Integrating service practice into project management: a matter of “do or die”?

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thommie Allan Burström ◽  
Mattias Jacobsson ◽  
Timothy L. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Development Project

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze service management practices within a project management context. Design/methodology/approach – This research supporting conceptual developments was both exploratory and qualitative in nature and utilized an in-depth case study of a major product development project. Findings – The conceptual framework developed is applied to empirical observations of product development project. Because there is an adequate fit with observations, elements of a service management approach appear to be viable in the description, managing, and control of projects. Research limitations/implications – Because the research was built on a case study, one has the limitations common with that approach. Conversely, case studies are acknowledged as useful in the identification of important variables in situations in which there is little control over events in a real-world context. Practical implications – Customer satisfaction is a requirement of project organizations, which is an inherent requisite of any service organization. Consequently, one turns to those elements in the practice of service management that lead to best management practices. Originality/value – This paper contributes with a practice-based understanding of how project management is based on integrated service practice.

Innovative management strategies for building and sustaining a digital initiatives department with limited resources

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Strong Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Other Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer and explore innovative strategies for building and sustaining digital initiatives at information organizations. Although the examples provided are based on case studies at an academic library, the practices are rooted in project management principles and therefore applicable to all library types, museums, archives and other information organizations. The innovative strategies on staffing and funding will be particularly useful to organizations faced with monetary and staffing shortages and highlights collaborative management practices. Design/methodology/approach Concept of strategic and collaborative management practices led by an experienced project manager cross-trained in management, technical and soft skills enables the successful development and sustainability of digital initiatives. A cross-trained librarian’s management practices of leading the Digital Scholarship Initiatives at a particular university will be examined as a case study and aided with literature supporting the need for digital initiatives leaders to have training beyond the credentials of librarian, curator, archivist or historian in the technologically savvy twenty-first century ecology of information centers. Findings The innovative strategies implemented in the case study yielded increases in the number of hours of digital lab usage, digital projects developed, seminars or workshops presented, attendance of library hosted events, number of programs implemented and awareness on campus, all with limited staff and funding. The variety and level of production and marketing is instrumental to the growth and sustainability of digital initiatives. Practical implications The innovative strategies emphasized in this paper use the concept of borrowed or shared time to start staffing needs and is particularly helpful to organizations that do not have a strong line of dedicated staffing or funding to begin building digital initiatives. Offers small ways to start immediately while setting the stage to plan for big ideas for the future. Originality/value This paper suggests a credentialed information expert, such as a librarian, archivist or curator, that is, also cross-trained in project management and technology is the key to not only successfully leading digital initiatives but is instrumental for its sustainability and the marketing, growth and future of digital initiatives.

Using action research in innovation project management: building legitimacy and organizational learning in an SME during a merger process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Elizabeth Kampf ◽  
Charlotte J. Brandt ◽  
Christopher G. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeThe purpose is to explore how the process of action research (AR) can support building legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation project management and portfolio practices in merger contexts.Design/methodology/approachMeta-reflection on method issues in Action Research through an action research case study with an innovation group during an organizational change process. This case demonstrates an example of an action research cycle focused on building practitioner legitimacy rather than problem-solving.FindingsKey findings include (1) demonstrating how AR can be used for building legitimacy through visualizing the innovation process, and embedding those visuals in top management practices of the organization; and (2) demonstrating how AR can work as an organizational learning tool in merger contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on an action research cooperation during a two-and-a-half-year period. Thus, findings offer the depth of a medium term case study. The processes of building legitimacy represent this particular case, and can be investigated in other organizational contexts to see the extent to which these issues can be generalized.Practical implicationsFor researchers, this paper offers an additional type of AR cycle to consider in their research design which can be seen as demonstrating a form of interplay between practitioner action and organizational level legitimacy. For practitioners, this paper demonstrates a connection between legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation contexts. The discussion of how visuals were co-created and used for building legitimacy for an innovation process that differs from the standard stage gate model demonstrates how engaging in AR research can contribute to developing visuals as resources for building legitimacy and organizational learning based on connections between theory and practice.Originality/valueThis case rethinks AR practice for innovation project management contexts to include legitimacy and organizational learning. This focus on legitimacy building from organizational learning and knowledge conversion contributes to our understanding of the soft side of innovation project management. Legitimacy is demonstrated to be a key concern for innovation project management practices.

