Donald D. Tippett

The “death valley” of change

This paper provides an overview of the current body of knowledge surrounding the human response to change and transition. Models of the change process, as perceived by diverse and seemingly unrelated disciplines, are identified, compared, and contrasted by tracing the evolution of these models from seminal works through contemporary research. Surprisingly, a majority of the models studied were found to share two important characteristics: they follow Lewin’s 1952 three‐phase model of change; and they describe a degradation of capabilities in the intermediate stages of the change process. In a practical example, the authors explain their experimental verification of the change models’ applicability to an organizational change involving the introduction of teams. The interrelationship of developmental and change models is discussed. Finally, the importance to leaders and managers of developing an understanding of the current state‐of‐the‐art in human response to change and transition is discussed.

Project Risk Management Using the Project Risk FMEA

Abstract: Identifying and mitigating project risks are crucial steps in managing successful projects. This article proposes the extension of the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) format to quantify and analyze project risks. The new technique is labeled the project risk FMEA (RFMEA). The RFMEA is a modification of the well-known process, product, and service FMEA technique. In order to use the FMEA format for projects, the detection value of the standard FMEA is modified slightly for use in the project environment. The new approach is illustrated in a case study from the electronics industry. By adding the detection value to the risk quantification process, another measure beyond the typical risk score is made available to the project team. The benefits of the RFMEA include an increased focus on the most imminent risks, prioritizing risk contingency planning, improved team participation in the risk management process, and development of improved risk controls.

Measuring Project Success in the Construction Industry

Abstract: The measurement of project success in the construction industry has traditionally been grounded in the industry-accepted classic objective success metrics: cost, schedule, performance, and safety. Initial research has indicated that there are more subjective considerations that, while being difficult to quantify, can have an important impact on perceptions of project success. During ongoing project management research, the authors recognized the need for a measurement tool that would account for subjective as well as objective metrics in assessing project success. The tool would have to provide the flexibility necessary to account for the fact that every project is different. The resulting Construction Project Success Survey (CPSS) instrument is designed to investigate how experienced construction project management personnel perceive project success, both objectively and subjectively. The engineering manager can use this tool to identify important success metrics before the start of a project, and to evaluate the level of success achieved at project completion.

Critical Success Factors for the Fuzzy Front End of Innovation in the Medical Device Industry

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to identify industry-level new product development (NPD) critical success factors (CSFs) that influence the idea screening and project selection processes used by small-to-medium (SMB) medical device manufacturers. Understanding CSFs may assist business executives and NPD managers in improving their processes so as to reduce the high cost of project failure associated with medical device development. Starting with a list of potential CSFs drawn from NPD literature and industry experience, a pilot survey identified 16 CSFs that may prove to be significant in the final research. These CSFs fall into the following three candidate CSF (cCSF) affinity groups: (1) developing a business case prior to project approval, (2) producing an executive-level new product development strategy for the innovation team, and (3) establishing a culture of innovation. This research should contribute to an improved understanding of front end CSFs, help NPD managers develop better criteria for selecting the right project mix, and help those managers achieve higher levels of consistency in meeting project objectives.

Does a Technology-Driven Organization's Culture Influence the Trust Employees Have in Their Managers?

Abstract: It is recognized that culture and trust have important implications with respect to productivity in the corporate environment. Thus, in order to build high performing organizations, managers need to understand the relationship between their organizations culture and the level of trust employees have in their organization. This research investigates the relationship between mechanistic and organic cultures and the level of trust in technology-based organizations. Data were collected from 608 survey participants who were employed by technical organizations. The results showed that, as the perceived culture became more organic, the level of trust employees had in their organization increased.

An Empirical Study of the Relationship Between Team Performance and Team Maturity

This publication contains reprint articles for which IEEE does not hold copyright. Full text is not available on IEEE Xplore for these articles.

The UAW-Saturn Partnership: Is the Vision Fading?

ABSTRACTIn 1985, General Motors Corporation announced the formation of a new separate subsidiary, Saturn Corporation, to manufacture small and sporty automobiles designed to compete on a world-class level. Central to this new subsidiary was a revolutionary new labor agreement with the United Auto Workers which featured a genuine partnership between management and labor. GM and the UAW pledged to share a vision of cooperation and mutual trust for the benefit of the employees of the new organization and to use the synergy resulting from this partnership to work toward a significant improvement in market position and product quality. Twelve years later, each of the four major players in this labor relations partnership, GM corporate management, Saturn corporate management, the UAW International, and the UAW local union, follows its own agenda. Is the partnership viable? Has the vision been maintained? Or is the partnership falling prey to the shortsighted actions of some of the entities involved?

Front-end success factors and the impact on high technology industry new product development

This investigation identified factors in the initial phase of the product development process that influence product development success. Specific factors that were investigated included new product strategic fit, product definition, project definition, and project roles. Both external market based performance and project internal operational based performance were included in the analyses. Generalizability analyses were conducted and the relationship between front-end factors and product development performance were found to be generalizable across three levels of product innovation.