Consideration of Sustainability in Projects and Project Management

Author(s):  
Gilbert Silvius ◽  
Ron Schipper ◽  
Snezana Nedeski

The relevance of integrating the concepts of sustainability into project management shows from the growing number of studies on this topic. These studies approach the topic mostly from a conceptual, logical, or moral point of view. Given the fact that the relationship between sustainability and project management is still an emerging field of study, these approaches make sense. However, they do not diminish the need for more empirical studies to understand how the concepts of sustainable development are implemented in practice. This chapter reports an analysis of 56 case studies on the integration of the concepts of sustainability in the way organizations initiate, develop, and manage projects. The research question of the study was: To what extent do organizations consider the concepts of sustainability in the initiation, development, and management of projects? The study found an overall average level of sustainability consideration in the actual situation of 25.9%. For the desired situation, this score is almost 10 percent higher, showing an ambition to take sustainability more into consideration. The study also showed that the way sustainability currently is considered in projects should be categorized as the traditional “making things less bad” approach to sustainability integration and not as a more modern “how can we contribute to making things good” approach. However, the scores of the desired situation indicate that the modern approach to corporate responsibility is certainly the ambition of the participating organizations.

2013 ◽  
pp. 903-924
Author(s):  
Gilbert Silvius ◽  
Ron Schipper ◽  
Snezana Nedeski

The relevance of integrating the concepts of sustainability into project management shows from the growing number of studies on this topic. These studies approach the topic mostly from a conceptual, logical, or moral point of view. Given the fact that the relationship between sustainability and project management is still an emerging field of study, these approaches make sense. However, they do not diminish the need for more empirical studies to understand how the concepts of sustainable development are implemented in practice. This chapter reports an analysis of 56 case studies on the integration of the concepts of sustainability in the way organizations initiate, develop, and manage projects. The research question of the study was: To what extent do organizations consider the concepts of sustainability in the initiation, development, and management of projects? The study found an overall average level of sustainability consideration in the actual situation of 25.9%. For the desired situation, this score is almost 10 percent higher, showing an ambition to take sustainability more into consideration. The study also showed that the way sustainability currently is considered in projects should be categorized as the traditional “making things less bad” approach to sustainability integration and not as a more modern “how can we contribute to making things good” approach. However, the scores of the desired situation indicate that the modern approach to corporate responsibility is certainly the ambition of the participating organizations.


The environment has always been a central concept for archaeologists and, although it has been conceived in many ways, its role in archaeological explanation has fluctuated from a mere backdrop to human action, to a primary factor in the understanding of society and social change. Archaeology also has a unique position as its base of interest places it temporally between geological and ethnographic timescales, spatially between global and local dimensions, and epistemologically between empirical studies of environmental change and more heuristic studies of cultural practice. Drawing on data from across the globe at a variety of temporal and spatial scales, this volume resituates the way in which archaeologists use and apply the concept of the environment. Each chapter critically explores the potential for archaeological data and practice to contribute to modern environmental issues, including problems of climate change and environmental degradation. Overall the volume covers four basic themes: archaeological approaches to the way in which both scientists and locals conceive of the relationship between humans and their environment, applied environmental archaeology, the archaeology of disaster, and new interdisciplinary directions.The volume will be of interest to students and established archaeologists, as well as practitioners from a range of applied disciplines.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4255
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Szaruga ◽  
Zuzanna Kłos-Adamkiewicz ◽  
Agnieszka Gozdek ◽  
Elżbieta Załoga

This paper presents the synchronisation of economic cycles of GDP and crude oil and oil products cargo volumes in major Polish seaports. On the one hand, this issue fits into the concept of sustainable development including decoupling; on the other hand, the synchronisation may be an early warning tool. Crude oil and oil products cargo volumes are a specific barometer that predicts the next economic cycle, especially as they are primary sources of energy production. The research study applies a number of TRAMO/SEATS methods, the Hodrick–Prescott filter, spectral analysis, correlation and cross-correlation function. Noteworthy is the modern approach of using synchronisation of economic cycles as a tool, which was described in the paper. According to the study results, the cyclical components of the cargo traffic and GDP were affected by the leakage of other short-term cycles. However, based on the cross-correlation, it was proved that changes in crude oil and oil products cargo volumes preceded changes in GDP by 1–3 quarters, which may be valuable information for decision-makers and economic development planners.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugénia Pedro ◽  
João Leitão ◽  
Helena Alves

