Showing papers in "IEEE Engineering Management Review in 2014"

The hard side of change management

Abstract: Everyone agrees that managing change is tough, but few can agree on how to do it. Most experts are obsessed with "soft" issues, such as culture and motivation, but, say the authors, focusing on these issues alone won't bring about change. Companies also need to consider the hard factors-like the time it takes to complete a change initiative, the number of people required to execute it, and so forth. When the authors studied change initiatives at 225 companies, they found a consistent correlation between the outcomes of change programs (success versus failure) and four hard factors, which they called DICE: project duration, particularly the time between project reviews; integrity of performance, or the capabilities of project teams; the level of commitment of senior executives and staff; and the additional effort required of employees directly affected by the change. The DICE framework is a simple formula for calculating how well a company is implementing, or will be able to implement, its change initiatives. The framework comprises a set of simple questions that help executives score their projects on each of the four factors; the lower the score, the more likely the project will succeed. Companies can use DICE assessments to force conversations a bout projects, to gauge whether projects are on track or in trouble, and to manage project portfolios. The authors have used these four factors to predict the outcomes and guide the execution of more than 1,000 change management programs worldwide. Not only has the correlation held, but no other factors (or combination of factors) have predicted outcomes as successfully.

The competitive imperative of learning

Abstract: Most executives believe that relentless execution--efficient, timely, consistent production and delivery of goods or services--is the surefire path to customer satisfaction and positive financial results. But this is a myth in the knowledge economy, argues Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor. She points to General Motors, which for years has remained wedded to a well-developed competency in centralized controls and efficient execution but has steadily lost ground, posting a record $38.7 billion loss in 2007. Such an execution-as-efficiency model results in employees who are exceedingly reluctant to offer ideas or voice questions and concerns. Placing value only on getting things right the first time, organizations are unable to take the risks necessary to improve and evolve. By contrast, firms that put a premium on what Edmondson calls execution-as-learning focus not so much on how a process should be carried out as on how it should evolve. Since 1980 General Electric, for instance, has continued to reinvent itself in every field from wind energy to medical diagnostics; and it enjoyed a $22.5 billion profit in 2007. Organizations that foster execution-as-learning provide employees with psychological safety. No one is penalized for asking for help or making a mistake. These companies also employ four distinct approaches to day-to-day work: They use the best available knowledge (which is understood to be a moving target) to inform the design of specific process guidelines. They encourage employee collaboration by making information available when and where it's needed. They routinely capture data on processes to discover how work really happens. Finally, they study these data in an effort to find ways to improve execution. Taken together, these practices form the basis of a learning infrastructure that makes continual learning part of business as usual.

Competitive advantage from erp projects: examining the role of key implementation drivers

Abstract: In this study, we build a conceptual model, which draws upon information systems implementation theory , to investigate the relationship between critical success factors related to the implementation of ERP software and the goal of competitive advantage. We test this model with data from a survey of 217 Australian organisations, using structural equation modelling (SEM). We find that organisations can best achieve competitive advantage by carefully managing: a) training and education, and b) system integration activities. Perhaps unexpectedly, neither well-conducted business process re-engineering nor good project management necessarily lead to competitive advantage. We have extended prior knowledge by providing empirical evidence that some CSFs do influence competitive advantage but that others may not. The results confirm that overall project delivery outcomes can be improved by understanding the influence of factors on both project management performance and post-implementation performance. Some theoretical and managerial consequences of the study's findings and limitations are discussed.

Preparing project managers to deal with complexity–advanced project management education

Abstract: Interest in project management is growing significantly. Yet, projects continue to fail at an astonishing rate. At the same time, the role complexity, chaos and uncertainty play within our projects and project environments is gaining recognition in both research and practice. Hence, it is time to review our understanding of project management education and reflect about how we develop project managers to deal with the increasing level of complexity, chaos, and uncertainty in project environments. In this paper, we discuss new perspectives and concepts for an advanced level of project management education that may help develop the abilities necessary to confidently navigate the dynamic organizational environments and complex projects facing project managers today. First, we describe the evolution of project management and project management education. In particular, our review of the literature and of project management training programs demonstrates the focus on standardization of the field and on preparation for the professional designation of project managers. Next, we discuss the impact of taking complexity seriously on the requirements for professional development of project managers. We lay out the requirements for preparing project managers to deal with complexity and present a comprehensive model of project manager development. Finally, we discuss the characteristics of an appropriate framework of project management education that does embrace uncertainty and unknown possibilities. In particular, we examine how distancebased education in project management may help develop a learning community that collaboratively questions existing theory and practice and develops innovative approaches as well as caters to the needs of project management practitioners for extensive learning opportunities within a flexible learning environment. 2008 Elsevier Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved.

