Experience with Best Value Procurement in Norwegian Infrastructure Projects

Public procurement in many European Union member states remains strongly price-oriented, often at the expense of delivery performance, innovation, and effective risk management. This study examines how the Best Value Approach (BVA) operates within a post-transition, legality-focused administrative environment through a document-based embedded case study of a major public construction contract in the Czech Republic. By analysing artefacts from the Selection, Clarification, and Execution phases, the study traces how BVA’s core governance mechanisms—expert signalling, vendor-led risk ownership, and information-centric oversight—functioned under locally constraining conditions. The findings show that BVA improved capability sorting, surfaced risks earlier, and enhanced transparency through structured reporting instruments such as Weekly Risk Reports (WRRs), Directors’ Reports (DRs), and Key Performance Indicators (KPI)s. However, the performance effects were partial. Three boundary conditions attenuated BVA’s mechanisms: a 40% price weighting that constrained qualitative differentiation, the omission of a formal Value-Added (VA) pathway for supplier-initiated optimisation, and the absence of continuous expert facilitation to support methodological fidelity. A documented execution-phase cost variance of approximately five percent further indicates residual volatility where key BVA complements are incomplete. The study integrates Principal–Agent theory, New Public Governance, and institutional isomorphism to explain why BVA’s governance architecture activated only in attenuated form and identifies the institutional conditions that moderate its effectiveness. While limited to a single revelatory case, the findings support analytical generalisation to similarly price-dominant, audit-driven procurement regimes in post-transition EU member states and offer practical guidance for evaluation design, innovation pathways, and facilitation models.

The Vietnam Construction Industry (VCI) has been facing risks that cause delays, budget overrun, and low customer satisfaction that required continuous research efforts on solutions. This paper focuses on how the Best Value Approach (BVA), a procurement and project management philosophy, could be utilized in VCI projects to improve overall performance. Analysis from six industry experts determined how current VCI conditions, namely risk and success factors, are related to the BVA. Sixteen BVA success principles were identified and ranked based on their perceived impact to project performance by an industry survey with 98 VCI practitioners. The results show high agreement rate with all sixteen BVA principles. Spearman’s rank-order correlation test determined relatively high agreement between owners and contractors, and lower agreement between owners and consultants on the ranking. The majority of participants agreed that the BVA would improve project performance and were interested in learning more about the BVA. The results encourage further BVA testing and education in the VCI. This approach is not limited to the VCI but could be followed by other developing nations.

Trends suggest that employers across various industry believe that the younger generation of employees are deficient at making decisions, thinking critically, and leading others. The Best Value Approach (BVA) is a management model shown to increase organizational efficiency and employee performance. Studies show that the BVA automates administrative work functions and minimizes human error associated with decision making and critical thinking. This research seeks to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating the BVA in high school. The authors hypothesize that BVA concepts can help students rapidly learn critical thinking, decision making, and interpersonal skills. To test this hypothesis, the authors created a BVA high school curriculum and tested it in four phases differing in timeframe, classroom structure, and population. The results show that when students understand BVA concepts they show improved mental stability (stress and confidence), increased academic performance (grades and test scores), and parents/teachers report significant positive behavioral improvements.

Risk management in finance is an increasingly important area, which has been highlighted in the midst of the global credit crisis. In this paper, we propose a new risk management model for pension investment funds: a risk management framework and risk measure based on modelling the pension fund value as an option. We review risk management, discussing risk management frameworks and risk management measures. We discuss the advantages of our option-based risk management model and framework and conduct numerical experiments on our pension fund portfolio. We show that our risk management framework and model provides advantageous insight into managing pension funds.

The purpose of the article is to detect the problems of project management in the agricultural sector and the factors that facilitate their occurrence; to determine directions for improvement of the agricultural project management model in order to ensure the efficiency of agricultural producers’ functioning and achievement of strategic goals of the AIC development. The article reveals the factors of negative impact on the level of project management in agriculture (the need to consider overall issues of the AIC, orientation towards the nationwide strategy of its development in terms of before-investment stage and risk-related declining in customers' purchase power on the local market). The directions suggested for improving the model of agricultural project management will facilitate the rise of efficiency in the functioning of agricultural producers and achievement of strategic aims of the AIC development. The research technique implies the use of graphic way of the economic statistics method when configuring the scheme of improving the model of agricultural project management. With the help of abstract-logical method, theoretical generalizations were conducted, conclusions and suggestions were composed. The method of system analysis is applied to evaluate the complex of interrelated components that shape the model of agricultural project management. The suggested improved model of agricultural project management is based, foremost, on coordinated efforts of specialists of regional state administrations and heads of agricultural projects.

