Lean project planning and control: empirical investigation of ETO projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1120-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Hofinger Jünge ◽  
Erlend Alfnes ◽  
Kristina Kjersem ◽  
Bjorn Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Engineer To Order ◽  
And Control

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate an effective project management practice focusing on planning and control. By doing so, it contributes to the debate on rethinking traditional project management practices and accentuates the need for adjustments based on the project context.Design/methodology/approachThis paper extends the project management theory by proposing a lean project planning (LPP) and control framework, developed and tested in collaboration with ten engineer-to-order (ETO) companies. By following a design science research approach, elements from lean thinking and current project planning and control practices are combined into a maturity model (MM).FindingsETO project characteristics are identified, and their implications for planning and control are discussed. Nine enablers that transform current project planning and control approaches into a lean approach are defined, allowing the analysis of the underlying complexity of planning and controlling ETO projects and thus facilitating the determination of the actions required to improve project performance.Research limitations/implicationsOnce fully embedded in an organization, the presented MM can provide a safe framework for self-criticism and can be used to conduct self-assessments without the need for an external facilitator. Thus, this paper is of particular interest to practicing project managers who aim to implement LPP and control.Originality/valueTo the authors’ best knowledge, this paper is the first to empirically examine the journey toward LPP and control from a MM perspective. This research attempts to describe the enablers of LPP and control.

scholarly journals Risk management reconceived: reconciling economic rationality with behavioural tendencies

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Murray-Webster ◽  
Sergio Pellegrinelli
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Economic Rationality ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
Audit Activity ◽  
And Control ◽  
Biases And Heuristics

Risk management practices as described in many leading texts feel counterintuitive to many practitioners and are frequently ignored, despite their being evidently logical and potentially valuable. Such practices are often conceived as a remedial post-planning, audit activity. This paper proposes an approach for dealing with project uncertainty and risk, grounded in economics and taking into account behavioural biases and heuristics. The proposed approach is argued to be an enhancement to conventional risk management practices and one that can serve organisations better while also aligning to experienced practitioners’ intuitive approaches. In particular, we argue: that the focus should be on adding economic value rather than reducing risk per se; that opportunity gain/loss is a superior metric for gauging potential impacts of risky events; and that creation of real options should be emphasised as part of the repertoire of generic response actions to risk. The approach also supports the integration and handling of uncertainty and risk as part of holistic project planning and control.

scholarly journals The challenges of project management in small and medium-sized enterprises: a literature review based on bibliometric software and content analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Letícia de Almeida Parizotto ◽  
Aldo Tonso ◽  
Marly Monteiro de Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Literature Overview ◽  
Systems Collaboration ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
And Control

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to design an overview about Project Management (PM) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) by analysing the evolution of publications and the main topics since 1996 to 2016 to motivate future research that helps SMEs to apply PM practices more efficiently. This study performed bibliometrics associated with content analysis of publications collected in scientific bases Web of Science and Scopus and in the periodic International Journal of Project Management. For that, the software VOSviewer, Nvivo, Minitab, and Excel were used in the analyses. The scan of 235 papers about Project Management in SMEs supported a literature overview. Furthermore, four thematic categories are highlighted: Project Management Practices, Planning and Control Systems, Collaboration, and Knowledge Management. Moreover, it was observed that SMEs requires a lighter PM methodology, focused on people and flexible. Besides that, the results show that the main challenges involve a lack of resources and qualified people and the high turnover. However, overcoming these issues, PM can benefit growth and innovation in SMEs. Therefore, this study presents a conceptual framework of benefits and challenges in Project Management in SMEs, reducing the research gap. Furthermore, recommendations for future research, mainly in Brazil, are given.

scholarly journals Development of project management practice in hotels of Kazakhstan

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-182
Author(s):  
Ardak N. Turginbayeva ◽  
Guldana E. Zhakupbekova
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Strategic Development ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Strategic Goals

Project management is not only a tool for achieving business goals, but also a mechanism for strategic development of the company. This is due to the fact, that the achievement of strategic goals in any area is directly related to the effective implementation of individual projects. In the framework of the study, the development of project management practices in the hotel business is evaluated using the project management maturity model. It is revealed that the use of project management practices in Kazakhstan hotels lags behind hotels of international chains.

