Project Management Issues Research Articles

Authentic Leadership: An Emerging Issue in Project Management

Leadership has been a feature of general organizations but in project management much space is empty. New styles of leadership are being introduced and project leadership also can’t escape. With the advancement in project management project leadership requires new effective behaviors in organizations if it is to remain relevant. Interestingly, still project leadership has no separate wing of theory under the subject of project management but striving to strengthen the concept as distinct branch of knowledge. The reason behind that is project management and project managers have long been considered as a part of technical field rather being a part of social sciences. Different leadership styles have been discussed with some empirical support and there is need to adopt the new styles like authentic leadership in project management. Although authentic leadership is at its initial stages but produced positive results in studies discussed so far. In this study importance of authentic leadership has been discussed theoretically as compared to other contemporary theories.

Researching international student migration in Asia: research design and project management issues

In the context of Asia, the changing dynamics of higher education has increased the visibility and significance of the group of intraregional education migrants. There are several methodological issues which need to be addressed in conducting research for this group of migrants. First, how does the particular type of migrant group and Asian context influence the research design? Second, in order to capture the scale and diversity of this migrant group, how should research be conducted across multiple sites? Third, how does a mixed method design allow researchers to learn more about the behaviour, practice and orientations of education migrants? Our paper aims to make contributions to the discussions on the methods of education migration research in Asia through answering these questions. We use research experiences and preliminary data from a multinational project to illustrate the issues involved in the selection of methods, research design and project management.

Integrating AHP Application for Project Management

Project management considers theme as the most vibrant and dynamic multi-disciplinary. Project management includes situations of decision making that are complex, thus the discerning methods to make a sound decisions are required. AHP has been used as a managerial decision tool in many industries. For most cases in project management, AHP has been used as a standalone methodology. In an attempt to extend the use of integrated AHP applications to areas that regarding to project management issues, this paper aims to introduce the integrated AHP application for dealing with project management issues. Combined AHP with some meta-heuristics approaches will be suitable to solve the problem related of the project management.

Managing organizational challenges in global projects

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to complement the research that has been done in global projects so far and has two objectives: to study organizational challenges in global projects, compared with those of traditional projects; and to define and analyze the main organizational challenges the project team members and project managers meet when assigned to global projects.Design/methodology/approach– The research is based on a survey sent to 550 project managers and people working in a global environment, data from 246 respondents, and 30 interviews with senior project team members.Findings– The results show that the main organizational challenges are managing the external stakeholders in the global project; the local government in the country, local content demand, local authorities, local industry, and lack of support from the base organization and management. One of the conclusions is that companies need a relationship management approach to managing these challenges in global projects.Originality/value– Organizational challenges are an underestimated area in projects and when it comes to an in-depth understanding of organizational challenges in global projects only a very few studies have been published compared with other project management issues. This article contributes to existing research by presenting the organizational challenges in global projects and how they differ from traditional projects.

In the NEWS: A ROUNDUP OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY

In <i>the</i> NEWS: A ROUNDUP OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Under-utilisation of organic wastes during brownfield regeneration to community woodland: Tackling the barriers

The regeneration of brownfield land to greenspace is a governmental policy objective of many European countries. Healthy vegetation establishment and growth is an essential component of successful greenspace establishment, and research has shown that a planting medium of an appropriate standard for supporting vegetation can be created through amendment of soil-forming materials with organic wastes. However, failed regeneration projects suggest that barriers may exist that prevent the use of suitable quality soil materials. The aim of this research was to identify barriers to the use of organic wastes for improving soil materials for brownfield regeneration to community woodland. We conducted interviews with a range of professionals experienced in regeneration to greenspace, and used content analysis on interview transcripts. A diverse set of barriers was revealed, including a low technical awareness among some professional groups of how to improve soil quality, coupled with a low awareness of the published technical guidance. Other barriers include regulatory and project management issues, which influence the timings and economics of raising brownfield soil quality. We highlight areas in which future efforts may be focused to improve the quality of planting media used in land regeneration. Such effort will improve the sustainability of greenspaces created and complement effective management of organic waste streams.

The study about determining the reliability of operations management, risk warning and opportunity of repair risk

In this paper, how to transform operations management and supply chain management, industrial engineering problems, project management, and other issues into a complex system reliability problem has been provided. It become possible that reliability of users demand is determined first and opportunity of choosing the repair the risk. This paper can provide a theoretical basis for research on related issues, which has a certain value.

