Critical factors for project efficiency in a defence environment

Defence projects are typically undertaken within a multi-project-management environment where a common agenda of project managers is to achieve higher project efficiency. This study adopted a multi-facet qualitative approach to investigate factors contributing to or impeding project efficiency in the Defence sector. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to identify additional factors to those compiled from the literature survey. This was followed by a three-round Delphi study to examine the perceived critical factors of project efficiency. The results showed that project efficiency in the Defence sector went beyond its traditional internally focused scope to one that is externally focused. As a result, efforts are needed on not only those factors related to individual projects but also those factors related to project inter-dependencies and external customers. The management of these factors will help to enhance the efficiency of a project within the Defence sector.

The structured and practical approach in development of decision support system for consultant selection in public sector infrastructure project

Nowadays, most of the infrastructure development projects undertaken are complex in nature. Practically, public clients who do not have a good understanding of the design and management may suffer severe losses, especially for infrastructure projects. There is a need for luring the right consultant to secure client's investment in infrastructure developments. Throughout the project life cycle, consultants play vital role from the inception to completion stage of a project. A few studies in Malaysia show that infrastructure projects involving irrigation and drainage have experience problems such as poor workmanship, delay and cost overrun due to the consultant's inability or the client incompetence of recruiting consultants in time. This highlights the need of aided decision making and an efficient system to select the best consultant by using Decision Support System (DSS). On the other hand, recent trends reveal that most DSS in construction only concentrate on decision model development. These models are impractical and unused as they are complicated or difficult for laymen such as project managers to utilize. Thus, this research attempts to develop an efficient DSS for consultant selection namely consultDeSS. Driven by the motivation and research aims, this study deployed Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) dominant with a combination of case studies at the Malaysian Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID). Two real projects involving irrigation and drainage infrastructure were used to design, implement and evaluate the artefact. The 3-tier consultDeSS was revised after the evaluation and the design was significantly improved based on user feedback. By developing desirable tools that fit client's needs will enhance the productivity and minimize conflict within groups and organisations. The tool is more usable and efficient compared to previous studies in construction. Thus, this research has demonstrated a purposeful artefact with a practical and valid structured development approach that is applicable in a variety of problems in construction discipline.

The ISR and ESR scales : measures of the project manager-stakeholder relationship

In this paper, we develop two stakeholder relationships scales. These scales assess project managers’ perceived competence in establishing and maintaining high quality, effective relationships with people internal to the project as well as those stakeholders who are external to the project. We developed the scales using an online survey study of three hundred and seventy three complex project managers from a sub-set of the Australian Defence Industry. Both the internal stakeholder relationships’ scale and the external stakeholder relationships’ scale demonstrated validity and reliability. This research has implications for the interpersonal work relationships’ literature and the stakeholder management literature. We recommend future research tests these scales with multiple samples, across different project types and project industries. The stakeholder relationships’ scales should be versatile enough to be applied to project management generally but are best suited to large-scale complex project environments.

Rating defence major project success : the role of personal attributes and stakeholder relationships

In this paper we develop and test a model of the associations between major project managers' personal attributes and project success in the context of the Australian Defence industry. In our model, emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility and systemic thinking were hypothesised to relate to project success, mediated by internal and external stakeholder relationships. The model was tested in an online survey with 373 major project managers. Emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility were found to be related to the development, quality and effectiveness of major project managers' relationships with both internal and external stakeholders; and these in turn were associated with their ratings of project success. Systemic thinking, however, had no relationship with either stakeholder relationships or project success. Additional research is needed to examine the contribution of a wider range of personal attributes to stakeholder relationships and project success, and to assess whether this model is applicable in other industries and types of projects.

Defence industry projects : investigating the impact of major project manager attributes on stakeholder relationships and project success

This thesis identifies attributes, skills and behaviours that major project managers require for stakeholder relationships competence and project success within a major project environment. It develops valid and reliable measures of internal and external stakeholder relationships competence, tests a complex conceptual model and explores the effectiveness of the QUT Executive Masters of Complex Project Management and Strategic Procurement in developing major project managers' stakeholder relationships competence. Implications of this thesis are for government and industry in identifying factors associated with major project success, as this will lead to better major project outcomes potentially resulting in time and monetary savings of years and billions of dollars.

Interactions between organizational culture, trustworthiness, and mechanisms for inter-project knowledge sharing

This research used a multiple-case study approach to empirically investigate the complex relationship between factors influencing inter-project knowledge sharing—trustworthiness, organizational culture, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms. Adopting a competing values framework, we found evidence of patterns existing between the type of culture, on the project management unit level, and project managers’ perceptions of valuing trustworthy behaviors and the way they share knowledge, on the individual level. We also found evidence for mutually reinforcing the effect of trust and clan culture, which shape tacit knowledge-sharing behaviors.

