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1 – 10 of over 122000
Article
Publication date: 1 March 1987

Robert D. Bowenkamp and Brian H. Kleiner

The project is a one‐time complex event involving many functional organisation elements that must deliver an end item within very specific cost and schedule constraints. The…

3178

Abstract

The project is a one‐time complex event involving many functional organisation elements that must deliver an end item within very specific cost and schedule constraints. The project manager's responsibilities are to plan, control the organisation of manpower, control the basic technical definition of the project output, lead any people organisations assigned to the project, monitor performance, costs and efficiency, and complete the project on schedule and within costs. To do this, the manager should be committed to the plan, be inquisitive and ask the right questions, not manage by exception, insist that work be done right first time, involve manufacturing, know when to freeze and when to go ahead with the plan, and above all, be able to communicate.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 87 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 1 June 2018

Anastasia Guimaraes, Laurie McGowan, Miranda VanNevel and Zheng Wang

The first part of the chapter discusses the premise that “wearing many hats” impedes a professional’s ability to get successful project results in a library setting. Offering…

Abstract

Purpose

The first part of the chapter discusses the premise that “wearing many hats” impedes a professional’s ability to get successful project results in a library setting. Offering their own experience as an example, the authors explore the issues that led to the implementation of project manager as a full-time position at Hesburgh Libraries. Part two of the chapter offers practical suggestions for incorporating a project management office (PMO) into a library setting. It includes the definition of the virtual PMO model, how this model fits into the organizational structure, and why this model might be preferred in a library environment. It includes descriptions of basic project management tools, techniques, and methods as well as graphic representation of division and overlap of responsibilities.

Methodology/approach

The methodology of this chapter is based on a review of the literature as well as a description of the authors’ experience with implementing project management at their institution.

Findings

Project management is a profession that requires dedicated personnel and resources. Actively involved project sponsors and dedicated project managers play a critical role in assuring project success. Basic project management tools, techniques, and approaches can be successfully implemented in libraries.

Originality/value

Full-time project management in libraries is still a novel concept. Readers will benefit from Hesburgh Libraries’ implementation of new methodology and learn about tools and approaches to introduce project management in their organizations.

Details

Project Management in the Library Workplace
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78754-837-4

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 31 July 2012

Vincent K. Chong and Dashini Thavanayagam

This study aims to partially replicate and extend prior escalation of commitment (e.g., Harrell & Harrison, 1994; Harrison & Harrell, 1993). It extends prior studies by examining…

Abstract

This study aims to partially replicate and extend prior escalation of commitment (e.g., Harrell & Harrison, 1994; Harrison & Harrell, 1993). It extends prior studies by examining the impact of risk propensity on managersproject evaluation decisions. In addition, the study examines the joint effects of private information, potential for personal gain, and risk propensity on managersproject evaluation decisions. A laboratory experiment involving 146 subjects was conducted to test the various hypotheses developed for this study. The results are consistent with prior studies, suggesting that managers exhibit a greater tendency to continue unprofitable projects under conditions of private information and potential for personal gain. Furthermore, the results reveal that managers with high risk propensity exhibit a greater tendency to commit additional resources to unprofitable projects than those with low risk propensity. The results support the proposition that high risk propensity managers who experience conditions of private information and potential for personal gain exhibit a greater tendency to commit additional resources to unprofitable projects than low risk propensity managers who experience only one or neither of these conditions.

Details

Advances in Management Accounting
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-105-2

Book part
Publication date: 14 March 2023

Grégory Jemine and François Pichault

The abundance of technological innovations has dramatically increased the prominence of digital transformation processes in many organizations and sectors. At the present time…

Abstract

The abundance of technological innovations has dramatically increased the prominence of digital transformation processes in many organizations and sectors. At the present time, digital transformation is first and foremost depicted in the literature as a strategy carefully elaborated and deployed by diligent executives. This stands in sharp contrast with contemporary organizational theory, and most especially the strategy-as-practice research stream, which has increasingly underlined the capability of middle managers to weigh upon strategizing processes. An empirical inquiry conducted in a major aeronautics company reveals that digital transformation can be largely driven by middle managers in charge of specific technological projects, who operate in the absence of a well-defined, overarching strategy. Drawing on the sociology of translation, the chapter identifies four tactics used by middle managers to ensure that their projects make it to the strategic agenda of the firm. Ultimately, the findings suggest that digital transformation processes cannot be solely understood as strategic endeavors, and can result from the addition of disjointed technological projects driven by middle managers instead.

