A model for project team formation in complex engineering projects under uncertainty

Kybernetes ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1131-1157 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mahdi Hosseini ◽  
Peyman Akhavan
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Team Formation ◽  
Programming Approach ◽  
Chance Constrained Programming ◽  
Shipbuilding Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Multi Objective

Purpose This paper aims to develop a model for selecting project team members. In this model, while knowledge sharing among individuals is maximized, the project costs and the workload balance among employees are also optimized. Design/methodology/approach The problem of project team formation is formulated as a fuzzy multi-objective 0-1 integer programming model. Afterward, to deal with uncertainty in the decision-making on the candidates’ abilities and the project requirements, the fuzzy multi-objective chance-constrained programming approach is adopted. Finally, by combining the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II and the fuzzy simulation algorithms, a method is proposed to solve the problem. Findings The computational results of the proposed model in a case study of project team formation in a large Iranian company from the shipbuilding industry evidently demonstrated its effectiveness in providing Pareto-optimal solutions for the team composition. Originality/value Seemingly for the first time, this paper develops a model to optimize knowledge sharing and improve the project efficiency through the selection of appropriate project team members.

Selecting new product development team members with knowledge sharing approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peyman Akhavan ◽  
S. Mahdi Hosseini ◽  
Morteza Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Linear Programming ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
New Product ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Non Linear Programming

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a method for selection of the new product development (NPD) project team members, in such a way to maximize the expertise level of team members and at the same time, optimize knowledge sharing in the organization. Design/methodology/approach – According to the motivation-opportunity-ability framework, knowledge sharing antecedents were determined. Then, the problem of selecting appropriate members of the project team was formulated as a bi-objective integer non-linear programming model. Due to the uncertainty conditions in the evaluation of candidates, the fuzzy sets approach was used for modeling. To solve the problem, first, the non-linear programming model was converted to a linear model. Subsequently, the fuzzy bi-objective linear programming problem was solved by using an approximate algorithm. Findings – Results of applying the proposed method to an Iranian ship-building company showed its effectiveness in selecting appropriate members of the project team. Practical implications – With the aid of the proposed approach, project managers will be able to form effective project teams that while increasing the success probability of the project, facilitate the maintenance of knowledge acquired during the project lifecycle. Originality/value – This paper, for the first time, has tried to provide a method for selecting the NPD project team members, in a way that while selecting candidates with highest expertise, maximizes the sharing of knowledge among them.

A knowledge sharing approach for R&D project team formation

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyyed Mahdi Hosseini ◽  
Peyman Akhavan ◽  
Morteza Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Global Criterion ◽  
Global Criterion Method ◽  
Project Objectives

Purpose This paper intends to propose an approach for formation of the R&D project teams, so that in addition to the selection of the most expert individuals, facilitates the knowledge sharing among people. Design/methodology/approach Mathematical modeling was used to formulate the problem of selecting appropriate members for the project team. As the problem was formulated as a bi-objective mixed integer nonlinear programming problem, it was initially transformed from nonlinear to linear problem, and then, the global criterion method was applied to convert the problem into a single-objective problem. To collect the data for exogenous variables, the measurement scales (their validity had been verified in previous research) were adopted. Findings The results of various tests for evaluating the proposed approach in the case study confirmed its effectiveness in selecting the appropriate members of the project team. Practical implications Using the proposed approach, R&D project managers will be able to select the most appropriate members for the project team and, while ensuring the achievement of project objectives, prevent the loss of knowledge gained in the project lifecycle. Originality/value This paper is the first attempt to provide an approach for sharing the knowledge gained by the project team members in the R&D projects.

Knowledge sharing barriers in software development teams: a multiple case study in Turkey

Kybernetes ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 603-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali E. Akgün ◽  
Halit Keskin ◽  
Hayat Ayar ◽  
Zeki Okunakol
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Project Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Development Teams ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Software Development Teams

Purpose Changing customer demands, needs and desires; emerging technologies; and increasing competition among firms force software development teams to develop and then implement new software projects to satisfy their customers and become more competitive in their marketplace. In this respect, knowledge sharing is critical for project success. However, although knowledge sharing among team members has been investigated by many researchers, knowledge sharing barriers among people have rarely been addressed in project teams in general and software development teams in particular. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate knowledge sharing barriers in the software development team context and develop solutions that can overcome these barriers. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory multiple case design was used to explore why software team members in Turkey may be reluctant to share knowledge. In this study, the authors conducted 18 in-depth and on-site semi-structured interviews and then employed content analysis, which uses a set of procedures to make valid inferences from text, to discover knowledge sharing barriers. Findings By interviewing 18 Turkish project team managers, the authors identified knowledge-, individual- and organization-related knowledge sharing barriers among team members. They also demonstrated solutions for the knowledge sharing hesitation among team members based on the experiences of project team managers. Research limitations/implications Some methodological limitations exist in this study. Specifically, the generalizability of the sampling limits the study, which was conducted in a specific national context, Turkish firms in general and the Istanbul district in particular. It is important to note that readers should be cautious when generalizing the results to different cultural contexts. In this regard, a Turkish sample involving the Istanbul district, like that of any culturally bound research, imposes some constraints on the interpretation and application of the results. The study was conducted with in-depth interviews of only 18 managers working in seven companies. Also, this study was performed on system development teams. The results should be confirmed with more samples and different project sets. Practical implications In this study, the authors discover the reasons for knowledge sharing reluctance among team members and some solutions that will eliminate knowledge sharing problems by using case studies. The results show that the reluctance of team members arises from obstacles, which are knowledge-, individual- and organization-related. Also, the conclusions demonstrate that knowledge sharing barriers can be resolved by establishing project leadership, creating a knowledge sharing culture and considering team members’ emotions. Originality/value The present study investigated whether reluctance to share knowledge derives not only from individual barriers but also from organization- and knowledge-related barriers in a project team context. The authors discovered that knowledge sharing barriers can be resolved by establishing project leadership, creating a knowledge sharing culture and considering team members’ emotions.

