How do you do? On situating old project sites through practice‐based studies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this editorial is to reflect on the growing interest of situated project research.

Design/methodology/approach

The editorial is conceptual and relies on published work and the articles included in the special issue.

Findings

With this special issue it is found that practice‐based studies, also called Projects‐as‐Practice studies, interested in the everyday activities of project practitioners, are multi‐faceted and rich. What may also be seen is that practice‐based studies are not yet a coherent area. However, it is more important that practice‐based studies allow researchers to understand the organization less as an entity and more as a socially‐accomplished task.

Research limitations/implications

Several implications for research are offered, including the need for studies that emphasize the small details of organizing, and that practice‐based studies are not restricted to a certain methodology but depend on what a particular paper tries to accomplish.

Practical implications

With an ever‐growing stream of research focusing on projects the guest editors argue that it is about time to look into the details of organizing. This could be accomplished through a number of ways but in this special issue it is proposed that approaching traditional areas with a conscious naivety when asking the questions may do it. For the practitioner, the special issue offers important insights into how things are done in practice, which may be used as a mirror or reflection upon their own practice.

Originality/value

This editorial and special issue offer insights for any academic interested in understanding projects differently.

Citation

Hällgren, M. and Lindahl, M. (2012), "How do you do? On situating old project sites through practice‐based studies", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 335-344. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538371211235362