Addressing Wicked Problems in a Range of Project Types

Ireland, Vernon; Rapaport, Barbara; Omarova, Amina

doi:10.1016/j.procs.2012.09.028

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Each ideal type has a distinct association with project success, indicating fundamental variations in project complexity research. The second, the “system-of-systems,” is based on Ireland et al . (2012)’s work.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impacts of project complexity, trust in leader, performance readiness and situational leadership on financial sustainability

Princes

Said

2022

IJMPB

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PurposeThis paper aims to examine the factors of financial sustainability of project management when they face complexities using the complexity theory. This research argues that to manage project complexities, the employees’ performance readiness, situational leadership style and trust in leaders increase financial sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey with the Project Management Institute members in Indonesia. From the total population of 190 project managers, 91 questionnaires were valid and used for analysis. PLS-SEM is the statistical tool used to test the eight hypotheses formulated in this research. The survey was designed to analyze the factors influencing financial sustainability and how these variables are related to each other to overcome project complexity issues and deliver financial sustainability.FindingsThe research recommends that to overcome project complexities, the readiness of the employees to perform is important. These variables, which are supported by trust in the leader and situational leadership, have positively significant effects on financial sustainability. The findings strengthen the initial arguments of this research and confirm the existing studies.Research limitations/implicationsThis research, however, comes with several limitations. First, the situational leadership was chosen in this research because of the short project duration that requires the leader to be acting accordingly based on the employee’s abilities. The short project duration made it impossible for the leader to build any relationships with the team members. Therefore, this research might not be appropriate to explain the organizational long-term strategies. Thus, it is suggested that the future research should address this. Second, with the very limited studies regarding the performance readiness and maturity, where in this research are used interchangeably, there should be further research to explain both variables independently as it holds an important role in project management and to overcome project complexities. Hence, this research adds the various studies found on the project complexities and how performance readiness, trust in leaders and situational leadership interact to increase financial sustainability in projects.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited research on the financial sustainability of project management in developing countries. Moreover, the research on project complexities has not been related to financial sustainability and, therefore, promotes a high novelty. The findings of this study also provide substantial empirical evidence for future work in the project management area.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each ideal type has a distinct association with project success, indicating fundamental variations in project complexity research. The second, the "system-of-systems," is based on Ireland et al (2012)'s work. Kiridena and Sense (2016) employ complicated systems, complex systems and complex adaptive systems as stratification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impacts of project complexity, trust in leader, performance readiness and situational leadership on financial sustainability

Princes

Said

2022

IJMPB

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“…Moving a step beyond the definition of a conceptual framework of project complexity, the works of some authors have suggested factors that affect the complexity in projects, 2 Complexity such as Geraldi et al [7], Bosch-Rekveld et al [8], and Chapman [9], which are based on a systematic review of the literature, Vidal and Marle [10] that proposed a complexitydriven approach of project management to assist project management in decision making defining a complexitybased criteria, and Ireland et al [11] that classified projects (simple, complicated, and complex projects types A, B, and C) according their complexity and taking into account the systems of systems view. These last ones proposed different leadership styles and management tools for each type of project.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring the Project Management Complexity: The Case of Information Technology Projects

2018

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Complex projects require specific project management (PM) competences development. However, while no complex projects have standards that are recognized to guide their management, complex projects do not have guides to deal with their complexity. To lead complex projects to success, this complexity must be measured quantitatively and, in our opinion, project management complexity assessment should be based on existing PM standards. In this work, the main project complexity assessment approaches based on PM standards are analyzed, observing that International Project Management Association (IPMA) approach is the closest to a tool that can be used as a complexity quantitative measurement system. On the other hand, several authors have shown that the inherent complexity of specific kind of projects must be measured in a particular way. The main objective of this research is to propose a project management complexity assessment tool for IT projects, providing a Complexity Index that measures the impact that complexity factors inherent to IT projects have under a specific complexity scenario. The tool combines the use of complexity factors defined by IPMA approach and the use of complexity factors found in the literature to manage inherent complexity of IT projects. All these factors were validated by expert survey and the tool was applied to a study case.

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“…Complexity creates its own problems – both in terms of recognising and measuring it and having strategies for managing it – and sometimes for reducing it (Christoph and Konrad, 2014; Dao et al , 2016; Gransberg et al , 2012; Maylor and Turner, 2017; Maylor et al , 2008; Maylor et al , 2013; Pundir et al , 2007). Complexity is defined by factors such as: the number, variety and novelty (technically and managerially, to the client and its suppliers) of activities; the extent of and dependence on external partnering; the “wickedness” or inherent difficulty of the problem needing to be solved (Bjørgo and Røiseland, 2017; Foss and Saebi, 2018; Ireland et al , 2012); the ability to forecast different aspects of the project and its environment (time and resources needed to achieve tasks, quality of knowledge/uncertainty/risk applying to the tasks and the environment in which they are being executed); and the impact of or by the social, political and economic environment in which the project is conducted, and whether the latter are steady-state or actually/potentially disruptive. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the “wickedness” or inherent difficulty of the problem needing to be solved (Bjørgo and Røiseland, 2017; Foss and Saebi, 2018; Ireland et al , 2012);…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling superprojects – information management requirements

Parnell¹,

Stone

Aravopoulou

2020

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Purpose This paper aims to explore the problems of managing superprojects and identifies how a different approach to controlling them can reduce the incidence of cost and time overruns and benefit shortfalls. Design/methodology/approach Literature review accompanied by conceptual analysis. Findings Project cost and timing overruns and benefit shortfalls are very frequent in superprojects. These problems can be ascribed partly to the way in which they are planned is not taken into account in designing and implementing control systems, particularly the governance processes and the information they have available. Practical implications This paper has serious implications for those designing control processes, governance and information management for superprojects. It suggests that if a new approach is taken, fewer superprojects will suffer from cost overruns and benefit shortfalls because remedial actions will be taken earlier for projects, which are experiencing problems, while learning will be fed back to those planning new projects. Social implications There will be saving of public money and reduced deferment of benefits that normally result from failed or delayed projects and reduced allocation of large incremental budgets dedicated to resolving problems. Originality/value The taxonomy of different types of superprojects is original, as is the idea of ambidextrous control, and the diagnosis of failure reasons lying in the nature of control and governance processes, and the lack of relevant information available during the control process.

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Addressing Wicked Problems in a Range of Project Types

Cited by 12 publications

References 12 publications

The impacts of project complexity, trust in leader, performance readiness and situational leadership on financial sustainability

The impacts of project complexity, trust in leader, performance readiness and situational leadership on financial sustainability

Measuring the Project Management Complexity: The Case of Information Technology Projects

Controlling superprojects – information management requirements

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