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Abstract

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Content available
Article
Publication date: 4 April 2017

Nathalie Drouin

485

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Article
Publication date: 2 July 2018

Nathalie Drouin, Ralf Müller, Shankar Sankaran and Anne Live Vaagaasar

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to identify how horizontal leaders (within project teams) execute their leadership task in the context of balanced leadership; and to…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to identify how horizontal leaders (within project teams) execute their leadership task in the context of balanced leadership; and to pinpoint scenarios that can occur when horizontal leaders are identified and empowered by the vertical leader (senior or project managers) and a project task is handed over to them to lead. This research is based on the concept of balanced leadership, which conceptualizes leadership as a dynamic, situation-dependent transition of leadership authority from a vertical leader (like a project manager) to a horizontal leader (a project team member) and back again, in order to contribute positively to a project’s success. Balanced leadership consists of five events (nomination, identification, empowerment, horizontal leadership and its governance, and transition). This paper focuses on the fourth event, and its specific aspect of leadership distribution between horizontal and vertical leader. This event begins when a team member(s) accepts the empowerment to assume the role of horizontal leader. This paper explicitly links the leadership style of the vertical leader based on Frame’s (1987) leadership styles and the nature of decisions taken by both the vertical and horizontal leaders to deliver the project.

Design/methodology/approach

The method used for this paper is the qualitative phase of a sequential mixed methods (qualitative-quantitative) study. Data were collected through case studies in four different countries, using a maximum variety sampling approach. Data collection was through interviews of vertical leaders (senior leaders who were often sponsors of projects or members of senior management or project managers) and horizontal leaders (team leaders or members) in a variety of industry sectors. Data analysis was done through initial coding and constant comparison to arrive at themes. Thematic analysis was used to gain knowledge about the split of leadership and decision-making authority between the horizontal and vertical leader(s).

Findings

The results show that for Canadian and Australian projects, a combination of autocratic and democratic leadership styles were used by vertical leaders. In the case of Scandinavian projects, a democratic leadership style has been observed. Linked to these leadership styles, the horizontal decision making is predominantly focused on technical decisions and to daily task decisions to deliver the project. Delegation occurs most of the time to one specific team member, but occasionally to several team members simultaneously, for them to work collaboratively on a given issue.

Research limitations/implications

The paper supports a deeper investigation into a leadership theory, by validating one particular event of the balanced leadership theory, which is based on Archer’s (1995) realist social theory. The findings from this paper will guide organizations to facilitate an effective approach to balancing the leadership roles between vertical and horizontal leaders in their projects. The findings can also be used to develop horizontal leaders to take up more responsibilities in projects.

Originality/value

The originality lies in the new leadership theory called balanced leadership, and its empirical validation. It is the first study on the leadership task distribution between vertical and horizontal leadership in projects. Its value is new insights, which allow practitioners to develop practices to find and empower the best possible leader at any given time in the project and academics to develop a more dynamic and, therefore, more realistic theory on leadership as it unfolds in projects.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Nathalie Drouin

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2024

Marie-Andrée Caron, Nathalie Drouin, Skander Ben Abdallah and Camélia Radu

Social needs of local community are highly essential in the context of public infrastructure and have an impact on their performance. This paper explores the local community…

Abstract

Purpose

Social needs of local community are highly essential in the context of public infrastructure and have an impact on their performance. This paper explores the local community subjectivity in interaction with primary stakeholders to deepen our understanding of social value and this category of misunderstood stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a partnership framework that aims to help stakeholders be reflexive and construct knowledge about social value of the infrastructure. The empirical material includes an extensive review of the public infrastructure documents published between 1981 and 2021 and 13 interviews with key members of local community.

Findings

The main contribution of this study is an integrated model to study the social value of an infrastructure and a dynamic approach to study how a local community engages and enacts social value. The dynamic approach highlights three plans of stakeholder’s subjectivity, which are relational, representational and operational plans to promote inclusive stakeholder’s management (“of” and “for”).

Originality/value

The study combines an analytical and a theoretical framework to investigate the enactment of social value.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 17 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 March 2012

Nathalie Drouin and Claude Besner

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers comprising a special issue of the journal. The central theme of this special issue is “Projects and organisations: adding…

3116

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers comprising a special issue of the journal. The central theme of this special issue is “Projects and organisations: adding rungs to the ladder of understanding project management and its relationship with the organisation”. It is dedicated to research that explores and proposes different avenues to contribute to the development of the field of project management from this perspective of projects and organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The Guest Editors solicited academics and collaborators of the Project Management Research Chair at the École des sciences de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG UQAM). Following a call for papers, five were selected that underwent a double‐blind peer‐review process.

Findings

The five selected articles each provide unique perspectives and insights. Viewed as a set, their contributions view projects and organisations from three main perspectives: project management governance issues; management of innovative and IT projects; and processes, practices and tools. The set brings new empirical data, ideas and theoretical frameworks to bear that justify the extension of the current project management paradigm, and suggest that project management be viewed as a critical function of the organisation.

Practical implications

The set of papers encourages scholars to continue to examine organisational concerns related to project management with the goal of explaining and enhancing important relationships among organisational phenomena and the project management field.

