53,455 research outputs found

    Balancing operating revenues and occupied refurbishment costs 1: problems of defining project success factors and selecting site planning methods

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    In planning the refurbishment of railway stations the spatial needs of the contractor and of the ongoing business stakeholders have to be balanced. A particular concern is the disruptive effect of construction works upon pedestrian movement. RaCMIT (Refurbishment and Customer Movement Integration Tool) was a research project aimed at addressing this problem. The objective of the research was to develop a decision protocol facilitating optimisation of overall project value to the client's business. This paper (the first of two) presents a framework for considering public disruption in occupied refurbishment using two case studies in large railway stations as examples. It briefly describes new tools which (combined with existing techniques) assist decision making in the management of disruption. It links strategic with sitebased decision making and suggests how public disruption may be treated as a variable to be jointly optimised along with traditional criteria such as time, cost and quality. Research observations as well as current literature suggest that for overall decision-making, opportunities may be lost (under current practice) for minimising joint project cost/revenue disruption, and, for spatio-temporal site decision-making, effective and efficient tools now exist to model both sides of the construction site boundary

    Purchasing and cost overruns in ETO projects

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    On top management support for software cost estimation

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    Inaccurate software cost estimates continue causing project overruns and hurting firms’ economy. This thesis addresses the problem by focusing on top management role in applying estimation methodologies successfully in organisations. The research questions are 1) How does top management support software cost estimation, and 2) What are the impacts of top management support for creating a good cost estimate for a software project? Three empirical studies, one quantitative and two qualitative, were conducted to address the research questions. The studies identified practices, through which top management is involved in cost estimation, and collected evidence on the impact of practices on estimation success. The quantitative study is based on views of 114 Finnish software professionals, and the quantitative studies are based on in-depth findings from three Finnish software producing companies and projects. The results show that top management support for estimation is mostly indirect. Management focuses on creating a successful environment for estimation instead of hands-on participation.The key factors of top management support include adequate resources, demonstrating the importance of estimation and seeking realism. This indirect role is enough for successful estimation.On the other hand, the results provide evidence that top management may negatively impact estimation. For example, unclear expectations may cause the project team to aim for the wrong outcome, expressed expectations may bias estimation and interpreting estimates as commitments may decrease estimators’ motivation and cause them to give high estimates. The practical implication is that top management should avoid direct participation in software estimation and focus on sustaining a supportive and unbiased environment. By doing this, many projects should be able to avoid failures hurting firms’ competitiveness. From the research perspective, the results provide evidence that people-related perspectives are an important factor in software estimation, implying that a shifting focus from methodologies toward managerial topics is justified.EpĂ€tarkat ohjelmistoprojektien kustannusarviot johtavat suunnitelmien ylittymiseen ja rasittavat yritysten taloutta. TĂ€mĂ€ vĂ€itöskirja keskittyy ylimmĂ€n johdon rooliin arviointimenetelmien menestyksekkÀÀssĂ€ soveltamisessa organisaatioissa. VĂ€itöskirjan tutkimuskysymykset ovat 1) kuinka ylin johto tukee ohjelmistojen kustannusarviointia ja 2) mitĂ€ vaikutuksia johdon tuella hyvĂ€n kustannusarvion laatimiseksi on ohjelmistoprojektille? VĂ€itöskirjan tulokset perustuvat yhteen mÀÀrĂ€lliseen ja kahteen laadulliseen tutkimukseen. Tutkimukset tunnistivat tapoja, joilla johto osallistui kustannusarviointiin sekĂ€ kerĂ€si nĂ€yttöÀ osallistumiskĂ€ytĂ€nteiden vaikutuksista arvioinnin onnistumiseen. MÀÀrĂ€llinen tutkimus pohjautuu 114 suomalaisen ohjelmistoammattilaisen nĂ€kemyksiin, kun taas laadulliset tutkimukset pohjautuvat löydöksiin kolmen suomalaisen ohjelmistoyrityksen toteuttamista kolmesta ohjelmistoprojektista. Tulokset osoittavat, ettĂ€ ylimmĂ€n johdon tuki arvioinnille on pÀÀasiallisesti epĂ€suoraa. Johto keskittyy hyvien edellytysten luomiseen sen sijaan, ettĂ€ osallistuisi arviointiin henkilökohtaisesti. TĂ€rkeimpiin tapoihin tukea arviointia kuuluvat mm. riittĂ€vien resurssien varmistaminen ja realististen arvioiden tavoittelu. YllĂ€ kuvattu epĂ€suora osallistuminen on riittĂ€vÀÀ arvioinnin onnistumiseksi. Toisaalta johdon toimet voivat myös vaikuttaa arviointiin negatiivisesti. Esimerkiksi epĂ€selvĂ€t tavoitteet saattavat johtaa vÀÀrien asioiden tavoitteluun, johdon esittĂ€mĂ€t odotukset voivat vÀÀristÀÀ arvioinnin tuloksia ja arvioiden tulkitseminen lupauksiksi voi laskea arvioitsijoiden motivaatiota ja johtaa perusteettoman korkeiden arvioiden antamiseen. Esitettyjen tulosten perusteella johdon pitĂ€isi vĂ€lttÀÀ suoraa osallistumista arviointiin ja keskittyĂ€ arviointia tukevan ilmapiirin luomiseen. NĂ€illĂ€ toimilla useat projektit voisivat todennĂ€köisesti vĂ€lttÀÀ yrityksille vahingolliset epĂ€onnistumiset. TutkimusnĂ€kökulmasta tulokset osoittavat, ettĂ€ inhimilliset tekijĂ€t ovat merkittĂ€vĂ€ssĂ€ roolissa kustannusarvioinnissa, ja lisĂ€panostukset johtamisnĂ€kökulmien tutkimiseen ovat perusteltuja

