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For construction and management, the existing codes of practice of international organizations such as US Army Corps of Engineers, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the United Nations Office for Project Services, etc., often prove ineffective when applied in post-war countries like Afghanistan. Domestic contractors faced maximum challenges in contractual scope management, which was implemented by such organizations based on their existing codes of practice. The purpose of this paper is to understand these barriers in scope management as faced by the domestic contractors of Afghanistan.

The research employs a mixed methodology to cater to its objectives. Face-to-face structured interviews of 14 industry experts and extensive literature review were conducted to identify unique barriers pertaining to Afghanistan construction industry. Further, quantitative assessment of these barriers through the statistical tools of “mean score ranking,” “Kendall’s test” and “independent sample t-test” was carried out to understand the severity of the barriers.

In total, 39 unique barriers were identified under the groups of “scope formulation,” “scope completeness,” “scope pricing,” “scope implementation” and “scope change control.” The consequential impacts of these barriers and their existence at different stages of the project were illustrated. The most severe barriers were identified as the “inadequacy of site investigation reports” and the “unavailability of resources in local markets.”

The understanding of the challenges faced by local stakeholders, as highlighted by this study, can be utilized by these international organizations in their strategy and planning to ensure successful projects while also propagating the adoption of sustainable construction practices.

Project scope creep is a nightmare and nearly intolerable task. Most project managers struggle to curtail the expanse and degree of scope creep. This study examines different likely project scope creep factors associated with the construction industry projects.

After many brainstorming sessions with construction stakeholders, several project scope creep factors were identified. Then, a detailed survey was executed in big construction projects of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

The results derived and validated five conspicuous factors leading to project scope creep. Respectively, the highest and the lowest impact on project scope appears to be imposed by tasks/specifications and complexity/uncertainty.

It offers crucial support to the project stakeholders in scrutinizing different factors that stand as hurdles to project success and allows them to seek remedies to resolve them.

It is among the first study in the region that identifies and validates the factors that hinder construction project success.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different views of major project stakeholders about the factors that contribute to poor project scope leading to project scope creep.

Major factors of project scope creep are identified using commonality analysis of stakeholders’ views. An interview-based industry research method is applied to collect data from different projects in the United Arab Emirates.

Relying on stakeholders’ theory, the study proposes a framework for managing project scope creep. Results indicate that communication is among the major causes of project scope creep, as reported by all project stakeholder groups in this study.

The study is expected to support the assessment of the causes of project scope creep, simultaneously expanding knowledge on the topic for both researchers and practitioners.

This study is among the first few to explore the commonality of various stakeholder views in the factors that hinder project success.

Strategy research has long understood that reconfiguration of the scope of the activities a firm engages in over time is critical to its long-run success, while under-emphasizing differences in redeployment strategy that underlie apparently similar scope and changes in scope. In this paper, we build on the idea that a firm’s number of activities (scope) and change in activities (turnover) arise from two fundamental rates of redeployment: the rate at which activities are added and the rate at which activities are subtracted. In net, the turnover rate reflects how actively a firm reconfigures its resource base by redeploying resources via addition and subtraction of activities. We develop a model that links addition and subtraction with the composition of a firm’s activities and then provide an empirical illustration using data from the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office. As an example of one extension, the model can be generalized to incorporate elements of absorptive capacity. The analysis contributes to our understanding of how firms reconfigure their activities and provide managers with a clearer understanding of tools that guide redeployment of existing resources.

The purpose of this paper is to study the use of potential scope reductions in major construction projects for special-purpose buildings. Scope reductions may result in buildings that are less fit for purpose; this will be negative according to a facilities management perspective. The paper discuses to what extent this is the case. Potential reductions of project scope have been a tool for cost control of governmental investments in Norway since 2001.

The study is based on lists of possible reductions that were identified in the early phase of the projects. Information about the outcome of these possible reductions is collected from eleven public building projects.