Prediction of Construction Schedule Based on BP Neural Network

Schedule control is the major issue in project management, and to predict the construction schedule effectively is important practically. The article mainly predicts the schedule of a project based on BP neural network. The result shows that the predicted value is more accurate than the value calculated by linear method.

Nuclear energy policy in the United States 1990–2010: A federal or state responsibility?

This paper examines from a policy perspective nuclear energy policy in the United States (US) from 1990 to 2010 and questions whether it is or has become a Federal or State responsibility. The present study, as befits policy research, engages with many disciplines (for example, in particular, law and politics) and hence the contributions move beyond that of nuclear energy policy literature and in particular to that on nuclear new build and other assessments of large infrastructure projects. Several examples at the Federal level are identified that demonstrate that the nuclear industry has evolved to a stage where it requires a focus on the power of actions at a more localised (state) level in order to re-ignite the industry. The research concludes that there remains a misunderstanding of the issue of project management for complex construction projects, and it is highly arguable whether many of its issues have been resolved. Further, the research asserts that the economics of nuclear energy are not the most influential reason for no nuclear new build in the US.

The Influence of Sponsors’ Management Philosophy on Project Management in Tanzania: An Analysis of Critical Issues in Internationally Funded Projects

Projects may exist in many forms, depending on the purpose and organisational context. Irrespective of the type and nature, however, the effective management of any project requires a high degree of commitment by the project members to the accomplishment of project objectives. The high degree of reliance on external international funding makes project management in non-profit organisations of developing societies a challenging task. The marriage of two entirely different sets of values and philosophical orientations creates an invisible tensile force, impacting the different stages of the project life cycle. The present paper, which is exploratory in nature, broadly aims to study the impact of sponsors’ values on the different project-management activities, including both the planning and the implementation stages of the project. The research involves conceptualisation of the different significant issues in effective project management. The analysis of the identified issues is first made on the basis of the experience of the selected stakeholders in Tanzanian non-profit organisations. The analysis is further linked to the selected context-specific contemporary philosophical thoughts affecting the socio-cultural values in the region. The analysis shows that the variation in the values of project owners and stakeholders is one of the major challenges in the effective implementation of a project in the given context. The study is novel in its approach and raises some fundamental issues arising due to the different philosophical orientations and value-sets of the different partner-project organisations. It is expected that the study will stimulate further academic debate on the broader theme of ‘values, philosophy and project management’. The study is also likely to contribute to knowledge development in the subject area of management in general and practical management philosophy in particular.

Modernising pathology services: modelling effective IT project collaboration

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to adapt a causal modelling approach to investigate the organisational collaboration and information technology (IT) project management issues concerning the planning and adoption of inter‐organisational IT systems across NHS hospital pathology departments.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers adopted an interpretive research approach utilising qualitative methods and in particular template analysis. Themes and categories were initially derived from a review of the literature based on critical success factors from enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects.FindingsA causal loop modelling approach was adapted to define key linkages between success factors. This highlighted virtuous and vicious cycles associated with IT project management and team collaboration – influencing the adoption process of large‐scale integrated IT systems.Research limitations/implicationsSingle case studies can be problematic in terms of generalising from the research. The study had a limited number of interview participants due to the focus on strategic management. Future studies could extend the number of stakeholders involved and also focus on end‐users of services, such as clinicians in primary care.Practical implicationsThe discussion and conclusions assess the appropriateness and utility of using a causal modelling approach, and an adapted causal loop model, to inform more effective approaches to IT planning, project management, team collaboration and adoption of integrated systems.Social implicationsThe findings indicate that a more enhanced understanding of project team collaboration involving technical, administrative and clinical stakeholders has the potential to inform more effective strategies for modernisation of hospital clinical services such as pathology.Originality/valueThis study investigates the anatomy of a high‐profile IT project under the umbrella of strategic modernisation of health services. Privileged access to key stakeholders has enabled the development of a causal model for IT project collaboration and management. This will form the basis for further development of more refined models to enhance project outcomes in the future.

