jaakko kujala | University of Oulu (original) (raw)

Papers by jaakko kujala

Research paper thumbnail of Speed and quality in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery: is there a connection?

Health Care Management Science, 2008

and Policy Making 8h30-10h20 Frankline Dexter Making tactical (budget/financial) decisions based ... more and Policy Making 8h30-10h20 Frankline Dexter Making tactical (budget/financial) decisions based on allocations of OR block time for outpatient and inpatient surgery 10h20-10h40 Coffee break 10h40-12h30 Yasar A. Ozcan Benchmarking & performance evaluation in health care: DEA approach 12h40 14h00 Lunch 14h00 15h30 Session 2-Operating theatre optimization Chair: Frankline Dexter Jeroen M. van Oostrum-Improving OR efficiency by applying bin packing and portfolio techniques to surgical case scheduling Ruth E Wachtel-Reducing tardiness in the start times of surgical cases Frank Dexter, Coordination of Appointments for Anesthesia Care Outside of Operating Rooms Using an Enterprise-Wide Scheduling System Natalie SMITH-GUERIN-Proposal for the planning of the nurses in operating theatre Session 3-Patient flow planning Chair: Jan Vissers Jan Vissers-Patient mix optimisation and resource allocation: a case study in cardiothoracic surgery planning Marc Haspeslagh-Patient allocation on the basis of competence: conceptual considerations and measurement difficulties JJW Molema, Improving patient flow in a hospital Stefano Villa-Restructuring patient flow logistics around the level of intensity of care: Implications and practicalities 15h30 16h30 Session 4: French research initiatives

Research paper thumbnail of Design of an agent-based model to simulate governance in inter-organizational project networks

2017 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM), Dec 1, 2017

Agent-based simulation models provide a means of analyzing and understanding the functioning of c... more Agent-based simulation models provide a means of analyzing and understanding the functioning of complex socioeconomic systems, which often involve multiple interacting entities and non-linear and stochastic interactions. In such models, agents may be individuals or organizations, characterized by such properties as objectives, values, capabilities and resources. Project networks are temporary inter-organizational networks of heterogeneous actors whose purpose is to accomplish a complex set of tasks and reach shared goals. The variety of actors in project networks and the complexity of their interactions makes agent-based simulation a logical choice for simulating such networks. This paper present a design of an agent-based simulation for simulating governance in project network. Key design principles are introduced, along with practical examples of how specific governance mechanisms can be implemented in the model. Additionally, advantages and challenges of agent-based simulation as a research method is discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Project business

He is leading the Project Business research group (PB). Karlos Artto's long experience in working... more He is leading the Project Business research group (PB). Karlos Artto's long experience in working in industry, and his several research projects with global firms and domestic organizations provide a strong empirical basis for his academic achievements. His publications include more than 100 academic papers, book chapters and books on project business and on the management of project-based firms. He belongs to several editorial boards (including International Journal of Project Management, Project Management Journal, and International Journal of Managing Projects in Business). He has supervised more than 100 master's theses and several doctoral dissertations. His current research interests include: project business as a research area and as an area of practical application in firms; business models of global project-based firms; governance of large and networked projects; project strategy as the strategy of a single project and its relation to business strategies of firms participating to the project, and; risk management, especially new paradigms in project risk management.

Research paper thumbnail of Challenges of adopting agile methods in a public organization

International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 2022

Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of t... more Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, several agile methods have been implemented, first in single-team set-ups and later in larger multi-team set-ups for complex Information Technology (IT) system development. However, the adoption of agile methods has been slow in the public sector. This is also reflected in the academic literature, as there are only a few studies discussing agile adoption in public organizations. This paper contributes to research on the use of agile practices specifically in the context of public organizations, and sheds light on the challenges a public organization may face while adopting these practices. The aim of this paper is to identify and categorize the challenges that may hinder efficient adoption and use of agile methods in public IT projects that include private software vendors. This research is based on a case study of a large governmental office. As a result, thi...

Research paper thumbnail of International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, 4(2), 163–180 Evaluating Sources of Risks in Large Engineering Projects: The Roles of Equivocality

Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of informa... more Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of information, as a fundamental basis of project risks. In this study the authors assert that equivocality, i.e., the existence of multiple and con-flicting interpretations, can also serve as a basis of risks. With an in-depth empirical investigation of a large complex engineering project the authors identified risk sources having their bases in the situations where uncertainty or equivocality was the predominant attribute. The information processing theory proposes different managerial practices for risk management based on the sources of risks in uncertainty or equivocality.

