Determinants of project success

The interactions of numerous project characteristics, with particular reference to project performance, were studied. Determinants of success are identified along with the accompanying implications for client organization, parent organization, project organization, and future research. Variables are selected which are found to have the greatest impact on project outcome, and the methodology and analytic techniques to be employed in identification of those variables are discussed

Antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior towards project success

In the current globally competitive knowledge economy, all organizations need to manage a project effectively to ensure success. Studies have shown that many projects failed to achieve initial objectives and unable to respond to their stakeholders’ expectations. Researchers have recognized that knowledge is a key strategic resource for the project performance and effectiveness and that it is essential to encourage and assist project team members to share their know-how. Hence, the main aim of this research is to investigate the individual and organizational factors influencing project team members' knowledge sharing behavior that eventually contributes to the success of a project. This study develops a theoretical framework of underlying project knowledge sharing based on the “Theory of Planned Behavior” for identifying knowledge sharing behavior complemented by System Thinking Theory and Input-Process-Output Model. A questionnaire survey was used for data collection and analysis was made based on 423 responses from project team members of a large project based company. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 14 participants including managers and project management team members in the case company to gain a clearer and deeper understanding of knowledge sharing behaviors. The findings from the research survey and interview support the basic assumption that higher levels of individual factors including Perceived Reciprocity Benefits, Perceived Enjoyment in Helping Others, Perceived Project Commitment, Knowledge Selfefficacy; together with higher levels of organizational factors including Perceived Project Climate, Top Management Support, Rewards and Incentives, Information Technology; lead to higher levels of actual knowledge sharing. The findings also show that knowledge sharing behavior in project environment is a critical factor which can affect success of a project

Benchmarking of project planning and success in selected industries

Purpose - To identify the industry in which projects are best planned and executed and use it as a benchmark for improving project planning in other industries. Design/methodology/approach - Based on data collected from 280 project managers, project success and quality of project planning were evaluated and analyzed for four industries - construction and engineering, software and communications, services, and production and maintenance. Findings - Quality of project planning was found to be the highest in construction and engineering organizations and the lowest in manufacturing organizations. This is a result of a few factors, among them the intensive organizational support which is offered to project managers working in construction and engineering organizations. The other three industries limit their support mostly to tactical aspects, such as the purchasing of project management software. The high quality of project planning in the construction and engineering organizations resulted in their ability to complete projects by almost half the cost and schedule overruns, as compared to organizations belonging to the other industries. Finally, results of the industries in Israel and Japan are compared and analyzed. Research limitations/implications - Findings are limited to the four industries included in the study. Practical implications - If organizations, not belonging to the construction industry, wish to improve the probability of success in project planning and execution, they should follow methodologies commonly used in the construction industry. Originality/value - This paper introduces a valid field study, exploring project management practices in four industries and identifies the one which may be used as a benchmark for the others. It also identifies specific strengths and weaknesses in project management within the explored industries

Identifying Success Factors in Construction Projects: A Case Study

© 2015 by the Project Management Institute. Published online in Wiley Online Library. Defining "project success" has been of interest for many years, and recent developments combine multiple measurable and psychosocial factors that add to this definition. There has also been research into success factors, but little research into the causal chains through which success emerges. Following the multi-dimensionality of "success," this article shows how success factors combine in complex interactions; it describes factors contributing to project performance by a company working on two major construction programs and shows how to map and analyze paths from root causes to success criteria. The study also identifies some specific factors - some generic, some context-dependent - none of these is uncommon but here they come together synergistically

Century Farms Carry on Tradition

A collaborative research project explores the success of century farms

Re-imagining the Iron Triangle: Embedding Sustainability into Project Constraints

Since the emergence of the formal discipline of project management, academics and practitioners have sought to define criteria against which project success can be measured. Perhaps the most well known criteria are encapsulated in the ‘Iron Triangle’ that places Cost Time and Quality at the center of project success. However it has been suggested that whilst this triple constraint is important, it can also narrow the focus away from other crucial project success factors. One area that is gaining prominence within the field of project management is the consideration of sustainability principles and there is an increasing understanding of the need to develop methods, tools and techniques to integrate sustainability criteria into the management of projects. This paper presents the results of an empirical study in which project managers were asked to re-draw the traditional Iron Triangle with the inclusion of sustainability. The results of the study indicate that whist sustainability is seen by practitioners as a key factor to be included in project planning and implementation, there is disagreement as to where the issue sits in relation to traditional time, cost, quality constraints and how sustainability principles should be integrated into projects

Critical success factors for e-tendering implementation in construction collaborative environments : people and process issues

The construction industry is increasingly engulfed by globalisation where clients, business partners and customers are found in virtually every corner of the world. Communicating, reaching and supporting them are no longer optional but are imperative for continued business growth and success. A key component of enterprise communication reach is collaborative environments (for the construction industry) which allows customers, suppliers, partners and other project team members secure access to project information, products or services they need at any given moment. Implementation of the stated critical success factors of the project is essential to ensure optimal performance and benefits from the system to all parties involved. This paper presents critical success factors for the implementation of e-tendering in collaborative environments with particular considerations given to the people issues and process factors