SWOT of Central Public Works Department India: a case study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper to report an analysis of project management issues in Central Public Works Department (CPWD), India.Design/methodology/approachThis research draws on the insights gained through case study development and analysis and interaction with executives of CPWD.FindingsThe paper reports on a case study on project management complexities in a typical government body, CPWD, India. The findings indicate that basic project management principles/skills is lacking in projects performed by government departments in India.Research limitations/implicationsDelivering of all construction and maintenance project on time, within budget and in accordance to the desired quality had been identified as one of the major challenges in present scenario especially when it comes to any government project. The insights reported in the paper are based on a detailed analysis of one case and hence outcomes are contextual.Originality/valueThis research addresses real life complexities in infrastructure project and outlines various risks in such projects.

A performance-based approach to project assignment and performance evaluation

Project assignment and performance evaluation have been addressed as two important and separate research issues in project management. This paper develops a new performance-based approach for integrating the project assignment and the performance evaluation processes in a project-based organization. An objective-oriented preference-based assignment process is developed to assign a project to a project manager. An optimal project assignment model is developed to maximize the total weighted contribution value of all new projects to the organizational objectives. An efficiency-based evaluation process is developed using data envelopment analysis to measure the relative performance efficiency of the completed projects and of the project managers. The approach provides a proactive mechanism for facilitating objective-focused management of projects. The outcomes of an empirical study conducted provide managerial insights in assigning projects to project managers and in evaluating the performance efficiency of both projects and project managers.

Lacunas e Tendências na Literatura de Sustentabilidade no Gerenciamento de Projetos: Uma Revisão Sistemática Mesclando Bibliometria e Análise de Conteúdo

Este estudo tem como objetivo explorar como o tema sustentabilidade se desdobra no âmbito da gestão de projetos. Como metodologia de pesquisa foram utilizadas técnicas de revisão sistemática de literatura e análise de conteúdo para identificação e interpretação das principais publicações acerca do tema na literatura científica dos últimos vinte anos. A amostra obtida à partir da base ISI Web of Knowledge, totalizou apenas 23 artigos oriundos de setores, países e áreas de conhecimento variados, com predominância de publicações ligadas à construção civil, com maior avanço em projetos de “construções verdes” certificadas. Os resultados revelam que o conceito de sustentabilidade ainda vem carregado das perspectivas econômica e ambiental, dado que o termo é aplicado na perspectiva do Triple-Bottom Line em menos da metade da amostra e, além disso, a análise do conceito de sustentabilidade evidenciou que a dimensão social ainda apresenta lacunas em face às demais dimensões. Outra contribuição deste estudo foi a aplicação experimental do modelo generalista de 3 eixos de sustentabilidade em gestão de projeto por meio da análise de conteúdos qualitativa: esse modelo se mostrou potencialmente capaz de avaliar ou direcionar projetos de qualquer setor com duas dimensões complementares (sistema e tecnologias associados aos processos gerenciais e ao seu produto, e pessoas/governança). Tal modelo constitui uma abordagem promissora a ser aprofundada em pesquisas futuras sobre essa questão relevante da busca de gestão sustentável dos projetos.DOI:10.5585/gep.v4i1.123

Quality control and due diligence in project management: Getting decisions right by taking the outside view

This paper explores how theories of the planning fallacy and the outside view may be used to conduct quality control and due diligence in project management. First, a much-neglected issue in project management is identified, namely that the front-end estimates of costs and benefits – used in the business cases, cost–benefit analyses, and social and environmental impact assessments that typically support decisions on projects – are commonly significantly different from actual ex post costs and benefits, and are therefore poor predictors of the actual value and viability of projects. Second, it is discussed how Kahneman and Tversky's theories of the planning fallacy and the outside view may help explain and remedy this situation through quality control of decisions. Third, it is described what quality control and due diligence are in the context of project management, and an eight-step procedure is outlined for due diligence based on the outside view. Fourth, the procedure is tested on a real-life, multibillion-dollar project, organized as a public–private partnership. Finally, Akerlof and Shiller's recent discussion in economics of “firing the forecaster” is discussed together with its relevance to project management. In sum, the paper demonstrates the need, the theoretical basis, a practical methodology, and a real-life example for how to de-bias project management using quality control and due diligence based on the outside view.

