Potential problem analysis: A systematic approach to problem prediction and contingency planning—an aid to the smooth exploitation of research

Scientists and technologists have always attempted to predict ‘what is likely to go wrong’ with a particular project. At URL Colworth/Welwyn we now have some 24 years’ experience in a semi-formalized system of problem prediction. The paper describes the system, explains its worth and shows where and when it should be used as well as explaining the consequences of its use. A theoretical justification of some of the assumptions used in the system is also attempted.     

Qualitative aspects of the evaluation and control of research and development projects

Decisions in research and development are usually based on a variety of data inputs. Some of these will be concerned with the returns offered by projects in money terms. Others will relate to more qualitative aspects of research work such as, perhaps, the establishment of a base in a new area of technology or the achievement of a stronger market position. This paper describes and illustrates how checklists may be used to assemble qualitative data for purposes of decision. These were formulated in an industrial R & D laboratory and the illustrative examples in the text make reference to real projects. The checklists described are an integral part of a comprehensive system of project evaluation and control in R & D which includes an analysis of the financial implications using net present value or discounted cash flow rate of return of the project risk, analysis and sensitivity tests. The detail of this part of the scheme is conventional and is therefore omitted from the paper.     

输变电工程设计阶段造价控制的问题及对策

基于输变电工程设计和管理工作的实践,论述了输变电工程设计阶段造价控制存在的一些问题,如基础设计保守,包括勘测设计费、前期工程费在内的工程其他费计费标准执行中存在不足,管理工作中存在加大可研阶段投资估算的倾向等。结合电网项目工程实际,从技术、管理、体制等方面分析提出了控制造价的相关措施,认为立足于技术、管理、体制三位一体,应在设计阶段建立“方案合理、投资可控、造价节省”的工程造价控制体系。     

Investigating differences among research projects and implications for managers

As research and innovation have become central to the economy, the challenge of managing these activities has taken on greater importance. Studies have focused on the impact of organizational variables on research activities, such as work environment, human resource factors, and managerial practices. But little attention has been paid to the effect of differences among types of research projects. While the notion that differences exist among research projects is acknowledged, particularly in the research & development portfolio literature, there have been relatively few studies into the dimensions by which research projects, and needs of project team members, differ. Further, there is little recognition that these differences translate into the need for different research project management practices. The objective of this paper is to investigate differences among research projects along three dimensions, amount of funding, complexity of project teams, and research orientation. These dimensions are selected because of their central theoretical importance in the organizational literature, as well as posing a number of different challenges for research management. This study looked at 18 research projects at a national laboratory and analyzed the responses of project members to a comprehensive research environment survey conducted in 2001. The results of the analysis indicate that there are significant differences between types of projects along three dimensions and suggest ways that research performance can be improved through management intervention.     

浅析气田产能项目质量管理——以英买力地面工程为例

英买力气田产能建设项目以创国优为目标，以安全第一、质量先行为指导思想，以HSE目标为基础管理理念，在管理上推行“小甲方、大监理”的管理模式。从质量管理机构、施工人员组织培训、过程控制、教育宣贯等方面阐述项目质量管理体系．其中过程控制是质量管理中管理内容最集中、强度最大的环节，是执行整个质量管理的重要内容。项目部在控制工期、投资的同时，优质、高效的完成该工程并一次投产成功，为完善质量管理体系文件、明确管理程序和质量标准打下基础。     

Online R&D management: the way forward

The development of an intranet system in BT delivered far greater savings in 1996 than was originally estimated. BT decided to look at the advantages of online R&D management processes. Various features of the evolving system are described, including the proposal submission system or project requirements document, and tools and techniques to manage a global virtual laboratory.     

高校维修改造工程造价管理的问题与对策分析

高校历史悠久,许多学校自建立以来房屋维修欠账多,基础设施大多已老旧甚至损坏,另一方面,随着高校的不断发展,一些原有设计已无法满足新的使用需求。从学校基建部门的角度出发,通过文献研究、实践、专家访谈,分析了高校维修改造工程的特点以及造价管理的问题,研究表明:建立统一的项目申报平台;建立服务单位备选库平台;善用过控单位和全过程跟踪审计单位;加强基建管理人员专业方面的培训;完善基建内控制度和造价管理办法,是使高校维修改造工程的造价管理工作效率更高,更易操作,避免投资失控的有效对策。     

改革实验室管理体制的探索及实践

本文分析了现行实验室管理体制所存在的问题。以集中、开放、挖潜为指导思想,提出了设置系属中心实验室的管理体制改革方案及配套措施。通过实验室管理体制改革的实施例,论证了该方案的可行性及其明显成效。     

An R & D planning and control servosystem: A case study*

This paper describes a planning and control system (PACS) to aid R & D decision-making which has been developed and used at the Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. The planning model portion of the integrated system is a two-dimensional dynamic programming resource allocation algorithm which performs project selection, budgeting and scheduling. Behavioral parameters that can be used to simulate certain organizational factors are included in the planning model. The control model portion of the integrated system develops cost-effectiveness measures of variances between actual and planned performances for ongoing projects over time, which provide early warnings of pending project failures and guide control action. Applications of the system at Monsanto indicate that it significantly aids the development of satisfactory organizational decisions and also provides a laboratory for pretesting decisions.     

Aspects of project control in R&D

This paper examines the concept of project control in the context of an R&D laboratory, and reviews some of the methods of presenting control or monitoring information that have been found of use by management for different types of work. The concepts described are those which the author has found of practical value in his own work, and which also figure in some R&D Management training courses within British Gas.     