Research paper thumbnail of Game-Based Learning in Project Sustainability Management Education

Sustainability, 2021

Projects and project-based activities account for over 30% of the global GPD and act as significa... more Projects and project-based activities account for over 30% of the global GPD and act as significant vehicles in the transition towards a more sustainable future. Sustainability strategies are typically enacted and implemented through projects in project-based organisations and firms. Incorporating sustainability principles into the project, product, and service management processes with successful project decision making is a challenging task and requires new personnel competencies and skills. Project sustainability management education requires the embedding of sustainability principles into project management education in a purposeful, integrative, innovative, and seamless manner. One way to facilitate this process is educational games. Active and experiential teaching methods will enable learning and practising complex project management activities in a simulative environment and are challenging at the same time. To extend knowledge of designing and using educational games for pr...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating Sources of Risks in Large Engineering Projects: The Roles of Equivocality and Uncertainty

International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, 2015

Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of informa... more Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of information, as a fundamental basis of project risks. In this study the authors assert that equivocality, i.e., the existence of multiple and conflicting interpretations, can also serve as a basis of risks. With an in-depth empirical investigation of a large complex engineering project the authors identified risk sources having their bases in the situations where uncertainty or equivocality was the predominant attribute. The information processing theory proposes different managerial practices for risk management based on the sources of risks in uncertainty or equivocality.

Research paper thumbnail of Management principles and safety culture in complex projects (MAPS)

Research paper thumbnail of A System Dynamics Analysis of Value Creation in Project Context

Issue 2, 2021

The focus of this paper is on analyzing the value creation dynamics in the project implementation... more The focus of this paper is on analyzing the value creation dynamics in the project implementation phase. By value creation, we mean the activities, processes, and strategies that the project team uses to increase benefits and/or reduce costs in the project. By synthesizing the literature on project management and system dynamics, we developed a simulation model with various structures underlying project dynamics. We considered four structures that influence project realized value: project team features, project characteristics, project controls and value creation processes, and project remedial actions due to ripple effects. The resulting model can systematically examine the interplay of value creation processes: work progression, rework, redesign and innovation, and rescheduling. We used the model to explain how the project team’s capability, motivation, and speed of making the best-for-project decisions ensure that the value creation goals are met. We simulate various scenarios th...

Research paper thumbnail of Project governance and portfolio management in government digitalization

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2019

Purpose This paper aims to increase the current understanding of the connection between operation... more Purpose This paper aims to increase the current understanding of the connection between operational level information and communication technology (ICT) projects and national level digital transformation by researching how project governance structures and practices are applied in an e-government context. Design/methodology/approach An elaborative qualitative study through public documentary analysis and empirical multi-case research on Finnish central government is used. Findings The study constructs a multi-level governance structure with three main functions and applies this in an empirical setting. The results also describe how different governance practices and processes, focusing on project portfolio management, are applied vertically across different organizational levels to connect the ICT projects with the national digitalization strategy. Originality/value This study integrates project governance and portfolio management knowledge into public sector digitalization, thus co...

Research paper thumbnail of The birth of an ICT project alliance

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2019

PurposeICT projects, especially in the public sector, can have a substantial impact on society bu... more PurposeICT projects, especially in the public sector, can have a substantial impact on society but are challenging due to organizational and technological complexities and uncertainties. Collaborative and cooperative project delivery models, namely, the project alliance method, can mitigate such challenges, but, thus far, have not been utilized in information and communication technology (ICT) projects. The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the cross-field transfer process through which the project alliance model was applied to the ICT field from the construction sector.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive case study of the ICT project alliance early stages was performed. Data were collected from the first known ICT alliance project, conducted in the context of the Finnish public sector digitalization.FindingsThe findings show how the activities of institutional entrepreneurs impact the cross-field transfer process during the ICT project alliance’s early stages. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Project-Based Management as an Organizational Innovation: Drivers, Changes, and Benefits of Adopting Project-Based Management

Project Management Journal, 2006

This paper examines project-based management as an organizational innovation. Institutional theor... more This paper examines project-based management as an organizational innovation. Institutional theory and innovation diffusion literature suggest that the drivers for adopting an organizational innovation may differ across organizations, and that the drivers may be linked with the timing of the innovation. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection, and the sample consisted of 111 companies representing a variety of industries. The results of this study identified external pressure and internal complexity as drivers for introducing project-based management. The degree of process change, depth of project-based management adoption, and local success of project-based management introduction as changes caused by adopting project-based management are examined. The study also reveals benefits from introducing project-based management in the form of improvement in project culture, and efficiency improvement.

