A systems approach to assessing organisational viability in project based organisations

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-283
Author(s):  
Bankole Awuzie ◽  
Peter McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Systems Approach ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Viable Systems ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Infrastructure Project ◽  
And Control

Purpose – Extant literature highlights the increasing inability of project-based organisations (PBOs) to meet infrastructure client’s expectations, particularly as it concerns the delivery of socio-economic outcomes during the delivery process. Unclear communication channels and poor processing of information especially as it pertains to client’s strategic objectives results in a misalignment of objectives among participating parties. As its central proposition, the purpose of this paper is to hold that unclear communication channels between parties within infrastructure project PBOs affects their degree of internal cohesion hence posing strong challenges to their overall viability. Design/methodology/approach – Applying the Viable Infrastructure Delivery Systems Model (VIDM); a model premised on the tenets of the Viable Systems Model, this qualitative study proceeds to assess a particular PBO within a developing country to understand its communication and control channels and to identify where gaps likely to affect the internal cohesiveness of the PBO, if any, existed. Whereas semi-structured interviews and project/policy documents were used as data collection tools, data were analysed using pre-set themes. Findings – According the study’s findings, an absence of a prevalent common identity was observed among the various parties to the PBO. Contractors’ capabilities to deliver on time and to budget based on their expertise remained pivotal within the PBO thus abandoning the attainment of the client’s pre-defined socio-economic objectives. Cases of faulty and ineffective organisational architecture, functional and communication issues were observed. Research limitations/implications – Based upon these findings, it is recommended that the VIDM be adopted at the commencement of the PBO lifecycle and used at various intervals by project managers and other stakeholders for assessing the levels of organisational viability. Originality/value – The methodology and findings resulting from this study represent information from fieldwork conducted by the author and as such have not been used elsewhere.

scholarly journals A conceptual model for evaluating infrastructure-based temporary multi-organisations

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.O. Awuzie ◽  
P. McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Viable Systems ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Two Stages

Purpose – The absence of an effective model for conceptualising and evaluating the interorganisational relationships within infrastructure delivery systems has been blamed for the seeming inability of implementation analysts to discover the causes of implementation gaps (disjuncture) experienced within such systems. This is particularly so in emerging economies where successive governments are trying to deliver socio-economic benefits to their citizenry through investments in infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model with such capabilities based upon the diagnostic principles of a base model-the Viable Systems Model (VSM) to bridge this identified gap. Design/methodology/approach – In this qualitative study, two stages of data collection were applied at various stages of the study namely; asynchronous online discussion forums and structured interviews. Whereas the first set was used to determine the suitability of the tenets of the VSM in understanding the IDS, the latter was used to validate the emergent model. Data obtained from these processes were qualitatively analysed. Findings – It was discovered that the VSM could also be applicable to TMOs and not just permanent organisations. This enabled these tenets to be applied in the development of a model for conceptualising and evaluating the relationships within the implementation cycle. Research limitations/implications – The emergent model-VIDM – would avail policy analysts in emerging economies with a tool for carrying out proper implementation analysis during policy implementation cycles and not just afterwards, particularly as it concerns infrastructure delivery processes. Originality/value – This paper satisfies all the tenets of originality as it has not been previously published and all the ideas from other studies have been duly referenced.

scholarly journals People in suits: a case study of empowerment and control in a non-profit UK organisation

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-528
Author(s):  
Roxana Corduneanu ◽  
Laura Lebec
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Interactive Systems ◽  
Employee Perceptions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
And Control

PurposeDrawing on Simons's levers of control (LoC) framework, the primary aim of this study is to advance an understanding of the balance between empowerment and constraint in a non-profit UK organisation. In particular, this study examines the antecedents and manifestations of LoC (im)balance, in relation to employees' level of engagement with the control systems in place.Design/methodology/approachFor this study, 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different organisational members, from directors to non-managerial staff, to gain an in-depth appreciation of the main differences between managerial intentions in the design of management control systems (MCS) and employee perceptions regarding the role of such systems.FindingsThis research reveals that suppression of interactive systems and internal inconsistencies between different types of controls hinder the balance between empowerment and constraint. This imbalance is then found to have important consequences for employee buy-in, in some cases, defeating the purposes of control.Research limitations/implicationsThis study enhances our understanding of the gap between the design of control systems and the employee perceptions of it in an unusual organisational setting (non-profit and bringing together clinical and non-clinical staff and operations).Originality/valueThe study of MCS and its role in organisations has long been the focus of both academic and practitioner research. Yet, while extant literature focused on management's perspective on MCS, few studies have explored employees' attitudes and behaviours that accompany the implementation of control. What is more, little is known about the specific uses and behavioural outcomes of MCS in the context of non-profit organisations. Drawing on Simons's LoC framework, this paper addresses these gaps in the literature and investigates the balance between control and empowerment of employees in a UK non-profit organisation with significant clinical remit.