Originality/value

By bringing this special issue together, the Editor played an important role in adding rungs to the ladder of understanding project management and its relationship with the organisation.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2020

Marie-Andrée Caron, Camélia Radu and Nathalie Drouin

The complexity of the integration of non-financial benefits (NFB) in major infrastructure projects (MIP) engenders the formulation of networked knowledge between researchers and…

Abstract

Purpose

The complexity of the integration of non-financial benefits (NFB) in major infrastructure projects (MIP) engenders the formulation of networked knowledge between researchers and practitioners. The authors’ research question is as follows: To what extent does scientific knowledge about the integration of NFB into MIP support engaged scholarship or co-construction of knowledge between researchers and practitioners?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a review of literature published in academic journals on the integration of NFB in MIP. Nearly 300 papers are analysed in depth, based on categories (aspects and sub-aspects) inspired from engaged scholarship and paradoxical participation approaches. The culture of collaboration and the notion of boundary objects are the two main aspects of this categorization of journal papers.

Findings

First, research on the integration of NFB into MIP is either project-oriented or society-oriented but in a larger proportion for society-oriented. Second, a lot of researches favour an analytic over a holistic approach, despite their openness to dialogue with practitioners through the complexity and conflict.

Practical implications

It contributes to the theorization of the engaged scholarship. It also provides insights about research avenues to be exploited where these aspects were not sufficiently exploited, as it is often the case with sustainability, for a better collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Linking the culture of collaboration, boundary objects and knowledge co-creation in the engaged scholarship setting encourages a better understanding of the needs (problem to be resolved) of practitioners, by themselves and the researchers.

Originality/value

The systematic review was conducted in parallel with the organization of two workshops with participants concerned by the integration of NFB into MIP. The paper identified four clusters from their level of compatibility with engaged scholarship.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2022

Shankar Sankaran, Stewart Clegg, Ralf Müller and Nathalie Drouin

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss stakeholder issues faced by renewable energy megaprojects and in particular solar and wind power projects and their…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss stakeholder issues faced by renewable energy megaprojects and in particular solar and wind power projects and their relevance to socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses secondary data collected from the recent literature published on stakeholder issues face by mega solar and wind power energy generation projects around the world. The issues are then analysed across specific challenges in five continents where these projects are being developed. The paper then focuses on the literature on energy justice to elaborate the type of issues being faced by renewable energy megaprojects contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainable Goal 7 and their impact on vulnerable communities where these projects are situated.

Findings

Renewable energy megaprojects are rarely discussed in the project management literature on megaprojects despite their size and importance in delivering sustainable development goals. While these projects provide social benefits they also create issues of justice due to their impact of vulnerable populations living is locations where these projects are situated. The justice issues faced include procedural justice, distributive justice, recognition inequalities. The type of justice issues was found to vary intensity in the developed, emerging and developing economies. It was found that nonprofit organisations are embarking on strategies to alleviate energy justice issues in innovative ways. It was also found that, in some instances, smaller local projects developed with community participation could actually contribute more equitable to the UN sustainable development goals avoiding the justice issues posed by mega renewable energy projects.

Research limitations/implications

The research uses secondary data due to which it is difficult to present a more comprehensive picture of stakeholder issues involving renewable energy megaprojects. The justice issues revealed through thesis paper with renewable energy megaprojects are also present in conventional megaprojects which have not been discussed in the project management literature. Post-COVID-19 these justice issues are likely to become mor prevalent due to the pandemic's impact on vulnerable population exacerbating the issues and increasing their severity on these populations. Therefore it is becoming even more critical to take these into account while developing renewable energy megaprojects.

Practical implications

Proper identification and response to energy justice issues can help in alleviating stakeholder issues in renewable energy megaprojects.

Social implications

Contributes to the equitable achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a gap in the project management literature on the exploration of stakeholder issues on renewable energy megaprojects. It also brings out the importance of justice issues which can assist in expanding stakeholders issues faced by megaprojects as these issues have not received sufficient attention in the past in the project management literature.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 4 January 2017

Nathalie Drouin

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Article
Publication date: 10 December 2024

Ralf Müller, Marie-Andrée Caron, Nathalie Drouin, Jon Lereim, Raimonda Alonderienė, Alfredas Chmieliauskas, Saulius Šimkonis and Raminta Šuminskienė

This study identifies the various governance dimensions for environmental, social and governance (ESG) implementations, including reporting. Subsequently, it investigates the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study identifies the various governance dimensions for environmental, social and governance (ESG) implementations, including reporting. Subsequently, it investigates the governance structures in place to steer these dimensions in project-based and project-oriented organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review identifies 11 organizational governance dimensions for ESG implementations, followed by a conceptual mapping of these dimensions to the most likely governance structures being set up for their implementation (i.e. single-level, multi-level and polycentric governance).

Findings

Eleven governance dimensions are identified and categorized under (1) organizational settings, (2) ESG strategy and (3) implementation. The conceptual mapping of these dimensions against the governance structures for their implementation identifies an inverse relationship between the governance level in the organizational hierarchy and the complexity of governance structures needed for steering these dimensions. The paper suggests a variety of context-dependent governance structures and contributes to the governance literature on the interface between projects and their parent organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Academics benefit from an organization-wide model and the first taxonomy on the relevant governance dimensions for ESG implementation and reporting projects, thus a first approach to theorizing the governance of ESG implementations.

Practical implications

The results are of value for practitioners by allowing them to understand the diversity of dimensions and the structural implementation of ESG and its reporting.

Social implications

One of the first studies to address governance of ESG implementation and reporting across intra-organizational boundaries between the permanent and the project-based parts of the organization. This provides for organization-wide improvements in the governance toward the UN Sustainability Goals.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the under-researched link of governance implementations from the corporate level to individual projects in the context of ESG implementations, including reporting.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 18 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

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