Research paper thumbnail of Total Quality Management as a Cultural Phenomenon

Quality Management Journal, 2004

(Espoo, Finland) on the 13th of December, 2002, at 12 noon. 2.1.1 Research domains_______________... more (Espoo, Finland) on the 13th of December, 2002, at 12 noon. 2.1.1 Research domains______________________________________________________32 2.1.2 Critical view to total quality management ___________________________________39 2.1.3 Summary ____________________________________________________________41 2.2 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF TQM _________________________________ 41 2.3 CURRENT CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATION OF TQM __________________________ 43 2.3.1 Research based frameworks of TQM _______________________________________43 2.3.2 Contemporary practical models of TQM ____________________________________44 2.3.3 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award __________________________________48 2.4 TQM IMPLEMENTATION, CONTENT AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS______________ 53 2.5 THE CONCPET OF IDEAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT _________________________ 55 2.6 CONCLUSION_______________________________________________________ 56 Role and Benefits of TQM ________________________________________58 3.1 ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES________________________________________ 58 3.2 ROLE OF TQM IN ENSURING ORGANIZATONAL SURVIVAL__________________ 59 3.2.1 Processes of external adaptation and internal integration________________________60 3.2.2 Institutional perspective _________________________________________________63 3.2.3 Integrated approach to organizational survival _______________________________65 3.3 OPTIMUM LEVEL OF TQM IMPLEMENTATION ___________________________ 67 3.4 CONCLUSION_______________________________________________________ 69 Towards A cultural framework for total quality management __________71 4.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR TQM _________________________________ 71 4.2 DECONSTRUCTION OF TQM __________________________________________ 74 4.2.1 Basic assumptions _____________________________________________________75 4.2.2 Core values___________________________________________________________79 4.2.3 Management areas _____________________________________________________81 4.2.4 Management practices and approaches _____________________________________82 4.3 ANALYSIS OF BASIC ASSUMPTIONS _____________________________________ 83 4.3.1 Historical basis of basic assumptions _______________________________________83 4.3.2 Organization's Mission and Relationship to Nature____________________________87 4.3.3 The Nature of Reality and Truth __________________________________________90 4.3.4 The Nature of Human Nature and Relationship _______________________________93 4.3.5 The Nature of Time and Space____________________________________________96 4.3.6 Critical remarks _______________________________________________________99 4.4 CONSTRUCTING IDEAL QUALITY CULTURE _____________________________ 102 4.4.1 Relationships among basic assumptions____________________________________102 4.4.2 Contradicting cultural assumptions and management approaches ________________103 4.4.3 Convergent validity of ideal quality culture _________________________________106 4.4.4 Macro level contingencies of ideal quality culture____________________________106 4.5 ORGANIZATIONAL AND IDEAL QUALITY CULTURE FIT_____________________ 109 4.6 CONCLUSION______________________________________________________ 111 Empirical Illustration of Culture Based Model ______________________112 5.1 INTRODUCTION ____________________________________________________ 112 5.1.1 Objectives for the case study ____________________________________________112 5.1.2 Research design and description of the research process _______________________113 5.1.3 Nature of project-oriented organization as non-routine system __________________115 5.1.4 Existing body of knowledge about TQM in project-organization ________________118 5.2 CASE STUDY: ANALYSIS OF TQM WITHIN CULTURE BASED FRAMEWORK ____ 120 5.2.1 Brief business history of case organization _________________________________120 5.2.2 Data gathering and identification of TQM related cultural assumptions ___________122 5.2.3 Recommendations and resulting management actions _________________________126 5.3 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ______________________________________ 128 Discussion_____________________________________________________130 6.1 ROLE AND BENEFITS OF TQM IN VALMET CORPORATION_________________ 130 6.2 IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE _________________________________________ 132 6.2.1 Organizational culture as a key element in TQM implementation program_________132 6.2.2 Role and benefits of a successful TQM implementation program ________________133 6.3 RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS ________________________________________ 135 6.3.1 Focus and level of analysis in TQM related research__________________________136 6.3.2 TQM as a research field in management theory ______________________________138 6.4 CONTRIBUTION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE STUDY ________________________ 138 Conclusion and future research ___________________________________141 Final remarks__________________________________________________142 9 When applying these laws, explicit assumptions are made about (1) the relative speed of the object, and (2) the size of the objects. 10 The name of the organization was changed to Metso Corporation in 1998 as a result of a merge between Valmet Corporation and Rauma Corporation. In this research, I have used name Valmet is those instances when I refer to the organization prior to 1998. Additionally, for a short period between 1998-2000, the former Valmet Automation was named Neles Automation. 11 For a description of the early phases of the quality development in Valmet Corporations see Savolainen (1997:54). 12 See for example Majerczyk and DeRosa (1994) and Peach (1994) for discussion about how to used ISO 9001 standards as the first step for more comprehensive quality management system.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating university–industry collaboration: the European Foundation of Quality Management excellence model-based evaluation of university–industry collaboration