The impact of ethical leadership on project success: the mediating role of trust and knowledge sharing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabeen Hussain Bhatti ◽  
Saifullah Khalid Kiyani ◽  
Scott B. Dust ◽  
Ramsha Zakariya
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members

PurposeAlthough the use of project teams is on the rise, there is a limited understanding of how project managers can ensure project team success. Research to date is relatively broad and does not pinpoint how and why leadership influences success in a project team context. Along these lines, we draw from social learning theory to illustrate that ethical leadership influences project success through leader trust and knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachWe collected data from 175 project team members from the information technology and software industry to evaluate our hypotheses. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsOur findings support our hypotheses, illustrating that ethical leadership is related to leader trust and knowledge sharing, and that leader trust and knowledge sharing mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and project success.Research limitations/implicationsOur work illustrates that the behaviors inherent in ethical leadership may be particularly well-suited for these project team challenges. Ethical leaders help team members understand that project success is possible when team members are transparent with one another, discussing their goals and challenges, and then working together to ensure their actions are coordinated in a way that increases the success of the overall project.Practical implicationsFor those in industries or organizations where project teams are commonly used, our study may help to attract, select, and retain project managers that exhibit ethical leadership tendencies. Project managers are likely to be attracted to settings that align with their leadership style. Thus, organizations could focus on developing a culture that focuses on process over results.Originality/valueWe sought to align with the contingency approach to leadership, which suggests that the ideal leadership style depends on the followers, and the context in which the leader and followers interact. Specifically, we investigate ethical leadership as an ideal approach for project managers influencing members of their project teams. Our study demonstrates how ethical leadership is an ideal, context-specific approach that project managers can apply to increase the chances of project success.

Epistemological beliefs and knowledge sharing in work teams

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frankie J. Weinberg
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Distributed Cognition ◽  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Work Team ◽  
Epistemological Belief ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Training Team

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a knowledge-sharing model that explains individual members’ motivation to share knowledge (knowledge donation and knowledge collection). Design/methodology/approach – The model is based on social-constructivist theories of epistemological beliefs, learning and distributed cognition, and is organized via the mechanism of propositional control, which suggests that attitudes or beliefs largely drive one’s behaviors. This paper also explores how epistemological belief systems may influence behavior processes at work. Findings – The model presented consists of five epistemological belief dimensions consistent with previous theorization about personal epistemologies. This paper demonstrates how sophisticated (as opposed to naive) beliefs on each of these five dimensions can stimulate one’s intrinsic desire to engage in knowledge-sharing behaviors. Research limitations/implications – The model is constrained by the assumptions that learning takes place socially and within a specific context (in this case, the team setting), and that a great deal of knowledge sharing is preferred over little knowledge sharing. This paper adds to the understanding of workplace learning by establishing a possible new antecedent to explain the process of how team members are motivated to engage in knowledge-sharing behaviors. Practical implications – The model may be used for knowledge management and to understand ineffectiveness in teams. It also may assist in human resource functions including selecting and training team members for knowledge-intensive positions. Social implications – Epistemology affects collaborative relationships. Collaborations and associated knowledge-sharing behaviors among work team members who design and implement products for public use are imperative toward developing products free from health and safety issues. Originality/value – This paper provides a model for understanding and developing motivation to engage in individual knowledge-sharing behaviors among work team members, which is considered critical toward an organization’s competitive advantage.

Knowledge Sharing in Project Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Zinga Novais ◽  
Jorge Vareda Gomes ◽  
Mário José Batista Romão
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Successful Execution ◽  
Management Project ◽  
A Company

Projects have been increasingly used in the implementation of organizations' business operations. Knowledge sharing has been considered essential in project environment; therefore, the integration of knowledge management within project management becomes crucial for project success. The objective of this research is to study how knowledge sharing is integrated within the context of a project, and what is the perception of project team members about it. A case study was carried out in a company within the financial sector, focused on a project team of the entity. The results revealed that project managers, other professionals in project management, and the organization itself are very much aware of the importance of knowledge sharing. The results also emphasized that, regardless of the lack of incentives by top management, project team members consider that knowledge sharing highly contributes for a successful execution of projects.

