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Ambidexterity has been shown to contribute to project performance. Recent studies of ambidexterity on the project level focus on multilevel knowledge resources, individual actions and structural ambidexterity. However, the role of project management methods remains unclear. This is surprising because project management methods are broadly disseminated as standards. The purpose of this paper is to theorize how project management methods affect ambidexterity on the project level.

It is demonstrated how routine theory adds to a better theoretical conceptualization and understanding of project management methods. The analysis of this paper contains, first, the reconstruction of the contribution of each action in “Scrum” to either exploitation or exploration and, second, the discussion of roles in Scrum. To conclude, a “big picture” of what ambidexterity in projects can look like is developed.

The main findings suggest that Scrum facilitates sequential and contextual ambidexterity by producing a pattern of alternating exploitation and exploration actions and by assigning specific roles.

For practitioners this leads to steps they can take to enhance ambidexterity in projects. It is suggested to staff explicitly ambidexterity-related roles like a Scrum Master and to persist on explorative actions like adaption of project goals and Customer Feedback.

First, the present paper contributes an analysis of the underlying micro-mechanisms of sequential and contextual ambidexterity in projects. Second, it informs practitioners on what aspects of project management methods they should pay attention to.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between project delivery success factors, project management tools, software, and methods.

A statistical analysis was undertaken using data from a survey from a purposive sample of 150 participants across three countries (Australia, Canada and the UK). The findings were used to consider the relationships between project success factors, project management tools, software, and methods.

The findings reveal certain insights in the use of tools and methodologies. Of all the variables measured, the number of project management tools used and the number of risk tools used showed the highest direct correlation. It was therefore surmised that the use of tools from one of these categories is often coincident with the use of tools from the other category. Also, the use of project management tools exhibited less variability as compared to use of information communication technology support tools and risk management tools. In addition, use of formal project management methods exhibited less variability than use of formal decision‐making methods. Therefore, it is suggested that use of project management tools and methods is more consistent across the organizations studied, as compared to other tools and methods.

This paper extends the survey findings of an international 2011 study and sheds light on the use of project management and related tools and methods.

Agile methods have considerably transformed project management. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of agile (as compared to plan-driven) methods on customer satisfaction in the context of knowledge-intensive business services.

This study uses a survey examining the experiences of 361 customers with different outsourced software projects in Switzerland and a regression-based model to test the hypotheses.

The findings show that agile approaches can lead to higher customer satisfaction than plan-driven approaches, but the impact size is not as substantial as expected. The effect does not depend on the number of specification changes.

Managers must be aware that merely switching from a plan driven to an agile approach will not lead to substantial improvement in customer satisfaction. Satisfaction with the process is a more important driver of overall customer satisfaction than satisfaction with the service outcome. Thus, providers of knowledge-intensive services should train their employees in recognizing the importance of the cooperation process.

So far, the positive impact of agile methods is often only based on anecdotal evidence as well as on surveys examining the supplier perspective. This study provides support for the positive impact of agile methods on customer satisfaction, an important response variable from a marketing perspective, which has not been examined before in the context considered here.

The implementation and control processes of project planning and scheduling involve a wide range of methods and tools. Despite the development and modification and integration of the project management theory with newer scheduling approaches in particular, practitioners’ views on the efficiency and effectiveness of these methods and tools differ. This situation can be attributed in part to a lack of understanding of the most appropriate basis for implementing these methods and tools. This study, therefore, aims to overcome this deficiency by conceptualizing and adopting a taxonomy of planning and scheduling methods.

The study is based on a review and discourse analysis of the literature covering a large number of theoretical and empirical studies. The underlying theories of various planning and scheduling methods were analyzed with respect to the taxonomy criteria adopted in the study.

Using the taxonomy, the key characteristics of planning and scheduling methods considered in this study were identified and interpreted. These included concepts and theories; key features; suitability and usability; and benefits and limitations. Overall, the findings suggest that project managers should consider taxonomy as a support tool for selecting and prioritizing the most appropriate method or combination of methods for managing their projects. Recommendations include the need for more advanced or multi-dimensional taxonomies to cope with the diversity of project type and size.

The results of the study allow project managers to improve their current practices by utilizing taxonomy when considering the implementation of planning and scheduling methods. Moreover, taxonomy can be considered as a tool to promote learning on the part of those less experienced in planning and scheduling. Taxonomy can be considered as an initial platform for further research in this area.

Discusses the issue of developing a project design that adequately addresses the practicality of delivering integrated construction knowledge and experience in planning, engineering, procurement and field operations. There are few practical examples in the literature that explain how non‐traditional construction project procurement approaches can be utilised to organise an integrated project management system incorporating occupational health and safety (OHS), environmental management (EM) and quality management (QM) systems. Reports on a case study that helps fill that gap. Shows how the adoption of a design and construct procurement approach, together with appropriate management techniques, on a successful major freeway project in Melbourne, Australia, was driven by a sound construction planning process, and integrated the construction planning system with OHS, EM and QM systems.

