Elmahroug, M H; Tutesigensi, A and Brookes, N J (2014) Integrating external stakeholder identification and project initiation in civil engineering infrastructure projects. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (eds.) Proceedings of 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK.
Abstract
Current evidence suggests that there is a delay between the start of project initiation and the beginning of external stakeholder identification during the initiation phase of civil engineering infrastructure projects. A major consequence of this delay is limited project success. The aim of the research reported in this paper is, therefore, to explore the timing between project initiation and external stakeholder identification in order to understand its impact upon project success. A desk study involving three railway projects in three European countries was undertaken. It was found that external stakeholders are often asked to support proposals that may constitute opportunities to the project initiator but neither solve the external stakeholders' problems nor meet their expectations. It has also been identified that the time lag between project initiation and external stakeholder identification leads to external stakeholders having limited (if any) input into key aspects of the project defined before they get on the scene. This often results in misalignment of the project purpose and stakeholder expectations, thereby leading to lack of buy-in from external stakeholders which in turn can limit project success. Chances of project success can be improved by minimising the time lag, and the time lag can be minimised by integrating the project initiation and stakeholder identification processes. Such integration (which is the subject of on-going work) will lead to stakeholders agreeing the problem to be addressed by the project, defining options, and assessing the options for a consensus or near-consensus project that can be implemented with minimal disruption and/or challenge - and this will, in turn, boost chances of project success.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | civil engineering infrastructure; project initiation; project success; stakeholder identification |
| Index terms: | project success, proposal, stakeholder identification, option, external stakeholder, misalignment, infrastructure project, evidence, integration |
| Subjects: | evaluation and assessment methods, sociology, project management theory and practice, decision analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, organizational analysis, participation process, engineering problems, project planning |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Stakeholder Management, Risk Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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