Tertiary Education and Management, 2015

The growth in university-industry collaboration has resulted in an increasing demand for methods ... more The growth in university-industry collaboration has resulted in an increasing demand for methods to evaluate it. This paper presents one way to evaluate an organization's collaborative activities based on the European Foundation of Quality Management excellence model. Success factors of collaboration are derived from literature and compared against the quality award criteria. Tailored evaluation criteria are proposed based on the analysis and piloted by evaluating a biosciences research umbrella organization. The results show that success factors of university-industry collaboration can be addressed by using the model-based evaluation criteria. The results of the study can potentially be used by actors on both sides of university-industry collaboration to evaluate their organization's collaboration capabilities and performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Collaborative Meeting as an Integrative Mechanism in a Multinational Investment Project

Technology and Investment, 2014

In multinational and complex projects that are often implemented by multiple organizations, the e... more In multinational and complex projects that are often implemented by multiple organizations, the entire projects need to be divided into manageable subprojects. At the same time, all subprojects are needed to be kept aligned with the project goals and targets by integration and coordination. The purpose of this article is to study the role of a particular, workshop type, collaborative meeting by utilizing the characteristics of an integrative information processing framework. A single case study method was used to observe the practices of collaborative meetings. This study contributes to the project management research by analysing how collaborative meeting practice can be used as a mechanism to reduce uncertainty and equivocality in a large investment project. The results of this study are two folds: Firstly, the case project's collaborative meetings are described in detail; secondly, the perceived features and procedures of the collaborative meetings in the case project are illustrated showing the role of the collaborative meetings as an integrative tool. Moreover, the perceived integrative characteristics of the collaborative meetings reducing uncertainty and equivocality are presented. This study indicates that collaborative meeting is an integrative mechanism reducing uncertainty and equivocality in a large investment project context.

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated internal evaluation in a higher education institution

International Journal of Management in Education, 2015

Evaluations, both internal and external, have become increasingly common and often compulsory in ... more Evaluations, both internal and external, have become increasingly common and often compulsory in higher education. Nevertheless, utilising the evaluation results and linking the evaluations to the university's quality assurance system often proves challenging. This article aims to analyse how internal evaluation should be conducted in order to enable integration of internal and external evaluations in higher education. The study is based on analysing an internal evaluation project carried out in a university in Finland. The findings of this study include presenting relevant roles and activities of stakeholders, and key requirements, during different phases of internal evaluation. The key requirements for the success of the integrated internal evaluations identified in this study include: internal evaluation should be based on peer evaluations, evaluators should be trained and given adequate base information to enable critical and logical evaluation and internal evaluation ought to be seen as a collective process with shared ownership.

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Operating Room Cost in Cardiac Surgery with Three Process Interventions

Encyclopedia of Healthcare Information Systems

Research paper thumbnail of The Project Business

Oxford Handbooks Online, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of What is project governance and what are its origins?

International Journal of Project Management, 2014

Although there is an ever-increasing discussion on governance in recent project research, the con... more Although there is an ever-increasing discussion on governance in recent project research, the concept of project governance and its main origins remains ambiguous. In this paper, we examine project governance literature and contrast it to general governance literature published outside the domain of project research. Our analysis revealed the existence of two distinct and relatively independent streams of research. One of these streams addresses project governance as a phenomenon external to any specific project, while the other views project governance as internal to a specific project. Our results further indicate that while project governance literature bases most of its argumentation on established project research it also, to a significant extent, draws from the transaction cost economics literature. Based on our findings, we argue that there exists considerable potential for bridging project governance literature and general governance literature further.

Research paper thumbnail of What is project strategy?

International Journal of Project Management, 2008

The concept of project strategy-referring to the strategy of a single project-has remained ambigu... more The concept of project strategy-referring to the strategy of a single project-has remained ambiguous in existing studies. In this research we review literature from multiple viewpoints to develop a novel definition and interpretation about the project strategy concept. Our definition is used to derive different alternative project strategies from literature, characterized by two important dimensions in a project's environment: project's independence and number of strong project stakeholder organizations. We introduce four types of strategies for a project along these two dimensions: obedient servant, independent innovator, flexible mediator, and strong leader. Existing research using the project strategy concept mostly assumes that there is one strong parent organization for a project; indeed, the parent is assumed to dictate an image of its strategy to the project, and the project is assumed to take an obedient servant's role, to serve as a tactical vehicle that becomes a mere part of its parent organization and the parent's strategic scheme. Our project strategy definition and the four project strategy types allow a more open interpretation about the content of alternative environment-dependent project strategies as well as the processes of strategy formulation and implementation. The wider concept of project strategy introduced in this paper recognizes more widely the various positions that a single project may take in its environment. This way, our paper contributes even to development of new and context-specific project management bodies of knowledge in the future. The paper suggests empirical research and further conceptual research on detailed contents of different project strategies.

