Portfolio selection methodology for a nuclear project

It is difficult to evaluate complex, publicly sensitive nuclear project proposals. Scientists, subject matter experts, politicians, and citizens often differ on scope, budget, time, and quality priorities. There are numerous qualitative factors and quantitative variables. Experts could widely disagree on criteria or neglect to discriminate between seemingly identical alternatives. An ineffective portfolio selection method could lead to safety problems, budget overruns, or outright project failures. This case study develops and examines a mixed‐method, integrated qualitative and quantitative portfolio selection model, applied to a “tritium extraction facility” project concept.     

The selection of supply chain management projects: A case study approach

Organizations undertake strategic supply chain initiatives through project implementation. However, selecting the right supply chain projects can be difficult due to high levels of organizational risk and technical complexity. Although the literature is rich in quantitative and qualitative methods for project management, prior research into best management practices specific to supply chain management (SCM) project selection is limited. This paper examines the methods used in evaluating and selecting SCM projects used by the management at three publically held multi-national organizations. The primary objective of this research is to identify a set of generalizable good practices in the selection and evaluation of SCM projects. Nine useful business practices in SCM project selection have been identified based on cross-case comparisons and a close examination of the literature. Eight practices had been previously identified, but were scattered throughout the literature on ERP, IT management, and R&D management. A new practice calls for the consideration of supply chain partners’ return-on-investment (ROI) in the project selection process. Highest preference should be given to win-win projects for the organization and its partner(s). The practices identified here sho`uld provide the foundation of practical guidelines that can be used during the planning stage of SCM projects. This paper reduces the knowledge gap in SCM project management by analyzing organizations with significant supply chain experience and synthesizing these results with the current related literature.     

An empirical assessment of IT project selection and evaluation methods in state government

This study uses a survey of U.S. state government information technology (IT) project management practitioners to investigate the utilization of IT project selection and evaluation methodologies—financial and qualitative—and to assess the empirical relationship between the chosen methods and several measures of perceived project success. The analysis presents evidence that financial project selection and evaluation methodologies appear to be important in obtaining better control over project costs.     

INFORMATION PROCESSING IN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BUILDING: A MULTIPLE-CASE APPROACH*

Strategic alliance building has proliferated in many industries in recent years. This research focuses on the dynamic aspects of the alliance building process that have been neglected in previous research. the study examines how organizations process information during strategic alliance building and how the effective management of uncertainty and equivocality is linked to alliance success. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from a multi-case study leads to a proposed model of information processing in strategic alliance building and research propositions. the research propositions suggest that strategic alliance success is facilitated or impeded by a number of factors including the selection of information-processing mechanisms, the management of alliance building momentum, political activity, and information-processing structure. These factors collectively form information-processing environments that are linked to the success or failure of the alliance. Successful alliance building efforts seem to require adaptive information-processing environments that alter information-processing mechanisms to match information-processing needs.     

基于半结构决策方法的建筑供应商选择模型

建筑材料供应商选择是集成化建筑供应链管理的重要环节,也是一个多目标决策问题。为了充分考虑定量和定性目标,减少人为干扰,使决策结果更科学、合理,作者提出了运用半结构化模糊决策方法选择供应商的模型,分别给出了对于定量和定性目标的决策方法。经过实例分析,结果证明该模型有助于解决此决策问题。     

A multiobjective optimization model for project selection with probabilistic considerations

When faced with limited resources, project managers must determine which projects to fund at what levels from a pool of potential ones. This problem of project selection is inherently multiobjective since various factors, such as the available budget, the chance of success, and the efficient allocation of the project team, must be considered simultaneously. The uncertainty of the data at the time decisions are made further complicates project selection. In this paper, a multiobjective, integer-constrained optimization model with competing objectives for project selection is formulated using probability distributions to describe costs. The objectives correspond to important project criteria, such as: rank (value), managerial labor needed, and average cost. The subjective rank is determined via the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The model is applied to a data set from a US government agency that involves 84 separate projects. The results indicate improved budgetary efficiency compared to the actual project selection, thus supporting use of the model for public sector project selection. The model is unique since it integrates multiobjective optimization, Monte Carlo simulation, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process.     

