Rickaby, M; Glass, J; Mills, G and McCarthy, S (2017) Exploring alignment of personal values in a complex, multi-organisation construction project environment. In: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 33rd Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2017, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract
Complex construction projects can be hampered by an extensive array of problems, yet the reasons which underpin why one project outperforms another do not seem to be well-articulated in literature – possibly because projects are deemed to be unique and hence incomparable. A particular feature which has been identified consistently, however, as a particular cause of inherent complexity, is that of the Temporary Multi Organisation (TMO) nature of construction projects. Indeed, the various stakeholders in a TMO team of heterogeneous organisations represent a diverse set of concerns and interests which may influence project performance from inception to completion, with consequences likely to impact the whole life of a building/asset. For instance, sustainability performance is arguably determined by the individual values of these stakeholders, as played out in the context of a particular project. If such values are indeed a determinant and predictor of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours (because they serve as relatively stable standards in life), then it is possible that they also guide behaviour at the organisational (and project) level, but the literature lacks examples drawn from TMO situations.Drawing on values theory, namely the work of Schwartz and others, an instrument was devised to elicit and analyse personal, organisational and project values. A case study TMO (a major rail infrastructure project in the UK) was used as an empirical setting to explore the notion of 'values alignment' and how this may influence the relationship and interaction between different groups in complex projects. The research draws on evidence from a values survey of 176 individuals, plus a series of semi-structured interviews, to derive insights on the role of individuals' values, group values, and their relationship to project performance in a TMO setting – with particular reference to sustainability. The initial findings suggest that there may be merit in using values alignment as a management tool to improve delivery and performance on complex TMO projects.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | project performance; sustainability; temporary multi organisation projects; personal values |
| Index terms: | interview, personal value, case study, drawing, sustainability performance, survey, construction project, project performance, evidence, infrastructure project, complex project, determinant, interaction, complexity |
| Subjects: | risk assessment, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, strategic project management, technical documentation, project management theory and practice, production management, sustainability assessment, systems engineering, behavioral psychology, infrastructure and transport systems |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Sustainability, Risk Management, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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