Project Management Professionals Research Articles

PROPUESTA DE MODELO BASADO EN ELEMENTOS Y PRÁCTICAS DE GESTIÓN DE PROYECTOS DE TRANSFORMACIÓN DIGITAL PARA APOYAR LA AGILIDAD EMPRESARIAL

Objective: The objective of this article is to present a conceptual model that includes the elements and practices of Digital Transformation project management to support Business Agility, as the adoption of project management practices and digital technologies allows organizations to adapt flexibly to the business environment in which they operate. Method/design/approach: To achieve the objective, field research was carried out using interviews and focus groups. Results and conclusions: Based on the results, it was possible to present a conceptual model that represents the elements and practices of managing Digital Transformation projects to support Business Agility in organizations. Research Contributions: In relation to theoretical contributions, the results obtained from the literature review compared with empirical research allowed discussions to advance on the phenomenon of Digital Transformation and Business Agility. Originality/Value: A practical model capable of supporting project management professionals during the life cycle of Digital Transformation projects stands out.

Measuring Culture in Projects: Scale Development and Validation in a Sample of Turkish Professionals

The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable and valid instrument that can be used in organizations to measure project culture and its effects. Since a project culture is formed within the scope of project goals and activities, the organizational culture also affects this culture. For this purpose, a scale has been developed to determine the level of project culture in organizations and to benefit both academia and practitioners. With Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) of the data obtained at the end of the pilot study, a structure consisting of 38 questions in 5 dimensions (1) Project Value and Awareness, (2) Organization and Systems, (3) Process and Method, (4) Stakeholder and Communication, and (5) Strategy Alignment) was created. As a result of the data received from a sample of 311 Turkish project management professionals, the analyzes were completed with SPSS22 package using factor analyses, confidence analysis and Cronbach Alpha analyses. Additionally, AMOS version 19 was used for confirmatory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. At the end of all these studies, a project culture scale consisting of 22 questions in 5 dimensions was created.

Investigating the use of Drone Technology for Effective Project Management

This study investigates the pivotal role of drones in enhancing project management within the construction industry, focusing on their applications and impact. The study addresses the prevalent productivity and efficiency challenges in the construction sector. Key areas of inquiry encompass the utilization of drones for aerial surveys, real-time data collection, and safety enhancement in construction projects. The study aspires to furnish comprehensive insights into the benefits, challenges, and best practices associated with the integration of drone technology. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study combines a thorough ten-year retrospective analysis from 2013 to 2023 with quantitative data collected through surveys distributed to construction companies and professionals involved in project management. Additionally, qualitative data is obtained through interviews with key stakeholders to explore factors influencing the use of drones for effective project management in construction. The findings of this study show drone technology improves site surveying and mapping, enhances progress monitoring and documentation, quality control and defect detection, enables safety monitoring and risk management but it also faces adoption challenges. The conclusion underscores the potential of drones to enhance cost efficiency, time savings, quality, and safety in construction projects. Recommendations advocate for strategic investments in drone technology by construction companies, the establishment of standardized procedures and protocols for its use, provision of comprehensive training programs, development of project management professionals' skills, and collaborative efforts with stakeholders. These recommendations collectively contribute to the optimized incorporation of drones into project management practices within the construction sector.

INVESTIGATING STRATEGIES, METHODOLOGIES, AND TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT: ANALYSIS OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES

This research paper examines the experience of successful professionals in the field of project management with the aim of identifying key strategies, methodologies, and tools that contribute to effective project management. The work emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and professional development for adapting to changing requirements and trends in this field. The study also provides valuable advice and recommendations for aspiring project management professionals seeking success in their careers. Key aspects of the research include analyzing various approaches to project management, applying modern tools to enhance project efficiency, and examining the core competencies and skills required for a successful project manager.

Success and Risks Related to Housing Projects in Pakistan: A Moderating Role of Project Management Risk Management

This study investigates the critical success factors (CSFs) and their interplay with project risks in determining the success of housing projects in Karachi, Pakistan, while considering the moderating role of risk management. Analyzing data from 432 project management professionals within Karachi-based housing societies, the study establishes significant relationships between CSFs and various project success dimensions, including time, cost, quality, project profile objectives, impact, stakeholder satisfaction, and preparation for the future. Additionally, the research reveals that project risks exert substantial influence on these success dimensions. Risk management is a strong moderator, increasing risk variable’s influence on project results. The findings provide insightful information for decision-makers, recommending the creation of sector-specific rules that place a strong emphasis on the highest standards in risk management and project execution. The construction industry benefits from this since it encourages long-term development and leads to better results for projects.

