Youcef J-T. ZIDANE - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Youcef J-T. ZIDANE

Research paper thumbnail of PESTOL - Framework for «Project Evaluation on Strategic, Tactical and Operational Levels»

International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management

The paper focuses on the development of the ex-post conceptual holistic framework for Project Eva... more The paper focuses on the development of the ex-post conceptual holistic framework for Project Evaluation on Strategic, Tactical and Operational Levels, the PESTOL model, by reviewing different definitions of project success and/or failure and combining the findings with the logic framework. The model reflects the project life cycle by considering all project phases, such as identification and conception. To demonstrate the relevance of the developed model, the authors applied it to a project case, the Algerian East–West Highway megaproject. The project has attracted media attention and a number of media discussions of the project have been limited to the completion of the project in a short-term perspective. In this regard, the discussions have been notably associated with delays and expenditures coming in over budget, referring to project efficiency. One reason for the media focus on these aspects alone is that they can easily be measured. The relevance of the project and its effec...

Research paper thumbnail of Inception of ANIS Program 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Categorization of Organizational Factors and Their Impact on Project Performance

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of The Black Swan – Knowing the Unknown in Projects

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of “Need for Speed”: Framework for Measuring Construction Project Pace – Case of Road Project

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

The construction industry relies on time-to-delivery to gain competitive advantages and increase ... more The construction industry relies on time-to-delivery to gain competitive advantages and increase profit margins. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework for measuring construction project speed. This will be done by identifying a range of key performance indicators (KPIs). This identification of KPIs helps set a benchmark for measuring the speed of a construction project. In this paper, a conceptual framework is presented to reflect the idea behind the use of performance measurement in measuring the speed of construction projects, and then a performance measurement system tailored to a real case of a road construction project.

Research paper thumbnail of When Stakeholders Shape Successes or Bring Failures – A Case Study of an Algerian Megaproject

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Project Evaluation Holistic Framework – Application on Megaproject Case

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

This paper is about developing a holistic framework for project evaluation; it is applied in a ca... more This paper is about developing a holistic framework for project evaluation; it is applied in a case study of an Algerian highway megaproject. This project has attracted the attention of all the local media and even many of the international media. Several media discussions on the project are limited to the completion of the project itself seen in a short-term perspective. In this regard, the discussions were notably associated with delays and expenditures coming in over budget, which is project efficiency signified by aspects such as time, cost and the scope. One reason that made the media focus only on these aspects is that they can easily be measured and are usually the first criteria against which the project can be assessed. The relevance of the project and its effects, whether it attains its goals and objectives measured in terms of effectiveness, including impact and sustainability-all these four measures can only be verified at a later stage, after the project has delivered its results. These are much broader aspects and are therefore difficult to measure. This paper is about developing an ex-post evaluation framework model. This is achieved by going through the different definitions of the measures of project success or failure and then reflecting on them with respect to the whole project life cycle by considering all the process groups in the project (i.e., conception phase, front-end analysis phase, planning and design phase, engineering phase, procurement phase, construction phase, closing phase and operating phase). This would provide us with a holistic way of evaluating projects.

Research paper thumbnail of Problems Associated with Defining Project Success

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of “The Fast and the Fantastic” Time-Cost Trade-Offs in New Product Development vs. Construction Projects

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Barriers and Challenges in Employing of Concurrent Engineering within the Norwegian Construction Projects

Procedia Economics and Finance, 2015

The desirability to deliver construction projects within the schedule or more even longer ahead o... more The desirability to deliver construction projects within the schedule or more even longer ahead of it is questioned. Nevertheless, most of the construction projects are delivered behind of schedule and even exceed it to more than conceived. So the necessity to find new methods, processes and techniques to challenge the delivery time of the construction projects becomes more than a simple requirement. Overlapping the sequential activities is one way to reduce the delivery time of the project. The manufacturing industry has predicted this fact and established concurrent engineering principles. This paper will inspect the initiative done to involve concurrent engineering principles in the Norwegian oil and gas projects then in the construction projects. It will investigate the work done in the theory, and practice in construction projects compared to the oil and gas projects that have been conducted by a construction firm in Norway.