Oil and Gas resources continue to occupy the attention of the petroleum industry, policymakers, and the general public. It is one of the most important sectors, the most demanding, challenging, and exciting engineering, and technological advances, it is important to investigate the effective ways of developing new marginal field; a review of timely delivery of Apani Field location preparation projects (Drill site, Site camp, Access Road & Utilities) within a record time. Hence, via literature review, this paper is packed with the aim of reviewing the project lean construction management processes adopted in Apani Field development, by determining the oil and gas execution phase, as well as examining the project construction management approach based on the Apani Field Asset Development Plan. It is found that in the accelerated Apani Field drilling location preparation projects execution, a model and/or structure for systematic project management was developed with the aim to improve the decision-making process and overall timely project execution, where typically, the systematic Asset development consist of five main phases, mainly (1) Asset appraisal; (2) Concept selection and definition; (3) Planning phase; (4) Timely project execution and handover phase, (5) Drilling operation and production. Apani Field Asset development strategy is also found to be executed in the typical Oil and Gas projects development stages, namely: (1) Conceptual design; (2) Front-End Engineering Design; (3) Procurement; (4) Facility design; (5) Construction; (6) Installation; (7) Mechanical completion; and (8) Commissioning. The findings of this paper are expected to provide a clear picture and understanding, on how new oil and gas assets (including pre-drilled and plugged wellheads), should be effectively recovered and developed (timely project execution).

This paper presents a real-time process-oriented project risk analysis and management model which can be combined with the project general management, based on the hierarchical risk influence diagram which is constructed on the basis of network planning. Through network planning, it can solve the problems of the dynamic and overall identification of risk elements, and the showing and analysis of risk transfer along with the working procedure, and the timely and dynamic risk prevention and control as well. The influence diagram can effectively represent the risk combination and transfer in time and logic order. And it is good at the analysis of the sensitivity and control value of risk elements, as well as being convenient for communicating between experts, managers and owner. So the hierarchical risk influence diagram can make the decision of risk management timelier and more accurate. The problems of risk description, diagrams construction and risk evaluation are solved very well in applying the general influence diagram to dynamic project risk analysis. In the end, good result is attained in the example.

Changes in economic conditions of development of economic subjects require application of new tools that improve functioning of entrepreneurial structures in the system of adaptation to global processes and challenges. These tools are especially important for implementation of innovative activities in large industrial structures that form the main part of the country’s GDP. One of such tools is project management, which is a targeted process of development and implementation of decisions aimed at successful execution of works within innovative activity. According to this, the purpose of the research is consideration of the models of project management of large industrial structures’ innovative activities that are used in the Russian and foreign practice. Within the research, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: consider the theoretical foundations of the essence of project management of innovative activities in large industrial structures; determine the peculiarities of the model of project management of innovative activities in large industrial structures of the Russian Federation; generalize foreign experience of project management of innovative activities of large industrial companies; form the proprietary model of project management of innovative activities of large industrial structures. The scientific novelty of the research consists in generalization of peculiarities of project management of innovative activities in the Russian and foreign realia of development with possible creation of the proprietary model of project management. The methodology of the research includes the following methods: theoretical analysis, used for generalization of existing theoretical and methodological studies in the sphere of project management of large industrial structures; generalization, used for determining peculiarities within the models of project management of innovative activities; comparison, used for comparing facts for the purpose of determining the common and different features within the Russian and foreign models of project management of innovative activities of large industrial structures; modeling, used for creating the proprietary model of project management of innovative activities within large industrial structures. The main conclusions and results could be used for studies in the sphere of project management of large industrial structures in the conditions of digital economy.

In project-based organizations knowledge is a critical resource used to develop and deliver products and services with a high level of quality. Therefore, a systematic and sustainable process is necessary to coordinate knowledge management, project management and product lifecycle. This scenario predominates in companies focused on the creation and maintenance of information systems. This article presents an exploratory study based on a framework that integrates cognitive, managerial, and operational processes in a public Brazilian organization that provides services in the area of information and communications technology, focusing on the construction and maintenance of information systems. Those processes are operationalized by three management models considering knowledge, project, and software development processes. Our proposal aims to understand the relationships between those three management models and their influence on the software development process in the organization under study. Our premise is based on the principle that cognitive management, project management, and software development management must be integrated to fulfill the demands of product development and service provision. The research data was composed of registers of working hours spent on software development and maintenance projects involving 244 people allocated to 5064 projects in the period from 2007 to 2013. The study resulted in the identification of the relationships among the three management models adopted by the organization, with emphasis on knowledge management activities, which were not directly identified, making it difficult to account for and measure them. We established a set of activities connected to each one of the knowledge management model phases. Since those activities were not visible before, our approach contributed to build a systematic process to register and relate activities linked to the dimensions of cognitive processes, project management, and software construction.

Objectives: To analyze the control model in the management of infrastructure projects in municipalities and public entities of the department of La Guajira, Colombia. Materials and Methods: The research was descriptive, non-experimental and transactional. The population was composed of supervisors, directors of municipal governments and the government of the department of La Guajira. For the collection of data, we used the technique of observation through the application and questionnaires as research tools. The Cronbach\'s alpha, and the reliability was 0.87. The treatments were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Findings: It is concluded that almost always supervisors and managers of these public entities (municipalities and governance) do consider the dimensions: state of the control of the management of the project, characteristics of the projects, requirements for the control of project management, and the model for the control project management. This is confirmed by the indicators' behavior of standards at strategic points. In addition, it is envisioned that the checklist and information on the application are below the average of the dimension, in the same way, priority was given to the management of infrastructure projects as level indicators of financial progress. Application / Improvements: Considering the phases of the model of control in project management executed, generates indicators that describe the rules for the verification of the information on your application. Keywords: Infrastructure, Infrastructure projects and model for the control of project management Project Management.

