Ruben Burga

Project control: an exploratory study of levers of control in the context of managing projects

Purpose This paper aims to examine the levers of control (LOC) framework in the context of managing projects. The authors explore the impact of diagnostic systems, interactive systems, beliefs systems and boundary systems on project performance and explore the association between control levers. Design/methodology/approach Using data gathered from 113 project managers representing 38 organizations, the authors used the partial least squares path modelling algorithm to analyse the data. Findings The analysis validates the LOC framework in the context of managing projects and reveals the interrelatedness of control systems and their impact on project performance. Research limitations/implications The conclusions support the current emphasis on performance reporting and change control and highlight the need to consider the interdependencies between control levers. Originality/value This study re-conceptualizes project control by using the LOC framework in the context of managing projects as temporary organizations. This provides a model for investigating and understanding project management control systems that consider the interaction of control mechanisms. Furthermore, the associations between the four control systems and project performance are examined, rather than individual mechanisms in isolation.

Control of adhesive dispensing parameters during transition from research to production environments

Adhesives are widely used used in electronics manufacturing and packaging environments. However, their effectiveness is sometimes limited by the challenges inherent in moving from a pilot research and development environment onto the assembly line. While the research environment allows the flexibility to vary parameters and study the resulting adhesive deposits with respect to size and consistency in order to accomplish key bonding, sealing or encapsulation requirements, the production environment does not lend itself to this luxury. This makes it imperative to not only select equipment that provides tight control of dispensing parameters, but also to find and eliminate the obvious and not-so-obvious variables that can reduce yields and profits. This paper is written from a dispensing/fluid handling perspective, and does not address other factors that must typically be confronted before the production process, such as adhesive composition, batch quality, substrate surface and preparation, etc.

Sense-making Accountability: Netnographic Study of an Online Public Perspective

ABSTRACT Accountability has been proposed and interpreted in multiple ways by scholars. However, the understanding of accountability from a public perspective, especially in the form of an enterprise offering public services, is not well understood. This study tries to shed light on accountability through a political crisis: the cancellation of power plants by the ruling political party in Ontario, Canada just prior to a provincial election. This study aims to extend our understanding of the multidimensional nature of accountability by gathering insights from the online public community. A netnographic approach was conducted on five social media sites. Six articles from these sites disseminating the crisis were selected and a total of 1313 associated comments were subjected to content analysis. We found the facets of accountability as perceived by the public somewhat differently from the perceptions of organisations. Multidimensional facets of sense-making accountability are identified, including the assigned meanings from the public (holders), the role of stakeholders (holders and holdees), the nature of public responses (emotional and reasoned responses) to a crisis and possible consequences (recommended actions) as suggested from the public. The recommended actions will ultimately help with the process of fostering accountability, and encouraging a new cycle of accountability development.

A Scoping Review of Accountability in Social Entrepreneurship

The aim of this article is to do a scoping review of accountability in the context of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is becoming an important business model, while the concept of accountability is prevalent in today’s environment. The scoping review is a type of literature search with certain important distinctions from a literature review. Systematically, the scoping review explores the literature from a relevance viewpoint rather than by evaluating the quality of the research. Then the data are mapped or charted to identify key themes and gaps in the literature. We observe that accountability in social entrepreneurship is viewed and studied in three different ways: as a relationship between parties, as an outcome, or as a predictor variable. We also observe that most of the research is done in the United States, Europe, and Australia. Finally we observe that research methodologies utilized are primarily based around qualitative methods or conceptual descriptions.

What if the Dream World of Business Already Existed

In September 2015 the UN Global Compact presented the most ambitious agenda for a world as we would like it: the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were the first initiative approved by ...

Mechanically induced long period gratings in ZBLAN fibers

We report the first demonstration of a long period grating in single mode ZBLAN fibers. The grating structure is mechanically induced by pressing a threaded rod onto a section of the fiber. A notch filter response is observed both near 1365 nm and 1525 nm. The advantages of the approach include tunability, repeatability and erasability.

Mechanically induced and cascaded long-period gratings in ZBLAN fibers

We report the demonstration of mechanically induced long-period gratings in ZBLAN fibers. We also show preliminary results of an all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on cascading these gratings.