Research-Informed Curriculum Design for a Master’s-Level Program in Project Management

This article reports on the application of Research-Informed Curriculum Design (RICD) for the development and implementation of an MSc Program in Project Management. The research focused on contemporary issues in project management and provided an analysis of project management approaches, tools, and techniques currently used in organizations. Research methods included a literature review, questionnaire survey, focus group studies, and in-depth interviews with project managers. The research findings led to better understanding of current practice from project managers’ perspectives and informed the curriculum design of the program. Feedback was obtained from external examiners, project managers, alumni, and current students. Evaluation indicates that the RICD approach has produced a successful program and ensured it is relevant to industry and vocationally attractive to students.

Gender issues in project management: A subtlety

There are 2 bottlenecks in the drive of literacy towards women empowerment. Classifying women in India into 2 economic categories, the lower socio-economic category is still struggling to establish a higher literacy rate amongst the girl child. In the upper strata, where education equality has been established, the concern is equality in the corporate world. The present paper is an attempt to analyze the impact of growing project management responsibilities on women. Have women in software project management shifted from this technical and marketing fronts to other soft skill departments to combat issues of domestic and corporate imbalance or have they stepped off from the corporate ladder! The paper tries to derive a pattern of both similarity and difference in the managerial competence of male and female managers in the technological domain and analyze the steps to arrive at the androgynous manager model.

Use of failure case studies in a construction management course

Reasons for including failure case studies within the undergraduate engineering curriculum have been made by various authors, which has led to the inclusion of structural failure cases into some analysis and design courses. However, there is also a need for Civil Engineers to understand project management issues. This paper deals with the integration of failure case studies into a construction management course. In addition to catastrophic failure case studies, such as the Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse (Kansas City, Missouri) and the L’Ambiance Plaza Collapse (Bridgeport, Connecticut), the course makes extensive use of the Montreal Olympic Facility design and construction to demonstrate how deficiencies in the design and construction process can lead to extreme constructability problems and exorbitant cost overruns. The author also shows how the inclusion of the case studies addresses some of the more difficult areas to address in the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) evaluation criteria.

Communications management for upgrading public housing projects in Singapore

PurposeIt is recognised that upgrading programmes are imperative components of public housing in Singapore. In order to keep pace with the ever‐continuing rise in affluence and hence expectations of the residents, these upgrading programmes need to be carried out with a complete understanding of residents’ needs and perceptions, which may change over time. Good communications between the residents and those managing upgrading projects is therefore important to ensure that what is provided is what the residents need and want. The purpose of this paper is to understand the project management issues involved in upgrading programmes in public housing in Singapore, with particular focus on communications management.Design/methodology/approachThe study included a questionnaire survey of 30 residents of a public housing estate undergoing upgrading works in Singapore. The fieldwork evaluates how these residents perceived the importance of and their satisfaction with various communications issues identified from the literature review.FindingsIt was observed that much effort was invested to foster good relationships with the residents, and also to ensure that they are kept informed about the progress of the upgrading works. However, the survey findings revealed that the satisfaction levels of the residents generally still fall short of their expectations, which suggests that communications management of upgrading projects in public housing estates remains an area that needs to be improved and enhanced in the near future.Practical implicationsUpgrading programmes for Singapore's public housing estates was started in 1989 by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to bridge the gap between the standards of the older estates and that of the newer towns. Today, some two decades later, the upgrading programmes are still in place, but now with increased focus on flexibility and resident consultation. The engagement of residents in decision‐making of matters affecting their immediate neighbourhood can be found in many of the upgrading programmes.Originality/valueThe paper assesses the management of communications during different stages of a typical upgrading project in the HDB estates, and also the various communications channels employed by the relevant authorities to disseminate information to the residents. It is important to note that communication is not simply concerned with the sending of messages, but also with whether the intended recipients receive them as intended.

Escalation in Global Outsourcing Projects: The XperTrans–C&amp;C BPO Case

This case concerns a one billion (US) dollar 10-year global outsourcing project signed in 2007 to outsource major parts of the human resource (HR) function of a major multinational company. The client and supplier embarked on a large-scale implementation plan and ran into difficulties on meeting deadlines and delivering the systems required. The case focuses on the step-by-step phased roll-out in the client's Europe, Middle East and Africa region covering 44 countries. The case follows the many attempts to stabilise and deliver the project. In June 2010, the supplier sold its HR line of business to another supplier, which became responsible for the project. The case documents the strategy, governance, project management and escalation issues to March 2011, and asks questions about the practices exhibited so far, and future decisions on strategic sourcing, project management, de-escalating the problems and the retained capabilities needed by the client.