Inter-organizational Projects Research Articles

The Impacts on Interorganizational Project Coordination: A Multiple Case Study on Large Railway Projects

Interorganizational transportation projects are increasingly difficult to manage because of a need to coordinate complex interdependencies pertaining to railway organizations with increasing levels of connectedness. In this article, the perceived dynamics of coordination mechanisms in the decision-making processes of interorganizational projects of the Dutch railway system are investigated. The results of this study suggest that the perceived effectiveness of interorganizational decision-making can be positively impacted during the pre-project phase, by emphasizing relational coordination. A reinforcing relationship between trust and mutual understanding among stakeholders by means of relational coordination mechanisms is one explored explanation.

Interorganizational Project Urgency, Problems, and Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

Interorganizational Project Urgency, Problems, and Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

Public clients pursue innovation, but what’s going on at the project level? A case study of infrastructure operation and maintenance

This paper examines the gap between macro-level calls for innovation and the micro-level enactment, by exploring the discrepancies between a public client’s pursuit of innovation and the actions taken at the project level. Through empirical analysis of four infrastructure operation and maintenance projects, we identify discrepancies within and between procurement strategies and project-level practices. Taking a strategy-as-practice perspective, our study shows how procurement strategies are adapted and enacted by inter-organizational project actors, shedding light on why macro-level innovation intent may not translate into expected outcomes at the project level. Our findings underscore the importance of aligning macro-level directives with micro-level actions to drive innovation in construction projects effectively. This research contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics shaping innovation in construction projects, highlighting the critical role of procurement strategies in bridging macro and micro contexts to achieve sustainable development goals.

Challenges and facilitating factors in interorganizational knowledge acquisition: evidence from the Orange Line Metro Train System and Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor

Purpose This paper aims to identify challenges and facilitating factors in interorganizational knowledge acquisition. For this purpose, the interorganizational settings of the Orange Line Metro Train System and Sustainable bus rapid transit (BRT) Corridor in Pakistan are examined. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an exploratory multiple case study approach. The empirical data encompasses semi-structured interviews and archival documents. Within and cross-case analyses are used for analyzing the data. Findings The findings identify challenges such as time pressure, knowledge hiding, finding credible information sources, organizational red tape and facilitating factors such as clear objectives, individual interest and personal commitment, and revisiting the organizational culture and environment in which interorganizational knowledge acquisition takes place. Originality/value By examining knowledge acquisition in interorganizational projects, this study contributes to the literature on knowledge-based theory.

The Knowledge Acquisition Process in Interorganizational Projects: A Multiple-Case Study of Infrastructural Projects in Pakistan

Knowledge acquisition is pivotal for delivering successful interorganizational projects where multiple organizations are involved. The phenomenon, however, has been the subject of very few comprehensive empirical studies. Hence, this article sets out to understand how knowledge is acquired, particularly in the context of interorganizational projects. It explores the knowledge acquisition process at different levels, including the individual, team, organizational, and interorganizational levels. For this purpose, metro train and metro bus projects in Pakistan were examined. A multicase study approach is employed in this article; semistructured interviews and archival documents are included in the empirical data. Within and across case analysis is used for analyzing the data. The findings present the knowledge acquisition process, including types of knowledge (i.e., explicit and tacit knowledge) and multiple levels such as individuals, teams, organizations, and the interorganizational level. By examining knowledge acquisition in interorganizational projects, this article contributes to the literature on knowledge-based theory.

Project Governance and Governance of Interorganizational Project Networks: Toward Understanding Their Relationships and Future Research Agenda

This article considers and reflects upon the mark that Ralf Müller made through his published research on project governance. From project governance to governance of interorganizational project networks, Müller, along with his coauthors, has made significant contributions to project governance literature. In light of these two decades of theoretical development, we compare and synthesize the key elements of project governance and network governance. We provide a model that integrates project governance and network governance and propose several main themes for future research, including investigation of network governors, network governance design, mechanisms and principles, and its impact on improved project performance.