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the predominant classification of intellectual capital (IC), in terms of components, using the literature of reference on the relationship between IC and performance and considering multi-dimensional analysis axes (MAAs): organisational, regional and national. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) is presented focussing on empirical studies on IC published in the period 1960-2016. A protocol for action is defined and a research question is raised, gathering data from the databases of: Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. A social network analysis is also provided to determine the type of networks embracing groups, IC individual components and performance type. Findings Of the 777 papers included in the SLR, 189 deal with the relationship between IC and performance. The paper highlights the greater development of empirical studies starting from 2004; the organisational MAA is the most studied. The most frequently used groups of components in studies dealing with IC’s influence on performance corresponds to a triad of human capital; structural (organisational or process) capital; and relational (social or customer) capital, which determine positively the performance of organisations/regions/countries, but their influence is not linear and depends on various factors associated with the context and surrounding environment. Practical implications This study has wide-ranging implications for politicians/governments, managers and academics, providing empirical evidence about the relationships between the components of IC and performance, by MAAs, and a global vision and better understanding of how those IC components have developed and how they are related to performance. Originality/value Due to the high number of references covering a wide range of disciplines and the various dimensions (e.g. organisational, regional and national) that form IC, it becomes fundamental to carry out an SRL and systematise its MAAs to deepen knowledge about what has been discovered/developed in this domain, in terms of empirical studies, in order to situate the topic in a wider theoretical-practical context. The paper is exceptionally wide-ranging, covering the period 1960-2016. It is one of the first clarifying studies on systemisation of the literature on IC, by MAA, and an in-depth study of IC’s impact on the performance of organisations/regions and countries which may serve as a guideline for future studies using the taxonomy proposed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Khalifeh ◽  
Peter Farrell ◽  
Malek Al-edenat

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to answer the research question: “does the incorporation of sustainability as a new school of thought in project management support project success?” The authors carried out a systematic literature review (SLR) on relevant empirical studies before 2018 to answer this question. Design/methodology/approach The authors carried out an SLR by selecting, extracting, analysing and critically appraising relevant literature that met pre-specified criteria by using transparent, well-organised and replicable steps. The main sources are publications in peer-reviewed journals regardless of their impact factor because the topic of incorporating sustainability in project management practices is restrained by a lack of research. Findings Based on the analysis, it seems that incorporating sustainability into project management may support project success. However, more evidence is required to support this finding as there are too few relevant empirical studies in the literature. Research limitations/implications Therefore, considering sustainability as a new school of thought in project management is premature, and there are recommendations for further research at the end of this study. There are several limitations to the studies chosen, which may have significantly affected results, and thus may affect outcomes in this study. Originality/value Project success needs to be the main endeavour when incorporating sustainability into project management, and it should be a key criterion when considering sustainability as a new school of thought in managing projects. The most challenging elements of project success that need to be addressed are cost and time. This study contributes to a better understanding of the impact of PSM on project success. It facilitates decision making in considering sustainability as a new school of thought in project management. Furthermore, it defines a need for more research work in this potential paradigm shift in managing projects.


Author(s):  
Nur Farhah Mahadi ◽  
Nor Razinah Mohd. Zain ◽  
Shamsuddeen Muhammad Ahmad

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of Islamic social finance towards realising financial inclusion in achieving nine of the seventeen goals of sustainable development goals (SDGs) which are SDG1, SDG2, SDG3, SDG4, SDG5, SDG8, SDG9, SDG10, and SDG17 in the 2030 agenda for SDGs, as propagated by United Nations Member States in 2015. Then, a critical analysis is made to explain the possible contribution of Islamic social finance in achieving financial inclusion which is aligned with SDGs that brings balanced to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual of the community in supporting overall economic growth which finally combats the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research and empirical studies can be conducted to explore the relationship between Islamic social finance, financial inclusion, and SDGs which in tandem with Maqᾱṣid al-Sharῑ῾ah to equip ourselves in unpredictable economic hiccups during COVID-19. The results may also motivate the financial industries to promote Islamic social finance products and corporate social responsibilities as well as enhance the development of Islamic social finance towards achieving financial inclusion in fulfilling SDGs which soon will provide significant social impacts as the results will enable new initiatives by industries and policy makers to develop Islamic social finance in attaining financial inclusion to achieve SDGs which is seen as being parallel with Maqᾱṣid al-Sharῑ῾ah especially in resolving economic issues of COVID-19.


