Time: one factor influencing the project management of change

Remington, Kaye; Söderholm, Anders

doi:10.1504/ijpom.2010.035583

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Smith and Lewis (2011) suggest that tension in organizing stems for attempts to structure and lead, foster collaboration and competition, empower and direct and control while being flexible. The project literature suggests that tension arises in a somewhat similar fashion stemming from project complexity due to tension-driving factors as: size (Williams, 1999; Dvir et al , 2006; Geraldi et al , 2011), variety in the form of intricate relationships (Baccarini, 1996), inter-organizational activities (Eriksson et al , 2002; Burström, 2011; Fernandez et al , 2014) and the number of stakeholders and their different interests to protect (Remington and Söderholm, 2010; Ojansivu and Alajoutsijärvi, 2015) but also interdependencies relating to activities (Maylor et al , 2008) or inter-project dependencies, product, technology and process interdependencies (Chapman and Hyland, 2004; Little, 2005). Finally, both Smith and Lewis (2011) and Geraldi et al (2011) observe that organizations change, and complexities change with them.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The texture of tension: complexity, uncertainty and equivocality

Burström

Wilson

2018

IJMPB

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Purpose The premise of this paper is that tension exists among participants and parties engaged in projects. The uniqueness of development virtually assures this. The purpose of this paper is to propose that tension is a product of the precursors of complexity, uncertainty and equivocality, and an attempt is made to characterize tension as it arises in projects – its genesis and its nature. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth case study was conducted in a manner in which the contextually sensitive empirical researches for which Nordic studies are known. Within discussions on the strategy, decision making, intra- and inter-project interdependencies and managing across development sites associated with a flagship project, 77 statements concerning tension were identified for analysis. Through a literature review, 12 tension-driving factors were identified. These factors were used as base for analysis. Findings These statements were analyzed for content to produce a model associating tension with its precursors and the literature on tension. It is found that due to innovation turbulence, tension-driving factors are cascaded in and around organization(s). Tension is manifested in various ways for different stakeholders and tension management is performed through cognitive and emotional responses. The texture of tension is characterized by fluidity, multiplicity and parallelism. Research limitations/implications Case studies can of course not be generalized; they are valuable, however, in indicating important observations for further studies. Practical implications A contribution is made to management theory where knowledge about project context is seen as essential in order to understand best practices for project execution and effectiveness. Originality/value Although common, even virtually assured in projects, tension tends to be neglected in successful management. This study associates the genesis of tension through the underlying contributions of complexity, uncertainty and equivocality. It is believed to be the first study of its type.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The texture of tension: complexity, uncertainty and equivocality

Burström

Wilson

2018

IJMPB

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“…Another set of studies has focused on how time is structured and used in projects. For instance, Rämö (2002) discusses the dynamics between project management and time by focusing on chronological and non‐chronological time (chronos and kairos), and Remington and Söderholm (2010) explore how different conceptions of time might affect project delivery. These authors argue that the traditional assumption of linear time may not be compatible with actual project practice and processes.…”

Section: Institutions In Timementioning

confidence: 99%

Managing temporal misfits in institutional environments

Dille

Söderlund

2013

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

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PurposeThe aim of this paper is to conceptualize time as an important dimension of institutions and, more specifically, to develop the analysis of institutions, time, and temporal misfits. The paper explores these matters in the context of an inter‐institutional project where actors, who represent different organizational fields and respond to different institutional requirements with regards to time and timing, need to collaborate.Design/methodology/approachThe paper centers on three critical incidents taken from a study of a large‐scale telecom project in Norway. The paper is based on an analysis of public documents and 35 interviews with key stakeholders and managers in the focal project.FindingsThis research shows that temporal misfits are a critical, yet understudied, element of project organizing. The paper suggests and discusses three primary measures – detecting, correcting, and escaping – that project management makes use of to resolve temporal misfits among the actors involved. To advance the analysis of problems facing projects in institutionally‐bounded settings, the paper proposes a typology of temporal misfits (phase and tempo) and different types of complexity (analyzable and systemic).Practical implicationsAlthough purposeful in many instances, especially in collaborations across institutional boundaries, timing norms may cause profound organizational problems due to temporal misfits among the actors involved. The paper argues that project managers need to identify and be prepared for such organizational problem by being equipped with a repertoire of resolution strategies to handle them. New concepts and approaches are needed to identify and deal with temporal misfits among important stakeholders in projects.Originality/valueA number of previous studies on project organizing have emphasized the critical aspects of studying institutions and time; but to date, no comprehensive efforts have been made to combine these ideas in empirical investigations. This study emphasizes the criticality of timing norms and temporal misfits to enhance our understanding of the linkages between projects, institutions, and time.

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The Challenges of Implementing Temporal Shifts in Temporary Organizations: Implications of a Situated Temporal View

Vaagaasar

Hernès

Dille

2020

Project Management Journal

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We apply a situated temporal view to reveal the acute challenge actors face in making changes when their project moves toward its final deadline. A situated temporal view takes account not just of the dwindling time left to change the future but also the lingering past, the combination of which poses particular challenges to organizers. We discuss aspects of temporary organizing that make such temporal shifts challenging: the complex interplay between temporal structures and practices, multiple temporal orientations, and deferred timing of temporal shifts. We suggest ideas for further research to apply a situated temporal view to temporary organizing.

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Time: one factor influencing the project management of change

Cited by 4 publications

References 27 publications

The texture of tension: complexity, uncertainty and equivocality

The texture of tension: complexity, uncertainty and equivocality

Managing temporal misfits in institutional environments

The Challenges of Implementing Temporal Shifts in Temporary Organizations: Implications of a Situated Temporal View

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