The Mandate of Project Management Offices Beyond Organizational Boundaries—Still A Blind Spot for Organizational Design?

Based on conceptual reasoning, combined with illustrations from the air cargo industry, this article proposes a gradual broadening of the concept of what project management offices (PMOs) are responsible for to provide added value to the collaborating organizations when planning for and executing inter­organizational projects. Thus far, the ability of PMOs to support interorganizational projects and practices has been restricted—this goes for project management practice as well as a lack of concepts and theoretical reasoning from research in the domain of project studies. Against this background, this article distinguishes four types of PMOs and identifies promising organizational design elements pointing to functions and barriers, as well as to the interorganizational bridging practices of PMOs in support of their inter­organizational responsibilities.

A project-as-practice perspective on helping behavior and reciprocity in an inter-organizational project

Much research on project management links clear roles and responsibilities stemming from formal job descriptions to successful project performance and processes. However, research on discretionary behavior suggests that individuals’ voluntary commitments, which are not part of the contractual tasks, such as giving help, also contribute to organizational success. Drawing on ethnographic data and a practice theoretical perspective, we investigate the role and impact of helping on the social life of an inter-organizational project. We show how actors engaging in acts of helping assume roles of receivers and givers of help. We show that the establishment of these roles prompts behavior on behalf of the actors, which may have an adversarial impact on the contractually defined roles and thus pose central challenges for the rational management of projects. We conclude by arguing that the connection between practice and social life applies to all social practices, which means that project managers should pay close attention to the actualities of project practices.

Co-RISK: a tool to co-create impactful university–industry projects for natural hazard risk mitigation

Abstract. Translation of geoscience research into tangible changes, such as modified decisions, processes, or policy, in the wider world is an important yet notably difficult process. Illustratively, university-based scientists and professionals work on different timescales, seek different insights, and may have a substantial cognitive distance between them. The work on Co-RISK reported in this paper is motivated by an ongoing need for mechanisms to aid this translation process. Co-RISK is an accessible (i.e. open access, paper based, zero cost) toolkit for use by stakeholder groups within workshops. Co-RISK has been developed to aid the co-creation of collaborative inter-organisational projects to translate risk-related science into modified actions. It is shaped to avoid adding to a proliferation in increasingly complex frameworks for assessing natural hazard risk and is given a robust basis by incorporating paradox theory from organisation studies, which deal with navigating the genuine tensions between industry and research organisations that stem from their differing roles. Specifically designed to ameliorate the organisational paradox, a Co-RISK workshop draws up “maps” including key stakeholders (e.g. regulator, insurer, university) and their positionality (e.g. barriers, concerns, motivations) and identifies exactly the points where science might modify actions. Ultimately a Co-RISK workshop drafts simple and tailored project-specific frameworks that span from climate to hazard, to risk, to implications of that risk (e.g. solvency). The action research approach used to design Co-RISK, its implementation in a trial session for the insurance sector, and its intellectual contribution are described and evaluated. The initial Co-RISK workshop was well received so it is envisaged to be applicable to other sectors (i.e. transport infrastructure, utilities, government). Joint endeavours enabled by Co-RISK could fulfil the genuine need to quickly convert the latest insights from environmental research into real-world climate change adaptation strategies.

Boundary-spanning in an inter-organisational project: a systematic review of the literature and directions for future research

Boundary-spanning in an inter-organisational project: a systematic review of the literature and directions for future research

Effective Combinations of Control Strategies in Inter-Organizational Projects

Effective Combinations of Control Strategies in Inter-Organizational Projects

Boundary-Spanning in Inter-Organisational Projects: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Directions for Future Research

Boundary-Spanning in Inter-Organisational Projects: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Directions for Future Research

Governance of Inter-organizational Project Networks

Governance of Inter-organizational Project Networks

LLM-jp: Inter-organizational Project for the Development of Japanese Large Language Models