Project Team Formation Based on Knowledge and Cooperation Degree

2010 ◽  
Vol 44-47 ◽  
pp. 3143-3147
Author(s):  
Xiao Rong Huang ◽  
Shun Sheng Guo ◽  
Li Bo Sun
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Calculation Method ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Team Formation ◽  
Individual Member ◽  
Formation Model ◽  
Collaborative Model ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Formation Problem

To aim at the project team formation problem, this study proposes a formation model based on knowledge and cooperation degree. The ability of individual member and cooperation degree of team members are considered. In addition ,it presents a way of measuring candidate’s ability about knowledge, and establishes a collaborative model to measure the cooperation degree between team members. Furthermore, a calculation method of knowledge and cooperation degree is proposed, and then a mathematical model is established. Finally it presented a solution base on Genetic Algorithm for this model.

IoT-based real time intelligent routing for emergent crowd evacuation

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 604-624
Author(s):  
Yanlan Mei ◽  
Ping Gui ◽  
Xianfeng Luo ◽  
Benbu Liang ◽  
Liuliu Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
Emergency Evacuation ◽  
Guidance System ◽  
Programming Approach ◽  
Metro Station ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crowd Evacuation ◽  
Evacuation Route

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to take advantage of Internet of Things (IoT) for intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation in metro station. It is a novel approach to ensure the crowd safety and reduce the casualties in the emergency context. An evacuation route programming model is constructed to select a suitable evacuation route and support the emergency decision maker of metro station. Design/methodology/approach The IoT technology is employed to collect and screen information, and to construct an expert decision model to support the metro station manager to make decision. As a feasible way to solve the multiple criteria decision-making problem, an improved multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC) approach is introduced. Findings The case study indicates that the model provides valuable suggestions for evacuation route programming and offers practical support for the design of an evacuation route guidance system. Moreover, IoT plays an important role in the process of intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation in metro station. A library has similar structure and crowd characteristics of a metro station, thus the intelligent route programming approach can be applied to the library crowd evacuation. Originality/value The highlights of this paper are listed as followings: the accuracy and accessibility of the metro station’s real-time information are improved by integrating IoT technology with the intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation. An improved MABAC approach is introduced to the expert support model. It promotes the applicability and reliability of decision making for emergency evacuation route selection in metro station. It is a novel way to combine the decision-making methods with practice.

Knowledge sharing in ISD projects: role of task interdependence and social capital

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyejung Lee ◽  
Jun-Gi Park ◽  
Jungwoo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Task Interdependence ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Work Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members

PurposeExtant literature on design theory has little empirical evidence about how work characteristics affect team interaction processes. This paper examines the knowledge-sharing process in information systems development (ISD) projects.Design/methodology/approachTask interdependence from work design theory was used as an antecedent of knowledge sharing for collaboration for the empirical analysis. Data were collected from 203 ISD project teams in South Korea to examine team social capital and knowledge sharing among team members.FindingsThe results indicate that task interdependence has a statistically significant impact on the knowledge-sharing process. The mediating roles of social capital and knowledge sharing are critical. Additionally, the effects of social capital change over time as long-term projects have different mechanisms than short-term ones.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a novel perspective (i.e. the adoption of task interdependence from work design theory) and integrates it with the research constructs that play important roles in ISD projects: knowledge sharing and teams’ social capital. In an ISD project team, which represents knowledge-intensive collaboration and has heterogeneous team characteristics, task interdependence has a positive impact on the team as predicted by work design theory. It verifies the mediating effect of social capital, particularly the changing influence of social capital with time.

Multi-objective mathematical model based on fuzzy hybrid multi-criteria decision-making and FMEA approach for the risks of oil and gas projects

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1997-2016
Author(s):  
Mohammad Khalilzadeh ◽  
Rose Balafshan ◽  
Ashkan Hafezalkotob
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Fuzzy Environment ◽  
Comprehensive Framework ◽  
Grey Relational

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive framework for analyzing risk factors in oil and gas projects. Design/methodology/approach This paper consists of several sections. In the first section, 19 common potential risks in the projects of Pars Oil and Gas Company were finalized in six groups using the Lawshe validation method. These factors were identified through previous literature review and interviews with experts. Then, using the “best-worst multi-criteria decision-making” method, the study measured the weights associated with the performance evaluation indicators of each risk. Consequently, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and the grey relational analysis (GRA)-VIKOR mixed method were used to rank and determine the critical risks. Finally, to assign response strategies to each critical risk, a zero-one multi-objective mathematical programming model was proposed and developed Epsilon-constraint method was used to solve it. Findings Given the typical constraints of projects which are time, cost and quality, of the projects that companies are often faced with, this study presents the identified risks of oil and gas projects to the managers of the oil and gas company in accordance with the priority given in the present research and the response to each risk is also suggested to be used by managers based on their organizational circumstances. Originality/value This study aims at qualitative management of cost risks of oil and gas projects (case study of Pars Oil and Gas Company) by combining FMEA, best worst and GRA-VIKOR methods under fuzzy environment and Epsilon constraints. According to studies carried out in previous studies, the simultaneous management of quantitative and qualitative cost of risk of oil and gas projects in Iran has not been carried out and the combination of these methods has also been innovated.

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