The purpose of this paper is to address the difficulties faced by manufacturing enterprises by providing a project portfolio management approach supporting the selection and prioritization of various Industry 4.0 projects where business process analysis is used to ensure the strategic alignment and value of the project portfolio.

The design research methodology, a mixed applied research methodology, was used to develop and test the proposed approach.

Despite the growing interest of the scientific and industrial communities in I4.0, it seems that there is no method by which manufacturing companies can select a large number of improvement projects. Moreover, studies tend to focus on the evaluation and implementation of a single technology, while the transformation of an intelligent plant requires the consolidation and coordination of many initiatives to achieve a global objective.

The proposed project portfolio management model offers support to enterprises during their digital transformation and improves their processes by integrating technology levers through consistent and achievable selection of I4.0 initiatives while meeting strategic goals and objectives.

The electric utility industry, unlike most other technology‐intensive industries, does not spend much money or effort on research and development. Many utilities do not possess an in‐house R&D facility, nor is there an R&D line item in their budgets. Over the last several decades the rate of change in the electric utility industry has been very slow and in‐house R&D efforts have not been required. As the rate of change in the industry is beginning to change, the need to pursue R&D is increasing. The electric utility industry is responding to this increasing requirement by increasing R&D budgets, and in some cases re‐initiating the R&D process within individual utilities. The purpose of this paper is to focus on R&D portfolio management efforts of various actors from different industrial sectors, to find out the best practices by using benchmarking method.

The paper used case study approach and on‐site interviews as research methods.

The authors found that R&D management is in its infancy in the electric utility sector, while the methods established in the manufacturing sector are applicable there.

This study is exploring R&D management in the electric utility sector and contributes to the service innovation research stream.

This study aims to review earned value management (EVM)-relative methods, including the original EVM, earned schedule method (ESM) and earned duration management (EDM(t)). This study then proposes a general implementation procedure and some basic principles for the selection of EVM-relative methods.

After completing an intensive literature review, this study conducts a case study to examine the forecasting performance of project duration using the EVM, ESM and EDM(t) methods.

When the project is expected to finish on time, ESM with a performance factor equal to 1 is the recommended method. EDM(t) would be the most reliable method during a project's entire lifetime if EDM(t) is expected to be delayed based on past experience.

As this research conducts a case study with only one building construction project, the results might not hold true for all types of construction projects.

EVM, ESM and EDM(t) are simple and data-accessible methods. With the help of a general implementation procedure, applying all three methods would be better. The power of the three methods is definitely larger than that of choosing only one for complex construction projects.

Previous studies have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of EVM, ESM and EDM(t). This study amends the available outcomes. Thus, for schedulers or researchers interested in implementing EVM, ESM and EDM(t), this study can provide more constructive instructions.

This chapter explores the increasing use of Scrum, a project management framework used in software development, in libraries. This conceptual piece examines the advantages and disadvantages for a library profession to obtain training and professional certification for implementing Scrum.

Beginning with a brief literature review that surveys the use of Scrum and related frameworks in libraries, this chapter then provides a brief explanation of Scrum, the role of the ScrumMaster, and the certification process. An examination of the difficulties of project management in libraries leads to a discussion of the advantages of ScrumMaster certification for the library organization and the library professional, with caveats and alternatives.

Scrum offers lightweight methods to bring project management expertise to libraries lacking formal project management training. ScrumMaster certification is a quick and easy way to learn and implement the process, while offering professional advantages.

While the library literature has case studies of library professionals using Scrum and related Agile software development methodologies, this chapter looks at the ScrumMaster role in particular, the certification process, and the advantages for the organization and the professional.

This paper aims at presenting the analysis of the views of construction participants in China’s construction industry on three major site safety issues. First, data from three distinctive roles (project managers, safety officers, and foremen) on site safety knowledge were analysed. Results indicate that they have low levels of safety knowledge. This is consistent with the existing literature, implying that safety training and education is a major issue around the world. In addition, the views of project managers and safety officers are further elicited on the second issue (that is, factors affecting site safety) and the third issue (that is, methods for improving project safety management). Results indicate that both parties have quite consistent views. The six most important factors are “lack of attention to safety protection by workers”, “lack of attention to safety management by main contractors/project managers”, “insufficient safety training”, “inadequate safety level”, “tiredness of workers”, and “poor quality of construction materials and equipments”. The five most promising methods are “increase in safety investment in terms of manpower, capital and finance”, “improvement in safety operations”, “no alcohol at work”, “increase in safety training and education for workers”, and “increase in safety inspection”. Discussions are given in this paper.