Managing records and archives in a Hong Kong school: a case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric C.K. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Record Management ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to explore the principles and practices for managing records with the lens of functional analysis and knowledge management by using a case study that focuses on the experience of implementing records management at a public high school in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach A single case study is chosen as the research method for this paper. A series of qualitative interviews and documentary analysis were used to collect and triangulate the qualitative data. Findings The results show that the case school adopted a hybrid top-down and bottom-up approach to record management, facilitate decision-making and manage knowledge. The school adopted the taxonomy provided by the quality assurance framework as the functional classification in a digital archive in the records management system. Practical implications This study provides a set of taxonomy and a hybrid top-down and bottom-up approach to schools for ensuring that accurate information of all school activities is kept and can facilitate an effective and evidence-based, decision-making process. Social implications Identifying taxonomy and management practices for effective documentation in public schools can support planning, assist with organising the continuity of improvement plans and increase reporting and accountability to society. Originality/value This study offers a taxonomy and management approach to the literature of records management and the practices for promoting and improving records management in school.

A Goal-Driven Management Approach based on Knowledge Exploitation for e-Government Projects

2012 ◽  
pp. 206-223
Author(s):  
Demetrios Sarantis ◽  
Yannis Charalabidis ◽  
Dimitris Askounis
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Electronic Government ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Government Project

The implementation of electronic Government projects in public sector organisations is a challenging task, due to technical, organisational and cultural specificities of the domain. Research shows that such IT projects have higher failure rates than similar approaches in the private sector, also indicating the lack of a method to transfer knowledge and apply best management practices in an effective way. The proposed management approach aims to recognise structure and reuse past successful attempts, in ways that support the overall viability of an e-Government project. After stating the fundamental principles of project management that apply to public sector IT projects, the authors present a conceptual model for e-Government project management, including entities such as dimensions, goals, activities, deliverables and roles that can be structured and adapted to cover all types of relevant projects in an out-of-the-box approach. This knowledge base of predefined project components can then be populated and utilised in making more informed decisions for effective project management of e-Government initiatives. This way, the proposed method supports public officials and practitioners in learning from past experience projects and in designing and running e-Government projects in a more systematic manner, thus, significantly increasing the likelihood of project success.

Management of Knowledge in New Product Development in Portuguese Higher Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 149-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuel Mendes ◽  
Jorge F.S. Gomes ◽  
Bernardo Batiz-Lazo
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
New Product ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Knowledge Process ◽  
Product Development Project ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Portuguese Higher Education

This chapter uses key concepts in the knowledge management literature to analyse the procedures and practices used by a team during a new product development project. More precisely, the knowledge process or knowledge cycle is used as a means to examine issues relating to knowledge identification, creation, storage, dissemination, and application in new product development. Results from the case study also suggest that the knowledge process may be valuable in assessing the structural elements of knowledge management, but fails to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the dynamics and complexities involved. This suggests that more elaborate models are needed to explain how knowledge is created, shared and used in knowledge-intensive processes.

