Success Factors For Projects Research Articles

A hybrid approach for identifying and prioritizing critical success factors in technology transfer projects (case study: diesel locomotive manufacturing)

PurposeWith the rapid advancement of technology, companies use new technologies to produce their products and services to maintain a competitive advantage. As companies alone cannot research and develop their technologies, they should use knowledge sources outside the organization that may exist throughout the world; hence, organizations need technology transfer. Because the success rate of technology transfer projects is low, the need to accurately assess and investigate the critical success factors of technology transfer projects is felt. In this regard, this study aims to identify and prioritize the critical success factors in technology transfer projects.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, 56 critical success factor (CSF) were extracted from the context of the articles and were adjusted using experts’ opinions in different phases, as well as the fuzzy-Delphi approach. Finally, 15 factors were categorized in the form of steps of the technology transfer model: STAGE-GATE. In the next step, the set of criteria needed to prioritize CFSs was extracted from the literature and finalized with the help of the experts. Then, how each of the CSF influences the identified criteria was scored according to the organization’s export opinions. Finally, the priority of each key success factor was calculated using the additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method.FindingsThe results obtained for prioritization of the critical success factors show that experience in technology transfer in the transferee company, the existence of experienced technology transfer managers, sufficient organizational infrastructure and documenting project problems, achievements and experiences are four critical success factors of the technology transfer projects. Considering the long-term and short-term specific goals of the technology transfer process and the choice of technology in line with the company’s commercial strategy are also the critical success factors with the next priorities.Originality/valueThe combination of ARAS and step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis methods for identifying and prioritizing managerial decisions in the high-tech industries is a value of this research. Also, a combination of novel multi-attribute decision-making methods by the older framework of new product development is another contribution of this research.

Fuzzy-multi-mode Resource-constrained Discrete Time-cost-resource Optimization in Project Scheduling Using ENSCBO

Construction companies are required to employ effective methods of project planning and scheduling in today's competitive environment. Time and cost are critical factors in project success, and they can vary based on the type and amount of resources used for activities, such as labor, tools, and materials. In addition, resource leveling strategies that are used to limit fluctuations in a project's resource consumption also affect project time and cost. The multi-mode resource-constrained discrete-time–cost-resource optimization (MRC-DTCRO) is an optimization tool that is developed for scheduling of a set of activities involving multiple execution modes with the aim of minimizing time, cost, and resource moment. Moreover, uncertainty in cost should be accounted for in project planning because activities are exposed to risks that can cause delays and budget overruns. This paper presents a fuzzy-multi-mode resource-constrained discrete-time–cost-resource optimization (F-MRC-DTCRO) model for the time-cost-resource moment tradeoff in a fuzzy environment while satisfying all the project constraints. In the proposed model, fuzzy numbers are used to characterize the uncertainty of direct cost of activities. Using this model, different risk acceptance levels of the decision maker can be addressed in the optimization process. A newly developed multi-objective optimization algorithm called ENSCBO is used to search non-dominated solutions to the fuzzy multi-objective model. Finally, the developed model is applied to solve a benchmark test problem. The results indicate that incorporating the fuzzy structure of uncertainty in costs to previously developed MRC-DTCRO models facilitates the decision-making process and provides more realistic solutions.

Agility Factors’ Analyses Framework in Project-Oriented Organizations through a Sustainability Approach in Large Projects Case Study: Isfahan Municipality

In recent years, the project management concept is coupled with sustainable development. In terms of profitability and adapting to environmental changes, generating value for the customer and responding to market needs is a challenging issue. To gain profit and success, a project should adhere to agility factors. With respect to the importance of project execution success, corresponding to the sustainability dimensions and by developing agility parameters, this study provides a framework for clustering and analyzing “large projects” based on agility factors in project-oriented organizations through a sustainability approach and by applying Quality Function Deployment. To this end, critical factors of project success and then agility factors of the project-oriented organizations have been identified. Thereafter, the importance of these two major components has been measured by executive managers in Isfahan Municipality and academic experts. Afterward, the agility factors’ weights have been calculated based on extracted sustainability factors’ weights, which have been gained according to the project’s critical success factors and by applying quality function deployment. By determining the agility factors’ clusters in the project-oriented organizations and calculating their importance weights, the first cluster that contains project communication management, organizational culture, and contracts management gains the maximum weight of importance.