Architectural leverage: putting platforms in context

Abstract: Management research on "platforms" has tended to race ahead of its theoretical underpinnings. We conduct a systematic review of the platform literature and identify four distinct streams: organizational capability platforms, product family platforms, market intermediary platforms, and technology system platforms. We propose the theoretical model of architectural leverage as a unifying framework for platform research. In our model, platform creation is enabled by three boundary conditions: technological architecture, activity architecture, and value architecture. These define the potential for platform value creation. The translation of this potential to firm-level performance is moderated by property rights ownership, architectural control, and trend leadership. We illustrate the model through an re-analysis of Intel, a

The hidden risks in emerging markets

Abstract: When a fi rm with a value-generating technological or managerial capability invests abroad, its shareholders and the host country’s citizens both stand to benefi t. But no matter how good the apparent fi t between what foreign companies off er and what host countries need, success is far from assured. Elections and other political events, economic crises and changing societal attitudes can disrupt the best-laid plans in both emerging and advanced economics. The interplay of these forces-and the implications for the political choices that multinational fi rms make-will become especially prominent as national governments chart an uncertain course toward stabilization following the global fi nancial meltdown.

Bridging the valley of death: lessons learned from 14 years of commercialization of technology education

Abstract: We argue for the increasing importance of providing graduate students with skills in technology entrepreneurship and the commercialization of technology. We describe the lessons we have learned from 14 years of developing commercialization of technology pedagogy and adapting it for use on four continents and within numerous corporations. We demonstrate that the theory-driven approach that we use to shape the curriculum improves our ability to learn from our mistakes and to structure small experiments to improve the curriculum and pedagogy.

The ethical dimension of project management

Abstract: As project management evolves it is faced with all the challenges of an emerging profession with regard to education, standards of practice and certification, and ethical issues. This paper uses a model of the project managers’ thinking competencies with a special emphasis on ethical thinking as a reference point to develop an approach to teaching practical ethics to project managers. It is proposed that the project management profession has now matured to the point of being willing and able to discuss and debate ethical issues, set ethical standards and guidelines and educate their members in ethics. Although ethics is a highly philosophical and complex discipline it has valuable practical methods to offer the modern project manager.

Measuring the effectiveness of R&D

Abstract: OVERVIEW:Measuring the effectiveness of R&D has been a perennial challenge. IRI's Research-on-Research working group Measuring the Effectiveness of R&D sought to investigate how managers define R&D effectiveness and what metrics they use to measure it. Via surveys and questionnaires, attendees at IRI meetings revealed that while the three top metrics are unchanged over the past 15 years, there were significant differences in metrics used depending on the industry type. The study also revealed issues with metrics in general and the need for new metrics to meet the changing R&D environment.

Entrepreneurship in emerging markets

Abstract: IN this issue of EMR we examine the issues and challenges faced by entrepreneurs who boldly engage emerging markets. To most people, the term 'emerging markets' connotes economically underdeveloped economies that have not achieved a level of maturity normally associated with leading economies around the globe. Indeed, these economies represent great business opportunities because of their strong growth potential combined with a confluence of business critical factors such as low labor costs, weak competition, low government regulation and many others. For the discerning entrepreneur, the term 'emerging markets' also spans new opportunities in developed economies, which are often driven by technological advancement, changes in government regulations or swings in societalmoods. The forces of change can spark new industries or breathe new life into old ones. Some examples of these include the emerging smart grid, additive manufacturing (3-D printing), and the many new uses being discovered for rare earth elements with advancements in nano-technology.

The project management office

Abstract: MANY companies today have a function called the Project Management Office (PMO). Many do very significant project management without establishing this office. What is a PMO and what functions does it perform? In fact, there are at least three different models which are used for defining a PMO. The office can perform a support role for the organization, a controlling role for the projects or even be a directing force for the projects.

How can it be? Actively managing complexity in technology projects

Abstract: OVERVIEW:The business of technology firms depends on the successful delivery of projects. These projects can be complex and, some say, increasingly so. Assessing and proactively managing that complexity can benefit project delivery. Based on a systematic literature review and multistage field research, we sought to understand the nature of different dimensions of complexity and how they affect the development of a project. Working from that research, we generated a complexity assessment tool, which was tested initially with a global technology firm and then with a wider network of large organizations in other sectors. The result is a complexity-based view of project management that enables greater specificity in articulating, assessing, and coping with both generic complexities and particular context-dependent challenges.