Why sustainable construction? Why not? An owner's perspective

The preparation of mega-events like Olympic Games, music festivals, or world expositions requires the successful and timely delivering of many correlated projects: buildings, ICT infrastructure, marketing projects, etc. The international market is increasingly characterized by large and mega-events. The size of these events escalates the complexity of management, often causing budget overruns and scope reduction. As a consequence it is fundamental to effectively monitor the progress of the entire program to react in case the progress does not follow the expected baseline. Project-controlling methodologies are well analyzed in the literature with respect to individual projects. For that which concerns the overall delivery of correlated projects (i.e., a program) the literature provides strategic and operational guidelines; however, far too little attention has been paid to developing quantitative methodology to control their execution phase. The purpose of this article is to review recent research into event planning and program management to propose a quantitative approach, based on the Petri nets and dynamic systems, to obtain the project envelope, a fundamental tool to assess and manage the progress of a program. The methodology is implemented on a real case study: EXPO 2015.

Creation and implementation of electronic project management is possible only when management processes will be based on computer methods of collecting, processing and using information for management decisions making. Therefore, we consider models that are suitable for management of projects of creation and providsion of information resources in terms of electronic project management. The application variants of creation and provision of informational resources of management models and corresponding management classes of projects of creation and provision of information resources are shown. It is determined that the management class of a project is a plurality of subclasses of projects that are formed by the above features and for which the same type of methods and controls are applied. The following management models are considered: a hierarchical model that is characteristic of the processes of information collection and integration; algorithmic model, which is used mainly for projects implemented in the software and information environment; an iterative model, based on reusing of information resource planning and control operations with a parallel analysis of the results obtained and the correction of the previous stages; and the linear model most often applied to projects in which management costs should be minimal. Formalized definition of each model, as well as characteristics of its application. The calculation of the terms of the projects for each model of management is shown. It is noted that the direction for further research is the development of a method for establishing links between the description of such a project and management models

Purpose This paper proposes a multicriteria model for risk management to identify and assess risks associated with an integrated management system (IMS). The main benefit of the proposed model is its systemic and logical visualization, which may facilitate the understanding of this proposal’s practical application. Design/methodology/approach The research design consists of four stages: (1) conduct a literature review to establish risk management models in IMS; (2) collect data concerning risk management models in IMS from a large multinational automotive company; (3) propose a multicriteria model to define and assess risks as well as prioritize mitigation actions and (4) apply the proposed multicriteria model to the data collected in case-based research to evaluate the practical viability of the model to contribute to methods traditionally used. Findings The results showed that the proposed risk management model contributes to more reliable decision-making in an IMS. The application of the proposed model identified 85 risks in the total processes of the IMS, 31 of which were classified as high risk; thus, priority actions to be taken were defined. The risk classification and prioritization facilitated the implementation of measures to mitigate or eliminate risks, as pointed out by the company managers. Research limitations/implications One of the limitations is the fact that specific knowledge is required to maintain and update the multicriteria decision-making tool used in this study. Another one implies the approach to managing risks under the different ISO standards and sector-specific requirements, since this may require updates and customization of the proposed risk management model. Practical implications The implementation of IMS in contemporary business environments can be supported by a robust risk management approach. In addition, it provides the leadership with a holistic view of multiple aspects related to a company and fosters continuous improvement. Social implications The social implications of this study are assessed indirectly. This study contributes to the improvement of company management models. Originality/value Traditionally, the methods used for risk management in IMS are usually applied independently of techniques such as failure mode and effect analysis. The model developed in this work enables to manage risks continuously to achieve a systemic view of organizational issues and greater transparency of the processes.

PurposeThis paper seeks to develop a model for risk management of knowledge loss in a project‐based organization in Iran.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a multi‐stage research approach. In the first stage, existing practices are examined to develop a model for risk management of knowledge loss. In the second stage, the model is evaluated by testing it in a case study. The methods integrated as the foundations of the Integrated KM and RM model are: the PMBOK risk management (RM) approach, the Fraunhofer IPK knowledge management (KM) model, and the TVA knowledge risk assessment framework.FindingsThe analytical approach includes a six‐step integrated model that manages the risk of critical knowledge in the case study. The results show that, after a year of implementing the model, the job positions facing knowledge loss were reduced by 88 percent.Research limitations/implicationsThe integrated KM and RM model can be used to assist the planning, establishment and evaluation of knowledge loss in projects. This helps to ensure that key issues regarding knowledge loss are covered during the planning and implementation phases of project management.Originality/valueThis study provides an integrated perspective of KM in project‐based organizations. It offers valuable guidelines that can help decision makers consider key issues during a risk assessment of knowledge factors in project management. Outputs of this model can prepare an extensive assessment report about the risk of knowledge loss in a project‐based organization with suggestions for preservation plans to mitigate its effects.