneficiary communities, donors and other key stakeholders.