Joana Geraldi

Now, let’s make it really complex (complicated):A systematic review of the complexities of projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to operations management (OM) practice contingency research by describing the complexity of projects. Complexity is recognised as a key independent (contingent) variable that impacts on many subsequent decisions in the practice of managing projects.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a systematic review of relevant literature and synthesises an integrated framework for assessing the complexities of managing projects.Findings – This framework comprises five dimensions of complexity – structural, uncertainty, dynamics, pace and socio‐political complexity. These five dimensions present individuals and organisations with choices about how they respond to each type of complexity, in terms of business case, strategic choice, process choice, managerial capacity and competencies.Originality/value – The contribution of this paper is to provide a clarification to the epistemology of complexity, to demonstrate complexity as a lived experience for pro...

The Titanic sunk, so what? Project manager response to unexpected events

Projects are inherently uncertain and face unexpected events, from small changes in scope to unforeseen client’s bankruptcy. This paper studies how project managers respond to such events and how successful and unsuccessful responses differ from the perspective of the practitioner. We analysed 44 unexpected events faced by 22 experienced project managers in defence and defence-related organisations. The project managers compared two unexpected events that they faced, one that they considered the response successful and the other unsuccessful. We identified three pillars supporting successful responses to unexpected events: (1) responsive and functioning structure at the organisational level, (2) good interpersonal relationship at the group level and (3) competent people at the individual level. The events and respective responses analysed suggest that improvement in project management can be achieved by better managing these three pillars, allowing project and programme managers to “create their own luck”.

Relationships Between Leadership and Success in Different Types of Project Complexities

We investigate the moderating effect of project complexity on the relationship between leadership competences of project managers and their success in projects. Building on existing studies in leadership and project management, we assess the impact of emotional (EQ), intellectual (IQ), and managerial (MQ) leadership competences on project success in different types of project complexities. A cross-sectional survey using the leadership dimensions questionnaire and project results questions yielded 119 responses, which were assessed for their type and level of complexity, measured as complexity of fact, faith, and interaction. Analysis was done through factor analysis and moderated hierarchical regression analysis. Results show that EQ and MQ are correlated with project success, but are differently moderated by complexity. The relationship between EQ and project success is moderated by complexity of faith. The relationship between MQ and project success is moderated by complexity of fact and faith. Complexity of interaction has a direct effect on project success. Analysis of variance and nonparametric tests showed the means and medians of EQ, IQ, MQ; complexities of faith, fact, and interaction do not significantly vary across different project types. This suggests using these three complexity types as a common language to research and learning across different project types.

Managing the institutional context for projects

Project management is widely seen as delivering undertakings on time, on budget, and on scope. This conceptualization fails, however, to address the front end and its management. Addressing the front end moves the discipline to a second, more strategic level. This article proposes a third level of conceptualization: the institutional level, where management is focused on creating the conditions to support and foster projects, both in its parent organization and its external environment. Management here is done for and on the project rather than in or to it. We show that management at this level offers an enlarged research agenda and improvement in performance.

Exploring the front-end of project management

This paper is a multi-case study exploratory investigation into the earliest stages of projects and their management. We refer to this throughout the paper as the ‘front-end’. We provide a definition of this phase of the project life cycle and conduct a literature review of the various topics that would suggest themselves to be apposite to the front-end. This includes governance and strategy; requirements and technology; estimating; risk and value; people and learning and development. Following this review of literature, we set out the approach taken in the empirical study. The context for the study was the UK, although many of the organizations investigated had a global presence and some of their projects were multinational in nature. We detail the research methods, the multi-case study route taken and the nature of the in-depth interviews with senior project management representatives from nine extremely credible organizations experienced in managing projects. Our findings are presented so as to identif...

