The purpose of the study on which this paper is based was to conduct a performance evaluation of student learning for an introductory course in project management in a higher educational institution in Norway. This was done by utilizing performance measurement philosophy to evaluate perceived student learning after a project-based assignment was applied as an instructional tool. The evaluation was conducted at the end of the semester to determine whether it facilitated learning effectiveness by providing an authentic learning experience. Relevant learning criteria were identified from existing literature and were measured by means of a questionnaire survey. Ten measurement scales were established using a 5-point Likert scale. The survey was then rolled out for the same subject for two consecutive semesters for just over 100 project management students. The results indicated that the incorporation of project-based assignments has a positive impact on student learning, motivation, and performance both in the short and long term. The study finally revealed that the incorporation of project-based assignments enables the creation of real-life experiences, which further stimulates the creation and development of real-life competencies.

In the modern business environment spearheaded by digitalization, organizations are faced with the challenge of maintaining a competitive edge despite constant dynamic changes. Organizations therefore, have to adopt new, improved and modern ways of doing things. This can be achieved through proper knowledge management within the organization, which is an antecedent of innovation. Innovation is one of the crucial means for tackling the digitalization challenge as it enables organizations to maintain their competitive edge. Although extant studies have extensively studied learning in projects, there is a lack of concrete examples of the correlation between learning and improving innovation in the digitalization context. This article is based on a qualitative study aimed at examining the organizations’ preconditions of learning in achieving innovation in digitalization projects focusing on the perspective of the project team members. Data was collected through open-ended questionnaires with a total of 97 respondents and analyzed using NVivo qualitative software. The findings revealed two viewpoints regarding the perception of learning for innovation. The preconditions for learning for innovation in digitalization were also identified. Moreover, the immediate outcomes of learning were identified that can be utilized in assessing whether employees are actually learning given the necessary preconditions are established.

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Over the past three decades, an increasing trend has been observed in research related to the consideration of human factors instead of solely based on the traditional aspects of project and operations management. However, much of the research done to date on human aspects has been conducted in developed countries in Europe, America and Australia, leaving developing countries, especially those in Africa, deprived of similar research. The purpose of the paper is to bridge this gap in knowledge by comparing the soft factors in the two contexts in order to provide an understanding of whether they have the same level of importance, regardless of their differences in economic, social and environmental aspects. The authors used semi-structured interviews to identify the critical soft factors for optimum performance of maintenance operations at a natural gas processing plant in Tanzania. The uncovered soft factors included top management engagement and oversight, trainings, ergonomics, collaboration, safety and security, recognition programs, and education and career growth. There was a high degree of conformity between the soft factors uncovered in the Tanzanian context and those in other African countries and other developing countries around the world. However, there was also conformity between the soft factors uncovered in developing and developed countries, which only differed in the level of the emphasis they placed on implementation.