Managing projects in war-torn societies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-602
Author(s):  
James Earnest
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Sovereign State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Actual Application ◽  
Post Conflict

PurposePlanning and implementing reconstruction projects in areas that are affected by conflict has proven to be far more challenging than expected and has often been considered to be inappropriate response from practitioners, aid agencies and government. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore reconstruction and development projects in Kosovo given its history of non-sovereign state under United Nations administration and analyse how they were planned and executed that would more likely yield progressive outcomes for the society.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed to explore how projects are planned and implemented, as well as help in understanding the phenomena in the historical, social, cultural and governance context within the project implementation practices of multilateral agencies in Kosovo. Applying action research principles and using a detailed case study approach to the interviews, the study identified programme strengths, weaknesses and implications of project management practice and theory and differences of opinion within the project team in project planning and implementation in their wider sense.FindingsThere is evidence that both aid organisations’ constructed project management processes and international aid agencies practices do not work effectively in a community service delivery setting. The study showed that there continue to be challenges in project processes, implementation, stakeholder coordination, communication, cost, quality, procurement and risk management.Practical implicationsForward looking and grounded in traditions, the study indicated a need to promote a better understanding of how reconstruction and development projects are undertaken at all levels of the organisation and to describe processes, procedures and tools used for the actual application of projects in war-torn societies.Originality/valueThe study is among the first academic research worldwide to examine traditional practices of project management which are wildly applied and to explore if the same processes can be applied in post-conflict settings. This study is timely and beneficial in fulfilling its responsibility to post-conflict communities.

Investigating the managerial ‘‘nuts and bolts’’ for the construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-348
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap ◽  
Ian Ni Chow
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Construction Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽  
And Control

PurposeManagerial shortfalls can considerably undermine the delivery performance of construction projects. This paper appraises the project management essentials (PMEs) for successful construction project delivery.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a detailed literature review, a questionnaire survey was developed encompassing 20 PMEs that were identified. An opinion questionnaire survey was used to facilitate data collection from key construction stakeholders in the Malaysian construction industry. The survey data were subjected to descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis.FindingsFindings indicated that the leading PMEs are competency of the project team, competency of project manager, good leadership, effective planning and control and realistic cost and time estimate. Spearman’s rank correlation tests affirmed a good agreement on the ranking of PMEs across stakeholder groups. The present study found that PMEs for construction have a total of four dimensions, namely: scope, communication and competence management; stakeholder commitment and collaborative engagement; construction time–cost planning and control; and environment, health, safety and quality management.Practical implicationsThe findings could potentially contribute to the development of appropriate project management best practices to address managerial shortfalls in Malaysia and other developing countries.Originality/valueThis paper bridges the identified knowledge gap about critical managerial dimensions for successful project management in construction. The present study adds to the existing body of knowledge around this under-explored area in the construction management literature.

The importance of hard project management and team motivation for construction project performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Larsson ◽  
Per Erik Eriksson ◽  
Ossi Pesämaa
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Process Performance ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Team Motivation