Research paper thumbnail of Speed and quality in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery: is there a connection?

Health Care Management Science, 2008

and Policy Making 8h30-10h20 Frankline Dexter Making tactical (budget/financial) decisions based ... more and Policy Making 8h30-10h20 Frankline Dexter Making tactical (budget/financial) decisions based on allocations of OR block time for outpatient and inpatient surgery 10h20-10h40 Coffee break 10h40-12h30 Yasar A. Ozcan Benchmarking & performance evaluation in health care: DEA approach 12h40 14h00 Lunch 14h00 15h30 Session 2-Operating theatre optimization Chair: Frankline Dexter Jeroen M. van Oostrum-Improving OR efficiency by applying bin packing and portfolio techniques to surgical case scheduling Ruth E Wachtel-Reducing tardiness in the start times of surgical cases Frank Dexter, Coordination of Appointments for Anesthesia Care Outside of Operating Rooms Using an Enterprise-Wide Scheduling System Natalie SMITH-GUERIN-Proposal for the planning of the nurses in operating theatre Session 3-Patient flow planning Chair: Jan Vissers Jan Vissers-Patient mix optimisation and resource allocation: a case study in cardiothoracic surgery planning Marc Haspeslagh-Patient allocation on the basis of competence: conceptual considerations and measurement difficulties JJW Molema, Improving patient flow in a hospital Stefano Villa-Restructuring patient flow logistics around the level of intensity of care: Implications and practicalities 15h30 16h30 Session 4: French research initiatives

Research paper thumbnail of Design of an agent-based model to simulate governance in inter-organizational project networks

2017 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM), Dec 1, 2017

Agent-based simulation models provide a means of analyzing and understanding the functioning of c... more Agent-based simulation models provide a means of analyzing and understanding the functioning of complex socioeconomic systems, which often involve multiple interacting entities and non-linear and stochastic interactions. In such models, agents may be individuals or organizations, characterized by such properties as objectives, values, capabilities and resources. Project networks are temporary inter-organizational networks of heterogeneous actors whose purpose is to accomplish a complex set of tasks and reach shared goals. The variety of actors in project networks and the complexity of their interactions makes agent-based simulation a logical choice for simulating such networks. This paper present a design of an agent-based simulation for simulating governance in project network. Key design principles are introduced, along with practical examples of how specific governance mechanisms can be implemented in the model. Additionally, advantages and challenges of agent-based simulation as a research method is discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Project business

He is leading the Project Business research group (PB). Karlos Artto's long experience in working... more He is leading the Project Business research group (PB). Karlos Artto's long experience in working in industry, and his several research projects with global firms and domestic organizations provide a strong empirical basis for his academic achievements. His publications include more than 100 academic papers, book chapters and books on project business and on the management of project-based firms. He belongs to several editorial boards (including International Journal of Project Management, Project Management Journal, and International Journal of Managing Projects in Business). He has supervised more than 100 master's theses and several doctoral dissertations. His current research interests include: project business as a research area and as an area of practical application in firms; business models of global project-based firms; governance of large and networked projects; project strategy as the strategy of a single project and its relation to business strategies of firms participating to the project, and; risk management, especially new paradigms in project risk management.

Research paper thumbnail of Challenges of adopting agile methods in a public organization

International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 2022

Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of t... more Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, several agile methods have been implemented, first in single-team set-ups and later in larger multi-team set-ups for complex Information Technology (IT) system development. However, the adoption of agile methods has been slow in the public sector. This is also reflected in the academic literature, as there are only a few studies discussing agile adoption in public organizations. This paper contributes to research on the use of agile practices specifically in the context of public organizations, and sheds light on the challenges a public organization may face while adopting these practices. The aim of this paper is to identify and categorize the challenges that may hinder efficient adoption and use of agile methods in public IT projects that include private software vendors. This research is based on a case study of a large governmental office. As a result, thi...

Research paper thumbnail of International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, 4(2), 163–180 Evaluating Sources of Risks in Large Engineering Projects: The Roles of Equivocality

Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of informa... more Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of information, as a fundamental basis of project risks. In this study the authors assert that equivocality, i.e., the existence of multiple and con-flicting interpretations, can also serve as a basis of risks. With an in-depth empirical investigation of a large complex engineering project the authors identified risk sources having their bases in the situations where uncertainty or equivocality was the predominant attribute. The information processing theory proposes different managerial practices for risk management based on the sources of risks in uncertainty or equivocality.