Stakeholder Management—One of the Clues of Sustainable Project Management—As an Underestimated Factor of Project Success in Small Construction Companies

According to contemporary literature, stakeholder management (which is one of the identified clues of sustainable project management) plays a significant role in successfully delivering construction projects. However, the literature focuses on the issues of stakeholder management/analysis mainly for large projects, and the authors could not find any items related to small construction projects. The aim of the article is to present the results of research conducted in small construction companies in the context of stakeholder management of their projects against the background of project success and sustainability. Many researchers have concluded that stakeholder management is one of the success factors of projects (including construction projects). Based on the conducted quantitative research, the needs in the field of stakeholder management of small construction companies’ projects were determined and the approaches used in this area were diagnosed. The research results indicate a low level of maturity of small construction companies in managing project stakeholders, which is a surprising result considering the fact that the literature on the subject emphasizes the importance of taking care of the project stakeholder management area and associating it with the project’s success.

Thought-Piece on the Effectiveness of Contemporary Project Management and Its Top Performing Enablers

One of the most important factors for project success is effective contemporary project management. The aim of this article is to provide project manager practitioners with access to the successful contemporary project management enablers using evidence-based research. A systematic scoping literature review using qualitative and quantitative design was performed on the ScienceDirect database using studies and articles, published in English between 2010 and 2019. This search included factors regarding successful contemporary project management and citation tracking. All studies and articles were peer reviewed. Charted data were narratively reported by clustering the results according to the identified success criteria. The review process resulted in one conceptual framework, one literature review, one survey, and one article about research on another topic, which is related to project management success factors. This article shows that to enhance evidence-based practice, it is recommended that in a contemporary project approach, every project establishes a complementary team-related project with gates as checks to ensure transparency, clarity, and comprehension. Its purpose would include the definition, development, and implementation of clear communication strategy and a mentoring and training program to support retention, build loyalty in organizations, and enhance cooperation between the stakeholders and the project team. A limitation of this study includes the consideration of contemporary project management success factors only but not those success factors influencing contemporary project management success. A second limitation is the use of a single database and the exclusion of journal quality.

Measuring the Characteristics among Critical Success Factors of PPP Infrastructure Projects

Private-Public Partnership (PPP) is an increasingly popular choice for policy-makers in implementing critical public projects. Through the examination of essential factors of success of PPP and establishes an empirical model of PPP in the construction project in Malaysia. The PPP implementation model was hypothesised to investigate the measurements and dimensions of technology, organisational and project characteristics as critical success factors of PPP implementation. A quantitative methodology was employed to validate the measurements, hypothesis testing, and validate a structural model of PPP implementation. A total of 238 respondents were involved in the survey of the hypothesised PPP model. SPSS version 22, as well as Analysis of Moment Variance (AMOS) software, was employed to analyse the data gathered. Path analysis and mediated regression analysis of the structural equation model succeeded in determining the mediating effect of stakeholder and procurement on the relationship among critical success factors and PPP implementation. The overall results show a significant positive interaction of organisational, technical, and project characteristics as essential factors of success on stakeholder and procurement as a mediator on the achievement of PPP implementation. This paper highlights not only the vital success factors for PPP but also offers a fundamental contribution model achieved through the empirical model of critical success factors and PPP implementation in the construction project in Malaysia. This study succeeds in establishing and validating a structural model of the PPP implementation model. The model contributes to the body of knowledge of PPP and benefits to practitioners as primary guidance on construction and business development.

Exploring Undergraduate Research Projects Success Factors in Muni University, Uganda

This paper presents the success factors for undergraduate research projects (URPs) at Muni University. The objectives of the study were to determine the relevant skills required for the success of undergraduate research projects and investigate the roles of students, supervisors and faculty towards the success of URPs. Questionnaires were administered to a population of 70 final-year students. SPSS-v.21 program was used to analyse the data collected. The research instrument was reliable at Chronbach’s alpha 0.9038. Results showed that research, research environment, research management, personal effectiveness, communication, networking and teamwork skills are paramount to the success of URPs. The study found out that the key stakeholders (students, supervisors and faculty) perform their roles throughout the project period. However, there’s a need to have a mechanism for project tracking, filing complaints, and having URPs externally examined among others.