Understanding the value of project management: First steps on an international investigation in search of value

Organizations investing in project management need to be assured of a concrete return. Without the ability to clearly define its value, project management joins the long line of initiatives (i.e., TQM, information systems, training, human resources) struggling to prove their worth to organizations. However, demonstrating a concrete value in organizations has been illusive and even paradoxical. This paper describes the conceptual model underlying a major international research project designed to yield a broad perspective on the value of project management. This model and research design will be of interest to researchers, project managers, professional organizations, and senior executives.     

供应链环境下第三方物流服务商选择研究

第三方物流服务商的选择在企业物流外包中占有非常重要的地位首先介绍了第三方物流服务商选择研究现状,然后建立了第三方物流服务商评价选择的指标体系,运用模糊综合评价法,从定性和定量的角度给出了物流服务商选择模型,并结合实例进行了分析。     

Managing metadata: Networks of practice,technological frames,and metadata work in a digital library

The organizations that develop information systems are usually composed of members and groups with different technological backgrounds and experiences. While these different backgrounds are necessary to support the many dimensions of information system development, at the same time they can result in barriers to sharing organizational knowledge, and can thus impede this work. Understanding how the technological backgrounds of organizational groups are constituted and mediated thus provides useful insight into how information system development occurs in organizational contexts. This article contributes to this discussion with a qualitative and interpretive case study of a small team engaged in creating metadata for a digital library. A number of unexpected and recalcitrant problems were encountered that delayed this metadata work. Drawing on theories of networks of practice, technological frames, and perspective making and perspective taking, the article uses ethnographic- and action research-based interviews, to probe project members' understanding of metadata. The analysis identified different networks of practice and technological frames in the project, including the IT workers, who had a systems administration perspective, and the faculty members, who had a theoretical research perspective. The tensions caused by these differences are described, as are the ways in which the project resolved them. Two findings are that the intercommunal negotiation was established not just between individual networks of practice in the project, but with reference to an emerging community of practice that served as a boundary object, and that intercommunal negotiation also had to be carried out diachronically across time, with this latter form of negotiation being difficult to achieve.     

模糊层次分析法在基础设施项目融资模式选择中的应用研究

合理地选择项目融资模式对成功完成基础设施项目建设具有重要意义。文章介绍了几种现代流行的基础设施项目融资模式,并对影响融资模式选择的因素进行讨论。考虑到影响因素较多且获取的信息无法用自然语言表达出来,具有模糊性的特点,将层次分析法和模糊决策理论结合起来,建立了项目融资模式选择的模糊层次评价模型,对一个实例进行综合评价排序得出最佳融资模式,为投资者选择合适的基础设施项目融资模式提供一种有效的方法。     

An optimisation method for complex product design

Designing a complex product such as an aircraft usually requires both qualitative and quantitative data and reasoning. To assist the design process, a critical issue is how to represent qualitative data and utilise it in the optimisation. In this study, a new method is proposed for the optimal design of complex products: to make the full use of available data, information and knowledge, qualitative reasoning is integrated into the optimisation process. The transformation and fusion of qualitative and qualitative data are achieved via the fuzzy sets theory and a cloud model. To shorten the design process, parallel computing is implemented to solve the formulated optimisation problems. A parallel adaptive hybrid algorithm (PAHA) has been proposed. The performance of the new algorithm has been verified by a comparison with the results from PAHA and two other existing algorithms. Further, PAHA has been applied to determine the shape parameters of an aircraft model for aerodynamic optimisation purpose.     

信息化技术在公路工程施工的应用

我国的社会主义现代化建设在飞速发展,经济的腾飞需要国家交通事业跟上发展的步伐,因而,公路工程施工过程中的技术问题就被有关部门密切关注。计算机网络信息管理在工程项目管理中扮演着重要角色。是一个成功项目管理系统不可缺少的重要组成部分。信息技术的推广应用,不但改善了公路行业的整体形象,提高了行业工作效率、技术水平和管理水平。使行业和企业的整体竞争力得到提升,本文对计算机信息化模型在公路工程施工的应用进行了分析研究。     

Exploring sources and outcomes of trust and commitment to nonprofit organizations: The case of Amnesty International Portugal

The interactions between customers and organizations have been regarded as a core aspect in cocreating and developing new products and practices. The current study explores these interactions in the context of citizens and nonprofit organizations. The study comprises two parts: (a) a qualitative approach using interviews and the analysis of social networks to better understand the organization's social media marketing practices and corresponding outcomes and (b) a quantitative approach to analyze antecedents and outcomes of trust and being committed to participate in a nonprofit organization such as Amnesty International. From the qualitative approach, the findings highlight that Amnesty International uses social media (Facebook) to share information, and citizens tend to consider sharing posts, but they do not express new ideas or interact with the organization. These findings contribute to structure the model analyzed in the second stage of the research. Regarding the qualitative approach, the results show that organizational credibility is the most significant driver of trust followed by communicative ability. Affectively commitment to participation and relationship perception act as outcomes of overall commitment.     