Research paper thumbnail of Game-Based Learning in Project Sustainability Management Education

Sustainability, 2021

Projects and project-based activities account for over 30% of the global GPD and act as significa... more Projects and project-based activities account for over 30% of the global GPD and act as significant vehicles in the transition towards a more sustainable future. Sustainability strategies are typically enacted and implemented through projects in project-based organisations and firms. Incorporating sustainability principles into the project, product, and service management processes with successful project decision making is a challenging task and requires new personnel competencies and skills. Project sustainability management education requires the embedding of sustainability principles into project management education in a purposeful, integrative, innovative, and seamless manner. One way to facilitate this process is educational games. Active and experiential teaching methods will enable learning and practising complex project management activities in a simulative environment and are challenging at the same time. To extend knowledge of designing and using educational games for pr...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating Sources of Risks in Large Engineering Projects: The Roles of Equivocality and Uncertainty

International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, 2015

Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of informa... more Contemporary project risk management literature introduces uncertainty, i.e., the lack of information, as a fundamental basis of project risks. In this study the authors assert that equivocality, i.e., the existence of multiple and conflicting interpretations, can also serve as a basis of risks. With an in-depth empirical investigation of a large complex engineering project the authors identified risk sources having their bases in the situations where uncertainty or equivocality was the predominant attribute. The information processing theory proposes different managerial practices for risk management based on the sources of risks in uncertainty or equivocality.

Research paper thumbnail of Management principles and safety culture in complex projects (MAPS)

Research paper thumbnail of A System Dynamics Analysis of Value Creation in Project Context

Issue 2, 2021

The focus of this paper is on analyzing the value creation dynamics in the project implementation... more The focus of this paper is on analyzing the value creation dynamics in the project implementation phase. By value creation, we mean the activities, processes, and strategies that the project team uses to increase benefits and/or reduce costs in the project. By synthesizing the literature on project management and system dynamics, we developed a simulation model with various structures underlying project dynamics. We considered four structures that influence project realized value: project team features, project characteristics, project controls and value creation processes, and project remedial actions due to ripple effects. The resulting model can systematically examine the interplay of value creation processes: work progression, rework, redesign and innovation, and rescheduling. We used the model to explain how the project team’s capability, motivation, and speed of making the best-for-project decisions ensure that the value creation goals are met. We simulate various scenarios th...

Research paper thumbnail of Project governance and portfolio management in government digitalization

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2019

Purpose This paper aims to increase the current understanding of the connection between operation... more Purpose This paper aims to increase the current understanding of the connection between operational level information and communication technology (ICT) projects and national level digital transformation by researching how project governance structures and practices are applied in an e-government context. Design/methodology/approach An elaborative qualitative study through public documentary analysis and empirical multi-case research on Finnish central government is used. Findings The study constructs a multi-level governance structure with three main functions and applies this in an empirical setting. The results also describe how different governance practices and processes, focusing on project portfolio management, are applied vertically across different organizational levels to connect the ICT projects with the national digitalization strategy. Originality/value This study integrates project governance and portfolio management knowledge into public sector digitalization, thus co...

Research paper thumbnail of The birth of an ICT project alliance

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2019

PurposeICT projects, especially in the public sector, can have a substantial impact on society bu... more PurposeICT projects, especially in the public sector, can have a substantial impact on society but are challenging due to organizational and technological complexities and uncertainties. Collaborative and cooperative project delivery models, namely, the project alliance method, can mitigate such challenges, but, thus far, have not been utilized in information and communication technology (ICT) projects. The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the cross-field transfer process through which the project alliance model was applied to the ICT field from the construction sector.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive case study of the ICT project alliance early stages was performed. Data were collected from the first known ICT alliance project, conducted in the context of the Finnish public sector digitalization.FindingsThe findings show how the activities of institutional entrepreneurs impact the cross-field transfer process during the ICT project alliance’s early stages. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Project-Based Management as an Organizational Innovation: Drivers, Changes, and Benefits of Adopting Project-Based Management

Project Management Journal, 2006

This paper examines project-based management as an organizational innovation. Institutional theor... more This paper examines project-based management as an organizational innovation. Institutional theory and innovation diffusion literature suggest that the drivers for adopting an organizational innovation may differ across organizations, and that the drivers may be linked with the timing of the innovation. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection, and the sample consisted of 111 companies representing a variety of industries. The results of this study identified external pressure and internal complexity as drivers for introducing project-based management. The degree of process change, depth of project-based management adoption, and local success of project-based management introduction as changes caused by adopting project-based management are examined. The study also reveals benefits from introducing project-based management in the form of improvement in project culture, and efficiency improvement.