Early China ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 45-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judson B. Murray

TheHuainanziis a Former Han 前漢 dynasty (202 B.C.E.–9 C.E.) compendium of knowledge written at the court of Huainan and presented to Emperor Wu of the Han 漢武帝 in 139 by Liu An 劉安 (?179–122), the king of Huainan. Liu An was the grandson of the Han “progenitor” Gaozu 高祖 (Liu Bang 劉邦 r. 202–195), and he was the uncle of the reigning emperor Wu (r. 140–87). According to the author(s) of the text’s postface, “Yao lue” 要略 or “A Summary of the Essentials,” the work seeks to provide a comprehensive account or chronicle of thedao道 (conventionally translated as the “Way”), understood broadly to encompass the cosmos (tiandi天地 or “Heaven and Earth”), human beings (ren人) and their affairs (shi事), and the relationship between them. The account of thedaopresented in its chapters is not, however, purely descriptive. TheHuainanziis foremost a political treatise containing instructions worthy of a sage-king (shengwang聖王) to be employed by the ruler as the proper model or standard by which to govern the empire.


Author(s):  
V. Litiaga

The article analyzes basic scientific approaches to the interpretation of the terms of «linguoculturology», «linguistic conceptology» and «linguistic concept». We consider the relationship of language and culture, and the role of the term «concept» in this regard. In the article we structured the term «concept» from a linguocultural point of view. These theoretical considerations are the basis for the study of ways and mean of forming a conceptual image of Kyiv Rus in the French medieval linguistic cultural picture of the world. The aim of this article is to examine the influence of the country’s image on shaping the bilateral relations between Ukraine and France in a linguocultural conceptual aspect. The article reveals the main semantic and linguoconceptual aspects of medieval French culture. It shows the links between historical and actual aspects of the conceptual sphere in the formation of public opinion in contemporary international relations. Despite the increasing interest of the scholars in the influence that the image of country may have on bilateral relations, this topic has been under‐researched. This article presents the author’s insights based on theoretical and empirical studies that could shed some new light on this important topic. By looking at the «linguocultural» aspect of the relationship between Kyiv Rus and France in the Medieval times the article gives a basic analysis of the process of country image formation since the tenth century and its impact on present times. The article also provides a basis for further linguistic research of this topic.


Author(s):  
Lester Martin Cabrera Toledo

El presente artículo establece una discusión teórica sobre la vinculación que existe entre la geopolítica y la seguridad. En este sentido, la discusión se aprecia desde un punto de vista en torno a la evolución que ha tenido la relación entre geopolítica y seguridad, particularmente sobre la forma en que se comprenden tanto los procesos conflictivos y los actores que se ven involucrados. Así, se establece la vinculación desde comienzos del siglo XX hasta la actualidad, donde se percibe la necesidad de comprender tanto a la geopolítica como a la seguridad desde otros puntos de vista en los que incluso sus elementos básicos se ven cuestionados. Se concluye que se requiere una comprensión holística de ambas perspectivas para entender y explicar los nuevos fenómenos conflictivos, sin descartar la totalidad de los postulados clásicos. ABSTRACTThe present article seeks to establish a theoretical discussion about the link between geopolitics and security. In this sense, the discussion is seen from a point of view on the evolution of the relationship between geopolitics and security, particularly on the way in which both conflicting processes and the actors involved are understood. Thus, it is established the linkage from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, where it is perceived the need to understand both geopolitics and security from other points of view, in which even its basic elements are questioned. It concludes that a holistic understanding of both perspectives is required to understand and explain the new conflicting phenomena, without ruling out the totality of the classical postulates.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etienne P. LeBel

This research project aims to extend prior evolutionary-based results of mate poaching and enticement. Several aspects of the mate poaching process have been not yet been studied. The relationship status of the poacher and the relationship context of the enticer have not been looked at empirically. Additionally, in Schmitt and Buss’ (2001) study, some of the participants judging the effectiveness of poaching tactics had never been involved in a poaching situation, which would reduce confidence in the validity of the data. My research question will explore previously unanswered aspects of the current research on mate poaching and enticement. More specifically, I ask two main questions. First, does the relationship status of the mate poacher have an effect on the mate poaching process? That is, does relationship status of the mate poacher affect the frequency of the poach attempts? Does relationship status affect which tactics one may employ to poach? Second, does relationship context of the one being poached affect the enticement process? That is, does relationship context (e.g. married, cohabiting, beginning, ending, etc.) affect the frequency or disguise tactic use of someone who is attempting to be poached? Humans will continue to attempt to protect individuals they share intimate interactions with. Thus, a better understanding of the human mate poaching and enticement process can only improve the way we approach and appreciate life.


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