Research paper thumbnail of Time-thieves and Bottlenecks in the Norwegian Construction Projects

Procedia Economics and Finance, 2015

Utilizing time effectively and efficiently is one of the important factors that can determine the... more Utilizing time effectively and efficiently is one of the important factors that can determine the success of achieving desired results of projects. Nevertheless, several projects come across delays and unnecessary use of time due to various reasons, and hence suffer from unfavorable consequences. Construction industry is not exceptional. There are elements that "steal" time in construction projects; and, there are bottlenecks that cause delays. This paper will present the first findings from the SpeedUp project survey conducted in seven public and private organizations in autumn 2014 in Norway. The purpose with the study was to establish-what are the most common factors extending project life cycle or making project going slower than planned. We have conducted a broad literature review that aimed to establish-what are the most common delays factors mentioned in the literature and the result from the literature review has been analyzed against our data from the survey. This paper will present the ten most common "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" revealed in the SpeedUp project survey. It will identify the major "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" seen from owners, consultants and contractors views. This identification can be seen as a mapping process that will lead to find out possible causes as well as possible efforts, those can be carried out in order to deal with slow pace and delays in construction projects. This study on "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" in the construction industry will contribute to shade light on important improvements areas for the construction industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Megaprojects-Challenges and Lessons Learned

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2013

Projects have become popular work form in modern organizations. Megaprojects can be seen as the w... more Projects have become popular work form in modern organizations. Megaprojects can be seen as the wild beasts in the project world, they are hard to tame, known for their complexity, vast size, expensive cost, and long time frame. These projects bring big changes in the geography of countries and life of people. Some of these megaprojects become landmarks for a country and bring significant prosperity, but some become unforgettable catastrophes. One of the definitions of megaprojects is that they are the projects in which the cost exceeds one billion US dollars. Examples of megaprojects include, "Channel tunnel", "London Olympics 2012" and "Ormen Lange offshore project". Though several pitfalls and challenges have been pointed out with respect to managing megaprojects, the relevance and the need of carrying out this kind of projects attract both the industries (practitioners) and academics. There are many significant issues that must be addressed in connection with managing megaprojects. This paper focuses on the different initiatives taken to date, presents them and tries to find the area of the missing expertise to understand the characteristics and the management of megaprojects.

Research paper thumbnail of Causes of Delay and their Cures in Major Norwegian Projects

Several projects encounter delays and unnecessary use of time as a result of to various factors a... more Several projects encounter delays and unnecessary use of time as a result of to various factors and hence suffer unfavorable consequences. The Norwegian construction industry is no exception. There are factors causing delays in Norwegian construction projects which have many negative effects on all parties, including the projects’ outputs and outcomes. This paper will identify the main time issues (delay factors) in major Norwegian construction projects and the recommended solutions. The methodology on which this paper is based includes an intensive literature review, open questionnaires and unstructured interviews with practitioners. The paper addresses frequency and type of delay factors in major Norwegian construction projects and their solutions. It is based on an open questionnaire, which gave the opportunity to discover new delay factors and possible remedies: thus we encourage similar studies in other countries to uncover other possible delay causes and solutions.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Trust, Commitment, and Openness on Research Project Performance: Case Study in a Research Institute

Social Sciences

This study focuses on three important shared values—trust, openness, and commitment—and examines ... more This study focuses on three important shared values—trust, openness, and commitment—and examines the impact of these values on project performance and outcomes, specifically for science and innovation research projects. To this end, 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with researchers, research managers, and research leaders at the largest research institution in Scandinavia. The findings indicate that the three values (trust, openness, and commitment) are practiced at this research institution and are essential to effective teamwork. The findings also show that trust and openness promote shared understanding, and encourage commitment.

Research paper thumbnail of “Superfast!” managing the urgent: case study of telecommunications infrastructure project in Algeria

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose With the aim of furthering the understanding of project speed and how to manage the urgen... more Purpose With the aim of furthering the understanding of project speed and how to manage the urgent project, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the management challenges involved in delivering a telecommunications infrastructure project in a period of much shorter duration than a similar project. The authors wanted to understand the reasons behind the urgency and how the project management team succeeds in delivering in such a tight time window. Finally, the authors assessed the consequences (negative and positive, during and after the project delivery), knowing that the project was considered a success at its delivery, but not that it was successful at the post-project evaluation. Design/methodology/approach A case study based on qualitative research interviews with management team including the client, the main contractor and some related stakeholders, combined with case archives and internal documentation from the case project. Findings The urgency of a project or program...