Adoption of lean principles in software development projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
RamKaran Yadav ◽  
M.L. Mittal ◽  
Rakesh Jain
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lean Principles ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
Software Companies ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Exploratory Case Studies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain insights about the applicability of Lean principles in software industry along with the Lean implementation issues. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory case studies have been carried out in five software companies. Data were collected by observation and semi-structured interviews with project managers. In this paper, case organizations are categorized as product vs project software development (SD) organization. Findings It is found that although Lean principles are being adopted in SD projects, application of all Lean principles is not visible. This research reveals that value and flow are more relevant in SD organizations, while value stream, pull and perfection are not conspicuous. Originality/value This paper would prove invaluable to lean practitioners and researchers to gain knowledge in lean SD. The paper puts forward the key issues that should be addressed for successful adoption of lean in SD. This study set out to determine the practitioners’ perception of the applicability of lean principles in SD projects. It provides a sound basis for further empirical research on adoption of lean principles in SD organizations.

Connecting adaptability strategies to building system lifecycles in hospital retrofits

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riikka Kyrö ◽  
Antti Peltokorpi ◽  
Lauri Luoma-Halkola
Keyword(s):  
Project Managers ◽  
System Level ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Operations ◽  
Hospital Construction ◽  
New Type ◽  
Building System ◽  
Structured Approach

PurposeThe fast advancement of medical technology and processes poses challenges to hospital construction and management. The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured approach to advancing adaptability in hospital retrofits, proposing the preferable timing and scope of different adaptability strategies.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was chosen, with 28 semi-structured interviews designers, project managers, clients and healthcare professionals as the primary research data.FindingsThis paper presents a model for planning for the future in hospital retrofits. The model includes 11 different adaptability strategies, categorized based on the level of adaptability. Furthermore, each strategy is linked to an open building system level, indicating the appropriate timing. Based on the findings, generality strategies in the tertiary building system level are the most effective forms of adaptability, as they are easy to implement and answer to non-specific changes in hospital operations.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings contribute to existing knowledge on adaptability in buildings, and provide practical guidance particularly for designers. A new type of service offering, an adaptability roadmap detailing the scope and timing of adaptability, is suggested.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the existing research by detailing different approaches and knowledge related to adaptability and its strategies in hospital retrofits. More specifically, the three-fold categorization of adaptability is linked to both timing and intrusiveness in a novel way.

scholarly journals Managerial attitudes towards the incompleteness of performance measurement systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syrus Islam ◽  
Ralph Adler ◽  
Deryl Northcott
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Performance Measurement ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Environmental Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Measurement Systems ◽  
Performance Measurement Systems

Purpose Performance measurement systems (PMSs) are at the heart of most organisations. The aim of this study is to examine the attitudes of top-level managers towards the incompleteness of PMSs. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on an in-depth field study conducted in an energy and environmental services provider based in New Zealand. The data, which were obtained from 20 semi-structured interviews, were triangulated against on-site observations and company documents. Findings The findings suggest that whether the incompleteness of a PMS is considered problematic or non-problematic depends on the role that the PMS plays in implementing a firm’s strategy. The authors show that when the PMS is mainly used to trigger improvement activities on and around strategic objectives and managers perceive adequate improvement activities to exist, then they consider the incompleteness of the PMS in relation to these strategic objectives to be non-problematic. Originality/value This study contributes to the nascent literature on managerial attitudes towards the incompleteness of PMSs by identifying conditions under which the incompleteness is considered problematic or non-problematic. The authors also contribute to the literature on the association between design qualities of PMSs and firm performance by suggesting that poor design qualities of a PMS (such as incompleteness) may not always translate into poor firm performance.

Between a rock and a hard place: the dilemmas of managing part‐time working in the police service

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-25
Keyword(s):  
Police Force ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Station ◽  
Family Friendly ◽  
The Status ◽  
Part Time ◽  
The Uk ◽  
And Control

PurposeTo study the effects of the introduction of part‐time working on managing a police force.Design/methodology/approachThis case study involved in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with part‐time officers in an English police force, their full‐time colleagues and managers.FindingsThe author illustrates practical problems which police managers face in ensuring they have staff in adequate numbers and experience to carry out the duties required of an organization which has to operate 24 hours‐a‐day, seven days‐a‐week and which has no way of knowing in advance what demands will be placed on it at any given time. The study focuses attention on the dilemma of legislation designed to improve the status of part‐time workers generally, and people's expectation of “family friendly” employment, with the traditional “command and control” needs of an organization such as a police force.Practical implicationsImplications for human resource management are identified, as the conflicting needs and views of manager and part‐time employees are explored. These conflicts are particularly difficult for HR to reconcile as part‐time and reduced‐hours working continues its expansion.Originality/valueProvides some useful information on part‐time working at a police station in the UK.

scholarly journals Non-technical barriers for decentralised energy and energy efficient buildings

