Kim Wikström

Proactive schedule management of industrial turnkey projects in developing countries

Abstract This paper presents the results of a study on the deviations that are encountered in power plant projects in developing countries, their effects and the key solutions for planning and steering of these projects. The study recommends a planning and scheduling system that is based on performing continuous detailed planning throughout project execution to incorporate the forthcoming events and proact to their effects. When recommending such system the authors equally emphasis the need for the project management function itself to adapt to the changing industry environment in order to maintain its relevance for project delivery well into the future.

Business Model Innovation for Eco-innovation: Developing a Boundary-Spanning Business Model of an Ecosystem Integrator

Biogas production and its use as traffic fuel are discussed in this chapter as an example of a system eco-innovation that is struggling to become implemented in a focal municipality. The biogas producer and distributor as the owner of the “core technology” have the potential to become the integrator of a functioning ecosystem required for the innovation to succeed. The company’s business model, however, should be transformed to incorporate the radical and system nature of the eco-innovation as well as create a business solution that would make the technology profitable. The aim of this chapter is to demonstrate how an ecosystem integrator can develop a boundary-spanning business model that is capable of integrating the multitude of stakeholders into a working biogas-for-traffic solution, thereby achieving a system change. The chapter is based on the results of two research projects during which a sustainable local biogas-for-traffic solution and the business model of the ecosystem integrator were developed together with the major ecosystem stakeholders. The main principle of developing such a business model lies in considering business models of the relevant stakeholders and managing uncertainties pertinent to their integration into the biogas-for-traffic ecosystem.

Integration in project business: mechanisms for knowledge integration

This article presents results from a four-year study of various integration mechanisms in industrial project business. The projects analysed are complex solutions, which include demanding efforts in both engineering and organisation. Mechanisms for combining products and the processes needed to deliver projects are described and categorised according to the impact that they have on the management of knowledge and information. The design, commissioning and operations phases have been studied in particular and the entire project life cycles have been addressed to obtain an understanding that is as comprehensive as possible of the integration needs in different project phases. The results are summarised in a framework describing two dimensions of integration that are fundamental for knowledge integration when the logic is determined by how the project is delivered and what is the final outcome. The results provide support for project companies delivering solutions to their customers: to develop technical and social capabilities for integration of knowledge and information and to ensure their competitiveness.

Innovation Leadership in Mature Firms – Actors’ Perspective

Innovation in mature firms is commonly explained in terms of the impersonal domain of knowledge. The contradiction is, however, that the origin of innovation is known to be the job of a few critical individuals. Our point of departure is the innovation management research field. This empirical study builds on the role characters known as promoters of innovation. We analyze the specific accumulated and shared knowledge of these actors. Our study proposes a common schema for their joint effort as regards innovations. We show that the concept of promoters of innovation originated in project management research, and also explains the persistent leadership of innovation in mature medium size firms. We conclude that when the promoters also are among the members of the top management of the firm, and enjoy recognition in the organization as being promoters, the probability of successful innovations increase.We discuss a new promoter character role.