Improving and embedding project management practice: Generic or context dependent?

Taking into account the contingency theory, this paper explores the extent to which key project management improvement initiatives and key embedding factors, identified in a previously developed conceptual framework, are dependent on organizational context, namely sector of activity, organization size, geographic area and project types. Therefore, aiming to guide professionals on making use of such framework in their organizations. Statistically significant contextual correlations were looked for in a worldwide sample of 793 questionnaire responses from project management professionals, using Principal Component Analysis, ANOVA test and post-hoc Tukey test. Context related differences found were limited, suggesting that the framework for improving and embedding project management practice is substantially generic. Therefore, the paper shows the explanatory power of the framework, which can be used by any organization independent of its sector of activity, dimension, geographic area and project types, however indicating the existence of slight differences. For example, Information Technology companies might give more relevance to initiatives such as corporate standardization and tailoring of project management processes tools and techniques than Engineering and Construction companies.INCT-EN - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Excitotoxicidade e Neuroproteção(SFRH/BPD/111033/2015

Improving and embedding project management practice in organisations - A qualitative study

This paper describes the results of a qualitative study to develop a framework to help organisations to embed useful project management improvement initiatives (PMIIs), which specifically aimed to identify key PMIIs and key embedding factors, based upon the circumstances encountered in different organisations. While the literature on PM provides some advice about PMIIs, understanding how to facilitate their embedment appears to be limited. However, research reported in the innovation literature provides a useful preliminary set of salient factors. A first attempt at framework conceptualisation based on a literature review was used as a starting point for exploratory empirical research. A series of thirty semi-structured interviews with PM professionals sought to identify additional PMIIs and embedding factors and check its salience. Analysis of the interviews data led to a framework comprising key 15 PMIIs and 26 key embedding factors, grouped into four improving themes and six embedding themes.This research was sponsored by the FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/65423/2009). The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the thirty interviewees who participated in the study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Project portfolio risk management: a structured literature review with future directions for research

Project Portfolio Risk Management (PPRM) has been identified as a relevant area regarding project portfolio success. This paper reports on a structured literature review of PPRM. A structured search and selection process was carried out and conventional content analysis was conducted in the literature analysis of 62 papers published in international journals. PPRM has its theoretical and practical bases in the modem theory of portfolios, decision theory and risk management (RM). The content analysis reveals four main recurrent topics in PPRM: (1) The influence of RM on project portfolio success, based on project portfolio impact level, moderators or contingency factors between RM and project portfolio success, and PPRM dimensions; (2) risk and project interdependencies, highlighting resources, technology, outcome, value, and accomplishment project interdependencies; (3) project portfolio risk (PPR) identification, where four main risk source categories are identified; and (4) PPR assessment, composed of risk measures and the main methods used for risk assessment. Therefore, this study provides an overview of PPRM as a research field, while it also promotes four future research directions: (1) PPRM as part of organizational RM (2) RM, success dimensions and strategic impact; (3) mechanisms for PPR assessment, and (4) PPRM as a complex and dynamic system.This research was sponsored by the University of Valle, Colombia, and Colfuturo-Colciencias, Colombia

Improving communication through a social project management approach - a car industry case study

This paper describes the results of a qualitative study for improving communication in New Product Development (NPD) projects through a social project management approach. Through a case study research strategy, the main communication problems in a Car Industry section, dealing with NPD projects, were identified and four important initiatives were established to solve these communication problems: (i) standardize an integrated project management process focused on social interaction; (ii) select the most appropriate information tools for an 'open' and continuous communication environment; (iii) standardize the information disclosure for each information tool; and (iv) create/improve the visualization of the disclosed information

Operational risk categorization in project-based organizations: A theoretical perspective from a project portfolio risk lens

Project-based organizations have their processes based on project, program and portfolio approach, they work within a multi-project environment and their core activities are carried out through project execution under an integrated organizational project management. Therefore, operational risks in project-based organizations are directly related to the project risk management. Thus, in project-based organizations risk management is not only about project risk management, because literature also shows that risk management applied to each project in an isolated way is not enough for systemic risk management in project portfolio and organizational context. This paper, based on a systematic literature review on project portfolio risk management, identifies project portfolio risk categories proposed in previous studies, and proposes and describes four categories associated to operational risk in project portfolio context: project portfolio management level, environmental conditions, project interactions and internal processes. The categories proposed for operational risk in project-based organizations under project portfolio approach are oriented to risk management focused not on the operational risk of each isolated project, but on the project portfolio management. The results can be considered a partial contribution towards building conceptual elements to support project portfolio management process.- (undefined

Organizational enablers to the governance of collaborative university-industry R&D Programs