Research paper thumbnail of Total Quality Management as a Cultural Phenomenon

Quality Management Journal, 2004

(Espoo, Finland) on the 13th of December, 2002, at 12 noon. 2.1.1 Research domains_______________... more (Espoo, Finland) on the 13th of December, 2002, at 12 noon. 2.1.1 Research domains______________________________________________________32 2.1.2 Critical view to total quality management ___________________________________39 2.1.3 Summary ____________________________________________________________41 2.2 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF TQM _________________________________ 41 2.3 CURRENT CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATION OF TQM __________________________ 43 2.3.1 Research based frameworks of TQM _______________________________________43 2.3.2 Contemporary practical models of TQM ____________________________________44 2.3.3 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award __________________________________48 2.4 TQM IMPLEMENTATION, CONTENT AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS______________ 53 2.5 THE CONCPET OF IDEAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT _________________________ 55 2.6 CONCLUSION_______________________________________________________ 56 Role and Benefits of TQM ________________________________________58 3.1 ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES________________________________________ 58 3.2 ROLE OF TQM IN ENSURING ORGANIZATONAL SURVIVAL__________________ 59 3.2.1 Processes of external adaptation and internal integration________________________60 3.2.2 Institutional perspective _________________________________________________63 3.2.3 Integrated approach to organizational survival _______________________________65 3.3 OPTIMUM LEVEL OF TQM IMPLEMENTATION ___________________________ 67 3.4 CONCLUSION_______________________________________________________ 69 Towards A cultural framework for total quality management __________71 4.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR TQM _________________________________ 71 4.2 DECONSTRUCTION OF TQM __________________________________________ 74 4.2.1 Basic assumptions _____________________________________________________75 4.2.2 Core values___________________________________________________________79 4.2.3 Management areas _____________________________________________________81 4.2.4 Management practices and approaches _____________________________________82 4.3 ANALYSIS OF BASIC ASSUMPTIONS _____________________________________ 83 4.3.1 Historical basis of basic assumptions _______________________________________83 4.3.2 Organization's Mission and Relationship to Nature____________________________87 4.3.3 The Nature of Reality and Truth __________________________________________90 4.3.4 The Nature of Human Nature and Relationship _______________________________93 4.3.5 The Nature of Time and Space____________________________________________96 4.3.6 Critical remarks _______________________________________________________99 4.4 CONSTRUCTING IDEAL QUALITY CULTURE _____________________________ 102 4.4.1 Relationships among basic assumptions____________________________________102 4.4.2 Contradicting cultural assumptions and management approaches ________________103 4.4.3 Convergent validity of ideal quality culture _________________________________106 4.4.4 Macro level contingencies of ideal quality culture____________________________106 4.5 ORGANIZATIONAL AND IDEAL QUALITY CULTURE FIT_____________________ 109 4.6 CONCLUSION______________________________________________________ 111 Empirical Illustration of Culture Based Model ______________________112 5.1 INTRODUCTION ____________________________________________________ 112 5.1.1 Objectives for the case study ____________________________________________112 5.1.2 Research design and description of the research process _______________________113 5.1.3 Nature of project-oriented organization as non-routine system __________________115 5.1.4 Existing body of knowledge about TQM in project-organization ________________118 5.2 CASE STUDY: ANALYSIS OF TQM WITHIN CULTURE BASED FRAMEWORK ____ 120 5.2.1 Brief business history of case organization _________________________________120 5.2.2 Data gathering and identification of TQM related cultural assumptions ___________122 5.2.3 Recommendations and resulting management actions _________________________126 5.3 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ______________________________________ 128 Discussion_____________________________________________________130 6.1 ROLE AND BENEFITS OF TQM IN VALMET CORPORATION_________________ 130 6.2 IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE _________________________________________ 132 6.2.1 Organizational culture as a key element in TQM implementation program_________132 6.2.2 Role and benefits of a successful TQM implementation program ________________133 6.3 RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS ________________________________________ 135 6.3.1 Focus and level of analysis in TQM related research__________________________136 6.3.2 TQM as a research field in management theory ______________________________138 6.4 CONTRIBUTION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE STUDY ________________________ 138 Conclusion and future research ___________________________________141 Final remarks__________________________________________________142 9 When applying these laws, explicit assumptions are made about (1) the relative speed of the object, and (2) the size of the objects. 10 The name of the organization was changed to Metso Corporation in 1998 as a result of a merge between Valmet Corporation and Rauma Corporation. In this research, I have used name Valmet is those instances when I refer to the organization prior to 1998. Additionally, for a short period between 1998-2000, the former Valmet Automation was named Neles Automation. 11 For a description of the early phases of the quality development in Valmet Corporations see Savolainen (1997:54). 12 See for example Majerczyk and DeRosa (1994) and Peach (1994) for discussion about how to used ISO 9001 standards as the first step for more comprehensive quality management system.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating university–industry collaboration: the European Foundation of Quality Management excellence model-based evaluation of university–industry collaboration

