Applying Social Network Analysis to Identify Project Critical Success Factors

Abstract

A key challenge in project management is to understand to which extent the dynamic interactions between the different project people-through formal and informal networks of collaboration that temporarily emerge across a project´s lifecycle-throughout all the phases of a project lifecycle, influence a project's outcome. This challenge has been a growing concern to organizations that deliver projects, due their huge impact in economic, environmental, and social sustainability. In this work, a heuristic two-part model, supported with three scientific fields-project management, risk management, and social network analysis-is proposed, to uncover and measure the extent to which the dynamic interactions of project people-as they work through networks of collaboration-across all the phases of a project lifecycle, influence a project's outcome, by first identifying critical success factors regarding five general project collaboration types ((1) communication and insight, (2) internal and cross collaboration, (3) know-how and power sharing, (4) clustering, and (5) teamwork efficiency) by analyzing delivered projects, and second, using those identified critical success factors to provide guidance in upcoming projects regarding the five project collaboration types.Sustainability 2020, 12, 1503 2 of 32 competency and training are important factors, it is almost always the network factor that is the big key predictor of high performance in organizations and are usually characterized by having broader and diverse problem-solving networks fueled with positive energy [20]. But a broader network does not necessarily mean larger in size. Furthermore, some authors argue that when it comes to effective networks of collaboration, bigger does not always means better, but rather, superior quality means better [7,8]. However, creating a broad and diverse problem-solving network usually requires an extra mile from the employees of an organization, essentially because they need to be more flexible, accountable, and empowered, and proactively search and maintain such networks. This also means that more work will be done through informal networks of relationships, removing to a certain extent, the role of the formal organizational structure in several ways [8,21]. In fact, building a broader and more diverse problem-solving network requires a proper organizational structure that enables people to strategically create the necessary connections in an energized way. Usually, due its rigid nature, a formal organizational structure [6] is not able to provide for the needs of building such problem-solving networks [8,22]. However, either under the pressure or when highly motivated to get the work done, employees of an organization naturally engage in informal networks of collaboration, in order to overcome the natural constraints of the formal organizational structure to get the work done [8,22,23]. Very often these emerging informal networks are not ruled by the rational-legal authority system that the formal organizational structure provides ba...

A Model to Manage Cooperative Project Risks to Create Knowledge and Drive Sustainable Business

“…The literature also shows that the adoption of an ambidextrous leadership style (characterized by the exploitation of present conditions to optimize current business model operations, while simultaneously exploring new opportunities that contribute to redefining business models by taking decisions in a pioneering, risky way) increases the chances of achieving sustainable competitive advantages [4,5]. In addition, the literature shows that the ability to work in cooperative networks in both organizational and individual levels is a critical factor for an organization to achieve success and generate actionable and unique knowledge [2,[6][7][8]. In fact, the latest research in organizational theory and management argues that although individual knowledge and skills are important, the ability to work in cooperative networks is almost always twice as critical to achieve success [6][7][8].…”

“…In addition, the literature shows that the ability to work in cooperative networks in both organizational and individual levels is a critical factor for an organization to achieve success and generate actionable and unique knowledge [2,[6][7][8]. In fact, the latest research in organizational theory and management argues that although individual knowledge and skills are important, the ability to work in cooperative networks is almost always twice as critical to achieve success [6][7][8].…”

Non-Technical Skills in Social Networks: The Spread of Safety Communication and Teamwork in a Warehouse

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