Research paper thumbnail of System Thinking, Evaluations and Learning – Experience from Road Construction Megaproject in Algeria

Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences

Ex-post evaluation is starting to be recognized in the Algerian different government institutions... more Ex-post evaluation is starting to be recognized in the Algerian different government institutions (e.g., ministries); and evaluation is becoming part of any program or project for two main reasons, justify the legitimacy of the programs and projects, and collect lessons learned for the next similar programs and projects. On the other hand, academicians believe that programs and projects can be improved by conducting proper evaluations and extracting lessons learned. Program/Project evaluation is comprehensive evaluation, which mainly applies to ex-post evaluation. This paper will look closer at an ex-post evaluation of an Algerian highway megaproject based on PESTOL model, this evaluation is already conducted in the period of 2014 – 2016. Considering ex-post evaluation of projects has many purposes and among them is linked to learning and knowledge sharing and transfer. In this regard, the paper describes very briefly the approach used to the post project evaluation. In addition, li...

Research paper thumbnail of The top 10 universal delay factors in construction projects

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose Projects often face delays and unnecessary use of time due to various factors and reasons... more Purpose Projects often face delays and unnecessary use of time due to various factors and reasons, and hence suffer from unfavourable consequences. The purpose of this paper is to identify the universal delay factors from an intensive literature review, complemented by delay factors in major Norwegian construction projects based on empirical data. Design/methodology/approach The study in which this paper is based includes an intensive literature review, and semi-quantitative open survey questionnaires. This paper addresses frequency and type of delay factors in construction projects, in Norway based on the survey, and worldwide based on the previous studies. Findings From the study, the causes of delays facing the Norwegian construction industry are: poor planning and scheduling; slow/poor decision-making process; internal administrative procedures and bureaucracy within project organisations; resources shortage (human resources, machinery, equipment); poor communication and coordin...

Research paper thumbnail of Defining project efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose This paper studies how the concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy are used in... more Purpose This paper studies how the concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy are used in project management literature. The concepts relate to the degree of success or failure of projects and the degree to which the results are achieved. The purpose of this paper is to review the use of the concepts of efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness in project management literature and among practitioners. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on an extensive literature review, initially from the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business. The first phase involved searching the words “efficiency”, “effectiveness” and “efficacy” in all articles of the journal, and then quantifying the results. This was followed by a qualitative search of the same articles with the aim of understanding how the terms “project efficiency”, “project efficacy” and “project effectiveness” are used. A further intensive literature review was then conducted in other literatures in the fie...

Research paper thumbnail of The Black Swan – Knowing the unknown in projects

A “Black Swan” is produced when the gap between what we know and what we think we know becomes da... more A “Black Swan” is produced when the gap between what we know and what we think we know becomes dangerously wide (Taleb, 2007). This concept is closely related to uncertainty and learning. A Black Swan event is usually a surprise, at least to the observer. However the Black Swan event very much depends on the observer. What may be a Black Swan surprise for a turkey is not a Black Swan surprise to its butcher; so the main objective is to “avoid being the turkey” by exploring and identifying areas of vulnerability in order to avoid surprises. In projects, while some may disagree, almost all failures, even catastrophic ones, are not really Black Swan events but a series of failures that alone may have a negative impact on project outcomes but combined lead to catastrophic failure. However it is surprising how often experienced project teams ignore the early warning signs and move forward into the project lifecycle despite serious problems in many areas that are keys to project success. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Categorization of Organizational Factors and their Impact on Project Performance

The new era of project management has a tendency to move away from the linear and predictable pra... more The new era of project management has a tendency to move away from the linear and predictable practice in projects to one that embrace the complex nature and role of the human element and interrelations. This tendency would make projects to become complex nonlinear systems. Though projects incorporate other elements such as technology, tools, methods and models, the human element can be characterized as the most important element in projects. All organizational factors can be seen as various manifestations of the human element. This paper will list a set of possible shared values – values that affect project performance positively or negatively. In this regard, this paper will look at the characteristics of and the interplay between the shared values. Furthermore, the paper will address how these values impact project performance. In addition to the literature-study, a company sample case study will also be done on a construction project in order to find out shared values that affec...