高速公路项目PPP模式的物有所值决策研究

为大力发展PPP模式在高速公路项目领域的应用,采用物有所值评价方法分析PPP模式在该类项目中是否适用是决策阶段不可或缺的部分。通过实地项目调研及文献研究,归纳总结高速公路PPP项目的政府与社会资本合作模式,确立相应的物有所值定性评价指标体系,采用模糊综合评价法进行定性评价,结合定性评价和定量评价论证高速公路PPP项目的可行性,选取ZN高速公路PPP项目为案例论证该项目的物有所值,为我国PPP项目建设的物有所值评价提供一定借鉴意义。     

Developmental project management in emerging countries

Aid organizations, governments and even citizens in emerging/developing countries have long complained about the efficacy of developmental projects. Given the vast resources being plowed into developmental activities and the dire needs, it is imperative that such projects are cost-effective, finish on time and provide the specified deliverables. Unfortunately, the procedure to guide such projects is not well developed. In this research, we rely on qualitative case study methodology to provide possible insights to project managers. We examined a total of eight cases related to developmental projects in India. Through these cases, we identify five project management components including: project characteristics, external environment, internal project elements, project management process, and project outcomes. The constructs within each element and the relationships amongst them provide guidance to development agencies in terms of project size, project goals, resource availability, infrastructure, stakeholder variance and organizational flexibility. These constructs influence the internal elements of a project including the level of information, complexity and uncertainty/risk. In turn, the internal elements affect the project outcomes of duration, costs, and deliverables. This research provides guidance to agencies in their project management process in terms of team integration and interactions, communication, and networking with local communities and organizations, all of which can influence standard project outcomes (duration, cost and deliverables), while also helping to build reputation to garner additional funding.     

改进AHP法在大型医疗设备选购中的应用

根据层次分析法的一般原理提出了改进的层次分析法,将定量分析与定性分析结合起来,提出了将定量因素、定性因素标准化的方法。最后举例说明了如何将改进的层次分析法应用于医疗设备的选购,体现了该方法的合理性与优越性。     

Incorporating employee resourcing requirements into deployment decision making

Employee resourcing is the process of matching human resource capabilities to the strategic and operational needs of the organization. This is exceptionally problematic in project‐based organizations due to the competing priorities of the project, the individual employee, and the wider succession needs of the organization. This article presents the findings of research examining the human resource management practices that form the key components of the resourcing process. These included, inter alia, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, team deployment, performance management, and human resource administration. Current practices were examined in seven leading construction firms, all of which faced dynamic resourcing priorities. Within an inductive methodology, semistructured interviews were carried out with senior executives, human resource management (HRM) specialists, senior operational managers, and project‐based staff. Based on a synthesis of the promising practices extracted from the case‐study organizations, an innovative approach to project resourcing was developed that aims to balance organizational, project, and individual employee requirements. Team deployment resides at the center of resourcing process for the project‐based organization as it determines the success of the project, which in turn determines the competitiveness of the organization. Long‐term planning and employee involvement enable team deployment to integrate with other elements of HRM effectively and thus help to balance the organizational strategic priorities, project requirements, and individual employee needs and preferences.     

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Qualitative and quantitative approaches to the study of organizations are not mutually exclusive. Yet, over the last several years they have tended to become as such. Also, the interest in qualitative research of organizations seems to be renewing in the recent years. The present paper looks at some of the currently popular qualitative tools of organizational research emphasizing the complementary nature of qualitative and quantitative approaches in most settings.     

项目管理在港口企业中的应用

现代项目管理作为一种企业运作的有效管理手段 ,已经远远超出了其最初应用的工程建设领域 ,而在政府机构及不同行业、部门得到了广泛的应用。本文主要结合信息技术的发展探讨了项目管理方法在货运港口企业中的应用及任务调度模型的建立。