Aljawder, Maan Mubarak Ali Ahmed Mubarak (2014) A contingent approach to project management and organisation: An empirical analysis. PhD thesis, University of Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
The context in which projects operate constantly influences the way projects are structured and managed. Due to increasing movements owing to global development, projects are becoming dispersed on multi sites where people and tasks are distributed. Coupled with the inherent complexity of development, complex projects become even more complex. Thus, the location of work and complexity are considered contextual factors that moderate how projects are managed. Studying the impact of these factors on project performance is of significant importance. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to contribute to the body of knowledge of project management research by offering a better understanding of the impacts of contextual factors on projects' success. This is achieved through the development of a contingent model that has the potential to deal with the variability and constraints imposed by the extent of the location of work and project complexity. In this research, a model is proposed based on the assumptions of contingency theory. A contingent approach was adopted in order to theorise the influences of the work's location and complexity as contingency factors on the relationship between structure and performance of projects. Moreover, the impact of ICT use on project performance and its mediating role between a project's structure and performance was also addressed. A conceptual model was developed which divided projects into four types: Simple Co-located, Simple Dispersed, Complex Co-located, and Complex Dispersed projects. These types were the results of two continuums of project context: Location of Work and Project Complexity. Each quadrant suggests that when a project's location of work and complexity are at certain levels, its structural and technological characteristics are fitted in a certain way to achieve a successful project performance. Based on this model we tested a number of hypotheses.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | project management; project context; project organisation; project performance; contingency approach; location of work; project complexity |
| Index terms: | project management, variability, complex project, project performance, contingency theory, becoming, project complexity, complexity, body of knowledge, contingency approach, project organization, movement |
| Subjects: | knowledge management, strategic project management, health behaviours and lifestyles, organization, philosophical process, organizational theory, statistical analysis, systems engineering, sociology, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Project Management, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Information Management, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 CT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here