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1 – 10 of over 134000Sara S. Badran and Ayman Bahjat Abdallah
The present research aims to investigate how lean project management (LPM) and agile project management (APM) affect project performance outcomes in the construction sector in…
Abstract
Purpose
The present research aims to investigate how lean project management (LPM) and agile project management (APM) affect project performance outcomes in the construction sector in Jordan. This study focuses on six key project performance outcomes, namely cost, time, quality, client satisfaction, innovation and responsiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study employed a quantitative approach to achieve the research objectives. Accordingly, a multi-item survey questionnaire was prepared to gather data from 392 project managers from construction companies in Jordan. The study’s model showed acceptable levels regarding reliability, validity, fit indices and discriminant validity. In order to test the hypotheses of this study, path analysis was employed using Amos 24.0 software.
Findings
LPM demonstrated a remarkably high positive impact on cost performance. It also positively affected quality performance and client satisfaction. However, LPM insignificantly affected time, innovation and responsiveness performance measures. On the other hand, APM showed a notably high positive impact on innovation and responsiveness. The findings also revealed that APM positively impacted quality performance and client satisfaction. In addition, APM negatively impacted cost performance and insignificantly impacted time performance.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first comprehensive studies to empirically examine the impact of both LPM and APM on various project performance outcomes in the construction industry in the context of a developing country. It reveals some similarities and differences between LPM and APM with regard to their impacts on project management outcomes. The findings are expected to guide managers in selecting the appropriate project management approach based on the desired performance outcomes. Accordingly, it offers important implications for project managers in construction companies.
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Effective management of risk and knowledge is critical to ensure the success of industry–university collaboration (IUC) projects. However, the intricate dynamics through which…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective management of risk and knowledge is critical to ensure the success of industry–university collaboration (IUC) projects. However, the intricate dynamics through which these factors influence the performance of IUC projects have yet to be fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to explore the interplay between risk management and knowledge management capabilities and their impact on IUC project performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A model was constructed and evaluated through the examination of a sample of 188 collaborative innovation projects located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), utilizing structural equation models (SEM) and hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
The findings indicate that social system risk, technical system risk and project management risk have a negative impact on the performance of university–industry collaboration (UIC) projects, while cultural, technical and structural knowledge management capabilities can mitigate the negative impact of these risks on the performance of IUC projects.
Practical implications
The study concludes with three recommendations aimed at improving the management of UIC projects, including the establishment of a distinct and precise management strategy, the deployment of a comprehensive and systematized management methodology and the adoption of a balanced management framework.
Originality/value
The originality and value of this study lie in its exploration of the interplay between risk management and knowledge management capabilities in IUC projects. While previous studies have examined either risk management or knowledge management in IUC projects separately, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of both factors and their combined impact on project performance. The study also contributes to the literature by highlighting the specific risks and knowledge management capabilities that are most relevant to the context of IUC projects in the UAE. The practical recommendations offered by the study can help project managers and stakeholders to improve the success of collaborative innovation projects.
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Xiaolin Li, Huimin Li, Ruirui Zhang, Yilin Yin, Shaonan Sun, Juan Bai and Ruihua Liu
The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of asymmetric trust on construction project management performance in China's construction industry. Moreover, the authors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of asymmetric trust on construction project management performance in China's construction industry. Moreover, the authors explore the mediating role of two types of knowledge sharing (explicit knowledge sharing and tacit knowledge sharing) in explaining the association between asymmetric trust and project management performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model based on the research hypotheses proposed in this study was developed and a questionnaire survey was conducted with 271 professionals. The data collected was analyzed by the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.
Findings
The results of this study indicate that there is a significant and negative association between asymmetric trust and project management performance. Moreover, two types of knowledge sharing (explicit knowledge sharing and tacit knowledge sharing) have different degrees of impact on improving project management performance. In addition, tacit knowledge sharing is a mediator between asymmetric trust and project management performance.
Research limitations/implications
The data used in this study is from Chinese scenarios, so the research conclusions and application effects based on this are bound to have certain regional limitations. Besides, there are many factors that affect project management performance improving, and the relationships among them are so complex. The theoretical model proposed in this study may not be fully considered. Therefore, follow-up researchers can consider bringing more suitable variables into their researches, so that the theoretical researches can be more in line with the actual project management practice, and the specific mechanism for improving project management performance can be explained more deeply.
Originality/value
This research's value is as follows: Firstly, this paper contributes to the trust and relational governance literature by expanding the research perspective of mutual trust to asymmetric trust. Specially, this research designs a measurement scale for asymmetric trust and then reveals the impact mechanism of it on project management performance, which will certainly promote research paradigm change of trust. Secondly, this research is beneficial to knowledge sharing literature in the construction management field by expanding the research scope of knowledge sharing from a cross-organizational perspective.