Improving your odds for software project success

Abstract: Everyone would prefer that projects not fail, but they fail regularly. Cobb (1996) claims that "[w]e know why projects fail, we know how to prevent their failure, so why do they still fail?" This paper reviews both the literature and the practice of project management, and finds that there are tools and methodologies that have been identified to mitigate problematic projects. In the end, however, regardless of methodology, the answer to project failure continues to be good, honest communication.

Critical learning themes in project management education: implications for blended learning

Abstract: This research examines the underlying reasons why students taking project management courses emphasise skills that are transferable and the utilisation of e-learning environments as critical to their learning experiences. Students' opinions are expressed through a series of focus groups. We found that the underlying reasons for students' emphasis on these two factors as crucial to learning and teaching project management could be classed under five higher-order themes. The implications of our findings are that in order to develop desired human, conceptual and technical skills, a teaching approach based on a blend of learning that resides at the intersection of the 'transferable skills' and 'e-learning environments' construct is required for the effective teaching of project management. For effectiveness, this blended form of andragogy (learning focused on adults) must be flexible enough to cater for the vast variations in the profiles of students, and their individual learning preferences.

Supplier integration in complex delivery projects: comparison between different buyer-supplier relationships

Abstract: Research on project procurement management has centered on identifying the right suppliers and managing contracts to allocate risks and responsibilities. However, working with suppliers requires continuous integration activities from the buyer during project execution. This paper asks how buyers integrate their suppliers to the project organization during project execution, and how different types of buyer–supplier relationships differ in their supplier integration. We collected interview data in two complex delivery projects, both unique in their buyer–supplier relationships. We explored supplier integration practices from both the buyer’s and the supplier’s perspective, and sought cross-case differences possibly attributable to the different inter-organizational relationships. Based on the analysis, the nature of the buyer–supplier relationship appears to be associated with the type of integration practices used. The results of the study have implications on how supplier integration should be configured in different buyer–supplier relationships.

Advancing project management: authenticating the shift from process to ‘nuanced’ project-based management in the ambidextrous organization

Abstract: In this article, we recognize the ambidextrous nature of organizations, and use this concept to analyze the changing nature of the understood project management paradigm. Specifically, the ambidextrous nature of the modern organization explores and leverages both exploitation of existing processes, frameworks, and structures, and the exploration of new ways of achieving tasks and activities, embracing improvisational and nonroutine activity, as well as the more rigid and documented process-based activity embedded in organizational procedures. Initially, we examine the emergence of new and novel developments within both the processual and the behavioral domains within project-based management. A discussion follows that focuses on the relevance and importance of those developments from both areas and the likelihood of their influencing or contributing to a new and improved project management paradigm. Management by projects is an interesting developing field, and one that is growing in influence. The analysis we undertake points toward the emergence of a new project management paradigm, which reflects a distinct shift from the understood project management life cycle, toward a model where planning and execution merge into a more “organic” archetype, requiring skills and techniques that are advancing the required skill set of the competent project manager.

Using training and development to recover failing projects

Abstract: Purpose – Demonstrates that skill gaps play a critical role in the failure of projects and provides HR specialists, consultants, management‐development specialists and trainers with guidance on how to identify and close such gaps.Design/methodology/approach – Draws upon personal experience of planning and delivering projects, delivering generic and tailored project‐management training programs and knowledge of the leading best‐practice methods in program and project management. Identifies common problems and outlines how these should be addressed through the involvement of HR and the provision of targeted training and development.Findings – Reveals that, despite the availability and uptake of project‐management training courses, fundamental skill gaps remain. Argues that these generally take two forms – technical skills and interpersonal or soft skills – and that they are common at every level, from the project sponsor to the project manager, through to the project‐team members.Practical implications – Ex...

Big data and technology readiness levels

Abstract: THERE has been a lot of recent discussion in the media concerning the concept of big data. Few if any of the applications of big data have addressed engineering management needs and concerns. In this short opinion piece we describe a particular application of big data to understanding technology readiness. We first introduce the topic of big data and technology readiness, and then describe the need for automated and distributed approaches to identify promising new technologies. Such a vision may be possible, but it may be a ways out. In the meanwhile we identify four tips to guide best practice while we await a fully functional system.