LLM-jp: Inter-organizational Project for the Development of Japanese Large Language Models

Effect of Construction Manager's Political Skills on Relationship between Quality Management Practices and Inter-Organizational Project Success

This study aims to explore the impact of construction managers' political skills on the relationship between quality management practices and the success of inter-organizational construction projects in Pakistan. Objectively, it examines how project managers' political acumen influences the effectiveness of quality management strategies and, consequently, project success. Employing a survey-based methodology, the research encompasses a broad spectrum of professionals involved in various construction projects across Pakistan. Through this analysis, the study identifies key challenges to project success and assesses the correlation between managerial political skills and the effective implementation of quality management practices. The findings reveal a notable positive relationship between these elements, highlighting the critical role of skills such as communication, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution. Additionally, the research underscores the interconnected nature of managerial competencies and identifies key factors impacting project success through advanced statistical techniques like principal component analysis and median absolute deviation. Significantly, this research provides novel insights into the role of human factors in the Pakistani construction industry's project management, proposing actionable strategies for skill enhancement and offering a comprehensive overview of factors influencing project success. These findings not only show the current skills and practices landscape but also lay the groundwork for future research and strategy implementation to boost industry-wide success. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-01-019 Full Text: PDF

Corrigendum to A Multilevel Governance Model for Interorganizational Project Networks

Corrigendum to A Multilevel Governance Model for Interorganizational Project Networks

Large interorganizational projects (LIPs): Toward an integrative perspective and research agenda on interorganizational governance

Large interorganizational projects (<scp>LIPs</scp>): Toward an integrative perspective and research agenda on interorganizational governance

Navigating Temporary Organizations: A Narrative Perspective

Temporary organizations (TOs) can be viewed as a collection of narratives about the past and the future that can potentially shape organizational outcomes. An in-depth, longitudinal study of a time-bound inter-organizational project that served rural India's educational needs shows how multi-authored narratives and practices in temporary organizations influence each other. When the narratives are coherent with respect to the past and the future, the actors engage in mitigative practices, and the project develops. If the narratives diverge, the actors engage in self-serving practices hindering the project. The narrative view affords us a novel lens to understand the dynamics that shape practices and outcomes within temporary organizations. Our findings also have practical implications for TO management—understanding the plurality of narratives and emphasizing the importance of aligning them.

The evolution of research and development cooperation in dynamically interorganizational project networks: Effects of reference‐point‐based expectations

AbstractConsidering the coevolution of interorganizational project and social networks, this study examines the evolution of research and development (R&amp;D) cooperation by simulating the play of an appropriate game model. We assume that decision‐makers are aggressive or prudent in terms of expectations. The results show that the effects of expectation type and heterogeneity on cooperation evolution depend on the project scale. Aggressive decision‐makers are more sensitive to free‐riding behaviors than prudent decision‐makers. The effect of supervision on cooperation is contingent on decision‐makers' expectations. Finally, the study develops suggestions for the governance of interorganizational R&amp;D cooperation.

CLIPS: Enriching interorganizational R&amp;D project management by a project culture focus

Project managers still face management problems in interorganizational Research and Development (R&amp;D) projects due to their limited authority. Addressing a project culture which is conducive to cooperation and innovation in interorganizational R&amp;D project management demands commitment of individual project members and thus balances this limited authority. However, the relational collaboration level at which project culture manifests itself is not addressed by current project management approaches, or it is addressed only at a late stage. Consequently, project culture develops within a predefined framework of project organization and organized contents and thus is not actively targeted. Therefore, a focus shift towards project culture becomes necessary. This can be done by a project-culture-aware management. The method CLIPS actively supports interorganizational project members in this kind of management. It should be integrable in the common project management approaches, that with its application all collaboration levels are addressed in interorganizational R&amp;D project management. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the integrability of the method CLIPS and show how it can be integrated in common project management approaches. This enriches interorganizational R&amp;D project management by a project culture focus.