Reconciling order and chaos in multi‐project firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the key findings of a doctoral thesis aimed at exploring how multi‐project companies reconcile order (efficiency, control, clarity) and chaos (creativity, trust, uncertainty, ambiguity).Design/methodology/approach – The research was focused on multi‐project firms in general and CoPS (Complex Products and Systems) producers in particular (companies involved usually as main contractors in construction and engineering projects). It followed three phases: Exploratory phase (literature review and interviews), Conceptualisation phase (abductive elaboration of the model based on field and longitudinal studies in a multi‐project firm), and Validation phase (deductive validation of the model through multi‐case study).Findings – The thesis proposes a model to map order and chaos of companies, departments, projects or people based on the complexity faced by the tasks and the flexibility of the organizational structure to deal with it. The analysis of how departments ...

What complexity assessments can tell us about projects: dialogue between conception and perception

Complexity is an eminent concept in the project management community. This paper explores the value of complexity assessment to evaluate key management challenges of projects. It compares and contrasts the results of complexity assessments with rich qualitative data about projects through a multi-case study conducted with seven projects in a large plant engineering company. The results suggest that, if used with caution, complexity assessment can uncover significant challenges of projects. It also showed that complexities are partly inherent and partly (self-) induced, and therefore managers and companies should consider complexity not as given but as negotiable, and actively engage on the shaping of complexity throughout the project. The assessment of complexity itself is a tool to enable such active management.

Classics in project management: revisiting the past, creating the future

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need of continuously revisiting and reformulating the contributions of past research. In particular the focus is on project management writings. In addition, the purpose of the paper is to introduce the reader to the special issue on Classics in project management and give an overview of the different contributions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on literature in related fields and the approach is paradigmatic, illustrating the value of common literature and common language to develop a knowledge domain.Findings – The authors provide an introductory framework and arguments for the need to revisit the contributions of the past. Since “the past” and readings of it will continuously change and develop, exploring it is not a “one-off” job, but part of the dialogue within the academic community. From an evolutionary perspective, the authors make the point that an important role for scholars is to “store” knowledge from the past to tell the stories found in prior research, the influential ideas and their development within the knowledge domain/discipline. In a critical realm, the authors also see the role of critical engagement with the past to question what we take for granted to be able to improve our collective ability to think and from that end develop project management thinking and research. In that sense, revisiting the past might provide avenues to future research and adventurous explorations.Originality/value – The authors introduce the idea of classics in project management as an ongoing and important debate among scholars within the field. This discussion has so far received only limited attention among scholars in the field of project management.

The projectification of everything: Projects as a human condition

Projects have become omnipresent not only in the economy but also in our society and our lives. Projects organize and shape our actions at work, in our professional profiles and networks, and also in our homes and free time activities. Drawing on the philosophical cornerstone concepts of activity, time, space, and relations, this article introduces an alternative conceptualization of projects as a “human condition.” The article concludes with implications to the project management community, in terms of both project management practice and research.

Gantt charts revisited

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a classic tool in project management, which for some has become almost synonymous with project management: the Gantt chart. The Gantt chart was developed in the early twentieth century, at the heart of Scientific Management; yet, the chart is used with very little adaptation across a wide range of types of projects. In this conceptual paper, the authors question its universal and unreflective use. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyse the conceptual roots of the Gantt chart, its historical development and use, derive its engrained principles, and analyse its implications to the management of projects. Findings – While a Gantt chart can be useful to cope with some of the “complicatedness” of projects, and embraces the importance of time and timing, it is based on principles that are not valid to all projects. The consequence is a propagation of a management approach that does not explicitly cope with complexity, ambiguity, uncertainty and change. In that respect, the Gantt chart fails to acknowledge insights from years of organization theory research and project management research with a firm grounding in contingency theory. Originality/value – While the majority of contemporary project management thinking already accepted that a normative use can be inappropriate, the practice is still pretty much embracing this approach. By showing the conceptual roots of the Gantt chart, the authors hope to make some of its limitations more evident to practitioners and academics, and encourage its use to be more reflective and contextualised.