Project management minitrack focus: working effectively across organizations

Industry 4.0 and underlying advanced technologies are gaining importance more than ever before and triggering digital transformation of organizations across industries. At the same time, an increasing number of organizations are using a temporary project-based way of working, thus creating dynamic systems in which projects are not merely tools for performing processes, but also strategic options for dealing with complex business environments. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that significant focus is being placed on the link between these concepts. With the aim of examining applications of digital technologies in project management, a comprehensive review was conducted on 188 academic articles published between 1991 and 2023 and indexed in the Web of Science database. Bibliometric and systematic literature review methods were used through co-occurrence, along with visual representation of interconnected data. The results highlight the prominent research topics in the field – challenges and opportunities for project management in the digital age, advanced project management in construction projects, artificial intelligence and project success, and managing information and production systems. Finally, potential research directions include the critical importance of striking a balance between technology and human relations to achieve success in modern project management in the midst of the Industry 4.0 era.

Private Sector-led Urban Development Projects. Management, Partnerships and Effects in the Netherlands and the UK

Project management methodologies are undergoing a seismic shift in today's fast - paced, digitally - driven landscape. This compre-hensive review synthesizes the evolution of project management approaches, from traditional predictive frameworks to agile and hybrid methodologies. A systematic analysis of cutting - edge research reveals the transformative power of adaptive, iterative, and customer - centric project management paradigms. Key findings underscore the ascendancy of agile and hybrid methodologies in modern project management, driven by their capacity to foster collaboration, innovation, and responsiveness in an era of unprece-dented uncertainty. This seminal review provides project management practitioners, scholars, and organizations with actionable insights to navigate the complexities of contemporary project management and stay ahead of the curve.

Advancements in technology, especially ICTs, has caused a revolutionary change in every aspect of life. The reflection of these advancements on manufacturing industry is named “The Industrial Internet,” or “Industry 4.0.” New generation factories are to be equipped with cyber-physical systems. Teams integrating physical industrial components, and advanced modern sensing and networking technologies to form new smart systems. These systems will have more capabilities than the systems which are already in use. These winds of change will also affect projects and project management. Clearly, success in agile project management will become more crucial. At this point, technologies enabling Industry 4.0 will help project managers. Project organizations have the flexibility to get adapted to new situations fast. In this chapter, benefits of the technologies enabling Industry 4.0 in project management are introduced.

Moreover, there is an increasing amount of literature covering specific geotechnical risk analysis and management topics. Examples of these are the difference between unsafe geotechnical certainty and safe geotechnical uncertainty (Barends, 2005), the role of the human factor in achieving geotechnical reliability (Bea, 2006), objective and subjective ways of geotechnical risk classification (Altabba et al., 2004), and contractual allocation of geotechnical risk (Essex, 2007).

Introduction. In the context of economic, political, and market instability, an effective business organization is based on modern project management approaches that combine and take into account various aspects, including economic analysis, risk assessment, and business ethics. Innovative methods, approaches, mechanisms, and technologies improve and facilitate project development and management. The purpose of the paper is to identify modern approaches of project management based on economic analysis, risk assessment and business ethics for effective business organization in a dynamic environment. Results. In the paper modern approaches of management projects, that include an economic analysis, evaluation of risks and business-ethics and allow to promote efficiency of organization of business, are considered. It was found out that the program facilities of project management are concentrated in directions: a management, administration, resources and also system management projects, that combine budgeting, management, administration of processes, resources and terms. It was pointed on the fact that for companies that will realize several projects in a complex, a project portfolio design is recommended. It was found out that for implementation of analysis of co-ordination of project and objects of investing it is expedient to apply hieratical approach. It was found out that programmatic items for management risks can come forward as applications to the systems of the projects calendar planning, or by the particular programs. It was found out that for management modern projects social analysis and audit, and also observance of principles of digital business-ethics was necessary. Conclusion. The project approach is now an integral part of the business organization of modern companies, ensuring giving continuous development according to the market conditions. An effective project management system ensures the achievement of the strategic goals of the enterprises’ activities, their financial stability, and market position. However, in order to build a modern project management system, modern science-based approaches should be implemented, including economic analysis, risk assessment and management, as well as compliance with business ethics.

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the impact of artificial intelligence on project management processes, with a focus on resource forecasting. It further identifies key implementation challenges and provides strategic recommendations for effective AI integration. Study design: Analytical research based on secondary data and simulation modeling. Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted through analytical evaluation of global scientific publications and applied modeling between January 2024 and February 2025. Methodology: The study applied an analysis of scientific literature to identify current trends in the use of artificial intelligence, a structural-logical method for generalizing forecasting processes, and machine learning-based simulation modeling to evaluate AI capabilities in project management. Comparative analysis and synthesis methods were used to develop practical recommendations, considering organizational, technical, and economic constraints. Results: The study revealed that artificial intelligence improves the accuracy of project resource forecasting, reduces the risk of exceeding budgets, and enhances adaptability to change. In particular, the use of machine learning reduced forecasting errors by up to 17% compared to traditional methods. Key implementation challenges were identified, including poor data quality, high implementation costs, and insufficient staff competencies. A phased approach to AI integration is proposed, including pilot project deployment, reliable data preparation, and targeted staff training. Conclusion: Artificial intelligence plays a critical role in enhancing the effectiveness of strategic project management by enabling more accurate forecasting, optimized resource allocation, and timely adaptation. Future research should focus on improving algorithmic accuracy, developing industry-specific AI models, and creating implementation standards to ensure long-term project sustainability and resilience. This article is important for the scientific community as it addresses a critical challenge in modern project management - the integration of artificial intelligence into resource forecasting. The review systematizes recent interdisciplinary findings and supports the development of advanced methodologies at the intersection of AI and strategic planning. It contributes to bridging theoretical knowledge and practical applications across various industries. The results may serve as a foundation for further research and innovation in digital project management.

