Interpretive structural model of trust factors in construction virtual project teams

Purpose Organisational dependence on virtual project teams (VPTs) is growing dramatically due to the substantial benefits they offer, such as efficiently achieving objectives and improving organisational performance. One of the major issues that influence the effectiveness of VPTs is trust building. This study aims to determine the key factors of trust in VPTs and design a model by identifying the interrelationships among the trust factors. Design/methodology/approach Focus group discussion was used to gather data on factors affecting trust in VPTs and their interrelationships. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was used to establish the relationship among the factors. Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification analysis was conducted to identify the driving power and the dependence power towards effective VPTs in the construction sector. Findings The finding revealed that “characteristics of team members” (such as ability, integrity, benevolence, competence, reliability and professionalism) is the most significant factor for building trust in virtual team members. Some factors were further identified as having high driving power, while others were defined as having high dependence variables. Practical implications The findings will assist construction managers and practitioners dealing with VPTs identify the factors influencing trust among team members. Taking cognisance of the factors that influence trust will enable them to design more effective virtual team arrangements. Originality/value As the first research of its kind using ISM technique, the study offers insights into interrelationships between trust factors in the construction VPTs. It provides guides for construction managers on the effective management of trustworthy VPTs.

Effective Agile Project Leadership Through Competency-Based Self-Reflection

The agile revolution and increasing cross-functionality nature of project teams imply an increasing need for effective and results-orientated project leadership. Irrespective of one's role in a project, there is a need for self-examination and self-reflection regarding how members relate during the various phases of project implementation. This chapter focuses on a theoretical review of the various elements necessary for effective agile project leadership. Through a synthesis of both old and more recent literature, the chapter identifies and conceptualizes ten determinant factors of effective agile project leadership and proposes a self-reflection framework for each of the ten project leadership competency areas. The chapter concludes by proposing a personal agile project leadership development plan (PAPLDP) template with an agility component that can be adopted for improvement and growth. This chapter challenges project managers and/or project team leaders to define their own value-based leadership competence and continuously reflect, evaluate, and improve themselves.

Impacts of synergies on software project scheduling

The adequate allocation of human resources is one of the most important success factors in software projects. Although project teams can be regarded as complex systems in which a team’s performance is highly influenced by the interdependencies among team members, the allocation methods applied to date have focused only on individual skills and consider project teams as units of isolated workers. The existing software project scheduling problem (SPSP) is extended to (1) consider different skills and efficiencies of employees and (2) examine the pairwise synergies between them, as well as to (3) handle the flexible structure of the project that is used in flexible management, such as agile project management. To better understand the impact of synergies on the project’s cost, the solutions of the traditional and extended SPSP versions are analyzed and compared on the generated project networks. The results show not only that this factor has a highly significant impact but also that the project cost strongly depends on the structural parameters of the synergy network (e.g., topology, network size and degree centrality). Among these parameters, a low degree of centrality and some topologies, most notably star and circular networks, obtained the highest reduction in the projects’ total cost.

Assessing the Duration of the Lead Appointed Party Coordination Tasks and Evaluating the Appropriate Team Composition on BIM Projects

This paper addresses critical success factors for the delivery of BIM projects. The lack of experience with BIM projects on both the demand and supply side often leads to insufficient project teams, unsatisfied clients, schedule, and cost overruns. In order to better structure and control the information delivery in BIM projects requirements, planning and delivery must be standardized. The latter was achieved by EIR (Exchange Information Requirements), new BIM roles, BEP (BIM Execution Plan), and specified digital handover, which must be supported by a common data environment (CDE). This paper provides an analysis of the characteristics of BIM project delivery and duration in Architectural and Engineering companies in Slovakia. The analysis is based on the web survey of BIM managers and coordinators, which reveals that a significant amount of BIM project efforts must be executed by BIM specialists. The results also graphically depict the scope of critical BIM activities across project phases. The presented study is relevant for various project stakeholders and allows for a deeper understanding of the resources needed for the successful delivery of BIM projects in terms of adequate project team capacity, capability, organization, and planning.

Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Management of the Process of Forming a Project Team with Functional Redundancy

The paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human resource management processes in project-oriented companies. It is proposed to use formal transformations on groups of performers. The use of formal transformations will reduce the influence of the subjective factor and improve the quality of sustainability management decisions made when forming a project team. The formalization of the selection process of applicants and the distribution of work among the performers have been considered. The existing methods of forming a project team with functional redundancy are approximate. Methodological support for the process of forming a project team with functional redundancy, based on a logical-combinatorial approach, and allowing to form project teams under given constraints, is proposed. A method of forming a functionally redundant project team based on formal transformations of groups of performers has been developed. The use of the apparatus of symbolic sequences for the formation of a project team with functional redundancy is proposed. An example of using the proposed method when forming a command with functional redundancy is considered. It is shown that the use of this methodological support makes it possible to select the composition of the project team with the minimum number and the minimum value of the characteristic.

Managerial Responses to the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Healthcare Organizations Project Management

The goal of this study was to identify and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on project management practices in healthcare organizations, taking into account, in particular, risk analysis, project performance, organization of the work of project teams, and tendencies in future developments in project management. In order to achieve this goal, a study was conducted on 20 project managers in selected healthcare organizations in Poland. The results indicate that a systematically conducted risk analysis as part of the implemented projects enabled rapid and effective reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has also significantly altered the organization of the work of project teams and, in the opinion of the research subjects, this will significantly impact future solutions for project management in healthcare organizations. The obtained results form a basis for the increase in professionalization in project management in healthcare organizations.

A US study shows satisfaction with teammates improves team performance for face-to-face teams, and virtual teams

Purpose The authors wanted to find out how to improve teamwork in both virtual teams and face-to-face teams. They suspected different factors were in play. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were tested using data from 1,110 participants. Participants enrolled in management capstone courses at a large public university in the southeastern US between Spring 2009 and Autumn 2016. The final sample was 997 participants in 242 project teams. Each team had three to six members, with an average number of 4.4. About, 55.6% of participants were operating in VTs. Students worked on a semester-long business simulation project called Glo-Bus, which was designed to model ongoing industry practices realistically. Findings The results showed that individual skills were more influential on teammate satisfaction for FtFs than for VTs. Conversely, VT’s interactions were more pivotal regarding teammate satisfaction for VT processes than FtFs. Originality/value The research results have practical implications for managers. Managers need to focus on developing and selecting employees who are best suited for VTs, or they might become reluctant to continue working in them. But FtFs interact more easily than VTs and managers may prefer to create such teams on the basis of functional skills. It would also be beneficial for managers to assemble teams of individuals more likely to interact and form relationships, even if only via technological mediums such as videoconferencing for VTs.