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Ana Azevedo, Kam Jugdev and Gita Mathur
This research draws on the resource-based view of the firm from strategic management and applies it to a study of competitive advantage in the project management context. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This research draws on the resource-based view of the firm from strategic management and applies it to a study of competitive advantage in the project management context. The relationship between the characteristics of project management resources, focusing on organizational support for the project management process, and outcomes of the project management process are examined.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses data gathered from 437 North American project management professionals with an existing survey tool that was used in a prior smaller sample study. The study uses Barney’s VRIO framework that assesses resources as valuable (V), rare (R), inimitable (I) and organizationally supported to leverage their value (O). The conceptual model hypothesizes relationships between the project management asset characteristics (valuable, rare, and inimitable), organizational support for the project management process, and project management performance outcomes (both project and firm level). Hypotheses are tested using factors extracted from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The factors extracted include two factors representing valuable project management asset characteristics, one factor representing rare project management asset characteristics, one factor representing inimitable project management asset characteristics, two factors representing organizational support for the project management process, one factor representing project-level performance and one factor representing firm-level performance.
Findings
Project management assets that are considered valuable and organizational support for the project management process are found to contribute positively to project management process outcomes. No advantage was perceived from rare and inimitable project management assets. Project-level performance was found to significantly mediate the relationship between organizational support and firm-level performance.
Practical implications
This study draws managerial attention to organizational support for the project management process as a source of competitive advantage through its positive affect on both project-as well as firm-level performance.
Originality/value
The study uses a survey tool from previous research with a new, larger dataset to contribute to the understanding of the importance of organizational support for the project management process in a quest for both project success as well as a firm's competitive advantage.
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Cinzia Battistella, Thomas Bortolotti, Stefania Boscari, Fabio Nonino and Giulia Palombi
Diverse cultures may make people behave differently and this, in turn, can impact project management. While the relationship between culture and project success has been widely…
Abstract
Purpose
Diverse cultures may make people behave differently and this, in turn, can impact project management. While the relationship between culture and project success has been widely explored, there is a need of addressing the gap in the relationship between culture and project management performance outcomes, that is, the performance in implementing project management processes and practices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this gap by studying the role of cultural dimensions on project management performance.
Design/methodology/approach
An explorative survey including 200 observations relating to the experiences of project managers with a big experience on projects involving many different national cultures has been conducted to collect primary data on the relationship between the nationality observed and the project management performance outcomes shown. Nationality has been used as a proxy to link individual cultural dimensions and project management performance.
Findings
The results of this paper show that individualism impacts project dynamics and project control positively. Moreover, masculinity impacts project dynamics positively, and uncertainty avoidance impacts project control negatively. When recognized, different cultural dimensions can drive project management performance outcomes. The increasing awareness on this topic can be a valid instrument to control the cultural effect and take advantage of it to enhance project success.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the theory of project management by recognizing linkages between cultural dimensions and project management performance. Moreover, this study overcomes the concept of nationality, focusing on individuals and their unique set of cultural dimensions.
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Ronaldo Gomes Dultra-de-Lima and Luiz Artur Ledur Brito
The absorptive capacity (AC) leads to firm performance and influences the development and evolution of capabilities and routines, but the influence of AC in projects remains…
Abstract
Purpose
The absorptive capacity (AC) leads to firm performance and influences the development and evolution of capabilities and routines, but the influence of AC in projects remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of AC on project performance (PP) in the construction industry of Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a survey questionnaire with project managers and collected 157 responses in the construction sector. They also used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multiple linear regression techniques to assess the data.
Findings
The study provides empirical evidence that realized absorptive capacity (RAC) has a direct and indirect positive effect on PP. Conversely, the potential absorptive capacity (PAC) only indirectly impacts PP through project management practices (PMPs). PAC and RAC positively influence PMPs that in turn positively influence PP. The findings reinforce the relevance of AC to the development of internal knowledge for processes and routines, thereby enhancing PP.
Practical implications
The findings provide practical implications: the AC influences PP by refining and adapting routines. Moreover, the consistent application of accepted practices is not enough for PP, but the ability to adapt, adjust and transform the relevant knowledge into routines.
Originality/value
This paper provides empirical evidence that the knowledge application of PMPs improves organizational performance through PP. However, despite what the literature has discussed, this paper proved that AC has no effect as a moderating factor between PMPs and performance; however, AC's role significantly impacts PP through PMPs.
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Matti Haverila, Kai Christian Haverila and Jenny Carita Twyford
Relying on the importance-performance theory first established by Martilla and James (1977), this research paper utilizes a unique statistical analysis instrument embedded into…
Abstract
Purpose
Relying on the importance-performance theory first established by Martilla and James (1977), this research paper utilizes a unique statistical analysis instrument embedded into the SmartPLS software. It explores the importance and performance of key project management constructs and indicators with a purpose to make practical and actionable recommendations for project managers to identify and improve project management practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The data used were derived from 3,130 system delivery projects in the facilities management industry. The data was analyzed with Partial Least Squares Modelling (PLS) software SmartPLS, using its embedded importance-performance functionality.
