Environmentally sustainable building construction has experienced significant growth during the past 10 years. The public is becoming more aware of the benefits of green construction as prominent ...politicians, celebrities, documentarians, and journalists highlight the built environment’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource consumption. Other factors, including higher energy prices, increased costs of building materials, and regulatory incentives, are also pushing the green building market to grow and expand. However, barriers to green building continue to exist, including the ability to deliver a green project within acceptable cost constraints. In order for project managers to deliver sustainable construction according to clients’ cost expectations, modifications must be made to traditional project management processes and practices. The objective of this paper is to suggest specific modifications to conventional building practices to optimize the delivery of cost-efficient green building projects. This paper presents an overview of research related to the costs and trends of green building and uses these research findings to make recommendations for greening project management practices for the construction industry. Our research results show that greening project management practices can add significant value to a sustainable construction project while delivering it within acceptable cost constraints. A detailed analysis using matrix present specific adjustments to traditional project management practices, with a premise that a green project improves its chances for financial success if a cross-discipline team is involved at the earliest stages and throughout the project.
In spite of advances in the project management profession, research studies have shown that many projects fail, underlining the importance of the project manager's role as manager. Specifically, the ...manager's leadership role is of great importance in motivating people and creating an effective working environment in order for the project team to meet greater challenges in today's global economy. In this research study, using the literature review, important people-related factors of project performance are identified, then surveys and structured, personal interviews were used to develop a project manager leadership and management model, which helped to analyze underlying interactions among these factors and the role of leadership in project performance.
The role of a project manager's leadership competence in improving project performance is critical. However, little attention has been given to people-related competencies of the project manager as a ...leader. This study aims to develop and test a model of project manager leadership competence. To investigate the influence of a project manager's leadership competence on project performance, 289 project managers working on public sector projects in Pakistan were surveyed. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to analyze interrelationships among specific competencies and to explain these competencies in terms of their common underlying dimensions. Hierarchical Regression Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were employed to test research hypotheses and the model. Findings from this study demonstrate that all five leadership competencies of a project manager are significantly related to achievement of project performance in terms of schedule, cost, and quality, as well as stakeholder satisfaction.
Based on extensive literature review, this theoretical paper adds to the “soft skill” research stream by enlarging the scope of personality dimensions and their subsequent effects on project success ...and, second, considers dimensions heretofore not explored within the project management body of knowledge. We posit that a project manager's extent of communication apprehension, degree of innovativeness, level of self‐monitoring, conflict management style, degree of change orientation and Myers‐Briggs (MBTI) personality type can affect project outcomes. Additionally, we conjecture that organizational dynamics such as structure, incentive systems, and organizational project management maturity can moderate the relationship between these personality dimensions and project success.
The importance of projects has resulted in increased international standards, academic research, and education and training on project management concepts. However, studies show that the number of ...successful projects has not changed significantly. As conventional wisdom emphasizes organizational project management maturity, the aim of this research effort is to study the relations between project success and project performance factors, and organizational project management maturity.The results of this study suggest that having a project portfolio management function within the organization improves the likelihood of assigning priority for projects and meeting quality expectations and project objectives. The presence of formalized project management processes may influence the assigning of project priority and the use of project planning tools and techniques. Furthermore, organizations with project policies and procedures in place are more likely to require project managers to have their PMP certification. Results show that customer satisfaction is considered the most important project success factor and more so for organizations with portfolio management in place.
Purpose - Given that it is difficult to establish monetary benefits for KM initiatives, this paper aims to present a model that consists of a set of enablers and barriers for successful KM ...implementation to obtain desired results. The contributions of the research effort should also support organizations in making decisions about improving organizational performance using KM initiatives, and understanding the directional relations among KM factors.Design methodology approach - In the research study, using a literature review, the authors identify a set of enablers of and barriers to successful KM implementation. Using this set of factors, a questionnaire is developed by applying the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology to determine the underlying relations among these factors and to develop strategies for the successful implementation of KM initiatives. As a result of the ISM methodology, the paper presents a model to show its findings.Findings - The research study findings help to identify important strategies for implementing KM successfully. Further, the study suggests methodologies for KM implementation.Originality value - Knowledge is recognized as a critical resource to gain and sustain competitive advantage in business. While many organizations employ knowledge management (KM) initiatives, research studies suggest that it is difficult to establish return on investment of such efforts; however, desired results can be obtained through successful implementation. The paper presents approaches to successful KM implementation.
This article investigates the impact of abusive supervision in causing the loss of psychological safety, which in turn impacts knowledge-sharing among project team members. Moderation and moderated ...mediation of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the direct and indirect relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge sharing is also tested. Using a multiwave and multisource survey, data are collected from 239 subordinate-supervisor dyads in Indian project organizations. Our research results suggest that employees with abusive leaders suffer a loss of psychological safety which in turn demotivates knowledge sharing behavior. Furthermore, the effects of abusive supervision on knowledge sharing are moderated by PsyCap such that the negative impact is alleviated by high PsyCap. Most significantly, the moderated mediation findings show that the mediated relationship is contingent on the level of PsyCap, such that the negative influence of hostile behaviors of supervisors on knowledge sharing via psychological safety is attenuated by low PsyCap. The findings of the study suggest that organizations should invest time and effort in preventing abusive supervision in the workplace and enhancing psychological safety. Clear policies, well-developed communication systems, and active involvement of employees go a long way in building a psychologically safe working environment. Given the importance of PsyCap in influencing psychological safety and knowledge sharing, organizations should pay attention to screening for personal resources in addition to knowledge, skills, and abilities. As a personal resource, PsyCap is malleable and firms may invest in developing employees' PsyCap resources.