Structural Equation Model (SEM) for Evaluating Factors Affecting ICT4D Project Success

Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) enables organizations to transform and evolve. Despite the contributions of methodologies and models for project management, the number of failed ICT4D projects remain high; as a consequence, researching crucial success factors of ICT4D projects remains an important matter for practitioners and researchers. Studies and researches on factors impacting ICT4D projects' success are various, fragmented and have used different methods to explore the relatedness between various variables. Structural Equation Modeling approach (SEM) has attracted very little attention in the definition of critical factors affecting ICT and ICT4D projects' success. From this standpoint, we as author of this study have applied the SEM approach and built an empirical model that identifies and justifies the topmost factors that impact the best outcome of ICT initiatives and projects conducted for development. In this regard, we reviewed relevant literature to compile and synthesize important success factors in ICT4D projects. The results obtained revealed that there isn’t an agreement on ICT4D project factor success. Our work consisted of consolidating the ICT4D success factors and developing a quantitative approach using smart-PLS version 3.3.3 to test and verify the proposed conceptual model. Particularly, we undertook this study to highlights the correlation between “Leadership and Governance”, “Project Management”, “Quality Management” and “Foundations and Requirements” factors and how these correlated to the outcomes of the ICT4D project. The results indicate that the R Square value of the model attained 0.84 which reveals that the latent constructs previously mentioned justified 84% of the variance in project success. This study lays out the contours of the existing literature concluding the critical success factors and coming up with a framework for decision-makers, researchers, practitioners and organizations intending to initiate and implement an ICT4D project.

A new framework for ranking Critical Success Factors for International Construction Projects

Abstract Due to the wide range of opportunities, collaborations, and challenges offered by the international construction sector, interest in international construction is on the rise. Construction companies must be able to carry out international construction projects (ICPs) more effectively and efficiently. However, executing ICPs is more challenging than executing domestic construction projects. Considering the peculiarities of the construction industry and the associated complexity of construction projects, construction companies should decide on international capability and the selection of an ICP through a careful evaluation of their critical success factors (CSFs). Most of the previous research deals with the concept of CSFs in the context of project management in general, but few studies have identified CSFs for ICPs. To fill that gap in current research, the main objective of this study was to identify and group CSFs for ICPs. A total of 37 CSFs were identified after conducting a detailed literature review and a pre-pilot study. A new framework of CSFs for ICPs was proposed following primary research, which was conducted through in-depth interviews with leading experts in international projects. Although the constructability/complexity factor of the project received the highest rating in terms of importance to the success of the ICP, the next most critical factors were found to be external factors, such as local contractor/subcontractor, investor, and presence of a foreign partner. The results of this research may help participants involved in ICPs to improve their understanding of the international construction environment and deliver more successful ICPs.

QUANTIFYING CONTRACTORS’ QUALIFICATIONS USING PAIRWISE COMPARISON IN THE BEST VALUE PROCUREMENT METHOD

Among the critical factors of project success is the proper selection of qualified contractors. More owners are adopting Best Value (BV) procurement which combines the technical qualifications with fee proposals to rank bidders. However, the successful application of BV depends on two integral factors: ranking of contractor’s qualifications using multiple criteria and the weights assigned to each selection criterion. Many criteria are qualitative, leading to difficulties in objectively quantifying a contractor’s rank. Thus, this paper provides owners with a simplified decision-support methodology that quantifies criteria that owners might consider in their decisions, reduces the number of comparisons that owners must perform, and reduces bias in defining criteria weights. This was achieved by first collecting the criteria commonly used to assess contractors’ competence. Then, criteria were analyzed and clustered into separate, quantifiable groups. Third, pairwise comparison was employed to devise a criteria-weighting method based on the clustered groups and determine the scores of bidding contractors. The proposed methodology could help identify the areas of strengths and weaknesses of each contractor in comparison with other bidders. The method presents a scientific and practical approach and, thus, can be considered for future applications.

Research on Critical Success Factors of Utility Tunnel Project Based on Grounded Theory and DEMATEL

The success of the utility tunnel project depends on many influencing factors. Establishing a complete conceptual model and identifying the critical success factors can provide effective scientific support for the development of the utility tunnel project. Based on a large number of case data, grounded theory is used to carry out multi-level decoding, to identify the success factors of the utility tunnel project, and a model of ‘consciousness orientation-objective conditions-internal driving factors’is constructed. The DEMATEL analysis model is used to calculate the Influence Degree, Influenced Degree, Center Degree, Cause Degree of each factor. Combining the quadrant diagram method, we finally get four critical success factors of professional technology maturity and development, government support, financial guarantee and pipeline entrance mechanism. At the same time, corresponding countermeasures and suggestions are put forward to promote the development of utility tunnel.