Research paper thumbnail of PESTOL - Framework for «Project Evaluation on Strategic, Tactical and Operational Levels»

International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management

The paper focuses on the development of the ex-post conceptual holistic framework for Project Eva... more The paper focuses on the development of the ex-post conceptual holistic framework for Project Evaluation on Strategic, Tactical and Operational Levels, the PESTOL model, by reviewing different definitions of project success and/or failure and combining the findings with the logic framework. The model reflects the project life cycle by considering all project phases, such as identification and conception. To demonstrate the relevance of the developed model, the authors applied it to a project case, the Algerian East–West Highway megaproject. The project has attracted media attention and a number of media discussions of the project have been limited to the completion of the project in a short-term perspective. In this regard, the discussions have been notably associated with delays and expenditures coming in over budget, referring to project efficiency. One reason for the media focus on these aspects alone is that they can easily be measured. The relevance of the project and its effec...

Research paper thumbnail of Inception of ANIS Program 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Categorization of Organizational Factors and Their Impact on Project Performance

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of The Black Swan – Knowing the Unknown in Projects

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of “Need for Speed”: Framework for Measuring Construction Project Pace – Case of Road Project

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016

The construction industry relies on time-to-delivery to gain competitive advantages and increase ... more The construction industry relies on time-to-delivery to gain competitive advantages and increase profit margins. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework for measuring construction project speed. This will be done by identifying a range of key performance indicators (KPIs). This identification of KPIs helps set a benchmark for measuring the speed of a construction project. In this paper, a conceptual framework is presented to reflect the idea behind the use of performance measurement in measuring the speed of construction projects, and then a performance measurement system tailored to a real case of a road construction project.

Research paper thumbnail of When Stakeholders Shape Successes or Bring Failures – A Case Study of an Algerian Megaproject

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Project Evaluation Holistic Framework – Application on Megaproject Case

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

This paper is about developing a holistic framework for project evaluation; it is applied in a ca... more This paper is about developing a holistic framework for project evaluation; it is applied in a case study of an Algerian highway megaproject. This project has attracted the attention of all the local media and even many of the international media. Several media discussions on the project are limited to the completion of the project itself seen in a short-term perspective. In this regard, the discussions were notably associated with delays and expenditures coming in over budget, which is project efficiency signified by aspects such as time, cost and the scope. One reason that made the media focus only on these aspects is that they can easily be measured and are usually the first criteria against which the project can be assessed. The relevance of the project and its effects, whether it attains its goals and objectives measured in terms of effectiveness, including impact and sustainability-all these four measures can only be verified at a later stage, after the project has delivered its results. These are much broader aspects and are therefore difficult to measure. This paper is about developing an ex-post evaluation framework model. This is achieved by going through the different definitions of the measures of project success or failure and then reflecting on them with respect to the whole project life cycle by considering all the process groups in the project (i.e., conception phase, front-end analysis phase, planning and design phase, engineering phase, procurement phase, construction phase, closing phase and operating phase). This would provide us with a holistic way of evaluating projects.

Research paper thumbnail of Problems Associated with Defining Project Success

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of “The Fast and the Fantastic” Time-Cost Trade-Offs in New Product Development vs. Construction Projects

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Barriers and Challenges in Employing of Concurrent Engineering within the Norwegian Construction Projects

Procedia Economics and Finance, 2015

The desirability to deliver construction projects within the schedule or more even longer ahead o... more The desirability to deliver construction projects within the schedule or more even longer ahead of it is questioned. Nevertheless, most of the construction projects are delivered behind of schedule and even exceed it to more than conceived. So the necessity to find new methods, processes and techniques to challenge the delivery time of the construction projects becomes more than a simple requirement. Overlapping the sequential activities is one way to reduce the delivery time of the project. The manufacturing industry has predicted this fact and established concurrent engineering principles. This paper will inspect the initiative done to involve concurrent engineering principles in the Norwegian oil and gas projects then in the construction projects. It will investigate the work done in the theory, and practice in construction projects compared to the oil and gas projects that have been conducted by a construction firm in Norway.