Managing tensions related to information in coopetition

This study seeks to provide insights into the management of tensions related to information in coopetition. The literature on coopetition management recommends a separation principle, an integration principle or a combination of both. Focusing on tensions related to information in coopetition at the project level, we consider which principle is most appropriate. We theoretically discuss the control mechanisms used to address information criticality and information appropriability. In addition, we conduct an in-depth case study of a space project involving two competitors, Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. First, we describe the tensions related to information that arose in the context of this coopetitive project. In particular, financial and technical information presented dilemmas. Second, we explain how the coopetitors used formal control mechanisms to separate critical information from non-critical information. Specifically, information that was critical to the project's success was shared through a common information system specially designed for the project, whereas non-critical information was withheld from the partner. Third, because formal control mechanisms were insufficient to address critical information that was also appropriable, we show how project managers implemented informal control mechanisms. For example, project managers transformed appropriable information into non-appropriable information by aggregating data and withholding details such as calculation methods and cost structures. Our findings suggest that the management of tensions related to information in coopetitive projects requires a combination of formal control mechanisms (to manage information criticality) and informal control mechanisms (to manage information appropriability).     

Communication networks: tools for the efficient management of R&D

There have been many studies which have investigated technical communication flow in R&D laboratories. Despite this effort, it is still not clear how the actions of management affect technical communication and research productivity. In this paper it is shown how the tools developed in communication studies can be used by laboratory management to assess the consequences of their actions in terms of changes to the pattern of technical communication flow. These tools are described in some detail. It is suggested that by their use, management may achieve a better degree of control over technical communication and achieve those conditions which best suit their own particular set of circumstances.     

论国资委的"超政府性"和"准企业性"

本文从分析国有资产的特征及国有资产经营的内在合理性出发,借鉴西方较为成熟的中央银行机制和现代公司治理结构,揭示国资委在机构定位上的“超政府性”以及在治理结构和运行机制上的“准企业性”,试图为已组建的国资委的规范运作提供相应的理论支撑,从总体上规范国有资产经营管理体制及其运行。     

建设项目自组织智能管理模式研究

在工程实践和理论研究基础上,为提高建设项目的管理水平尝试性地提出了自组织智能管理模式(SOIMP),它是管理者面向建设项目的一种统一工作平台或系统工作方法。研究沿着管理系统获得、处理项目信息和管理系统动态特征的分析思路展开。选择岗位作为项目和项目管理系统之间的界面（接口）,全方位、全过程、全纵深地跟踪项目,通过岗位的特征属性无遗漏地刻画和表征项目。通过知识发现模型自组织地处理项目信息、发现项目知识,将项目转化为可以量化描述和研究的数学系统。在系统层次上分析管理模式的自组织机理,即对管理系统在对建设项目信息的捕捉和处理过程中表现出来的系统运动特征和规律的研究。     

输变电工程超概算的分析与应对措施

对设计漏项和设计变更、现场增加工程量签证、建设单位提高建设标准和改变工程建设内容、施工合同管理不当等超概算的主要原因进行了分析,并提出了控制超概算的应时措施。     

Managing complex development projects: arenas, knowledge processes and time

The literature on project management has been dominated by techniques and methods for separating activities and making thought out plans. Closely related to this research stream is the research on product development, which seems to advocate somewhat of a different strategy where managing projects is a matter of enabling the crossing of functions and knowledge bases. This paper attempts to integrate these two lines of research.
The paper is based on two in–depth case studies of project management in product development contexts. The projects under study were highly complex and consisted of multiple interrelated parts, which called for 'tightly coupled' organizational solutions. From our point of view, much effort by the project management teams was put into establishing a project that was responsive and where participating local units were oriented toward various 'global' measures.
In our conception, the overall deadline seemed to have played an important role for promoting communal and interactive problem solving. Furthermore, the deadline emphasized the need for global arenas where the interactive problem solving could take place. It is argued that time–based controls set a global time for the project. The paper also demonstrates the importance of various global arenas, such as testing activities and project management forums, in order to keep track of time limits and to trigger global knowledge processes. Furthermore, based on the notion of 'separation' and 'coupling' of sub–systems and project phases, the paper suggests a model identifying four types of project organizations. The paper contributes to the knowledge on project management in complex product development.     

特高压输电线路工程造价预测模型研究——基于因子分析及BP 神经网络

本文在对特高压输电线路工程进行项目划分的基础上,分析识别出影响特高压输电线路工程造价的主要因素,并使用因子分析法对其中18 个主要影响因素进行度量,将得到的5 个因子作为输入、工程单位造价作为输出,构建了基于BP 神经网络的造价预测模型,以国内已建和在建的9 个特高压输变电工程中的75 段输电线路工程数据为样本进行了实证研究,结果证明预测模型对特高压输电线路工程造价进行预测具有可行性和较高的准确性,为特高压工程全生命周期内管理优化提供了一种新的思路和实现方法。     

‘The ground beneath my feet’: projects,project management and the intensified control of R&D engineers

This paper examines the erosion of autonomy among research and development (R&D) engineers in a global information technology company and the ways in which they responded. Over a 14‐year period, we examine the changing regime of control as knowledge workers in this firm are increasingly subjected to increased project and portfolio management interventions. Drawing on extended interviews, we consider the propensity of such knowledge workers to challenge, subvert or else acquiesce to these enhanced control mechanisms. The idea of the project, we argue, plays a critical role in affording meaning and security and informing their responses.     

A utopian view of R&D functions

Technology management research appears to have a much longer history than is commonly assumed. In this short paper attention is drawn to some of Francis Bacon's writings which appeared in the early seventeenth century, and which contain ideas on laboratory organization that still have relevance today. In fact, it is only recently that the same broadness of laboratory functions described in the earlier text has been re–discovered.