Large Scale Infrastructure Projects: The Art of Project or Change Management?

Abstract

Although it is generally understood that change is a fundamental component of managing projects in the construction industry in general and an inevitable challenge for large scale infrastructure project in particular, there has been little to no attention in the literature to understand change in this context from a more holistic perspective. For this purpose, this work looks at change through the eyes of a framework of six batteries of change that seem essential to charge an organization's capabilities for change. The framework brings together the expertise of four specialists that all have developed their insights over many years of study and practice, and has been validated through an extensive review of the management literature on organization development and change. Reflections on the application of this model in the construction industry and in large scale infrastructure projects demonstrate that energizing organizations to successfully deal with change goes beyond the traditional techniques of managing change from a program or project management perspective. Assessing the six batteries of change in this context can help organizations to develop capabilities for change that build change energy by balancing formal/rational methods with informal/emotional interventions at both a local (department/ subproject) and global (business) level.