In many project-based industries, there has recently been an increased tendency for collaboration and cocreation of value with the customers. However, many existing studies report inherent challenges and complexities related to multipartner collaboration. This article presents a conceptual framework that explains the focal collaboration-related elements and their interdependencies in multipartner projects. The elements in the framework and relations between them are derived from the existing empirical studies and theoretical literature on collaboration, knowledge integration, and project success. Based on the conceptual analysis of the extant literature, we identify eight collaboration antecedents and three collaboration outcome elements. The conceptual framework explains how two collaboration mediators, project-collaboration quality and knowledge-integration capability, relate collaboration antecedents with collaboration outcomes. In addition, based on the literature analysis, we identify 15 mechanisms that enhance the project-collaboration quality in multipartner projects. The article provides novel insights on the dynamics of collaboration in multipartner projects by offering the concepts of project-collaboration quality and knowledge-integration capability and explaining their role in collaborative projects

The concept of project strategy -referring to the strategy of a single project -has remained ambiguous in existing studies. In this research, we review literature from multiple viewpoints to develop a novel definition and interpretation about the project strategy concept. Our definition is used to derive different alternative project strategies from literature, characterized by two important dimensions in a project's environment: project's independence and number of strong project stakeholder organizations. We introduce four types of strategies for a project along these two dimensions: obedient servant, independent innovator, flexible mediator, and strong leader. Existing research using the project strategy concept mostly assumes that there is one strong parent organization for a project; indeed, the parent is assumed to dictate an image of its strategy to the project, and the project is assumed to take an obedient servant's role, to serve as a tactical vehicle that becomes a mere part of its parent organization and the parent's strategic scheme. Our project strategy definition and the four project strategy types allow a more open interpretation about the content of alternative environment-dependent project strategies as well as the processes of strategy formulation and implementation. The wider concept of project strategy introduced in this paper recognizes more widely the various positions that a single project may take in its environment. This way, our paper contributes even to development of new and context-specific project management bodies of knowledge in the future. The paper suggests empirical research and further conceptual research on detailed contents of different project strategies.

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Project strategy -strategy types and their contents in innovation projects ABSTRACT Purpose of paper: Previous literature on project strategy has adopted the narrow view that a project is to be conducted under the governance of a single strong sponsor or parent organization. This study provides a critical analysis on prior project management literature addressing different context-specific strategies of single projects. Design/methodology/approach: Literature analysisFindings: There are two important determinants in the project's context that affect the strategy of a single project: a project's autonomy in its environment and the complexity of project's stakeholder environment. Based on these two determinants, we characterize four types of alternative positions that projects can have in their context: parent's a) subordinate and b) autonomous projects that occur in a stakeholder environment that is not complex, and projects with c) weak and d) autonomous positions in a complex stakeholder environment.The developed project strategy framework is applied in the context of innovation projects.The analysis results include strategy contents for different types of innovation projects in terms of the project's direction and success. Research implications:This study contributes to project management research by broadening the focus from mere tactical-level projects towards projects as strategic entities, and by suggesting the management of projects differently in different contexts. Further theoretical and empirical research is proposed on both testing the suggested framework and elaborating it for different project types.Originality/Value of the paper: The paper opens up avenues towards the development of new and context-specific project management bodies of knowledge. Type of paper: General review

We examine what kinds of patterns of mechanisms can be applied in the coordination of several inter‐related project teams. We identify three distinct coordination schemes; namely: centralized coordination, decentralized coordination, and balanced coordination. In addition, we compare individuals' perceptions on communication, coordination effectiveness, project efficiency, learning, task analyzability, and task uncertainty between the three identified coordination schemes. The results of our study extend to both theoretical and practical understanding of coordination in multi‐team projects and its relation to communication, coordination effectiveness, project performance, and learning.

E ffective management of single projects does not suffice in today's organizations. Instead, the managerial focus in firms has shifted toward simultaneous management of whole collections of projects as one large entity, and toward effective linking of this set of projects to the ultimate business purpose. This approach is contained in concepts of project-based management, programs, and portfolios. Portfolios of different project types are typically positioned under the governance of organizational units or responsibility areas (see Figure 1.1). Management processes above projects must link projects to business goals and assist in reaching or exceeding the expectations set by company strategy.One major starting point for the development of business-oriented management of projects in a company context was introduced in the end of 1980s in an expert seminar in Vienna, where the contribution of project management to the general world of management was discussed as contained in the concept of ''management by projects'' (see the chapter by Gareis). Since that time there have been an increasing number of studies on the broader role available for project-based management, project-based organizations, and project business. Recent examples of such studies include Turner (1999),

This exploratory study focuses on the problem of inter-project integration and how the perceived uncertainty and structural complexity affect the importance of different integration mechanisms used. Four case programs from four companies were chosen as a source of empirical data. Data collection in the selected case programs was multifaceted and included in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and documents and archives. Fifteen integration mechanisms were identified and further categorized into five different classes based on the formality of the mechanism and whether the integration mechanism is personalized or impersonalized in nature. This study provides valuable insights for both researchers and program managers challenged to introduce strategic or large-scale changes in organizations. The study demonstrates that proper mechanisms for inter-project integration are dependent on the uncertainty and complexity of the program, and that the proper integration strategy in multi-project programs should allow the use of various alternative mechanisms for information delivery.

Purpose -The focus in the facility service business has traditionally been on operative level outcomes such as customer satisfaction and technical quality. These measures do not support business relationship management and co-creative development. The article aims to propose a comprehensive theoretical framework to evaluate, develop, monitor and manage the collaborative business relation from both customer and service provider perspectives to co-create mutual value. Design/methodology/approach -The theoretical framework for collaboration performance measurement is developed through empirical study of seven dyadic facility service procurement cases. Empirical study included 62 interviews of managers involved in relationship management on strategic, tactical and operative levels in both customer and service provider organizations. Findings -The empirical study resulted following 13 measurement areas that indicate the collaboration performance in facility service procurement relation: customer benefits, supplier benefits, collaboration efficiency, operational fluency, conflicts recovery, flexibility and adaptability, execution capability, trust, actor incentive alignment, goal alignment and shared vision, strategic integrity, learning and development capability and uncertainty management. The article focuses on presenting the measurement areas of relational collaboration performance and discusses on their implications to performance measurement and management. Through this article the aim is to induce discussion on collaboration performance measurement and management, and challenge the colleague researchers and practitioners in the industry to comment and complement the proposed framework.Research limitations/implications -The results of the study introduce a new concept of collaboration performance and provide valuable and novel insight on related elements. The theoretical framework derived in this study is based on empirical data from facility services business and its suitability to a wider organizational context is not tested empirically in this study. Practical implications -The framework identified provides to both practitioners and researchers with an expanded viewpoint to measure and manage collaboration performance from both the service provider and customer sides. Originality/value -The article proposes a new concept of collaboration performance and comprehensive theoretical framework for collaboration performance measurement and management.