Tertiary Education and Management, 2015

The growth in university-industry collaboration has resulted in an increasing demand for methods ... more The growth in university-industry collaboration has resulted in an increasing demand for methods to evaluate it. This paper presents one way to evaluate an organization's collaborative activities based on the European Foundation of Quality Management excellence model. Success factors of collaboration are derived from literature and compared against the quality award criteria. Tailored evaluation criteria are proposed based on the analysis and piloted by evaluating a biosciences research umbrella organization. The results show that success factors of university-industry collaboration can be addressed by using the model-based evaluation criteria. The results of the study can potentially be used by actors on both sides of university-industry collaboration to evaluate their organization's collaboration capabilities and performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Collaborative Meeting as an Integrative Mechanism in a Multinational Investment Project

Technology and Investment, 2014

In multinational and complex projects that are often implemented by multiple organizations, the e... more In multinational and complex projects that are often implemented by multiple organizations, the entire projects need to be divided into manageable subprojects. At the same time, all subprojects are needed to be kept aligned with the project goals and targets by integration and coordination. The purpose of this article is to study the role of a particular, workshop type, collaborative meeting by utilizing the characteristics of an integrative information processing framework. A single case study method was used to observe the practices of collaborative meetings. This study contributes to the project management research by analysing how collaborative meeting practice can be used as a mechanism to reduce uncertainty and equivocality in a large investment project. The results of this study are two folds: Firstly, the case project's collaborative meetings are described in detail; secondly, the perceived features and procedures of the collaborative meetings in the case project are illustrated showing the role of the collaborative meetings as an integrative tool. Moreover, the perceived integrative characteristics of the collaborative meetings reducing uncertainty and equivocality are presented. This study indicates that collaborative meeting is an integrative mechanism reducing uncertainty and equivocality in a large investment project context.

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated internal evaluation in a higher education institution

International Journal of Management in Education, 2015

Evaluations, both internal and external, have become increasingly common and often compulsory in ... more Evaluations, both internal and external, have become increasingly common and often compulsory in higher education. Nevertheless, utilising the evaluation results and linking the evaluations to the university's quality assurance system often proves challenging. This article aims to analyse how internal evaluation should be conducted in order to enable integration of internal and external evaluations in higher education. The study is based on analysing an internal evaluation project carried out in a university in Finland. The findings of this study include presenting relevant roles and activities of stakeholders, and key requirements, during different phases of internal evaluation. The key requirements for the success of the integrated internal evaluations identified in this study include: internal evaluation should be based on peer evaluations, evaluators should be trained and given adequate base information to enable critical and logical evaluation and internal evaluation ought to be seen as a collective process with shared ownership.

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Operating Room Cost in Cardiac Surgery with Three Process Interventions

Encyclopedia of Healthcare Information Systems

Research paper thumbnail of The Project Business

Oxford Handbooks Online, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of What is project governance and what are its origins?

International Journal of Project Management, 2014

Although there is an ever-increasing discussion on governance in recent project research, the con... more Although there is an ever-increasing discussion on governance in recent project research, the concept of project governance and its main origins remains ambiguous. In this paper, we examine project governance literature and contrast it to general governance literature published outside the domain of project research. Our analysis revealed the existence of two distinct and relatively independent streams of research. One of these streams addresses project governance as a phenomenon external to any specific project, while the other views project governance as internal to a specific project. Our results further indicate that while project governance literature bases most of its argumentation on established project research it also, to a significant extent, draws from the transaction cost economics literature. Based on our findings, we argue that there exists considerable potential for bridging project governance literature and general governance literature further.

Research paper thumbnail of What is project strategy?

International Journal of Project Management, 2008

The concept of project strategy-referring to the strategy of a single project-has remained ambigu... more The concept of project strategy-referring to the strategy of a single project-has remained ambiguous in existing studies. In this research we review literature from multiple viewpoints to develop a novel definition and interpretation about the project strategy concept. Our definition is used to derive different alternative project strategies from literature, characterized by two important dimensions in a project's environment: project's independence and number of strong project stakeholder organizations. We introduce four types of strategies for a project along these two dimensions: obedient servant, independent innovator, flexible mediator, and strong leader. Existing research using the project strategy concept mostly assumes that there is one strong parent organization for a project; indeed, the parent is assumed to dictate an image of its strategy to the project, and the project is assumed to take an obedient servant's role, to serve as a tactical vehicle that becomes a mere part of its parent organization and the parent's strategic scheme. Our project strategy definition and the four project strategy types allow a more open interpretation about the content of alternative environment-dependent project strategies as well as the processes of strategy formulation and implementation. The wider concept of project strategy introduced in this paper recognizes more widely the various positions that a single project may take in its environment. This way, our paper contributes even to development of new and context-specific project management bodies of knowledge in the future. The paper suggests empirical research and further conceptual research on detailed contents of different project strategies.