In the studied projects, reduction lists were equivalent to 2.7 per cent of projects budgets, ranging from 0 to 9 per cent. Contingencies for these projects were 9.5 per cent on average, ranging from 5 to 13 per cent. The reduction lists were typically smaller than the contingencies’ lists. Seven of 11 studied projects had reduction lists established during the front-end phase. Only two projects implemented some of the reductions. These reductions were general reductions of the quality of spaces.

Empirical research results are based on Norwegian experiences. Results are compared to international practices. Future research can include comparisons between facilities projects and other types of investments.

The Norwegian reduction lists can be seen as a type of value engineering. The studied potential reductions are based on an unusually high degree of specification of the potential actions for cost control. International best practice is more concerned with general approaches. The practice of identifying specific potential reductions has little use as an active tool for controlling costs. General reduction options work better than specific reductions. The potential scope reductions do not appear to be a threat in a facilities management perspective.

This is the first study of how potential reductions have been used in public building projects. The findings are of interest related to cost control of major investments in facilities.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between project management competency, job motivation and performance in people engaged in electronic commerce (e-commerce). A questionnaire was developed for e-commerce workers in various professional aspects including business strategy planning, content management and design, sales services, marketing business sales, host settings, analysis and management. A total of 299 valid questionnaires were retrieved. Multiple regression analysis was applied to the testing and analysis on important competences for project management and the factors influencing job performance.

In this study, the related indexes are measured mainly through appropriate questionnaire design and the questionnaires were mainly distributed among employees and managers of the e-commerce enterprises. Tables 5–1 provide the personal profiles of the e-commerce personnel. A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed and 320 questionnaires were returned. After the 320 questionnaires were sorted and categorized, 21 incompletely-filled and invalid questionnaires were excluded, for a total of 299 valid questionnaires that were returned. Based on the quantitative data obtained from the returned valid questionnaires, files were created and statistical analyzes were conducted by the computerized statistical software statistical product and service solutions 21. According to the research question and nature of this study, the present study mainly adopted statistical methods, including descriptive statistical analysis, reliability analysis, Pearson’s correlation analysis and regression analysis.

The results suggested that the project management competency of those engaged in e-commerce had a positive influence on their work performance. The capabilities in the management of integration, scope and procurement were significantly important factors identified in this study. In addition, the internal and external motivations of those engaged in e-commerce had a positive influence on work performance, and thus, facilitated their influence on the project management competency. The results and statistical analysis could be a reference in e-commerce-related business management and serve as the basis for evaluation of the training of project management competencies for those engaged in e-commerce and further improvements of human capitals and corporate competitive advantages.

This study used literature on project management competence and job performance as a foundation; previous studies argue that project management competence has a positive correlation with job performance. Empirical results reveal that among the e-commerce personnel, most dimensions of project management competence are significantly correlated with job performance. This study reveals that stakeholder management competence, the newly introduced 10th dimension of project management competence, is also significantly correlated with job performance. Therefore, study results reveal that project management competence has a significant positive correlation with job performance. In this study, the two constructs of internal motivation and external motivation in job motivation are introduced for use as disturbing factors. Empirical results reveal that internal motivation and external motivation have a significant positive disturbing effect with respect to the influence of cost management competence and human resource management competence on job performance. Hackman and Oldham (1975) contend that the jobs calling for a variety of skills can boost the job motivation of employees. Study results reveal that job motivation is of great importance to the influence of project management competence on job performance and can be used as the basis for improving job performance.

Maintenance management is perceived as fundamental for ensuring that physical assets contribute to business outcomes. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to elaborate a novel maintenance management framework for asset management (MMFAM) based on ISO 55000 series guidelines.

The paper proposes an MMFAM that intends to translate the technical requirements set out in the ISO 550001 standard to the maintenance stage of asset management. First, the framework is modeled using consideration based on the analysis of the ISO 55000 series and the review of previous maintenance management frameworks. Then, support tools are presented that collaborate for the implementation of the processes and activities provided for in the MMFAM.

The proposed MMFAM was modeled using a Business Process Model and Notation since it is a standardized graphical notation for process modeling and contributes to the understanding of the framework. In addition, the applicable tools were presented for the practical implementation of MMFAM processes and activities.

