A model of project knowledge management

Knowledge is the most important resource needed for project management. The aim of this article is to present a full, consistent model of project knowledge management. There are two basic types of project knowledge: micro‐knowledge, needed for performing a single task (or its part), and macro‐knowledge (in other words, all the knowledge possessed by people from a given organizational level). Project knowledge is managed at four distinct levels: individual, project, organization, and global. The article describes the micro‐knowledge life cycle and macro‐knowledge life cycles from each organizational level, as well as the processes of vertical knowledge flow between organizational levels.     

Understanding the value of project management from a stakeholder's perspective: Case study of mega‐project management

Project management can generate significant value for organizations (Thomas & Mullaly, 2007). However, the value of project management varies depending on the different size and complexity of projects managed. Focusing on mega‐projects, this study explores the value of project management from the stakeholders' perspective, thereby creating a value framework. In the case of SHRBC Company, it analyzes the company's project management practice and the value of project management, and consequently certifies the applicability of this value framework through empirical study.     

业主方建设工程的项目管理

随着现在建设工程投资规模、领域的扩大、投资来源多样化、工程项目对环境、经济影响增强,业主工程项目管理应该是包括项目从决策立项到交付使用维护全过程的管理,工程项目的采购也从单纯的施工承包发展到项目管理、工程总承包等多种形式。对于具体的工程项目,其目标也不仅是在限定的投资、工期、质量目标内对工程项目进行综合管理以实现项目预定目标,还应与资金筹措、风险分析、使用维护以及与所在地经济、环境等联系起来,工程项目管理的方法,除了具体的技术性方法,还要向前后期的评价延伸,将工程项目自身作为一个系统来管理,也就是运用系统科学的方法,通过信息反馈与调控,对工程项目进行全面综合管理,包括计划、组织、指挥、协调、控制,以实现项目的综合目标。建设项目管理的核心任务是项目的目标控制。要满足可持续发展的要求。     

Characteristics of Portuguese public‐sector project managers: Toward closing the effectiveness gap

Using a sample of 102 Portuguese public‐sector officials with project management experience, this study examines the characteristics of effective project managers in the Portuguese public sector. Factor‐analysis procedures are used to identify the factors related to areas of knowledge relevant to effective project management. The results appear to stress the increasing importance of people, organizational, and leadership skills in the effective management of today's complex and dynamic projects.     

Project management systems: Moving project management from an operational to a strategic discipline

This article illustrates one aspect of the concept of “fit” between an organization's implementation of project management and its organizational context by exploring how the underlying drivers of an organization's strategy might influence not only the nature of the projects that it undertakes, but also the appropriateness of the arrangements that it makes to manage those projects. Using a model conceptualized from the literature on strategic management, an analysis of four organizations that have made significant investments in project management over the past 5 years supports the hypothesis that the degree of “fit” between an organization's strategic drivers of value and the configuration of its project management system influences the value it obtains from project management.     

浅论通过项目管理提高企业核心竞争力

随着知识经济时代的到来,网络技术和信息技术飞速发展,越来越多的企业认识到管理项目的重要性,认识到通过项目管理是提高企业核心竞争力的重要途径。文章以项目管理理念为思路,以项目范围管理、项目时间管理、项目成本管理和项目质量管理为切入点,探讨了如何通过项目管理提高企业核心竞争力。     

Value creation by building an intraorganizational common frame of reference concerning project management

In this article, we suggest that organizations should not focus on selecting between various project management approaches, tools, or behaviors. Instead, we claim that the real benefit from project management implementations comes from the mere creation of a common frame of reference. Based on four case studies, we identify elements that enhance such a common frame of reference: (1) a common project management model, (2) common project management training, (3) common project management examinations/certifications, and (4) activities for knowledge sharing. Values created, especially when the application of the elements was mandatory, were better communication, better customer satisfaction, and easier knowledge sharing.     

