Ralf Müller | Bi Norwegian Business School (original) (raw)

Papers by Ralf Müller

Research paper thumbnail of Governance of Program and Portfolio Management: Middle Managers Practices in Successful Organizations

ub.umu.se. Publications. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Containing transaction costs in ERP implementation through identification of strategic learning projects

Project Management Journal, 2007

Implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems requires in-depth understanding of t... more Implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems requires in-depth understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the receiving organization, thus implying specific learning costs. ERP projects delivered in form of contracted projects in a competitive market environment often ignore costs for competitive reasons (Linderoth & Lundqvist, 2004). However, these learning costs add to the overall transaction costs of a project. If not budgeted into the individual projects, these costs accumulate at the project portfolio level ...

Research paper thumbnail of Program and portfolio managers: Analysis of roles and responsibilities

ub.umu.se. Publications. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Determination of 10 particle-associated multiclass polar and semi-polar pesticides from small streams using accelerated solvent extraction

Chemosphere, 2008

A new analytical method using accelerated solvent extraction was developed for the determination ... more A new analytical method using accelerated solvent extraction was developed for the determination of 10 particle-associated polar and semipolar pesticides. In addition, six deuterated analogues of the target compounds were evaluated as internal standards. The method yielded acceptable accuracy (73-103% recovery) and precision (<25% relative standard deviation) for eight compounds. Using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) as cleanup step resulted in higher recoveries compared to solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup.

Research paper thumbnail of The unresolved struggles between project managers and functional managers in matrix organizations

Proceedings of the 11th Annual European Academy of Management, 2011

Having personal that works in projects but belongs to a functional organization is the way that m... more Having personal that works in projects but belongs to a functional organization is the way that many companies organized their labor force today. Previous research shows that this implies management contradictions and ambiguities between functional manager and project manager; there are unresolved struggles between these two roles in terms of power, accountability, authority and legitimacy. With this paper we aim to analyze those struggles based on previous research and to generate working hypotheses. We first provide a ...

Research paper thumbnail of Paradigms in project management research: examples from 15 years of IRNOP conferences

International Journal of Managing …, Jan 1, 2011

Abstract:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Purpose&amp;amp;amp;amp;a... more Abstract:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Purpose&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the philosophical stances and related methodologies used within the last 15 years of project management research using The International Research Network on Organizing by Projects (IRNOP) conference papers.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Design/methodology/approach&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;-Utilizing a systematic sampling approach, IRNOP conference papers from 1994, 2000 and 2007 were analyzed for prevalent philosophical streams in project management research.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Findings&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;- ...

Research paper thumbnail of Governance, trust and ethics in temporary organizations: how corporate governance influences the temporary organization

Research paper thumbnail of Ethics, Trust, and Governance in Temporary Organizations

ABSTRACT We investigate the influence of governance structures of temporary organizations on the ... more ABSTRACT We investigate the influence of governance structures of temporary organizations on the ethical issues faced by its managers, how they respond to these issues, and how that influences trust among stakeholders. A global, web-based survey confirmed earlier research that project managers encounter transparency, optimization, and relationship issues, and identified four additional ethical issue types. Managers’ behavior in responding to ethical issues varies by governance structure, their willingness to resolve ethical issues themselves, and the trust between stakeholders. Higher levels of trust are found in stakeholder-oriented governance, which can reduce transaction costs. Implications for practitioners and academics are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Innovative approaches in project management research

International Journal of Project Management, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership in Technology Project Management

This chapter addresses project managers&amp;#x27; leadership styles, mainly from the perspect... more This chapter addresses project managers&amp;#x27; leadership styles, mainly from the perspective of technology projects. It starts by defining and outlining the need for leadership, and then describes the historical schools and the recent schools of leadership theory. Subsequently the focus turns to current leadership research in project management, and its related theories. Subsequently, the personality profiles of successful project managers in different types of projects are presented. The chapter ends with some managerial and theoretical ...

Research paper thumbnail of Ethics and Governance in the Temporary Organization

Advancing Human Resource Project Management, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Organizational enablers for project governance and governmentality in project-based organizations

International Journal of Project Management, 2015

ABSTRACT This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality i... more ABSTRACT This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality in the realm of projects in project-based organizations (PBOs). We use a multiple case study design with six firms in Sweden and China to identify OEs. Institutional theory serves as theoretical perspective. Results show that OEs are interwoven, albeit with different strength, with the three pillars of institutional theory (regulative, normative and cultural–cognitive). OEs for project governance and governance of projects fall predominantly into the category of regulative and normative pillars, whereas OEs for governmentality belong mainly to the cultural–cognitive pillar. Collectively these OEs provide for an ambidexterity of flexibility and stability, which allows organizations to align their internal characteristics with their organizational context. Managerial and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of JSProject. pl na FB Jesteśmy w

Research paper thumbnail of Procedural Staight Jacket or Freedom of Arts?