Research paper thumbnail of Time-thieves and Bottlenecks in the Norwegian Construction Projects

Procedia Economics and Finance, 2015

Utilizing time effectively and efficiently is one of the important factors that can determine the... more Utilizing time effectively and efficiently is one of the important factors that can determine the success of achieving desired results of projects. Nevertheless, several projects come across delays and unnecessary use of time due to various reasons, and hence suffer from unfavorable consequences. Construction industry is not exceptional. There are elements that "steal" time in construction projects; and, there are bottlenecks that cause delays. This paper will present the first findings from the SpeedUp project survey conducted in seven public and private organizations in autumn 2014 in Norway. The purpose with the study was to establish-what are the most common factors extending project life cycle or making project going slower than planned. We have conducted a broad literature review that aimed to establish-what are the most common delays factors mentioned in the literature and the result from the literature review has been analyzed against our data from the survey. This paper will present the ten most common "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" revealed in the SpeedUp project survey. It will identify the major "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" seen from owners, consultants and contractors views. This identification can be seen as a mapping process that will lead to find out possible causes as well as possible efforts, those can be carried out in order to deal with slow pace and delays in construction projects. This study on "time-thieves" and "bottlenecks" in the construction industry will contribute to shade light on important improvements areas for the construction industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Megaprojects-Challenges and Lessons Learned

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2013

Projects have become popular work form in modern organizations. Megaprojects can be seen as the w... more Projects have become popular work form in modern organizations. Megaprojects can be seen as the wild beasts in the project world, they are hard to tame, known for their complexity, vast size, expensive cost, and long time frame. These projects bring big changes in the geography of countries and life of people. Some of these megaprojects become landmarks for a country and bring significant prosperity, but some become unforgettable catastrophes. One of the definitions of megaprojects is that they are the projects in which the cost exceeds one billion US dollars. Examples of megaprojects include, "Channel tunnel", "London Olympics 2012" and "Ormen Lange offshore project". Though several pitfalls and challenges have been pointed out with respect to managing megaprojects, the relevance and the need of carrying out this kind of projects attract both the industries (practitioners) and academics. There are many significant issues that must be addressed in connection with managing megaprojects. This paper focuses on the different initiatives taken to date, presents them and tries to find the area of the missing expertise to understand the characteristics and the management of megaprojects.

Research paper thumbnail of Causes of Delay and their Cures in Major Norwegian Projects

Several projects encounter delays and unnecessary use of time as a result of to various factors a... more Several projects encounter delays and unnecessary use of time as a result of to various factors and hence suffer unfavorable consequences. The Norwegian construction industry is no exception. There are factors causing delays in Norwegian construction projects which have many negative effects on all parties, including the projects’ outputs and outcomes. This paper will identify the main time issues (delay factors) in major Norwegian construction projects and the recommended solutions. The methodology on which this paper is based includes an intensive literature review, open questionnaires and unstructured interviews with practitioners. The paper addresses frequency and type of delay factors in major Norwegian construction projects and their solutions. It is based on an open questionnaire, which gave the opportunity to discover new delay factors and possible remedies: thus we encourage similar studies in other countries to uncover other possible delay causes and solutions.

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Trust, Commitment, and Openness on Research Project Performance: Case Study in a Research Institute

Social Sciences

This study focuses on three important shared values—trust, openness, and commitment—and examines ... more This study focuses on three important shared values—trust, openness, and commitment—and examines the impact of these values on project performance and outcomes, specifically for science and innovation research projects. To this end, 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with researchers, research managers, and research leaders at the largest research institution in Scandinavia. The findings indicate that the three values (trust, openness, and commitment) are practiced at this research institution and are essential to effective teamwork. The findings also show that trust and openness promote shared understanding, and encourage commitment.

Research paper thumbnail of “Superfast!” managing the urgent: case study of telecommunications infrastructure project in Algeria

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose With the aim of furthering the understanding of project speed and how to manage the urgen... more Purpose With the aim of furthering the understanding of project speed and how to manage the urgent project, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the management challenges involved in delivering a telecommunications infrastructure project in a period of much shorter duration than a similar project. The authors wanted to understand the reasons behind the urgency and how the project management team succeeds in delivering in such a tight time window. Finally, the authors assessed the consequences (negative and positive, during and after the project delivery), knowing that the project was considered a success at its delivery, but not that it was successful at the post-project evaluation. Design/methodology/approach A case study based on qualitative research interviews with management team including the client, the main contractor and some related stakeholders, combined with case archives and internal documentation from the case project. Findings The urgency of a project or program...

