scholarly journals Adopting Agile Project Management Practices in Non-Software SMEs: A Case Study of a Slovenian Medium-Sized Manufacturing Company

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tena Žužek ◽  
Žiga Gosar ◽  
Janez Kušar ◽  
Tomaž Berlec
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Stakeholder Satisfaction ◽  
New Ways Of Working ◽  
Software Companies ◽  
Agile Project Management ◽  
Manufacturing Company ◽  
Management Approaches

In today’s highly dynamic and unpredictable project environment, companies need to be able to manage changes quickly and effectively, otherwise, the final product will not be current and will only go to waste. Traditional project management approaches that focus on planning are no longer efficient and companies are forced to adopt new ways of working. As a result, more flexible agile project management (APM) approaches have emerged over the last decades. Originally developed for the software industry, APM is now increasingly recognized and adopted also by other industry sectors. However, due to some discipline-specific differences, the adoption of APM by non-software companies is challenging and requires many adjustments and high financial input. While the larger organizations have sufficient resources to make such a transition, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) generally cannot afford to do so, and therefore need alternative strategies to increase their agility and stay competitive on the global market. In this paper, we present a case study of a Slovenian medium-sized manufacturing company that implemented only certain APM practices separately and not as part of a structured APM methodology, and still managed to achieve significant benefits: improved communication, faster detection of discrepancies, more effective problem-solving and greater flexibility. The results also suggest that APM practices, even when implemented separately, positively impact project success in terms of both efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction, and can thus help in establishing an economically, socially, and environmentally more sustainable workplace.

scholarly journals A Case Study of Inventory Management in a Manufacturing Company in China

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Shen ◽  
Qiang Deng ◽  
Rebecca Lao ◽  
Simon Wu
Keyword(s):  
Inventory Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Manufacturing Company ◽  
Practical Guidance ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In this paper, we focus on inventory management in a manufacturing company in China. This study aims to identify the key factors that influence inventory management practices, investigate efficient and effective inventory management approaches, and examine the impact of supplier cooperation on supply chain improvement. A case study approach is used to identify the key factors that influence inventory management in a factory. Efficient and effective inventory management practices are derived from the case study and may provide practical guidance for foreign manufacturers in China. This study provides a valuable tool for identifying the key factors in inventory management which can be applied to similar problems encountered in actual manufactories.

Innovative management strategies for building and sustaining a digital initiatives department with limited resources

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Strong Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Other Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer and explore innovative strategies for building and sustaining digital initiatives at information organizations. Although the examples provided are based on case studies at an academic library, the practices are rooted in project management principles and therefore applicable to all library types, museums, archives and other information organizations. The innovative strategies on staffing and funding will be particularly useful to organizations faced with monetary and staffing shortages and highlights collaborative management practices. Design/methodology/approach Concept of strategic and collaborative management practices led by an experienced project manager cross-trained in management, technical and soft skills enables the successful development and sustainability of digital initiatives. A cross-trained librarian’s management practices of leading the Digital Scholarship Initiatives at a particular university will be examined as a case study and aided with literature supporting the need for digital initiatives leaders to have training beyond the credentials of librarian, curator, archivist or historian in the technologically savvy twenty-first century ecology of information centers. Findings The innovative strategies implemented in the case study yielded increases in the number of hours of digital lab usage, digital projects developed, seminars or workshops presented, attendance of library hosted events, number of programs implemented and awareness on campus, all with limited staff and funding. The variety and level of production and marketing is instrumental to the growth and sustainability of digital initiatives. Practical implications The innovative strategies emphasized in this paper use the concept of borrowed or shared time to start staffing needs and is particularly helpful to organizations that do not have a strong line of dedicated staffing or funding to begin building digital initiatives. Offers small ways to start immediately while setting the stage to plan for big ideas for the future. Originality/value This paper suggests a credentialed information expert, such as a librarian, archivist or curator, that is, also cross-trained in project management and technology is the key to not only successfully leading digital initiatives but is instrumental for its sustainability and the marketing, growth and future of digital initiatives.