An ISM-Based Methodology for Interrelationships of Critical Success Factors for Construction Projects in Ecologically Fragile Regions: Take Korla, China as an Example

Construction activities taken place in ecologically fragile regions (EFRs) of China are facing a series of environmental obstacles. Studying critical success factors (CSFs) to arrive at the sustainable objectives for construction project in EFRs is needed. Understanding the interrelationships of these CSFs is one of the vital ways to achieve this. This paper identifies and analyzes 18 CSFs for construction projects in EFRs through a literature review from a multi-perspective and a case study of Korla City in China. The causal relationship between each CSF is obtained by pairwise comparisons and thereafter, an ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling) method is employed to study the hierarchical structuring of the CSFs. As a result, we established a five-level ISM. Subsequently, an MICMAC (cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification) approach is implemented to partition and classify each CSF into four quadrants (independent, linkage, autonomous, and dependent) according to their driver and dependence powers. Through the implementation of an MICMAC approach, the degrees of relationship between each CSF is gained. The findings reveal that the studied 18 CSFs have a strong hierarchy and interrelationship. The project manager’s leadership style and economic viability are the root source of project success and has the highest influence, which is supported by the result of MICMAC analysis. CSF planning and implementation of sustainable strategies are more dependent and are influenced by others. The CSFs on the top level of ISM: conflict resolution, planning and implementation of sustainable strategies and resources of water play a significant role in arriving at the project success, and has a great potential for future study. The approaches implemented in this paper can be helpful for decision-makers and managers of construction projects in comprehending the interrelationships and the degrees of CSFs for construction projects in EFRs and for efficiently achieving the project success.

A validated business process modelling success factors model

PurposeBusiness process modelling (BPMo) projects are core to digital transformation projects as they provide the conceptual foundation to the orchestration of technologies along a process. Yet, success factors of BPMo projects have received little research attention to date. This study empirically validates a BPMo project success model, pointing to normative practice guidelines and important future research.Design/methodology/approachThis research reports on the quantitative re-specification and validation of a business process modelling success model, employing survey responses from 261 process modellers worldwide.FindingsThe study distilled and validated a final set of success antecedents: Top Management Support, Project Management Capabilities, Stakeholder Input, Modeller Expertise and Modelling Tool Usage; and clearly evidences their relationships with each other and with two moderating variables – Importance and Complexity. The paper offers a nuanced explanation of the indirect role of top management support in building stakeholder involvement and explains how complex projects that are perceived as important being more likely to attract high levels of necessary stakeholder involvement. The authors conclude that top management needs to create an environment of co-ordinated excellence which spans both technical skills and resources, and a high level of committed engagement between stakeholders and technicians in order for BPMo projects to succeed.Originality/valueThis study is the first to operationalize and quantitatively test antecedents of BPMo project success and their interactions, presenting novel insights into how the success factors interact. Awareness of the more influential antecedents of successful process modelling projects offers valuable guidance for the planning, management and conduct of BPMo projects.

Project Culture as a Key Project Success Factor: The Perspective of Polish Project Managers

Project management has the potential to play a key role in the effective functioning of a company. In spite of the intensive development of project management knowledge and tools, however, the ratio of projects which fail is still very high. For the above reason, interest in research dedicated to project success determinants has been increasing. Although existing empirical studies provide numerous evidence on project key-success factors, rrelatively little research has been devoted to examination of project culture in the context of its impact on the final results of projects. The study’s objective entails analysis of how project culture mediates the relationship between project characteristics and project outcome. For this purpose, a questionnaire has been developed, which was distributed among 138 project managers representing Polish enterprises. A theoretical model has been proposed, linking project attributes and project culture to project outcome. The results of the empirical studies indicate that inclusion of project culture, with special attention paid to its openness, significantly contributes to the clarification of the way project attributes affect project outcome.