Achieving success in the Digital Equalizer Program through project management

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subrat Sarkar ◽  
Sanjay Mohapatra ◽  
Sarmistha Pattanayak
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Total System ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Set Up

Subject area The case deals with project management principles that are required for implementing a social project in India. Study level/applicability The study has been carried out at primary schools in an underdeveloped state, namely, Odisha, in India. Case overview The case illustrates a project management approach for improving primary education in a government set up. The bureaucracy set up in education in a state like Odisha, India, needs to undergo radical changes. To be effective, an education system requires an optimal integration of the three main components, namely, people, infrastructure (this includes technology) and pedagogical processes. Using a public–private partnership model, American India Foundation (AIF) through its Digital Equalizer (DE) Program has been able to make a positive impact in an underdeveloped tribal dominated district like Keonjhar. The case study also illustrates the detailed execution plan predicated on total system planning, required to achieve this amount of success. The case study also explains how to measure success through different metrics where intervention has to be at multiple levels. The learning from the case study can also be adopted for designing an implementation strategy in other states. Expected learning outcomes Expected learning outcomes are as follows: how to approach implementation of technology-based intervention with involvement of all stakeholders; learn project management techniques related to digital learning model implementation; understand the DE methodology; and understand the challenges faced while implementing the DE Program. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 7: Management Science.

Decision-making and cost deviation in new product development projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1066-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Cathrine Thore Olsson ◽  
Ulf Johannesson ◽  
Roger Schweizer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Single Case ◽  
New Product ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Product Cost ◽  
Content Type

PurposeEmphasizing the importance of product cost deviation; the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the new product development (NPD) literature and research on decision making by discussing: How are decisions related to product cost deviations made during a product development project?Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth single case study approach studying the decision-making process of Volvo Cars Cooperation during a car development project is applied.FindingsThe paper suggests that factors influencing how decisions related to cost deviations are made during a NPD are not limited to the classic trade-offs among time, cost and scope, but include managers’ complex cause-and-effect analysis under the influence of values, behaviors and norms. Furthermore, the context is not limited to NPD projects; rather the frame for the decisions and its influencers is at least as wide as the corporate context.Research limitations/implicationsThe common limitations of a single case study apply.Practical implicationsThe study emphasizes the importance of clearly defined targets during a NPD project that need to well communicated, acknowledged and understood by all involved to serve as true business levers. A poor target is likely better than no target. Furthermore, lack of overview or responsibility for the success of the projects, increase the risk for sub-optimization and silo thinking.Originality/valueThe study is pioneering by highlighting the importance of and explaining the implications of decision making related to cost deviations during a NPD project.

scholarly journals Project management success factors: in search of product development project specialities

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-122
Author(s):  
László Soltész ◽  
László Kamondi ◽  
László Berényi
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Management Style ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Product Development Project

Project success is a multifactorial issue, including difficult to quantify, soft factors as well. Project management style, collaboration within the team, and the level of standardisation may have an essential influence on the deliverables, moreover, on corporate performance. A prescription answer is not achievable considering the individual characteristics of projects but finding best practices and critical factors help to improve the performance. This paper presents the results of a survey among product development project experts (n = 112) evaluating the relevance of some success factors and their practical experience in the field. The results show that keeping the project plan and managing long-term issues like lessons learned database or module database are the most critical factors of success. The analysis did not find patterns of the responses that confirms the need for unique management actions.

Making Design Reviews Count

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt Beiter ◽  
Kosuke Ishii ◽  
Harshavardhan Karandikar
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Goal Structure ◽  
Design Review ◽  
Product Development Project ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Management Techniques

Design reviews are one of the most established product-development project management techniques to identify and eliminate errors in product design before they physically manifest themselves either in a prototype or in the final product. Design reviews are typically embedded within an overall product-development project management process consisting of multiple stages separated by decision gates. The specific goal, structure and content of a design review depend upon the stage and time at which it is performed. In the process of working with a number of large companies on their technology and product development processes we observed that the actual practice of design reviews often falls well short of the companies’ own stated objectives. We examine the reasons for this in our paper, the chief among them being the often misleading application and lack of clarity and brevity in the review process. These problems can be clearly highlighted and rectified by the application of the CVCA and FMEA tools to the design review process itself. Thus, design reviews can be made more efficient and effective and made to count!

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