Rallying the troops or beating the horses? How project-related demands can lead to either high performance or abusive supervision

In today's high-pressure work environment, project managers are often forced to “do more with less.” We argue that this imperative can lead project managers to engage in either high-performance or abusive supervision behaviors. To understand this process, we develop a model and associated propositions linking a project manager's cognitive appraisal of project-related demands to high-performance work practices versus abusive supervision behaviors—both of which impact three project outcomes: stakeholder relationships, people-related project success factors, and employee well-being. We propose that the choice between high-performance work practices and abusive supervision behaviors is moderated by a project manager's personal resources (psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and dark triad personality).

On an unexpected career path? Using Wittgenstein’s Family Resemblance concept to determine the power of projects to transform project management careers

The power of projects has been demonstrated by the growth in their use across an increasing range of industries and workplaces in recent years. Not only has the number of people involved in project management increased, but the qualifications and backgrounds of those people have also broadened, with engineering no longer being the only path to project management (PM). Predicting the career trajectories in Project Management has become more important for both organisations employing project managers and project managers building career portfolios. Our research involved interviewing more than 75 project officers and project managers across a range of industries to explore their career journey. We used Wittgenstein’s family resemblance theory is to analyse the information from the transcripts to identify the extent to which the roles of participants fit with the commonly accepted definition of project management. Findings demonstrate diversity of project manager backgrounds and experiences and relational competencies across these backgrounds that form and shape PM careers.

Understanding New Product Project Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize the accumulated body of knowledge on the performance of new product projects and provide directions for further research. Design/methodology/approach – Using a refined classification of antecedents of new product project performance the research results are meta-analyzed in the literature in order to identify the strength and stability of predictor-performance relationships. Findings – The results reveal that 22 variables have a significant relationship with new product project performance, of which only 12 variables have a sizable relationship. In order of importance these factors are the degree of organizational interaction, R&D and marketing interface, general product development proficiency, product advantage, financial/business analysis, technical proficiency, management skill, marketing proficiency, market orientation, technology synergy, project manager competency and launch activities. Of the 34 variables 16 predictors show potential for moderator effects. Research limitations/implications – The validity of the results is constrained by publication bias and heterogeneity of performance measures, and directions for the presentation of data in future empirical publications are provided. Practical implications – This study helps new product project managers in understanding and managing the performance of new product development projects. Originality/value – This paper provides unique insights into the importance of predictors of new product performance at the project level. Furthermore, it identifies which predictor-performance relations are contingent on other factors.

Barriers to Subcontracted Labor Productivity in Urban Development Projects: An On-site Project Management Perspective

Considering the confined and complex nature of urban construction projects, labor productivity is one of the key factors attributing to project success. With the proliferation of sub-contracted labor, there is a necessity to consider the ramifications of this practice to the sector. This research aims to outline how project managers can optimise productivity levels of sub-contracted labor in urban construction projects, by addressing the barriers that most restrict these efficiency levels. A qualitative research approach is employed, incorporating semi-structured interviews based on three case studies from an urban context. The results are scrutinised using mind mapping software and accompanying analytical techniques. The findings from this research indicate that the effective on-site management of sub-contracted labor has a significant impact on the degree of success of an urban development project. The two core barriers to sub-contracted labor productivity are; 1) ineffective supervision of sub-contracted labor, and 2) lack of skilled sub-contracted labor. The implication of this research is that on-site project management play an integral role in the level of productivity achieved by sub-contracted labor in urban development projects. Therefore, on-site management situated in urban, confined construction sites, are encouraged to take heed of the findings herein and address the barriers documented. The value of this research is obtained through consideration of the critical factors; construction management professionals can mitigate such barriers, in order to optimise subcontracted labor productivity on-site.

Project Management within an Urban Site Context: Issues considering External Stakeholders

Large construction projects create numerous hazards, making it one of the most dangerous industries in which to work. This element of risk increases in urban areas and can have a negative impact on the external stakeholders associated with the project, along with their surrounding environments. The aim of this paper is to identify and document, in an urban context, the numerous issues encountered by on-site project managers from external stakeholders and how they affect a construction project. In addressing this aim, the core objective is to identify what issues are involved in the management of these stakeholders. In order to meet this requirement, a qualitative methodology encompassing an informative literature review followed by five individual case study interviews. The data gathered is assessed qualitatively using mind mapping software. A number of issues are identified which have an impact on the external stakeholders involved, and also how they affected proceedings on site. Collectively the most commonly occurring issues are environmental, legal, health and safety and communication issues. These ranged from road closures and traffic disruption to noise, dust and vibrations from site works. It is anticipated that the results of this study will assist and aid project managers in identifying issues considering external stakeholders, particularly on urban construction projects. A wide range of issues can develop depending on the complexity and nature of each project, but this research will illustrate and reinforce to project managers, that identifying issues early, effective communication and appropriate liaising can be used to manage the issues considering external stakeholders.