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris I. Goodier ◽  
Ksenia Chmutina
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Barriers ◽  
Energy Efficient Buildings ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Organisational Values ◽  
The Uk ◽  
And Control ◽  
Relationship Of

Purpose – This paper aims to demonstrate the complex inter-relationship of non-technical barriers involved in the implementation of decentralised energy (DE) projects. To meet its ambitious 2050 target of 80 per cent carbon emission reduction, the UK needs to increase dramatically the wider uptake of DE systems. Many examples exist internationally of DE systems leading to enhanced carbon emissions reductions, including systems based not only on technological but also on more innovative policy, financial and social-economic approaches. Design/methodology/approach – Following semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and thematic analysis with NVivo8, four exemplar international DE case studies have been investigated. Findings – The main non-technical barriers were not necessarily financial, as is often believed; governance barriers, such as out-of-date regulations or unreliable partners, can also play a critical role in a project’s success or failure. Social barriers such as public apathy and misinformation often affect a project’s operation. It is further hypothesised that non-technical barriers are often shaped by personal and/or organisational values related to consumption, abundance, trust and control. Finally, recommendations are provided on overcoming these barriers with regards replicating similar DE projects in the UK context. Originality/value – A systematic perspective is presented, which takes into account the possible interactions between the various barriers and demonstrates that to remove some of these barriers, it is important to understand and account for their varied and interconnected nature.

Managing care integration during the implementation of large-scale reforms

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Dickinson ◽  
Gemma Carey
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Integration ◽  
Early Implementation ◽  
Commonwealth Government ◽  
Boundary Issues ◽  
And Control ◽  
Institutional Boundaries ◽  
Implementation Experience

Purpose The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new program for the provision of support to people with disabilities in Australia. The purpose of this paper is to explore the early implementation experience of this scheme, with a particular focus on the implications of this scheme for issues of care integration. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 policymakers in the Commonwealth government charged with the design and implementation of the NDIS. Findings The authors find somewhat of a lack of clarity concerning the boundaries of the NDIS and how it will work with a range of different services in the provision of seamless and consumer-directed care. Many of the same kinds of debates about interfaces with services were detected in this study as have been highlighted in relation to UK individual funding schemes. If the NDIS is truly to support individuals with disabilities to achieve choice and control, important work will need to be undertaken in to overcome organizational and institutional boundaries. Originality/value There is little empirical data relating to the implementation of the NDIS to date. This is the first study to explore boundary issues in relation to care integration.

scholarly journals The key enablers, techniques and benefits of managing stakeholders within BIM supported projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukhtaj Singh ◽  
Ezekiel Chinyio ◽  
Subashini Suresh
Keyword(s):  
Project Managers ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
Building Information ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Key Techniques ◽  
Minimum Resistance

Purpose Project managers still face challenges with managing stakeholders. Using building information modelling (BIM) has further increased these challenges. Meanwhile, there is a paucity of research specifically focussing on the techniques which organisations are adopting to manage stakeholders within BIM-implemented projects and the associated benefits which they can reap. Thus, this paper aims to identify the key techniques, enablers and benefits of managing stakeholders within BIM-implemented projects. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory approach was adopted due to the paucity of the variables on the topic. In total, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the UK through purposive and snowball sampling. The data was analysed using content analysis and the “NVivo 11 Pro” software. Findings Two key techniques and two enablers required to manage stakeholders within BIM-implemented projects were identified. Nine benefits of managing stakeholders were identified which split into interim and eventual benefits. Originality This paper provides a richer understanding of the enablers and techniques which organisations should focus on while strategising for minimum resistance from stakeholders in their BIM implemented projects.

Robotizing shared service centres: key challenges and outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-178
Author(s):  
Alcidio Silva Figueiredo ◽  
Luisa Helena Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Service Workers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shared Service ◽  
Internal Mobility ◽  
New Research

PurposeThe introduction of robotic process automation (RPA) in shared service centres (SSCs) can hardly be overlooked. This article, therefore, draws on the institutional theory to widen the understanding of its implementation and outcomes regarding people management. Drawing on the lens of the institutional theory and the literature on SSCs and RPA, this study addresses the key challenges and outcomes of robotization.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a qualitative approach and a purposeful sampling design that collected data from six major SSCs) introducing robotization. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with service representatives, including RPA project managers. A thematic content analysis was used.FindingsThe introduction of robotics follows mechanisms of coercive, normative and mimetic isomorphism and is effectively replacing workers. So far, this process has been managed through a few reactive people management practices, such as earlier retirements, internal mobility and outsourcing reduction, which warns of future tensions. The findings also show the emergence of new jobs, such as robot developers and robot managers.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the limited empirical body of research in RPA in SSCs. The study is novel as it is one of the first offering an implementation roadmap for other SSCs and illustrates the positive impact on processes redesign. It also provides empirical evidence on the debate about the potential for service workers' replacement versus tasks augmentation. In the longer term, this study opens new research avenues related to the tensions and contradictions from the progressive institutionalization of robotization in service organizations.

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