Governance has a significant impact on the success of programs and projects. However, governance of collaborative university-industry projects and programs in literature, is a rather scarce topic. Based on an ethnographic study of a large university-industry collaboration, this paper proposes a conceptual framework of Organizational Enablers (OEs) to improve the governance of collaborative university-industry RD programs. An exploratory research was carried out, aiming to learn from the experience of program and project managers and other program stakeholders of the case under study. Qualitative data was collected using participant observation and document analysis. The framework highlights nine OEs: 'Established governance policies and values', 'Formal Governance support structures', 'Flexible organization structures', 'Standardization of program and project management practices', 'Different management approaches to fit the project needs', 'Clearly defined roles and responsibilities', 'Different means of communication and interaction', 'Top management Support' and 'Projects strategic alignment within the industry and university roadmaps'.INCT-EN - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Excitotoxicidade e Neuroproteção(UIDB/50014/2020)

Biological and chemical valorization potential of portuguese seaweeds: Ulva rigida, Gracilaria sp. and Fucus vesiculosus

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An extension of the improving and embedding project management practice framework: Case study analysis

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an extension of a previously conceived framework for improving and embedding project management (PM) practice in organisations. The framework identifies the most useful project management improvement initiatives (PMIIs) and the key factors for embedding PM practice. However, professionals need guidance on how to operationalise such framework in their organisations, therefore a method for applying the framework is developed. Design/methodology/approach: The method being proposed for applying the framework is demonstrated and tested with a large University–Industry consortium case study. During the case study analysis three research methods were applied: participant observation, document analysis and focus groups. Findings: In what concerns both the PMIIs and key embedding factors in the framework, the proposed method comprises their acknowledgement, scoring, relevance analysis, selection and planning. The detailed report on how the framework was applied in the particular case study also sheds light on how University–Industry consortiums can make use of PM to become more successful. Research limitations/implications: The research was performed using only one case study which limits the generalisability of its findings. Practical implications: Detailed guidance is provided for applying the framework’s both constructs, “improving” and “embedding”, through a set of clear steps. Originality/value: The paper shows the explanatory power of the framework for improving and embedding PM practice in a case study, demonstrating that the method for its application is practical and suitable.FCT - Fundació Catalana de Trasplantament(SFRH/BPD/111033/2015

Planning benefits realization in a collaborative university-industry R&D funded program

This paper presents a benefits management (BM) approach adopted during the planning of a collaborative university-industry R&D funded program, named IC-HMI Program, in order to pursue benefits realization. The BM approach embraced four main phases: 'Identify expected benefits' 'Plan benefits realization' 'Pursue benefits realization' and 'Transfer and ensure benefits realization' each one comprising key activities that should be performed with a clear set of outputs to be generated. Particular focus is given to the benefits identification, and to the development of a Benefit Breakdown Structure (BBS), assuming the key role of such a formatting technique to target project benefits. It is the first and critical step in the BM process. Based on a review of literature, and the three research methods adopted during the IC-HMI case study analysis: a set of 33 benefits were identified, which can be used by professionals and academics as a checklist for benefits identification of their own initiatives. Additionally, the BBS implemented in IC-HMI program to qualify and better understand each benefit and its intrinsic properties, can be used to facilitate planning and benefits realization.FCT - Fundació Catalana de Trasplantament(SFRH/BPD/111033/2015

A música como possibilidade de aplicabilidade da Lei 10.639/03 no Ensino de História

O presente trabalho apresenta resultados parciais de um projeto desenvolvido em turmas de 8º ano e 8ª série do Ensino Fundamental II, no contexto de uma escola pública do município de Pelotas, em 2014. Em linhas gerais, o projeto teve por objetivo a aplicabilidade da Lei 10.639/03 no ensino de História por intermédio da Música. Para tanto, dividiu-se as atividades em quatro ciclos, os três primeiros são formados por três etapas e o último por apenas uma e, em cada um dos ciclos, aborda-se sobre um estilo musical diferente, sendo esses o Reggae (afro-jamaicano), o Rap (afro-jamaicano) e o Samba (afro-brasileiro) e, no último ciclo, os alunos produzem um vídeo. Na primeira etapa, são realizadas palestras tendo como foco os estilos musicais, suas características, o contexto em que se originaram, os traços da cultura africana e afrodescendente nesses estilos musicais, bem como a presença desses na cultura brasileira. Na segunda etapa, fomenta-se um debate com as turmas buscando o diálogo relacionado à diversidade cultural e étnico-racial presentes no Brasil, da relação da juventude com esses estilos musicais, do racismo, da discriminação racial, etc. Na terceira etapa, os alunos produzem relatórios sobre o que foi discutido (trabalhado) a partir das palestras e dos debates. Por fim, no quarto ciclo, os alunos – divididos em grupos – produzem uma canção ou uma paródia de uma música já existente de modo que estejam ligadas aos estilos musicais abordados nas palestras e nos debates, com vistas à difusão de estratégias para implementação da Lei 10.639/03 de modo curricular