Use of services to support the business of a project-based firm

Abstract: Project-based firms that have traditionally focused on product-centric project deliveries as their core business are increasingly complementing their deliveries with different types of service offerings. Services may cover the whole life-cycle of the product (or solution) and they are often classified based on whether services are offered prior, during, or after the sale. Examples of these services along project life-cycle include consultation, conceptual design, feasibility studies, project management, training, commissioning, site supervision, operation support, maintenance and production optimization. In this paper, we analyze how services contribute to the business of a project-based firm from five distinct perspectives: strategic, marketing & sales, project implementation, research & development and financial. The empirical research was carried out as a multi-case study within three large project-based firms representing different industries. The results indicate that services play a versatile role in supporting the business of a project-based firm - a role which spans far beyond just ensuring profitability. Furthermore, delivering a specific service, such as consultation or process optimization, may often contribute favorably to more than one of the five distinct perspectives analyzed in this study.

Accounting for project management activities

Abstract: DEFINING the scope of a project clearly for the project manager, the team and other key stakeholders can require the use of multiple tools. The initial definition, which is high level, occurs in the Project Charter. The Charter mentions the product of the project and many of the management criteria such as the finish date, milestones with dates, budget, possibly risks, etc. As the planning progresses, the details of the project are fleshed out in the Scope Description. This is usually narrative, descriptive, and detailed. It addresses the product of the project, and also discusses how this will be achieved. Project Management functions must be included. To give us something more structured which can be used for determining some of the project parameters, the scope is then broken down into components in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Transferring a lean production concept from Germany to the United States: the impact of labor laws and training systems

Abstract: Multinational corporations are continually looking for best practices to implement at their facilities throughout the world. Ideally such companies would implement the same practice throughout their facilities worldwide. Too often they run into difficulties and sometimes even outright failures. Some problems in implementing such practices cross- nationally can be linked to differences in institutional environments. Hence, executives need to be keenly aware of how distinct institutions in various national settings potentially impact the viability of a particular strategy. This article examines the effect of such institutions on best practices through a case study of a German multinational that implemented the same lean production program at one facility in Germany and one in the United States. It finds that the heavily regulated environment in Germany proved conducive to the success of this program there, while the liberal environment in the United States contributed to its failure at their U.S. facility. Particular attention is paid to how labor laws and training institutions influenced the outcome at each facility.

Performers, trackers, lemmings and the lost: sustained false optimism in forecasting project outcomes—evidence from a quasi-experiment

Abstract: The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do not achieve. Whilst the reasons behind project failure are many, one recognised factor is the ‘planning fallacy’ – over-optimism in the planning phase of a project. Whilst the planning phase of a project may be a battle for acceptance and resource allocation, the execution phase is a battle for delivery. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a project management simulation, this study set out to establish whether optimism bias persists beyond the planning phase and into the execution phase, and, if so, to explore the reasons why. The results confirm the extent and impact of optimism bias in initial project planning. More importantly, the contribution of this study is to demonstrate on-going or sustained false optimism.

Project management tools

Abstract: PEOPLE often ask what sort of tools a project manager needs to manage projects effectively and with a minimum of interruptions. Often linked to this question may be another; what skills, other than the basic PM skills covered in the PMBOK, should a PM have to be more effective.

Excellent execution: production and operations management

Abstract: IN our last article, "Excellent Execution: A Hidden Competitive Advantage," we talked about the benefits that operational excellence confers on an organization and about the relationship between strategy and execution. This time, we'll look at another aspect of excellent execution, that of production and operations management. In future articles, we'll examine other aspects of excellent execution, including culture and people.

Three business and societal cases for big data: which of the three is true?

Abstract: ARECENT and high profile, forecast by IDC (International Data Corporation), predicts a $16 billion dollar industry for big data hardware, software and services in 2014. Growth in big data is expected to grow six times faster than general investments in information and computing technology. What could justify such an expense? Where is the business and decision-making value in this technology? What does such market growth say about the emerging use of big data in society? Let’s attempt an overview of the variety of business cases made on behalf of big data. Perhaps after doing so we can gain clearer insight into who is using big data and how big data contributes value. An overview of the discussion suggests there are three distinct arguments, and a number of distinct variations within these arguments. We take a look at each of these arguments, treating each of these arguments as a thought experiment about the role of big data in society. Then we evaluate the respective merits of each argument in light of where actual expenditure seems to be occurring.

An academic template for graduate programs in Engineering and Technology Management (ETM)

Abstract: Engineering and technology management (ETM) has been an area of distinguishable activity for many decades. It is taught in various formats in approximately 300 programs across the world. However, at this stage, a generally accepted academic template (AT) for programs at the graduate level has not yet been agreed upon. This article proposes such a template. This format is the product of almost a decade of research, and of extensive collaboration involving many participants. But much more is needed. It would be useful to have an internationally accepted format that provides a central reference framework that program directors can refer to in designing their offerings. It should set out core requirements, but the same time, be able to allow unique distinguishing features for diverse programs. We are seeking comments and guidelines from colleagues internationally.