Competence of project management professionals according to type of project: a systematic literature review

Globalization and economic volatility changed the dynamics of production chains, which required new organizational arrangements from companies, leading them to projectization. Additionally, project professionals are managing increasingly complex projects, which demand an extensive and specific set of competences. In this context, this paper aims to identify the competences of project professionals by project type. A systematic literature review was carried out using the Scopus and Web of Sciences academic databases. The research corpus consisted of 209 articles published between 1989 and 2022. As a result, this research identified 173 competences distributed in 14 different project types; some competences have a greater significance for a given project type. As a contribution, when dealing specifically with projects and competences, project professionals, companies, and educational institutions can learn about the fundamental competences by type of project, improve the processes of selection and diagnosis of the professional, adapt educational programs, or even establish plans for project professionals career.

Big textual data research for operations management: topic modelling with grounded theory

PurposeThere is a growing need for methodological plurality in advancing operations management (OM), especially with the emergence of machine learning (ML) techniques for analysing extensive textual data. To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper introduces a new methodology that combines ML techniques with traditional qualitative approaches, aiming to reconstruct knowledge from existing publications.Design/methodology/approachIn this pragmatist-rooted abductive method where human-machine interactions analyse big data, the authors employ topic modelling (TM), an ML technique, to enable constructivist grounded theory (CGT). A four-step coding process (Raw coding, expert coding, focused coding and theory building) is deployed to strive for procedural and interpretive rigour. To demonstrate the approach, the authors collected data from an open-source professional project management (PM) website and illustrated their research design and data analysis leading to theory development.FindingsThe results show that TM significantly improves the ability of researchers to systematically investigate and interpret codes generated from large textual data, thus contributing to theory building.Originality/valueThis paper presents a novel approach that integrates an ML-based technique with human hermeneutic methods for empirical studies in OM. Using grounded theory, this method reconstructs latent knowledge from massive textual data and uncovers management phenomena hidden from published data, offering a new way for academics to develop potential theories for business and management studies.

Contemporary Issues in Project Management: The Burj Khalifa Project

This research delves into the pivotal analysis of diverse, globally dispersed project teams operating remotely, presenting a comprehensive examination of the evolving landscape of project management. In the contemporary era of remote work, project managers and team members face unprecedented challenges necessitating a reassessment of skill sets. The paradigm shift towards remote collaboration underscores the significance of understanding cultural nuances, communication technologies, and virtual team dynamics. Drawing on research by Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin (2019), the paper highlights the critical role of navigating cultural diversity and fostering effective virtual communication for project success in globally dispersed teams. Furthermore, the study explores the evolving requirements for project managers and team members, emphasizing skills beyond traditional project management. Referencing the work of Hidalgo (2019), the paper accentuates the importance of adaptability, digital literacy, and proficiency in collaborative technologies. As remote work becomes standard practice, project professionals must cultivate skills in virtual leadership, conflict resolution in virtual settings, and leveraging technology for seamless collaboration. This academic exploration underscores the imperative for project management professionals to continually develop a diverse skill set aligned with the demands of contemporary, globally dispersed project teams operating in remote environments.

Accessing the factors that affect the implementation of successful project management for TETFUND-sponsored projects in the South East, Nigeria (2011–2021)

As important as the knowledge acquired via the teaching and learning process in tertiary institutions is the infrastructure in tertiary education. This is the case since infrastructure is one of the facilities that primarily supports the teaching and learning process. In Nigeria, tertiary education has faced and continues to face a number of difficulties throughout the years, one of which is the deterioration of the infrastructure necessary for professional and National University Commission (NUC) accreditation. The improper implementation of project management and the absence of integration of the services of the professional project manager in various TETFund Intervention Projects are two of the biggest difficulties experienced in the implementation of TETFund-Sponsored Projects. The upshot of this is that TETFund-Sponsored Projects have been delivered unsuccessfully. For this study project, the quantitative research method was used. For this study, official documentation of Annual Intervention Projects in 10 public recipient universities in South-East Nigeria was obtained. This study indicates that all the parameters indicated are drivers of successful project management with mean ratings over 2.5 based on the results it has received and assessed. The overall rating was 2.9, which is also higher than the benchmark norm. We reject the null hypothesis and come to the conclusion that there is no significant relationship between the variables of completed within time, not completed within time, completed but delayed, and not completed yet behind schedule. Hypothesis testing revealed that the value of the t-statistics (0.049) was below 0.05. Keywords: Determinants, Implementation, Infrastructure, Project, Management.

