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1 – 10 of over 138000Lenny H. Pattikawa, Ernst Verwaal and Harry R. Commandeur
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.
Abstract
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.
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Ahmad Shah Kakar, Abid Hasan, Kumar Neeraj Jha and Amarjit Singh
The Afghan construction industry faces resource shortages and heavily relies on foreign aid to fund public projects on the path to recovery and reconstruction. While the…
Abstract
Purpose
The Afghan construction industry faces resource shortages and heavily relies on foreign aid to fund public projects on the path to recovery and reconstruction. While the resource constraints demand cost-efficient delivery of construction projects, many Afghan public projects experience delays and cost overruns. This study aims to evaluate various attributes and factors influencing cost performance in public construction projects in Afghanistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review and Delphi method identified 30 cost performance attributes relevant to the context of Afghanistan. Next, a questionnaire survey was conducted with construction management professionals working in the public sector in the Afghan construction industry to evaluate these attributes.
Findings
This study found that the lack of resources, poor project management skills and corruption in procurement are the leading causes behind cost overruns in Afghan public projects. This study also identified five latent factors influencing cost performance in public projects in Afghanistan: competency of the project team, socioeconomic and political support, governance and public procurement, planning and risk management and project characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
The exploratory factor analysis did not reveal the relative significance of different cost performance success factors. Moreover, the ranking of cost performance attributes is based on the responses from the public sector construction professionals only.
Practical implications
The construction industry in Afghanistan significantly contributes to the country’s social and economic growth and employment. This study’s findings will help researchers, project sponsors, government departments and industry practitioners interested in improving the cost performance in Afghan public projects.
Originality/value
Given the scarcity of research in war-affected and conflict-sensitive regions, this study fills a research gap on project cost performance by providing insights into the cost performance success factors in public projects in Afghanistan.
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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…
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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Thomas Keil, Pasi Kuusela and Nils Stieglitz
How do organizations respond to negative feedback regarding their innovation activities? In this chapter, the authors reconcile contradictory predictions stemming from…
Abstract
How do organizations respond to negative feedback regarding their innovation activities? In this chapter, the authors reconcile contradictory predictions stemming from behavioral learning and from the escalation of commitment (EoC) perspectives regarding persistence under negative performance feedback. The authors core argument suggests that the seemingly contradictory psychological processes indicated by these two perspectives occur simultaneously in decision makers but that the design of organizational roles and reward systems affects their prevalence in decision-making tasks. Specifically, the authors argue that for decision makers responsible for an individual project, responses given to negative performance feedback regarding a project are dominated by self-justification and loss-avoidance mechanisms predicted by the EoC literature, while for decision makers responsible for a portfolio of projects, responses to negative performance regarding a project are dominated by an under-sampling of poorly performing alternatives that behavioral learning theory predicts. In addition to assigning decision-making authority to different organizational roles, organizational designers shape the strength of these mechanisms through the design of reward systems and specifically by setting more or less ambiguous goals, aspiration levels, time horizons of incentives provided, and levels of failure tolerance.
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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…
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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Chunhao Li, Yuping Zhao and Wei Feng Chen
This study aims to investigate the dual effects of commitment-based governance on the relationship between formal control and public–private partnership (PPP) project…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the dual effects of commitment-based governance on the relationship between formal control and public–private partnership (PPP) project performance. Formal control and relationship governance are two primary forms of inter-organizational governance that affect project performance. However, little is known about the interplay between formal control and commitment and its effect on PPP projects. More specifically, previous studies have failed to distinguish the function routes of relationship governance resulting from different types of formal control (process and outcome control).
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a questionnaire survey to empirically investigate the mechanism that commitment-based governance influences the relationship between formal control and PPP performance. After collecting data from public and private sector professionals involved in 101 Chinese PPP projects, the theoretical framework proposed in this paper is verified by the empirical results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The results show that process control has an inverted U-shaped effect and outcome control has a significant positive influence on PPP project performance. Furthermore, commitment moderates the effect of formal control on PPP project performance by increasing the relevance of outcome control and mediates the inverted U-shaped relationship between process control and PPP project performance.
Practical implications
Managers should recognize that process control is a double-edged sword and prevent the overuse of process control. Managers should direct their attention toward efforts to improve the commitment, which allows for the effectiveness of outcome control strategies. Additionally, this study new measurement method for relationship governance suggests that managers should be aware of the difference in parties' perceptions of the relationship.
Originality/value
This study allows for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship governance-control nexus from a commitment perspective. The authors bring into light the dual role of commitment-based governance in the relationship between the two types of formal control and PPP project performance. Moreover, the new approach to measure relationship governance offers valuable insight into the measurement of variables about individual's perception.