    Using communication to mitigate the challenges of outsourced projects

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    Abstract: The multi-organisational mode of outsourcing projects increases the significance and complexity of project communication. Communication is essential for any organisation, offering the necessary structures within which people may successfully work together, make decisions and act to accomplish organisational goals. If project necessities are not communicated accurately, negative outcomes are frequently the result, proving detrimental to the organisation and the outsourced project. Literature review revealed ten common challenges to the outsourcing of projects, with mitigation strategies identified to minimise the impacts of such challenges. This study makes use of the case study research method and semi-structured interviews as the primary means of data collection. The method of analysis chosen for the study was the qualitative approach of thematic analysis. A cross-case analysis was done, similarities and variations were grouped together, and themes were identified based on participants’ responses. These were compared to the literature findings. It was found that six of the ten challenges were experienced in all three case studies. Four were unique to particular projects. The findings indicate that challenges affected project teams’ ability to communicate effectively, and that the identified mitigation strategies all included the component of communication, whether synchronous or asynchronous. With the achievement of the research objective, this study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge within the project management fraternity and within academia. Knowledge gained may be used by project management professionals and will, it is hoped, enhance the way projects are outsourced and managed in the engineering sector.M.Phil. (Engineering Management

    Reviewing risk management tools for construction projects and the implementation of project management strategies

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    Purpose - The research reviewed risk management tools for construction projects and the implementation of project management strategies, in which prominence is found in the use of the integrated use of value management and risk management adapted from the Integrated Approach for Soft Value Management. The study was based on a school construction project which was used as a case study at which the researcher’s role is that of ‘Project Manager’. The project status before the study was that it was almost 100% behind schedule and experienced a wide variety of problems ranging from constant site shut-downs due to community protests, contract scope changes, poor quality workmanship and material related setbacks. The study, through literature review, considered some of the methods currently used in the built environment to mitigate unforeseen problems to construction projects and ascertained the extent to which these tools and techniques for risk management on construction projects were used. The idea behind this was to review, document and package the application of a project management strategy that would be suitably effective for resolving the problems faced on the project site. Design – The research design used in this study was the ‘Case study design’ and ‘Experimental design’ in which the ‘Action-research’ approach and ‘Embedded survey within a case study’ were employed on the construction project site, managed by the researcher in his capacity as Project Manager. This was done by organising role-players as participants in focus group workshops facilitated by the researcher where the participants interacted with the researcher and amongst themselves in an effort to identify and find possible problems affecting the project. The researcher introduced stimulating action to project management processes based on the information sourced from the literature review and data obtained from focus group workshops where the outcomes were observed, recorded, analysed and conclusions drawn. Results – The investigation results revealed that the applied management strategies in form of the approach adapted from the integrated use of value and risk management provided a conclusion that the approach was an effective and preferable technique to use in comparison with the commonly used contingencies and float for risk management on construction projects. The above processes also confirmed its relevance as an appropriate technique for risk management of most unforeseen problems which have an effect on the three constraints of time, cost and quality. A further analysis of literature reviewed, which was also supported by other studies previously undertaken, concluded that most professionals in the construction sector such as Quantity Surveyors, Construction Managers, Project Managers and Architects were aware of Value Management but rarely applied it on projects for risk management purposes. Practical Implications – Developing a standard model for the implementation of measures to deal or manage unplanned problems on a project is a challenge as most projects do not have a set model to deal with unforeseen project problems which compels the reliance on contingencies and float. However, any envisaged model must be supported by a quality control system which allows for easy implementation of interventions. The prototype step model conceptualised by the researcher is intended to enable project functionaries and project managers through its unique and easy steps to navigate through any problem which may be encountered on a project. This is regardless of the project phase in which such challenges manifest as there is no preferred model capable of resolving much more than one setback at any given time in comparison with the strategy recommended by this study, which may also be applicable to other sites where similar dynamics exist. Limitations – The study was conducted in a confined environment which required to be confirmed through longitudinal research which is broader and based on many different projects hence the results could not be generalised but only limited to the current project and further research was recommended. The single case study design was also a limitation as the results were not broad enough and were also subjective for generalisation to other project sites. Conclusion – This project management strategy in which the integrated value management approach was used has the potential of being employed as an intervention technique for unforeseen problems related to construction projects provided the processes derived from further research are documented and packaged into a process to be used as a standard model. The project management strategy has the potential to mitigate problems related to time, cost and quality only during the three phases of the project which are, initiation, planning, and implementation and excludes the closing phase to enhance project value. In iii essence, when the project cost and time are effectively managed and reduced, with enhanced quality, the result is an improved project with significant prospects of success

    Managing project scope creep in construction industry

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    Purpose 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. Design/methodology/approach 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). Findings 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. Practical implications 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. Originality/value It is among the first study in the region that identifies and validates the factors that hinder construction project success.©2022 Emerald Publishing Limited. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY–NC 4.0) license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

    Capability erosion dynamics

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    The notion of capability is widely invoked to explain differences in organizational performance, and research shows that strategically relevant capabilities can be both built and lost. However, while capability development is widely studied, capability erosion has not been integrated into our understanding of performance heterogeneity. To understand erosion, we study two software development organizations that experienced diverging capability trajectories despite similar organizational and technological settings. Building a simulation-based theory, we identify the adaptation trap, a mechanism through which managerial learning can lead to capability erosion: well-intentioned efforts by managers to search locally for the optimal workload balance lead them to systematically overload their organization and, thereby, cause capabilities to erode. The analysis of our model informs when capability erosion is likely and strategically relevant
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