Project performance and the effects of human activity: a case study of the University of Salford

Conflict is common in the project management industry. Project performance may be impacted negatively or favourably by human activities such as competing interests among stakeholders, project team members, and project managers, as well as by the intimidating methodology and structure of the project management process. This case study at the University of Salford looked into how human activity affects project management and performance. The mixed methodology used in this study allowed for a deeper understanding of the real-world experiences of the subjects and project teams. Project management students and professionals from the University of Salford provided the data, which was collected. The survey generated a sample size of 40 responses, of which 37 were reliable enough for analysis. At the University of Salford, it was discovered that relationships among team members were a crucial human activity that promoted cooperation, trust, and the extension of trust to others, thereby reducing conflict and ties of trust between stakeholders and project managers. However, positive team dynamics and strong group cohesion are required to actively and purposefully encourage conflict in order to achieve the project's aim, goals, and deliverables. Conflict in project performance and project management productivity, for example, may be reversed. Therefore, to achieve high performance and productivity, the project management process needs strong communication, positive team dynamics, and an understanding of scope. Conflict can have a negative effect on the process, lowering productivity and performance. Project managers should develop their communication skills to avoid this because it is a soft skill that can be learned and enhanced. This guarantees proper coordination, awareness of all stakeholders, and a decrease in conflict.

Multi-sector fair project management

Fairs, like projects, can be understood as a temporary endeavor that will provide a unique product, within a pre-defined budget. This article aims to analyze how the project management of multisectoral fairs in the Alto Uruguai Gaúcho region is carried out. For this, it is necessary to identify how the projects are elaborated, what are the elaboration and management methodologies, who are the stakeholders and how the projects are managed throughout their life cycle. The methodology has an exploratory and qualitative approach. Data collection took place through interviews with the organizers of the fairs in 9 municipalities and the analysis was performed with the categorization based on the research objectives and lexical analysis with Iramuteq. With the accomplishment of this study it was verified that the analyzed events do not elaborate projects to assist in the management of the fairs, consequently, the management occurs empirically, varying according to the profile of the organizing committee and without prior planning. The results can help fair organizers, municipal managers and even professional project managers to get to know the reality of fairs and make it possible to improve management with the use of recognized tools.

Engagement in Hybrid Project Teams - A Comparative Case Study of Project Managers' Experiences in Denmark and the US

This study is intended to create new practitioner-focused knowledge on hybrid work in project teams to be consumed and applied by project management professionals and others who manage or work in virtual/hybrid teams. The study focused on the low levels of engagement among employees worldwide, particularly in Denmark and the U.S. The purpose of the qualitative comparative case study was to explore how project managers in Denmark and the U.S. perceive the impact of hybrid work on team member engagement and to understand the strategies used to enhance and sustain team member engagement in hybrid project teams. This research was framed according to Matthews et al.’s model of employee engagement in project-based organizations. Data were collected by interviewing 15 Danish project managers and nine U.S. project managers who participated in three focus groups. Thematic analysis and NVivo were used to code and analyze the data. The findings revealed that while Danish project managers were less enthusiastic about hybrid work than their American counterparts, their strategies for enhancing hybrid team member engagement were similar. This comparative case study produced a series of insights into project managers’ experiences with hybrid work and effective practices and strategies that help foster engagement in hybrid teams. More research is needed on why engagement levels are very low in different cultural contexts to clarify contributing factors and propose solutions.