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Prachi Vinod Ingle and Gangadhar Mahesh
The success of construction projects can be indicated by measuring their performance. For effective project performance (PP), the successful execution of a construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The success of construction projects can be indicated by measuring their performance. For effective project performance (PP), the successful execution of a construction projects is very important. A systematic review of the literature on performance areas and performance assessment models was undertaken. The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical formulation for construction PP areas to suit the Indian context by modifying the current project quarterback rating (PQR) model.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature, the PQR model has not been validated for suitability in the Indian context. To validate the PQR model and modify the same for the Indian context, a survey instrument was used to collect data on performance areas and a multivariate data analysis technique was carried out to develop a modified model. Delphi technique was used to assign the weights for each performance metric in performance areas.
Findings
This study concluded the importance of three additional performance areas, namely, productivity, stakeholder satisfaction and environment for assessing PP for Indian construction projects. It also identified the interrelationship between the performance areas and the PP.
Practical implications
The developed modified PQR model (MPQR) will guide the concerned stakeholders to take corrective actions for improving the performance of construction projects.
Originality/value
The MPQR proposed in this paper covers ten areas and is a comprehensive single score that can be used to benchmark and compare performance over different projects to achieve continuous improvement.
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Choiwai Maggie Chak, Lara Carminati and Celeste P.M. Wilderom
Combining the goal-setting and job demands-resources (JD-R) theories, we examine how two project resources, collaborative project leadership and financial project…
Abstract
Purpose
Combining the goal-setting and job demands-resources (JD-R) theories, we examine how two project resources, collaborative project leadership and financial project resources, enhance high project performance in community-academic health partnerships.
Design/methodology/approach
With a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design, data were collected through a survey (N = 318) and semi-structured interviews (N = 21). A hypothesised three-path mediation model was tested using structural equation modelling with bootstrapping. Qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis.
Findings
Project workers’ hope, goal-commitment and -stress: (1) fully mediate the hypothesised relationship between highly collaborative project leadership and high project performance; and (2) partially mediate the relationship between financial project resources and high project performance. The qualitative data corroborate and deepen these findings, revealing the crucial role of hope as a cognitive-motivational facilitator in project workers’ ability to cope with challenges.
Practical implications
Project leaders should promote project workers’ goal commitment, reduce their goal stress and boost project performance by securing financial project resources or reinforcing workers’ hope, e.g. by fostering collaborative project leadership.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to the project management and JD-R literature by considering the joint effects of project workers’ hope and two commonly studied project resources (collaborative project leadership and financial project resources) on high project performance. Moreover, we demonstrate the importance of the goal-setting and JD-R theories for understanding complex health-promotion projects connecting academic to community work.
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Hong Min Zhang, Heap-Yih Chong, Yu Zeng and Wei Zhang
Building information modeling (BIM) has brought great advantages to project delivery and performance. However, BIM has also increased the complexity of projects. Research…
Abstract
Purpose
Building information modeling (BIM) has brought great advantages to project delivery and performance. However, BIM has also increased the complexity of projects. Research shows that for BIM implementation to have a positive impact in this innovative environment, BIM should be synchronized with stakeholder management. Therefore, this research aims to incorporate the theory of stakeholder management in BIM-enabled projects and determine the theory's intermediary role between BIM implementation and project performance.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review was conducted and 13 critical success factors (CSFs) for BIM implementation, 29 CSFs for stakeholder management and 6 CSFs for BIM project performance were identified. These measurement items were tested using a questionnaire survey method and analyzed using structural equation modeling. This research was focused on Chinese megaprojects or complex projects that were under a high level of development of BIM, which could reflect the complex stakeholder relationships and BIM implementation for project performance.
Findings
The results indicate that effective use of BIM can directly improve project performance. Further, stakeholder management has an important and positive intermediary role within the path of BIM implementation and project performance, particularly through (1) stakeholder dynamics (SD) and (2) stakeholder engagement or empowerment (SE).
Originality/value
The logical relationship of mutual influence among CSFs has been revealed for BIM-enabled projects. This research contributes to the effective collaboration and practice of BIM in the construction industry.
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Lan Luo, Limao Zhang, Xian Zheng and Guangdong Wu
This paper proposes a novel hybrid simulation approach that incorporates the structural equation model (SEM) and system dynamics (SD) to investigate the impacts of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper proposes a novel hybrid simulation approach that incorporates the structural equation model (SEM) and system dynamics (SD) to investigate the impacts of leadership dynamics on project performance under different scenarios.
Design/methodology/approach
SEM is used to identify and validate a correlation between leadership variables and project performance statically. On this basis, the SD model is constructed to depict a system model connecting the leadership and project performance. Different scenarios are simulated to dynamically model the variation in leadership on the evolution of project performance.
Findings
Results indicate that (1) leadership can be divided into personal ability, relationship atmosphere and organizational strategy in complex construction projects; (2) personal ability, relationship atmosphere and organizational strategy positively correlate with project performance over time; and (3) L1 (stress management ability), L7 (team building) and L17 (institution support) are the leading factors influencing project performance and should be paid more attention under limited resources.
Originality/value
This research contributes to (1) the state of the knowledge by proposing a hybrid methodology that can systematically model the impacts of leadership dynamics on project performance over time and (2) the state of the practice by gaining a better understanding of the strategy of resource distribution for enhancing project performance in complex construction projects.
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