Research paper thumbnail of A Model of the Dynamics in Theory Development

Research paper thumbnail of A Natural Sciences Comparative to Develop New Insights for Project Management Research: Genotyping and Phenotyping

Research paper thumbnail of Proceedings of IRNOP VI, June 17-18, 2013, Oslo, Norway

Research paper thumbnail of IJMPB special issue on: “Ethics in Project Management”

Research paper thumbnail of Communication between buyer and seller organizations in the context of project management

Research paper thumbnail of Communication between IT project manager and project sponsor in a buyer-seller relationship

Research paper thumbnail of Governance of Program and Portfolio Management: Middle Managers Practices in Successful Organizations

ub.umu.se. Publications. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Containing transaction costs in ERP implementation through identification of strategic learning projects

Project Management Journal, 2007

Implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems requires in-depth understanding of t... more Implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems requires in-depth understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the receiving organization, thus implying specific learning costs. ERP projects delivered in form of contracted projects in a competitive market environment often ignore costs for competitive reasons (Linderoth &amp;amp;amp; Lundqvist, 2004). However, these learning costs add to the overall transaction costs of a project. If not budgeted into the individual projects, these costs accumulate at the project portfolio level ...

Research paper thumbnail of Program and portfolio managers: Analysis of roles and responsibilities

ub.umu.se. Publications. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Determination of 10 particle-associated multiclass polar and semi-polar pesticides from small streams using accelerated solvent extraction

Chemosphere, 2008

A new analytical method using accelerated solvent extraction was developed for the determination ... more A new analytical method using accelerated solvent extraction was developed for the determination of 10 particle-associated polar and semipolar pesticides. In addition, six deuterated analogues of the target compounds were evaluated as internal standards. The method yielded acceptable accuracy (73-103% recovery) and precision (<25% relative standard deviation) for eight compounds. Using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) as cleanup step resulted in higher recoveries compared to solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup.

Research paper thumbnail of The unresolved struggles between project managers and functional managers in matrix organizations

Proceedings of the 11th Annual European Academy of Management, 2011

Having personal that works in projects but belongs to a functional organization is the way that m... more Having personal that works in projects but belongs to a functional organization is the way that many companies organized their labor force today. Previous research shows that this implies management contradictions and ambiguities between functional manager and project manager; there are unresolved struggles between these two roles in terms of power, accountability, authority and legitimacy. With this paper we aim to analyze those struggles based on previous research and to generate working hypotheses. We first provide a ...

Research paper thumbnail of Paradigms in project management research: examples from 15 years of IRNOP conferences

International Journal of Managing …, Jan 1, 2011

Abstract:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Purpose&amp;amp;amp;amp;a... more Abstract:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Purpose&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the philosophical stances and related methodologies used within the last 15 years of project management research using The International Research Network on Organizing by Projects (IRNOP) conference papers.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Design/methodology/approach&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;-Utilizing a systematic sampling approach, IRNOP conference papers from 1994, 2000 and 2007 were analyzed for prevalent philosophical streams in project management research.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Findings&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/B&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;- ...

Research paper thumbnail of Governance, trust and ethics in temporary organizations: how corporate governance influences the temporary organization

Research paper thumbnail of Ethics, Trust, and Governance in Temporary Organizations

ABSTRACT We investigate the influence of governance structures of temporary organizations on the ... more ABSTRACT We investigate the influence of governance structures of temporary organizations on the ethical issues faced by its managers, how they respond to these issues, and how that influences trust among stakeholders. A global, web-based survey confirmed earlier research that project managers encounter transparency, optimization, and relationship issues, and identified four additional ethical issue types. Managers’ behavior in responding to ethical issues varies by governance structure, their willingness to resolve ethical issues themselves, and the trust between stakeholders. Higher levels of trust are found in stakeholder-oriented governance, which can reduce transaction costs. Implications for practitioners and academics are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Innovative approaches in project management research

International Journal of Project Management, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership in Technology Project Management

This chapter addresses project managers&amp;#x27; leadership styles, mainly from the perspect... more This chapter addresses project managers&amp;#x27; leadership styles, mainly from the perspective of technology projects. It starts by defining and outlining the need for leadership, and then describes the historical schools and the recent schools of leadership theory. Subsequently the focus turns to current leadership research in project management, and its related theories. Subsequently, the personality profiles of successful project managers in different types of projects are presented. The chapter ends with some managerial and theoretical ...

Research paper thumbnail of Ethics and Governance in the Temporary Organization

Advancing Human Resource Project Management, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Organizational enablers for project governance and governmentality in project-based organizations

International Journal of Project Management, 2015

ABSTRACT This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality i... more ABSTRACT This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality in the realm of projects in project-based organizations (PBOs). We use a multiple case study design with six firms in Sweden and China to identify OEs. Institutional theory serves as theoretical perspective. Results show that OEs are interwoven, albeit with different strength, with the three pillars of institutional theory (regulative, normative and cultural–cognitive). OEs for project governance and governance of projects fall predominantly into the category of regulative and normative pillars, whereas OEs for governmentality belong mainly to the cultural–cognitive pillar. Collectively these OEs provide for an ambidexterity of flexibility and stability, which allows organizations to align their internal characteristics with their organizational context. Managerial and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of JSProject. pl na FB Jesteśmy w

Research paper thumbnail of Procedural Staight Jacket or Freedom of Arts?

Research paper thumbnail of A Model of the Dynamics in Theory Development

Research paper thumbnail of A Natural Sciences Comparative to Develop New Insights for Project Management Research: Genotyping and Phenotyping

Research paper thumbnail of Proceedings of IRNOP VI, June 17-18, 2013, Oslo, Norway

Research paper thumbnail of IJMPB special issue on: “Ethics in Project Management”

Research paper thumbnail of Communication between buyer and seller organizations in the context of project management

Research paper thumbnail of Communication between IT project manager and project sponsor in a buyer-seller relationship