Purpose - The challenge facing knowledge management (KM) professionals is how to leverage knowledge for improving organizational performance. From a management perspective, it is important to utilize ...KM systems for improving communication, and collaboration to enhance employee skills with a focus on improving productivity. From a leadership perspective, it is critical to ensure that KM investments result in promoting collaborative culture both at individual and organizational levels to encourage knowledge sharing for better decision making and innovation. Ultimately, the purpose of KM is to leverage knowledge in order to improve organizational performance internally and externally. This paper aims to address these challenges from leadership perspective.Design methodology approach - This research addressed the following questions: how does an organization manage knowledge resources to gain and sustain competitive advantage? What is the role of KM leadership in making effective use of KM? A literature review was used to understand the role of leadership and the relation between KM and organizational performance. Further, two research studies, which employed interpretive structural modeling (ISM) were used to answer these two questions.Findings - The study finds that selection of a competent leader is critical first step establishing an effective KM initiative as the leader plays an important role in obtaining top management and budgetary supports and in building technology infrastructure to accomplish KM goals. Further, KM leadership assumes greater importance during its initial implementation phase.Practical implications - Effective KM leadership is a prerequisite to implementing a KM initiative and organizations will experience better results if they choose a leader before a detailed plan for KM initiative is developed and implemented.Originality value - This paper provides useful information on the effective KM leadership role.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a knowledge base for project managers to understand and deal with issues that arise out of Generation Y working with other generations. The research ...study is expected to generate interest among the research community for undertaking similar studies to advance understanding on this interesting and important topic.Design methodology approach - This research method consists of analyzing literature review findings and survey results of an exploratory study of Generation Y working professionals. Both the literature review findings and the study results were analyzed to develop findings and recommendations.Findings - Research results confirmed that the generation gap is an issue. Generation Y is viewed unfavorably and they face struggles in dealing with other generations. These generation gap issues might vary depending on the type of industry and composition of the workforce. People from each generation - raised in different social and technological contexts - bring different attitudes, values, and work ethics to the workplace and a project manager is required to manage these to improve project team effectiveness.Research limitations implications - The research study has a participant selection bias; only Gen Y working professionals from the USA participated in the study and people from other generations and Generation Y people from other countries were not included in the study. Therefore, study results do not reflect issues from the perspectives of other generations. A similar study that considers participation of people from real project teams consisting of different generations is recommended to validate the research results of this study.Practical implications - The paper explored issues concerning project teams consisting of members from different generations. Results are expected to help project managers develop team management strategies. This study is also aimed to develop a foundation for future studies to examine how project management can deal with project teams consisting of people of different generations working together. The study findings and implications for practical use are limited due to participation bias.Originality value - The study is an original effort in examining some of the issues related to different generations working together in a project environment. Results are of relevance in today's corporate world. Project teams span many generations and present challenges in developing them into a high performing team. This paper addresses some of the challenges from the perspective of Generation Y.
Purpose - The paper seeks to identify attributes of KM effectiveness and establish their relation with business results. The research premise is that KM outcomes are difficult to measure but their ...contributions to organizational performance can be assessed.Design methodology approach - The research paper has addressed the following questions: what are the key attributes of KM effectiveness? How can management use these key attributes to leverage knowledge assets for improved organizational performance? A literature review was used to identify the attributes of KM effectiveness. Then KM professionals and practitioners were invited to participate and respond to a survey-based questionnaire to establish important attributes of KM effectiveness. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) was used to develop and determine the underlying relations among these key attributes.Findings - Leadership is the main driver for successful KM implementation. KM leadership is primarily responsible for supporting and sustaining a learning environment in organizations. Aligning KM initiatives with the strategic plan of organizations would direct KM efforts toward improved organizational performance such as customer satisfaction and business growth. KM initiatives promote customer satisfaction through better product or service quality. In turn, these outcomes promote new products and services, and increased revenue.Research limitations implications - As KM practitioners and professionals have participated in this study, these results are limited to the KM discipline only. As the majority of the respondents are from for-profit organizations, the results may be biased towards for-profit organizations. The research findings and conclusions must be seen in the context of the profiles of the respondents and organizations they represent. Future research should focus on exploring how these attributes vary with respect to demographics and type of organization. Further research efforts should include more types of organizations from wider geographical regions.Practical implications - KM effectiveness can lead to improvements in performance such as customer satisfaction through better product or service quality. KM efforts can be directed to develop new product or service developments, and increased revenues.Originality value - The research effort is an attempt to capture the mental model for successful KM implementation. The study is useful for KM professionals in developing and implementing KM systems and processes.