Details

Responding to Uncertain Conditions: New Research on Strategic Adaptation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-965-9

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 22 August 2014

Vincent K. Chong and Matt Wan

This chapter addresses the criticisms that escalation of commitment research has focused only on individual (as opposed to team or group) decision-making. It has been suggested…

Abstract

This chapter addresses the criticisms that escalation of commitment research has focused only on individual (as opposed to team or group) decision-making. It has been suggested that research findings of individual-based decision on managers’ escalation behaviors may not be applicable in today’s business environment which is increasingly dominated by team or group-based decision. Specifically, this chapter examines the effects of information availability (public vs. private information) and type of responsibility (sole and joint responsibility) on managersproject evaluation decisions. A laboratory experiment was conducted to test the hypotheses developed for this study. The results indicate that, consistent with prior research, project managers exhibited a greater tendency to continue a failing project under private information than public information conditions. In addition, in the private information condition, project managers with joint responsibility for an investment project expressed a greater tendency to continue a failing project than those with sole responsibility. Implications of our results for the design of management control systems are discussed.

Details

Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-445-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2023

Mohammad A. Hassanain, Mahmoud A. Zourob and Ahmed M. Ibrahim

This study aims to analyze the facilities managers’ involvement over the project life cycle phases (PLP), based on theoretical knowledge, consensus from empirical assessment of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the facilities managers’ involvement over the project life cycle phases (PLP), based on theoretical knowledge, consensus from empirical assessment of facilities managers and consultants’ practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review was undertaken to determine the different tasks that facilities managers typically handle, identify project phases and their underlying activities in which facilities managers would be involved. This was followed by targeting a group of consultants to build a consensus, upon the identified involvement of facilities managers, over the PLP, while measuring the level of involvement from a representative group of facilities managers in Saudi Arabia. A matching between the perceptions and practice has been performed to serve as recommendations for future research on improving the practice in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The involvement of facilities managers in the PLP is relatively low, according to the consultants’ perceptions. Consultants perceive that facilities managers should be involved in more professional activities, which would ultimately improve projects’ delivery to clients.

Practical implications

The involvement of facilities managers over the PLP ensures effective delivery of projects and reduces the multiplicity of challenges at the operation and maintenance phase. The viewing of facility managers’ involvement adds to the effectiveness of their role within the building industry.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the consultants’ perception of the involvement venues for facility managers to perform activities which are evaluated to be “mandatory,” “advantageous” or “not necessary.” The study reflects the state of facilities management practice, and the consensus of consultants toward the role of the facility managers through the PLP.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 August 2022

Henrik Franke, Finn Wynstra, Fabian Nullmeier and Chloe Nullmeier

Managing projects is an important part of operations management, but many projects fail. This study focuses on attribution processes of such disruption from the underrepresented…

1279

Abstract

Purpose

Managing projects is an important part of operations management, but many projects fail. This study focuses on attribution processes of such disruption from the underrepresented perspective of the project manager. The authors consider two types of causes: the more frequently researched environmental uncertainty (i.e. uncontrollable events) and the scarcely researched uncertainty imposed by non-collaborative project sponsors (i.e. other-controllable events).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test conceptual arguments grounded in attribution theory and the notion of psychological contracts in a scenario-based experiment among 325 practicing project managers.

Findings

The findings indicate that non-collaborative project sponsors negatively affect project managers' motivation, whereas uncontrollable disruptions leave hope to achieve positive future outcomes. This latter effect is further strengthened when project managers have an internal attribution style. They tend to blame the disruption on themselves and generally feel in control of achieving success even if they are not.

Originality/value

These socio-psychological insights nuance the economic idea that uncertainty reduces motivation per se in the context of project disruption appraisal. The authors contribute to the behavioral project management literature and general attribution theory and help guide the allocation of resources during the recovery of failed projects.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 42 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2020

Sina Moradi, Kalle Kähkönen and Kirsi Aaltonen

The success of projects clearly relies on project management personnel and particularly on project managers. Their performance and capacities are based on the achieved…

1878

Abstract

Purpose

The success of projects clearly relies on project management personnel and particularly on project managers. Their performance and capacities are based on the achieved competencies. The purpose of this paper is to address possible discrepancies between the views arising from the research results and standards of practice related to project managers’ competencies.

Design/methodology/approach

For reaching the aim of the study, a comprehensive literature review, covering previous studies and related standards of practice was conducted, and analyses of competencies in the studies and standards of practice containing the rank of competencies based on frequency of appearance were developed.