企业信息化项目管理对项目成功的影响研究

在企业信息化项目中,项目管理是企业深化改革和提高信息化效益的重要途径。但是项目管理究竟在项目建设中发挥了多大作用,对项目成功起到了怎样的影响,这一直以来都是一个模糊的概念。文章通过问卷调查和结构方程模型具体衡量项目管理对项目成功的影响程度。     

The influence of human resource management on knowledge sharing and innovation in Spain: the mediating role of affective commitment

The aim of this paper is to explain and to test empirically how human resource management (HRM) practices contribute to knowledge sharing and innovation through employees' affective commitment. Results show that HRM practices do not influence knowledge sharing in a direct way, but they do have a positive effect when affective commitment mediates the relationship. We also find a positive relationship between knowledge sharing and innovation performance. That is, HRM practices contribute to knowledge creation and innovation through the generation of the affective commitment necessary for employees to be willing to share their knowledge. The relationships identified have been tested by applying structural equation models to a sample of 87 R&D departments of Spanish innovative companies.     

Project‐as‐practice: In search of project management research that matters

Research on projects is not only an immature field of research, but it is also insubstantial when it comes to understanding what occurs in projects. This article contributes to making project management research matter to the academic as well as to the practitioner by developing a project‐as‐practice approach, in alignment with the ongoing debate in social science research. The article outlines a framework and argues that there are two major challenges to the researcher and also suggests how these challenges can be met. Underlying notions of the practice approach are outlined to ensure a development of the project‐as‐practice approach that makes project management research matter!     

Developing soft skills to manage user expectations in IT projects: Knowledge reuse among IT project managers

This research explores information technology (IT) project managers' reuse of knowledge associated with soft skills when managing user expectations. Through interviews with IT project managers, several themes emerged: novelty of problems, conditions within the organization, types of available knowledge, and methods for reusing knowledge. Within this study, we discovered the need for additional research on how social norms and organizational conditions encourage or inhibit knowledge reuse. Furthermore, we identified a difference in the usefulness of knowledge captured in formal repositories according to levels of project management experience. The findings confirm, extend, and illuminate the current research associated with knowledge reuse in IT project management.     

A fresh look at the contribution of project management to organizational performance

A better understanding of organizational performance and the contribution that project management can make is the aim. The article adopts the “Competing Values Framework,” a rich framework that is well established both theoretically and empirically but is not well known in the field of project management. The framework is summarized and applied in an empirical investigation of the contribution of project management in general and project management offices (PMOs) in particular to organizational performance. The examination of 11 case studies revealed multiple concurrent and sometimes paradoxical perspectives. The criteria proposed by the framework have been further developed through the identification of a preliminary set of empirically grounded performance indicators. The empirical results contribute to a better understanding of the role of project management generally and PMOs specifically. They also demonstrate the usefulness of this framework for the study of project management's contribution to organizational performance.     

A model of employee responses to drug-testing programs

Testing employees for drug use is an increasingly widespread organizational response to the problem of employee drug abuse. Despite this, little attention has been given to its effects on employee attitudes and behavior. This paper reviews the issue of drug testing in industry, provides a theoretical model of employee perceptions of and responses to drug-testing programs, and offers an agenda for future research directions.     

Cultural barriers to the use of Western project management in Chinese enterprises: Some empirical evidence from Yunnan province

The Western project management (PM) approach requires the use of not only PM technology but also PM values/beliefs. This research is concerned with the likely cultural barriers for Chinese enterprises to use the PM approach. The literature review reveals the four cultural barriers of the Doctrine of the Mean, Strong Hierarchy, Family Consciousness, and Boss Orientation. Then, through a questionnaire survey at Yunnan province, this research provides some empirical evidence about the actual status of the four cultural barriers. In general, the Chinese traditional values/beliefs of Strong Hierarchy, Family Consciousness, and Boss Orientation are empirically major cultural barriers, and the Doctrine of the Mean is not. In addition, this research empirically reveals the differences in the cultural barriers among different types of enterprises and that appropriate PM training is very important to overcome the cultural barriers. Limitations of this research are also discussed.     

The “management‐per‐result” approach to international development project design

Results‐based management (RBM) has proved to be a valuable tool for international development project management; however, there are some inconsistencies that limit the use of RBM at the design phase to manage for results. This article presents a “management‐per‐result” approach to reinforcing the project design function of RBM and illustrates its application to a real‐life project. Shying away from a technocratic approach, it emphasizes a “quick‐and‐dirty” approach and proposes an updated version of the logical framework to include success criteria and factors and very rough estimates for both project costs and benefits for targeted project results for different types of projects (infrastructure development, “process” type of project, and so forth).