Using action research in innovation project management: building legitimacy and organizational learning in an SME during a merger process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Elizabeth Kampf ◽  
Charlotte J. Brandt ◽  
Christopher G. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeThe purpose is to explore how the process of action research (AR) can support building legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation project management and portfolio practices in merger contexts.Design/methodology/approachMeta-reflection on method issues in Action Research through an action research case study with an innovation group during an organizational change process. This case demonstrates an example of an action research cycle focused on building practitioner legitimacy rather than problem-solving.FindingsKey findings include (1) demonstrating how AR can be used for building legitimacy through visualizing the innovation process, and embedding those visuals in top management practices of the organization; and (2) demonstrating how AR can work as an organizational learning tool in merger contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on an action research cooperation during a two-and-a-half-year period. Thus, findings offer the depth of a medium term case study. The processes of building legitimacy represent this particular case, and can be investigated in other organizational contexts to see the extent to which these issues can be generalized.Practical implicationsFor researchers, this paper offers an additional type of AR cycle to consider in their research design which can be seen as demonstrating a form of interplay between practitioner action and organizational level legitimacy. For practitioners, this paper demonstrates a connection between legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation contexts. The discussion of how visuals were co-created and used for building legitimacy for an innovation process that differs from the standard stage gate model demonstrates how engaging in AR research can contribute to developing visuals as resources for building legitimacy and organizational learning based on connections between theory and practice.Originality/valueThis case rethinks AR practice for innovation project management contexts to include legitimacy and organizational learning. This focus on legitimacy building from organizational learning and knowledge conversion contributes to our understanding of the soft side of innovation project management. Legitimacy is demonstrated to be a key concern for innovation project management practices.

Agile Management for Multimedia

2014 ◽  
pp. 178-198
Author(s):  
Ana Filipa Sousa ◽  
Ana Margarida Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
The Past ◽  
Agile Methodologies ◽  
Agile Project Management ◽  
Multimedia Production ◽  
Multimedia Development ◽  
Faster Development

The past few years have seen a revolutionary transition in the field of project management that enlightened the strength of agile methodologies as a strategic attack towards the progressively faster development rhythms and growing innovation requirements. In this chapter, the authors present a study developed under this context that aims to discuss the suitability of agile project management to multimedia production through a case study focused on an academic context depleted in management formalities, the Laboratory SAPO/UA. The most prominent project of this setting is the SAPO Campus, and its team is analyzed and subjected to an agile project management model. Consequently, the authors anticipate an enhancement to the studied project and the gathering of arguments that empower a clear perspective on the fitness of agile project management to the context of multimedia development.

A case study of project management practices in virtual settings

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Beise ◽  
Traci A. Carte ◽  
Chelley Vician ◽  
Laku Chidambaram
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practices

A Framework for Improving Knowledge Management Practices in Namibian Software Companies

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 1650003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Ejehiohen Iyawa
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Software Developers ◽  
Management Framework ◽  
Software Developer ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Software Companies ◽  
Km Strategy

Software development (SD) companies employ, train and provide software developers with the platform to improve their skills. Unfortunately, these investments are lost when a software developer resigns from the company or is not physically available to carry out work activities. This is a major problem experienced in Namibian SD companies. This paper investigates how knowledge is transferred and retained by software developers in Namibian SD companies. Using a case study approach, five software developers were purposively selected from five software companies in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. Data were collected using structured interviews. The findings revealed that Namibian SD companies do not have a formal knowledge management (KM) strategy in place, management is not involved in KM practices and experienced software developers are not willing to participate in the KM process as a result of job insecurities. The findings also revealed that knowledge gaps are created in Namibian SD companies when an experienced software developer resigns from the company, and this consequently hampers the SD process. Based on the findings, the study therefore proposes a knowledge management framework (KMF) for Namibian SD companies, which incorporates the needs of each software developer as well as the needs of the SD company to create an effective KM for Namibian SD companies. The KMF for Namibian SD companies were presented to five experts in the field of Software Engineering. The experts validated the KMF for Namibian SD companies and found it useful within the context of Namibian SD companies. The KMF for Namibian SD companies is expected to improve the way KM processes are carried out in Namibian software companies, providing a realistic approach to improving KM practices.

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