Yongkui Li

Social network analysis and organizational control in complex projects: construction of EXPO 2010 in China

Social network analysis (SNA) has been widely used to explore the existence and strength of connections among various actors within an organization. Recently, understanding and interpreting social aspects in project organization have gained great interest in project management research. Consequently, there is a need to analyse complex project organization (CPO) by using SNA with increasing numbers of large-scale and complex projects. The goal of this research is to better appreciate the social network relations in a CPO environment and to improve the organizational efficiency and team performance through new organizational control mechanisms (OCMs). This study first discusses a multi-level social network framework with a focus on the CPO where major analytical components of the framework are presented including modelling elements and structures and preferred parameters. Next, social network-oriented OCM and strategies are illustrated and compared with regular organizational controls. To examine the mentio...

Social Network Model of Complex Projects Organization

Along with projects’ increasing size, more complex structures, more unpredictable and dynamic circumstances, especially in AEC and Aeronautics & Astronautics industry, a new complex project management methodology is needed since traditional project management theories, methods and tools are no longer sufficient and unadaptable. The study certificates that the uncertainty, openness, sociality, relationship, interdependency, and dynamic arising from projects or organization are the original causes of project management complexity as well as the characters distinguishing from traditional projects. Therefore the complexity science and sociology should be regarded as the basic methodologies of the complex projects management (CPM). Based on above researches, this study treats the Complex Projects Organization(CPO) as a dynamic and complex-related social network, analyses social characters of the complex projects and CPO; identifies the CPO’s social network factors; establishes the integrated organizational Social Network Model(SNM) by using Social Network Analysis(SNA) method; and verifies the SNM through EXPO 2010 Shanghai construction case study . The further research and potential application for project organizational SNM are outlined in the end. Keywords-Complex Projects Management(CPM); Complex Projects Organization(CPO); Social Network Analysis (SNA);Social Network Model(SNM); project organization social network model; complexity; relationship; Expo 2010 Shanghai

Metanetwork Analysis for Project Task Assignment

AbstractEarly studies of project planning endorsed a task-centric method, such as the program evaluation and review technique (PERT), that assigns relationships and tasks based upon the logical sequences of construction. This method works for projects with clearly assigned tasks, specific requirements, finely tuned organizations, and explicit roles and responsibilities for the project team. However, for projects that exist in a fast-paced and complex environment and are performed by temporary organizations, this task-centric method neglects the interdependence between project tasks and project contextual factors, such as project organizations, teams, knowledge, and resources that have considerable effect on task completion and project effectiveness. To investigate the congruence, the matching degree, between task assignment and the project’s organizational environment, this study uses a three-dimensional metanetwork analysis (MNA) to model a project’s personnel [hereinafter referred to as agents (A)], kno...

Project Schedule Forecasting for Skyscrapers

AbstractAn accurate schedule estimation is critical for megaprojects such as skyscrapers, which have features such as high economic values and wide societal awareness. An inaccurate schedule may ha...

Evolutionary Governance for Mega-Event Projects (Meps): A Case Study of the World Expo 2010 in China

A mega-event is an open socioeconomic system characterized by massive budget demands and multiple types of subprojects and their complex interrelationships. Although a mega-event is an opportunity for a country to show its international reputation, management capacity, and societal strength, it demands a long preparation time; an enormous amount of investment; and massive resource mobilization, with far-reaching effects on both the economic and social development of a country. Mega-event projects (MEPs) face remarkable challenges in terms of overrun costs, delayed schedules, and political issues, indicating that the research on such mega-events is still insufficient and that there is a lack of effective theories to support the management and governance of MEPs. Existing studies have also ignored the dynamic evolution and adaptation of governance in a changing environment, particularly in relation to the success of MEPs. To fill this research gap, this study aims to examine the dynamic governance of MEPs on the basis of a new theory—evolutionary governance theory (EGT)—which combines institutional economics, systems theory, and project governance. The study was conducted in three main steps: (1) studying the case of the evolutionary governance of the World Expo 2010 in China during its life cycle stage, including planning, construction, operation, and post-event development; (2) discussing the impact of the hierarchical and cross-functional governance structure of the Expo; and (3) summarizing the theories and best practices of dynamic governance mechanisms for MEPs. The result of the study can deepen understanding of the multi-level governance of mega-events during the life cycle process and can also support the evolution of governance transition over the different stages.

Complex Projects Organization Networking: Perspectives from Centrality, Centralization and Power

In Social Network Analysis(SNA), the centrality and Centralization are key performancing indicators for measuring persons (organizations) position and power in a organizations. This paper focuses on connecting the organizational power with organizational relationship, and quntitify the power by three major indictors including degree Centrality, betweenness centrality, and clossness centrality.Followed by the SNA algorithm, the 2010EXPO are further studied for a case to compare different types of power in traditional organizations and the complex ones. And the final conclusion comes out to show that the power belonged within the traditional organization structure and the project organization network are different, and the following style is more close to real practices.