Findings

The findings are proposing four discrepancies between the results of previous studies and standards of practice: commonly existing/missing competencies; uneven priority of some competencies in the view of researchers vs standards of practice; uneven degree of consensus on the importance of competencies; and research results are more context-oriented than the standards of practice. In addition, 98 project managers’ competencies were identified, from which 68 were qualified as weighty ones. Moreover, a categorization of project managers’ weighty competencies was developed. Finally, a list of competencies of relevance for different project types and their targets is presented.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide a contribution with respect of present knowledge over project managers’ competencies by recognizing certain discrepancies between research results and standards of practice. Another contribution of the study is the comprehensive list of competencies together with considerations of their relevance in different project contexts and in different project types.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 April 2020

Shankar Sankaran, Anne Live Vaagaasar and Michiel Christian Bekker

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how project managers, influence the assignment of project team members by directly assigning or specifying who they want or by…

2366

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how project managers, influence the assignment of project team members by directly assigning or specifying who they want or by indirectly using lateral influence strategies to secure the appropriate resources. This study is part of a wider study investigating the balance between vertical and horizontal leadership in projects in which nomination (or assignment) was identified as a key event contributing to balancing the leadership. It focuses specifically on the nomination or assignment event at the start of a project.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the philosophy of critical realism, case studies were used to collect data through 70 semi-structured interviews in Australia, Scandinavia and South Africa. Interviews were conducted with senior managers, project managers and project team members. Two project team members who worked with the same project manager were interviewed to gather diverse views. The data were analyzed individually by researchers from each location using a coding method proposed by Miles et al. (2014). The researchers then jointly analyzed the findings to arrive at five common themes from that explained how team members were assigned in practice.

Findings

Despite the recognized need for project managers to form their own teams, this study found that project team members were often assigned by others. This was because project managers lacked authority to secure their resources. Therefore, they used lateral influence strategies to help with assigning project team members. The study identified five lateral influencing strategies adopted by project managers to assign team members: creating an image of competence; creating coalitions; taking a gamble; waiting for the right moment; and reasoning with facts. Two of these lateral influencing strategies were not identified in the previous literature on influencing strategies used in organizations.

Research limitations/implications

The findings should not be viewed as representative of the respective continents where the cases were studied. However, this study contributes to the literature on project management, illuminating how project teams are assigned and by whom and, specifically, the role that influence plays during this event of the balanced leadership theory. It also identifies the types of lateral influence strategies used by project managers when assigning team members to their projects. It provides a pathway to explore the use of lateral influencing strategies by project managers beyond the assignment process.

Practical implications

This study will help project managers to become aware of influencing strategies that they can use in practice while assigning team members to their projects. It will also highlight the importance of assigning the right resources to projects with a view to achieving balanced leadership.

Originality/value

This research is of value to organizations using projects to successfully deliver their strategies by assigning suitable resources to their projects.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 13 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 December 2021

Alessandro Lo Presti, Amelia Manuti, Assunta De Rosa and Angelo Elia

The current study makes two main contributions: one theoretical and one methodological. First, it investigated the theoretical prepositions of career sustainability perspective…

2457

Abstract

Purpose

The current study makes two main contributions: one theoretical and one methodological. First, it investigated the theoretical prepositions of career sustainability perspective, which appears particularly suitable for examining project managers' careers' dynamics and patterns, featured by explicit and recursive interactions between individual, temporal and contextual factors. Second, the study aimed to adopt a qualitative approach to this topic as to allow a deeper understanding of individual narratives about careers, highlighting underexplored issues and peculiarities that future research could further examine through quantitative methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

Project managers' careers are still an under-researched topic, especially through qualitative methods. The study applied career sustainability theory to the realm of project management, moreover, adopting a socio-constructivist perspective. Participants were 50 Italian project managers who were involved through a narrative in-depth interview that focused on career and career success. Their answers were analyzed through thematic analysis of contents and diatextual analysis.

Findings

Results showed that project managers' career could be a prototypical example of sustainable career, basically described in terms of four basic constitutive dimensions as follows: time frame, social space, agency and meaning. Implications for both future theoretical expansion of career sustainability theory and project managers' career management interventions were also discussed.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper could be found in the effort to adopt a socio-constructivist perspective to investigate the topic of career sustainability taking the exemplary case of project managers' career.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 15 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 122000