Findings
The findings indicate the importance and performance of the project management constructs and their respective indicator variables in an importance-performance (IPMA) map. All three project management phases (constructs); proposal, installation and commissioning, were significantly related to satisfaction. The installation phase (construct) showed the highest potential for performance improvement in project management. With regard to the specific indicator variables, the variable “Coordinating their work with other contractors (or the owner's staff)” received a strong “Do better” recommendation.
Originality/value
The approach and results provide an easy to use and visual tool for project managers to assess the importance and performance of the various elements of project management. The instrument provides a project management direction for the identification of strategic enhancement areas as it is essential to recognize what facets of project management contribute most to the improvement of project management performance over a longer period of time (Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Palmer, 1998).
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Randell Jared Mahabir and Kit Fai Pun
Existing studies on project performance improvement mainly investigate project management (PM) execution processes. Limited publications investigate the project management…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing studies on project performance improvement mainly investigate project management (PM) execution processes. Limited publications investigate the project management office's (PMO) proficiency in facilitating proper PM practice. This paper identifies the key performance indicators (KPI) of PMO operations and develops a KPI-based performance management system (KPMS) for revitalising PMO performance for an engineering-service contractor (ESC).
Design/methodology/approach
A four-phase study was initiated at an ESC in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Phase-1 established historical project performance and PMO challenges via documentary analysis. Empirical data from the PMO staff and management was acquired at Phase-2 to determine PMO process value-drivers and strategic roles. Phase-3 comprised the development of a modified PMO process and the KPMS, whereas Phase-4 evaluated the efficacy of the PMO process and the KPMS framework in a trial period.
Findings
The ESC's existing PMO process lacked significant value-drivers of its PM practice. The company also overlooked strategic PMO roles. Trial implementation of the modified PMO process achieved improved project performance, which stakeholders attributed to the value-driven processes and guidance provided by the KPMS. The KPMS, when used in tandem with Earned Value Management (EVM) index score review revealed core performance aspects that could facilitate continuous improvement of the PMO process at the ESC.
Practical implications
Findings provide an adequate basis for policy creation regarding PMO performance evaluation and guidance for companies contemplating a similar endeavour. A viable model for PMO performance management and improvement is proffered. The findings and the model would provide a platform for subsequent research in the areas of PMO development and business process improvement.
Originality/value
This is the first study conducted to obtain management and practitioners' inputs on developing a PMO performance management framework in a project-based contractor organisation in T&T. Various PMO challenges and implications of improvements specific to engineering-service contractors and similar organisations were determined.
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Marlen Christin Jurisch, Zuzana Rosenberg and Helmut Krcmar
Even today still many business process change (BPC) initiatives fail and cause high overruns for organizations undergoing BPC initiatives. It is therefore important that BPC…
Abstract
Purpose
Even today still many business process change (BPC) initiatives fail and cause high overruns for organizations undergoing BPC initiatives. It is therefore important that BPC practitioners and researchers understand the risks inherent in BPC projects, and that they adapt their risk management processes to account for and mitigate these risks. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate which emergent risks matter in BPC project.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted case survey methodology and investigated data from 130 case studies to show the nature and magnitude of relationships between organizational support risks, volatility risks, and BPC project and process performance.
Findings
The results show that organizational support risks influence both the overall BPC project performance and process performance. Whereas, volatility risks influence project performance but appear to have no direct impact on the process performance. Both organizational support risks and volatility risks show influence on project management practices.
Research limitations/implications
The study show several limitations that might be assigned to the case survey methodology, such as use of secondary data or publication bias.
Practical implications
The authors provide considerable support which emergent risks matter in BPC projects.
Originality/value
The contribution of this study takes several forms. It fills a gap in the literature concerning emergent risk factors inherent in BPC projects. The authors provided theoretical explanation of the effects of emergent risks on BPC project and process performance. And lastly, the authors have demonstrated the usefulness of case survey methodology in BPC research.
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This paper presents an argument that it is appropriate to develop a model of project management (PM) performance from models for assessing quality management. The paper presents a…
Abstract
This paper presents an argument that it is appropriate to develop a model of project management (PM) performance from models for assessing quality management. The paper presents a model, labelled the project management performance assessment (PMPA) model, based upon the EFQM business excellence model. The model proposes six criteria for assessing PM performance: project management leadership; project management staff; project management policy and strategy; project management partnerships and resources; project life cycle management processes; and project management key performance indicators. Using data from an empirical study of PM practice in UK organisations, the paper uses PMPA as a framework to explore variations in the character of PM performance. It is concluded that there are variations in attitudes and behaviour in each of these areas and that these variations may be used to help measure levels of PM performance.
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