Purpose Hard project management practices, based on strict planning and control, are traditionally applied in construction projects, although research frequently promotes the importance of teams for various project outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of hard project management and team motivation for process performance in construction projects. A hypothesis tested is that hard project management can impair process performance if team motivation is not promoted. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents and empirically tests a structural equation model, with and without a mediating link between hard project management and process performance, based on data from a survey of 2,175 respondents, representing contractors and clients involved in 109 Swedish construction projects. Findings The results confirm that hard project management is best conveyed through teams to enhance process performance. “Path analysis,” using the model with the mediating link, confirms that neglecting team motivation can significantly impair process performance. Research limitations/implications The data set provides unusually high representation of views of contractors and clients involved in diverse Swedish construction projects. Thus, the results have likely relevance in other project-based industries and/or national settings, but this possibility requires further investigation. Originality/value The findings show that team motivation is a key process performance factor; hard project management may indeed be important, but its effects will be enhanced by (and partially mediated through) team motivation. Thus, the findings have important theoretical and practical implications for the development of project management practices.

scholarly journals Planning and controlling design in engineered-to-order prefabricated building systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josana Gabriele Bolzan Wesz ◽  
Carlos Torres Formoso ◽  
Patricia Tzortzopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Design Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Last Planner ◽  
And Control

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for planning and controlling the design process in companies that design, manufacture and assemble prefabricated engineer-to-order (ETO) building systems. This model was devised as an adaptation of the Last Planner® System for ETO multiple-project environments. Design/methodology/approach Design science research, also known as prescriptive research, was the methodological approach adopted in this research. An empirical study was carried out at the design department of a leading steel fabricator from Brazil, in which the proposed model was implemented in six different design teams. Findings The main benefits of the proposed model were shielding design work from variability, encouraging collaborative planning, creating opportunities for learning, increasing process transparency, and flexibility according to project status. Two main factors affected the effectiveness of the implementation process commitment and leadership of design managers, and training on design management and project planning and control core concepts and practices. Research limitations/implications Some limitations were identified in the implementation process: similarly to some previous studies (Ballard, 2002; Codinhoto and Formoso, 2005), the success of constraint analysis was still limited; some of the metrics produced (e.g. ABI, causes of planning failures) have not been fully used for process improvement; and systematic feedback about project status was not properly implemented and tested. Originality/value The main contributions of this study in relation to traditional design planning and control practices are related to the use of two levels of look-ahead planning, the introduction of a decoupling point between conceptual and detail design, the proposition of new metrics for the Last Planner® System, and understanding the potential role of visual management to support planning and control.

scholarly journals Management as a science-based profession: a grand societal challenge

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Romme
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Managerial Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Distributed Intelligence ◽  
Management Technology ◽  
Societal Challenge ◽  
And Control ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how the quest for management as a science-based profession, conceived as a grand societal challenge, can be revitalized. Design/methodology/approach A reflective approach is adopted by questioning some of the key assumptions made by management scholars, especially those that undermine their capacity to inform management practice. One key assumption is that management needs to be done by a few people at the top of the organization; this idea is widespread but false. Findings An important finding is that the future of the management discipline may largely depend on the rise of new forms of management drawing on distributed intelligence and circularity of power and authority. Management scholars thus need to shift their attention from an almost exclusive focus on managerial intentions and behaviors to (the development and use of new) management technologies, similar to how modern aviation technology involves airplanes that only to a limited extent require intervention and control by a single pilot. Practical implications The practical implications of the shift from managerial behavior to management technology are illustrated by means of so-called circular management practices, also known as holacracy and sociocracy. Originality/value This paper provides a novel perspective on how the quest for science-based professionalism in management, as a grand societal challenge, can be revitalized.

scholarly journals Enterprise Project Management: Systems Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-12
Author(s):  
Ильина ◽  
Olga Ilina
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Methodology Development ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
And Control

The articles deals with historical analysis of systems approach usage in project management. Definition of Enterprise Project Management as a system is suggested. The article describes research results about usage of different project management methods and tools at different levels of management in an organization. Thus, top management mostly uses project portfolio management tools, project control and project procurement methods, i.e. project suppliers’ reliability appraisal. Mid level management prefers project planning and control tools as well as project change management tools. Low level management uses project initiation and control tools such as project charter, Gantt charts, project progress reports and strategic milestone plans. The proposed approach can be used in the process of Enterprise Project Management methodology development.

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