Impacts of online-community-based collaborative learning on project scope appropriateness and stakeholder management

ABSTRACT Most corporate projects suffer from the problem of scope creep, despite of the methodologies available to cope with this issue. Organisations have utilised computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) approaches to enhance employees’ project management (PM) training. Most prior studies on CSCL and PM focus on the application of CSCL for PM training in the contexts of educational institutions. It is thus uncertain that their findings are applicable to the real-world PM situations. Additionally, those studies did not specifically investigate the effects of key PM-related CSCL features on PM learning. Therefore, this study identifies and empirically investigate the effects of the key CSCL features, namely goal orientation, individual accountability, and structured interaction, on the level of scope completeness and the effectiveness of stakeholder management (SHM) in a context in which an online case-based collaborative learning system was implemented for PM learning purposes. Data collected from 264 PM professionals were analyzed using the method of partial least squares to examine the proposed research model. The results show that all the three key CSCL features have a significant direct/indirect influence on the level of scope completeness and the SHM effectiveness. Implications for theory and practice, research limitations, and future research directions are discussed correspondingly.

Organizational Culture and Effective Communication as Moderators in the Relationship between Sustainable Project Management and Project Success.


 This paper examines two key mechanisms of Effective Communication (EC) and Organizational culture (OC) in moderating the relationship between Sustainable Project Management (SPM)and Project Success (PS). Quantitative technique of data collection by questionnaire was applied and 246 responses were received from project management professionals working on various projects in Pakistan. The results depicted interdependence of PS on SPM. However, the moderating impact of OC and EC on the relationship between PS and SPM is insignificant. Seemingly this paper contributes to literature on SPM in context of Pakistani projects. Sustainability is considered a key success factor for project acceptance, growing technological advancements, competitive markets, immutable competitions, as well as trade and market restrictions, laws & policies, and cultural differences, organizations around the world are striving to embrace Sustainable Project Management (SPM) to not only achieve the objectives of the organization or project but to remain in the market to deliver more than their competitors. This could only be achieved if the project management process produces sustainable results. Mechanisms of organizational culture and effective communications are of notable importance while studying the relationship of sustainable project management and project success.

Data-mining-based identification of post-handover defect association rules in apartment housings

Abstract With the increasing expectations of clients and the growing complexity of the built environment, property management teams are facing constant pressure to effectively manage and rectify defects for improved building operational efficiency and performance. This study aims to develop and validate a defect correlation evaluation model for project and property management professionals by specifically (i) examining the defect detection and management mechanisms of residential buildings and (ii) quantifying the mechanical characteristics of defects by using association rules mining (ARM) techniques. In addressing the limitations of current evaluation approaches, this study proposed an ARM evaluation model that integrated, contextualized, and operationalized building defects into work type, location, elements, and defect type. The association between these classifications was explored and mapped. Among the resulting 123 meaningful rules, rules occurred at a rate of about 62% of the same work type in the linked work type, nearly 193% of the same element in another element, and about 23% of the close location in the far location. In conclusion, this study informs project and property management professionals of the key and complex associations between defects of different characteristics and highlights the most common occurrence defects in residential apartment buildings. Thus, this helps reduce the ambiguity and subjectivity of prioritization in defect management and facilitates maintenance and repair planning.

Prospects, drivers of and barriers to artificial intelligence adoption in project management

PurposeThe rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and differing attitudes towards its adoption in the building and environment (B&E) industry has an impact upon whether companies can meet changing demand and remain relevant and competitive. The emergence of Industry 4.0 technologies, coupled with the repercussions of COVID-19, increases the urgency and opportunities offered that companies must react to, as disruptive technologies impact how project management (PM) professionals work and necessitate acquisition of new skills. This paper attempts to identify the drivers of and barriers to, as well as the general perception and receptiveness of local PM professionals towards, AI adoption in PM and thereby propose potential strategies and recommendations to drive AI adoption in PM.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine the findings gathered. A survey questionnaire was used as the primary method of gathering quantitative data from 60 local PM professionals. Statistical tests were performed to analyse the data. To substantiate and validate the findings, in-depth interviews with several experienced industry professionals were performed.FindingsIt is found that top drivers include support from top management and leadership, organisational readiness and the need for greater work productivity and efficiency. Top barriers were found to be the high cost of AI implementation and maintenance and the lack of top-down support and skilled employees trained in AI. These findings could be attributed to the present state of AI technologies being new and considerably underutilised in the industry. Hence, substantial top-down support with the right availability of resources and readiness, both in terms of cost and skilled employees, is paramount to kick-start AI implementation in PM.Originality/valueLittle research has been done on the use of AI in PM locally. AI's potential to improve the productivity and efficiency of PM processes in the B&E industry cannot be overlooked. An understanding of the drivers of, barriers to and attitudes towards AI adoption can facilitate more intentional and directed oversight of AI's strategic roll-out at both the governmental and corporate levels and thus mitigate potential challenges that may hinder the implementation process in the future.

