Beyond the Body of Knowledge: A Knowledge-Flow Approach to Project Management Theory and Practice

2003 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith F. Snider ◽  
Mark E. Nissen

Much of the theory associated with project management is explicitly organized according to taxonomic bodies of knowledge (BOK). Although such BOK are conceptually simple and easily disseminated, their generally static and explicit nature is out of phase with the dynamics of critical, tacit knowledge as it flows through the project organization. In this paper, we argue for a more descriptive view of project management theory, one that captures the dynamics of knowledge flows, addresses tacit knowledge and provides new insight into interrelationships between the management of project knowledge and the management of project activities in the enterprise. Introducing a multidimensional model of knowledge flow to describe project management theory, we instantiate this model with a project example from the domain of software development.

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micael Thunberg ◽  
Martin Rudberg ◽  
Tina Karrbom Gustavsson

Purpose This study aims to identify and categorise common on-site problems from a supply chain management (SCM) perspective and to trace the origin of these problems in the construction project process, the supply chain or in the intersection between these processes. This allows for identification of how on-site problems affect SCM in construction projects and how they can be mitigated. Design/methodology/approach A literature review in combination with semi-structured interviews was used to identify on-site problems. This enabled triangulation and strengthened both construct validity and internal validity. Findings On-site problems can be categorised in one of the four following categories: material flows, internal communication, external communication or complexity. The first category has its origin in the supply chain, the second in the construction project process, the third in the supply chain-construction process intersection on site and the fourth in the construction project as a whole. The findings conclude that on-site problems often originate from construction companies’ lack of supply chain orientation. Research limitations/implications It is suggested that supply chain planning (SCP) can facilitate on-site problem mitigation in construction project management. This extends the body of knowledge of SCP in construction project management and supports the development of effective on-site construction project management. Practical implications The results show that SCP can aid construction project management in handling on-site problems earlier in the project process. Originality/value The main value lies in extending the body of knowledge in construction project management research by applying an SCM perspective and by introducing SCP to support more effective construction project management.


Author(s):  
Peter Busch

Chapter V provided some introduction to formal concept analysis through the visualization of biographical results from the tacit knowledge questionnaire. The attention now turns to the strength of using FCA by examining the tacit knowledge inventory results which are one of the two major underpinnings of this work. To remind the reader, FCA had its beginnings at the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany, and was the work of Professor Rudolf Wille. Formal Concept Analysis is a means of illustrating via a lattice like structure all sorts of information in virtually any discipline. The lattice-like structure illustrates relationships between objects (typically any type of noun), and their corresponding attributes (typically any kind of adjective). Through connecting these “concepts” together, sense is gained for the body of knowledge dealt with. The application of FCA to questionnaire results is rare but not unheard of, but its application to better understanding tacit knowledge is.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Zhai ◽  
Ming Shan ◽  
Amos Darko ◽  
Yun Le

Over the past two decades, project governance has attracted increasing attention from researchers and practitioners worldwide and has become an important research area of project management. However, an inclusive quantitative and systematic analysis of the state-of-the-art recently available research in this field is still missing. This study attempts to map the global research on project governance through a state-of-the-art review. A total of 285 bibliographic records were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database and analyzed by the visual analytic tool—CiteSpace. The results indicated that there has been an increasing research interest in project governance. The most productive and the most highly cited author in the area of project governance is Müller R., and most of the existing project governance research achievements are from Australia, China, USA, and Norway. By synthetically analyzing the keywords, future research might focus on governance of megaprojects and project success. Additionally, 9 knowledge domains of project governance were identified, including conceptual framework, public projects, governance structure, governance context, megaproject governance, contractual and relational governance, sustainability, portfolio governance, and project success. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by mapping the existing project governance research. It is particularly helpful to new and early-stage researchers who plan to do research on project governance, as it can provide them an overview of project governance research, including key authors, main institutions, hot topics, and knowledge domains. Moreover, the findings from the study are beneficial to industry practitioners as well, as they can help industry practitioners understand the latest development of governance theory and practice and thereby help them locate the best governance strategies for project management.


Author(s):  
Dale Richard Buchanan ◽  
David Franklin Swink

The Psychodrama Program at Saint Elizabeths Hospital (SEH) was founded by J. L. Moreno, MD, and contributed to the profession for 65 years. A strong case can be made that, next to the Moreno Institute, the SEH psychodrama program was the most influential center for psychodrama in the United States and the world. This article describes those contributions, including training 16% of all certified psychodramatists; enhancing and advancing the body of knowledge base through more than 50 peer-reviewed published articles or book chapters; pioneering the use of psychodrama in law enforcement and criminal justice; and its trainees making significant contributions to the theory and practice of psychodrama including but not limited to founding psychodrama in Australia and New Zealand.


2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 56-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senevi Kiridena ◽  
Andrew Sense

The current understanding of project complexity is limited in that there is neither a widely recognized conceptualization of project complexity nor a convergent view on how to deal with its effects. Drawing on the extant literature concerning project complexity and complexity science, this article develops a coherent and holistic profile of project complexity and provides reflections on its implications for project management theory and practice. This profile serves as a touchstone for practitioners to better understand, assess, and address complexity in their projects and as an aid to researchers in framing their research efforts.


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