Research paper thumbnail of System Thinking, Evaluations and Learning – Experience from Road Construction Megaproject in Algeria

Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences

Ex-post evaluation is starting to be recognized in the Algerian different government institutions... more Ex-post evaluation is starting to be recognized in the Algerian different government institutions (e.g., ministries); and evaluation is becoming part of any program or project for two main reasons, justify the legitimacy of the programs and projects, and collect lessons learned for the next similar programs and projects. On the other hand, academicians believe that programs and projects can be improved by conducting proper evaluations and extracting lessons learned. Program/Project evaluation is comprehensive evaluation, which mainly applies to ex-post evaluation. This paper will look closer at an ex-post evaluation of an Algerian highway megaproject based on PESTOL model, this evaluation is already conducted in the period of 2014 – 2016. Considering ex-post evaluation of projects has many purposes and among them is linked to learning and knowledge sharing and transfer. In this regard, the paper describes very briefly the approach used to the post project evaluation. In addition, li...

Research paper thumbnail of The top 10 universal delay factors in construction projects

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose Projects often face delays and unnecessary use of time due to various factors and reasons... more Purpose Projects often face delays and unnecessary use of time due to various factors and reasons, and hence suffer from unfavourable consequences. The purpose of this paper is to identify the universal delay factors from an intensive literature review, complemented by delay factors in major Norwegian construction projects based on empirical data. Design/methodology/approach The study in which this paper is based includes an intensive literature review, and semi-quantitative open survey questionnaires. This paper addresses frequency and type of delay factors in construction projects, in Norway based on the survey, and worldwide based on the previous studies. Findings From the study, the causes of delays facing the Norwegian construction industry are: poor planning and scheduling; slow/poor decision-making process; internal administrative procedures and bureaucracy within project organisations; resources shortage (human resources, machinery, equipment); poor communication and coordin...

Research paper thumbnail of Defining project efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

Purpose This paper studies how the concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy are used in... more Purpose This paper studies how the concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy are used in project management literature. The concepts relate to the degree of success or failure of projects and the degree to which the results are achieved. The purpose of this paper is to review the use of the concepts of efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness in project management literature and among practitioners. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on an extensive literature review, initially from the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business. The first phase involved searching the words “efficiency”, “effectiveness” and “efficacy” in all articles of the journal, and then quantifying the results. This was followed by a qualitative search of the same articles with the aim of understanding how the terms “project efficiency”, “project efficacy” and “project effectiveness” are used. A further intensive literature review was then conducted in other literatures in the fie...

Research paper thumbnail of The Black Swan – Knowing the unknown in projects

A “Black Swan” is produced when the gap between what we know and what we think we know becomes da... more A “Black Swan” is produced when the gap between what we know and what we think we know becomes dangerously wide (Taleb, 2007). This concept is closely related to uncertainty and learning. A Black Swan event is usually a surprise, at least to the observer. However the Black Swan event very much depends on the observer. What may be a Black Swan surprise for a turkey is not a Black Swan surprise to its butcher; so the main objective is to “avoid being the turkey” by exploring and identifying areas of vulnerability in order to avoid surprises. In projects, while some may disagree, almost all failures, even catastrophic ones, are not really Black Swan events but a series of failures that alone may have a negative impact on project outcomes but combined lead to catastrophic failure. However it is surprising how often experienced project teams ignore the early warning signs and move forward into the project lifecycle despite serious problems in many areas that are keys to project success. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Categorization of Organizational Factors and their Impact on Project Performance

The new era of project management has a tendency to move away from the linear and predictable pra... more The new era of project management has a tendency to move away from the linear and predictable practice in projects to one that embrace the complex nature and role of the human element and interrelations. This tendency would make projects to become complex nonlinear systems. Though projects incorporate other elements such as technology, tools, methods and models, the human element can be characterized as the most important element in projects. All organizational factors can be seen as various manifestations of the human element. This paper will list a set of possible shared values – values that affect project performance positively or negatively. In this regard, this paper will look at the characteristics of and the interplay between the shared values. Furthermore, the paper will address how these values impact project performance. In addition to the literature-study, a company sample case study will also be done on a construction project in order to find out shared values that affec...