The paper is expected to contribute to maintenance practitioners and researchers in understanding and disseminating a novel maintenance management framework that is in line with asset management through the international ISO 55000 series.

As it is essentially multidisciplinary and complex, asset management has still been little explored. Moreover, the requirements for implementing an asset management system, as explained in the ISO 55001 standard, only provide what needs to be done, but not how to do it. Accordingly, the paper fills a gap in maintenance management literature, as it addresses the ISO 55000 series for asset management in depth.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causes of scope creep on project completion in the real estate development industry in Ghana.

Both simple random sampling and convenience sampling techniques were used in selecting the respondents for the study. The respondents were experts working in the real estate development industry in Ghana.

Results from the study showed that the most critical factors that cause scope creep in the Ghanaian real estate development industry are client changes, unforeseen risks and unclear scope. Mitigating measures for addressing these factors were proposed.

This paper is limited to causes of scope creep in the real estate development industry in Ghana based on data collected from only real estate development firms in Accra. Due to geographic constraints, the researcher was unable to sample real estate development companies across the entire country. The finding of this study may not be generalised since causes of scope creep can be unique to individual country contexts.

This paper has documented the critical causes of scope creep and its major impacts on project completion in the real estate development industry in Ghana. The results will help project managers in the industry to appreciate the causes of scope creep and its effect on project completion as well as increase the quality of economics on real estate management and reduce the costs and risks of housing of delivery in the country.

The paper examined the causes and mitigation of project scope creep in the Ghanaian context.

To demonstrate how the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), a formal project management framework commonly used in corporate settings, can be used to manage library projects, even in situations where the librarian does not have authority over project resources, like personnel, scope, and budget.

This chapter uses a conceptual review of the library, project management, and library project management literature to construct recommendations and best practices.

Many of the PMBOK tools are effective for project managers working without formal authority. These tools include the Stakeholder Register, which allows a project manager to track stakeholders based upon their interest and influence; the Responsibility Assignment Matrix, which allows a project manager and team members to quickly and easily see work and personnel relationships; and Integrated Change Control, which provides project managers with a process for understanding and documenting the impact of project changes. These tools, as well as the PMBOK’s strategies on managing project communication and monitoring and controlling project work, which help orient stakeholders to the work and expectations of the project, while also making sure there are no surprises, provide effective project management tools for librarians working without formal authority.

While the PMBOK is occasionally discussed in the library literature, this chapter extensively uses the framework to connect the framework to library project management. This chapter also shows how the PMBOK, which relies on formal authority, can also be used in situations where the project manager lacks it.

Major maintenance projects are often regarded as maintenance activities regardless of the projects' complexity and scale. Consequently, very scarce research attention has hitherto been paid to the critical skills required when undertaking these projects. More specifically, the body of relevant knowledge is deprived of a study focusing on maintenance projects within the energy sector. In view of this shortcoming, this research aims to examine the critical project management (PM) skills required to deliver major maintenance projects within the energy sector.

Based on a quantitative research strategy, this study addressed the knowledge gap through a cross-sectional survey of professionals involved in the delivery of major maintenance projects in the United Kingdom's (UK) energy sector. Data obtained were analyzed via descriptive (e.g. frequencies, mean and standard deviation [SD]) and inferential statistical analyses (One sample t-test and exploratory factor analysis (EFA)).

Out of the 45 PM skills identified in the literature and examined by the respondents, the results obtained from the One sample t-test (based on p (1-tailed) = 0.05) showed that 37 were considered to be at least “important,” accounting for 80.4% of all the skills identified. EFA revealed a clustering of the PM skills items into seven components: “skills related to work scheduling and coordination”; “communication, risk, safety and stakeholder management skills”; “quality assurance skills”; “people management skills”; “skills related to forecasting scope and duration of outage”; “implementation of processes and time management skills” and “technical/engineering skills and experience pertaining to the outage and local site knowledge.”

This study has identified and contributed to the limited state-of-the-art skills project managers must possess to manage major maintenance projects in the energy sector successfully. The findings would be useful to organizations within the energy sector in ensuring that the organizations have suitable personnel in place to deliver major maintenance projects on the organizations' assets.