Design science research with focus groups – a pragmatic meta-model

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to present a pragmatic and systematic approach to conduct and document Design Science Research (DSR) activities with Focus Groups (FGs), exploring its continuous usage and providing traceability between problem, requirements, solutions and artefacts.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is to conduct the research and produce the meta-model for DSR with FG, a DSR approach was adopted using a conceptual model for Action Design Research already available. The artefact is the result from a specific literature review to define requirements, a careful design and a refinement stage where it was widely used and tested in real IS implementation projects.FindingsRigorous and committed stakeholder engagement is a critical success factor in complex projects. The main outcome of this research is a specific meta-model for DSR with FG that delivers new insights and practical guidelines for academics and professionals conducting and documenting real-world research and development initiatives deep-rooted in stakeholders' participation.Research limitations/implicationsThe meta-model has been endorsed as a practical and useful artefact by the stakeholders participating in the IS projects where it was adopted. However, to fully demonstrate its capabilities and to become more robust, the model has to be further used and tested in other application situations and environments.Originality/valueThe usage of FGs in DSR has already been proposed as an effective way, either to study artefacts, to propose improvements in its design or to acknowledge the utility of those artefacts in field use. The paper provides a sound contribution to this line of research by presenting a meta-model that integrates process and data, as well as a set of practical templates and forms that may be used by researchers and practitioners to conduct their projects.

Project Management Success Factors

There is a high need – especially in industrial organizations – to launch successful products and services. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what are the key factors in project success. The motivation of the research is to examine, if there is a model that can be applied to predict future project success; preferably in the automotive engineering and manufacturing environment. The paper aims to study project success literature and understand the differences and similarities between project success and project management success. Also, highlight the importance of the application of convenient models, to define success factors and link them with success criteria. Without a proper definition of success, success factors, and success criteria, the right success model cannot be chosen; therefore, the risk for an unsuccessful launch is higher. Applying a proper success model forecasts future project success. The first section of the paper introduces project success management, afterward literature review given differentiating project success, project management success, and success models. The overview highlights the importance of proper success factors and criteria definitions supported by success factor model application to increase the likelihood of successful project implementation.

Closing the void in energy planning modeling: Integrating local realities

Closing the void in energy planning modeling: Integrating local realities

Success factors in product development projects: expert opinions

Successful product development is a common challenge for technical and management experts. The increasing pressure on time reduction and cost savings while enhancing product features, requires rethinking project management methods. This paper analyses the opinions of product development experts about the success factors of product development projects. A voluntary online survey was used for data collection in 2020. The study confirms that development engineers, test engineers, project managers, and product development managers have partially different approaches to important success factors. Precise regulation and focus on collaboration are considered essential topics. The results show that knowledge management and collaboration with other organizational units must be improved. Enhancing the interpretation of project success and forcing the better utilization of lessons learned or module information can contribute to sustainable success.

Mediation Effect of Stakeholder Management between Stakeholder Characteristics and Project Performance

Abstract Effective stakeholder management (ESM) is a critical success factor for projects. The increasing complexity in the relationships among stakeholders and their diverse characteristics, including power and interests makes the management of stakeholders increasingly challenging. To date, much of the literature has focused on the stakeholder analysis with very limited to the direct and indirect relationships between stakeholder characteristics (SC) and project performance (PP). Therefore, the aim of this study is to fill these research gaps by empirically examining (1) the relationship(s) between SC and PP and (2) the mediation effect of ESM on the above-mentioned relationships. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling. The findings suggest that stakeholder legitimate behaviour (LB), opposing behaviour (OB), and conflicting interests affect the ability to achieve both sets of quantitative and qualitative PP negatively. ESM has been identified as a key element to eliminate the negative effects of the aforementioned behaviours on qualitative (and not quantitative) PP measures.

Success Factors in Sustainable Management of IT Service Projects: Exploratory Factor Analysis

Management of successful IT projects in a sustainable manner is influenced by numerous factors. Organizational awareness of the necessity of engaging all project stakeholders is an important issue that helps in meeting project sustainable development goals. While there are many studies on the success factors of IT software projects, there is still little coherent research on the success factors of IT service projects. The purpose of this article is to contribute in filling this gap by attempting to identify success factors of the IT services project involving both traditional and agile approaches and considering sustainable development, specifically in terms of the stakeholders’ role in project management. We conducted questionnaire-based research involving 155 IT service project managers. The results of the study were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. As a result, we presented and thoroughly formally examined the factorial model of success components in the IT service industry. We distinguished four factors: (1) agile techniques and change management, (2) organization and people, (3) stakeholders and risk analysis, and (4) work environment. The results were compared with analogous studies found in the literature. The research showed that both traditional and agile management approaches coexist, meet sustainable development goals, and are significant for the successful management in IT service projects where all stakeholders play an important role.