Agile Game: A Project Management Game for Agile Methods

Since mid-1990s, companies have adopted agile methods and incorporated them in their development methodologies. For this reason, future project managers and developers need to have a full understanding of these methods. At present, the university’s approach to agile methods is theoretical and is not reflected during the development of a product and their practical use. The purpose of this project is the creation of a software system in the form of a game, named Agile Game, which simulates their use. The system is designed for use as supplementary material in lectures, to help students understand agile methods, to present their use within a project, and to demonstrate how they differ from traditional project management methodologies. The final system, which is web based, was implemented using PHP, MySQL and JavaScript. It was fully tested against the requirements and evaluated by peer students. The evaluation showed that the majority of users were satisfied with the system but they thought that it should contain more detailed information at every step of the game. For this reason, some parts of the design and the content were reviewed to meet user requirements.

Estudos de caso : implantação de sistemas ERP - uma análise crítica à luz da metodologia de Project Management

Este documento constitui-se em uma dissertação de mestrado, requisito parcial para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Gestão Empresaria e Pública. Este estudo procura mostrar que a adoção dessa nova tecnologia através de projetos de implantação de sistema de ERP não só mudam processos administrativos como também produtos, serviços e estruturas organizacionais e que a sua implantação se constitui em um grande projeto que envolve um número considerável de recursos e tempo das organizações. Este estudo procurar mostrar também que os impactos que tais projetos trazem, são mais fortemente sentidos ou não pela organização de acordo com uma série de fatores, entre eles, a resistência à mudança e o quanto a organização está preparada para enfrentar essas mudanças, o medo da perda do emprego pela adoção de uma nova tecnologia, problemas com a falta de comunicação das mudanças, questões relacionadas à cultura organizacional vigente, a falta de envolvimento da alta administração, entre outras. Para gerenciar todas essas variáveis, as organizações modernas adotam técnicas para garantir o sucesso da implantação dessas novas tecnologias. o estudo aqui proposto tem como objetivo determinar até que ponto a utilização de metodologias e de técnicas de Project Management é o suficiente para que esses projetos alcancem o sucesso esperado pelas organizações. A quantidade de variáveis que influenciam o resultado de um projeto são muitas e cada uma delas possui um papel importante que deve ser avaliado. As conclusões desta pesquisa demonstram que o sucesso de um projeto nem sempre se resume a atingir os objetivos inicialmente propostos, relativos ao cumprimento do prazo, escopo e custo de um projeto, conforme define a metodologia de Project Management. Outros aspectos considerados por essa metodologia, se melhor ou pior aplicados, também contribuem para o sucesso ou fracasso de um projeto de implantação de um sistema de ERP sendo o seu fracasso traduzido ou não, no cumprimento do prazo, do escopo inicialmente previsto ou no custo inicialmente calculado. Outros aspectos que não apenas a aplicação correta da metodologia de Project Management contribuem para os resultados alcançados pelo projeto.

Does absorptive capacity affect project performance? A study based on project management practices, organization learning, and knowledge

The literature has emphasized that absorptive capacity (AC) leads to performance, but in projects its influences still unclear. Additionally, the project success is not well understood by the literature, and AC can be an important mechanism to explain it. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of absorptive capacity on project performance in the construction industry of São Paulo State. We study this influence through potential and realized absorptive capacity proposed by Zahra and George (2002). For achieving this goal, we use a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative research is based on 15 interviews with project managers in different sectors to understand the main constructs and support the next quantitative phase. The content analysis was the technique used to analyze those interviews. In quantitative phase through a survey questionnaire, we collected 157 responses in the construction sector with project managers. The confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression were the techniques used to assess the data. Our findings suggest that the realized absorptive capacity has a positive influence on performance, but potential absorptive capacity and the interactions effect have no influence on performance. Moreover, the planning and monitoring have a positive impact on budget and schedule, and customer satisfaction while risk coping capacity has a positive impact on business success. In academics terms, this research enables a better understanding of the importance of absorptive capacity in the construction industry and it confirms that knowledge application in processes and routines enhances performance. For management, the absorptive capacity enables the improvements of internal capabilities reflected in the increased project management efficiency. Indeed, when a company manages project practices efficiently it enhances business and project performance; however, it needs initially to improve its internal abilities to enrich processes and routines through relevant knowledge.

Web system to aid project management

This work describes a new web system to aid project management that was created to correct the principal deficiencies identified in systems having a common purpose which are at present available, as well as to follow the guidelines that are proposed in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) and the quality characteristics described in the ISO/IEC 9126 norm. As from the adopted methodology, the system was structured to attend the real necessities of project managers and also to contribute towards obtaining quality results from the projects. The validation of the proposed solution was done with the collaboration of professionals that used the functions available in it for a period of 15 days. Results attested to the quality and adequacy of the developed system.