Sustainability in Project Management and Project Success with Virtual Teams: A Quantitative Analysis Considering Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Management

Project success is crucial for businesses, but the impact of virtual teams on it is still not fully understood. The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has led to the widespread adoption of virtual environment solutions to support geographically dispersed project teams. The growth in the use of virtual or hybrid teams in projects is expected to continue, as it presents an irreversible trend. Furthermore, there has been a significant increase in interest in sustainability in project management in recent years, emphasizing the long-term perspective for project success. To address this gap and contribute to the project success theory, a quantitative study was conducted to examine the impact of stakeholder engagement, knowledge management, and sustainable practices in project management on project success in virtual work environments using structural equation modeling. Experienced Portuguese-speaking project management professionals were surveyed. No evidence was found to support the moderating role of virtual teams, concluding that the virtual nature of a team does not diminish stakeholder engagement, knowledge-sharing, or sustainability in project management and its influence on project success. This study provides valuable insights for enhancing project success in virtual work environments, as it is the first of its kind to quantitatively address the sustainable long-term approach of project success in virtual environments.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SELF-AWARENESS IN PROJECT MANAGER EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

PT Digital Desa Indonesia has a vision to maximize the potential of Indonesian villages through digital products, so it's critical for the businesses to manufacture high-quality goods and support the development of villages. Therefore, the fundamental indicator of a project's success in product development is a professional project manager. Through the incorporation of self-awareness into the project work processes, this service seeks to increase the emotional intelligence of project managers. Application of this program refers to the three phases of the project workflow, namely planning, implementation, and monitoring, and the job description for the position of Project Manager. Project managers have high emotional intelligence as a competency in human resource firm development as a result of applying self-awareness at program. Data were gathered through unstructured interviews and observations. Emotional intelligence is a requirement for project manager jobs to perform their duties and obligations. Self-awareness in particular needs to be grasped as a fundamental component.

Key Practices for Incorporating Sustainability in Project Management from the Perspective of Brazilian Professionals

Project management has incorporated sustainability concepts, but their relationship is still widely discussed. In this article, we research key practices for incorporating sustainability in project management from the perspective of 919 Brazilian professionals with experience in the field. We used factor analysis to explore the relationship between 37 sustainability practices. The results showed that these sustainability practices can be grouped into five key practices: environmental efficiency, compliance, social responsibility, continuous improvement and lessons learned, and project success. We also used word clouds to highlight the main themes in the practices encompassed by each key practice. The results contribute to project leaders and other project management professionals directing their efforts toward improving sustainability actions related to these practices in project management processes.

Project Management Office Manager's Competencies in Telecommunication Industries: A Case Study in Indonesia

In the telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) sectors, Project Management Office (PMO) practices in Indonesia are seldom applied even though PMO has an essential role for companies as a productivity tool and to overcome existing changes in the business world. This study aimed to validate five PMO framework competencies and whether telecommunication sectors have applied these competencies. This study uses in-depth interviews and structured questionnaires to obtain robust validation data from expert PMO Managers. The data was obtained by interviewing five PMO expert respondents from PMOPI (Project Management Professional Indonesia). The raw data were analyzed using NVivo 12 by four certified expert coders. This study found that almost all PMO competencies were applied in the telecommunications industry, with significant results. This result was validated with an inter-rater percentage of 95.31%, indicating that the analyzed data had high accuracy. The business mainframe was the most utilized competency among the PMOs in the telecommunications industry, with 29.13% of findings. The occurrence percentages of each dimension with technical and professional specialists are as follows: 14.17%, effective intersocial competence is 12.60%, organizational stewardship is 9.45%, the business mainframe is 29.13%, and effective personal competence is 3.15%. This study provides the knowledge and skills required for successful performance to be demonstrated as a competent PMO manager.