Purpose Design of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) project organizations expose project management practitioners (PMPs) to poor mental health due to the influence of project organization designs on project management activities assigned to the PMPs. The AEC project organization design comprises the integration of permanent organization, project organization and external environment layers. In spite of the link between project organization design and mental health, limited studies have examined the impact of permanent organization factors, project organization factors and external environmental factors on mental health management practices. Therefore, this study aims to examine the interactive relationships between permanent organization factors, project organization factors, external environment factors and mental health management indicators. Design/methodology/approach Four organizational theories: institutional theory, agency theory and resource-based theory were integrated to develop a theoretical model guiding the aim of the study. Eighty-two survey data were collected from PMPs in AEC firms in Australia. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationships between the constructs. Findings The study found that mental health management indicators are predicted by the interactive and direct effects of permanent organizational factors, project organizational factors and external environmental factors. The results of the interactive effects of the factors and mental health management indicators revealed that 20 of 26 proposed hypotheses were supported. Based on the established hypotheses, economic factors, technological factors, environmental factors, legal factors and organizational culture positively correlated with mental health management indicators. Likewise, human resources management (HRM), corporate governance, project governance and integrated project delivery (IPD) positively impact mental health management indicators. However, political factors, social factors, knowledge management and project management skills negatively impact mental health management indicators. Moreover, political factors, economic factors, technological factors, environmental factors, legal factors and organizational culture are positively related to corporate governance. Additionally, organizational culture positively impacts corporate governance, project governance and HRM, whereas project governance positively correlated with IPD and knowledge management. Originality/value The findings provide guidelines to AEC firms on achieving positive mental health management indicators through concentration on project organization design.

A major challenge in Information Systems and Information Technology is to improve the ability to conceptualize, design, develop and deliver information systems that meet customer requirements. Project management is often adopted to create solutions that work and meet customer needs. The principles of project management as defined by the Project Management Institute, can improve project success rates. Researchers in the project management need to help practitioners understanding the impact of different principles on the success of IS development. This study undertakes a survey of project management experts on the state of practice and research to examine the need for improving project management, and suggest areas that can be improved. Research may be the most effective means of defining opportunities for enhancing project success rates by tapping the wealth of literature and complementing it with the expertise of project management practitioners. INTRODUCTION Software development applications require frequent changes and updates in order to support enterprise systems. These frequent changes to IS/IT comprise a large volume of software development efforts. These efforts, undertaken as projects, are generally complex and take place in a dynamic environment where business conditions and technologies change frequently during the life of the project (Chen, et. al., 2004). The factors of project success include user involvement and project size, management and planning (Schmidt, et al., 2001). A fully operational project management system in enterprise offers the best opportunity for project success through the implementation of methods and tools for planning, organizing, and managing team-based activities to accomplish specific directives (Jurison, 1999). Project management is widely adopted in Corporate America embraces project management to implement system changes (Muriithi & Crawford, 2003; Park & Pena-Mora, 2003; Yilmaz & Phillips, 2007), which are even considered as too significant to outsource (Fish & Seydel, 2006) or having high risk of leading to undesirable consequences (Wei & Peach, 2006). However, many projects fail, even when performed using project management techniques. Such project failure reduces the capability of technology components. The 2004 Chaos report by the Standish Group found that only 28% of IT projects were successful, down from 34% in earlier report; The proportion of IT projects canceled before completion increased to 18% (from 15%), and a further 51% of IT projects were considered challenged as they are seriously late, over budget and missing expected features (The Standish Group, 2004; The Standish Group, 2007). Possible causes for these findings are the size and expense of large projects, a return to traditional development practices on large projects (Boddy, 1993), the absence of user involvement (Turner & Cochrane, 1993; Akbulut & Motwani, 2005), and lack of executive support (Munns & Bjeirmi, 1996). Thus, scope management is regarded as a key area of successful project management in practice (Hayes, 2004). Although some project failures are because of technical reasons, most are directly related to the failure of stakeholders to embrace the principles of good project management (Jurison, 1999). As part of the project management process, project teams must understand the standards to which their projects are being held in order to ensure that project performance is emphasized appropriately (Crawford, 2005). The Field Guide to Project Management (Cleland, 2004) suggests that project management should be an easy sell to organizations because it enhances business performance and increases revenue. An organization can manage project effectively by identifying its goals in applying project management principles (Aladwani, 2002). For most organizations, these goals are to apply a proven practice, optimize resources, serve customer needs and save time and money (Turner & Cochrane, 1993). …

The high demand for innovative products has been treated as a challenge for the adoption of traditional project management (PM) practices and methods, specially those ones developed in turbulent and complex business environments. Recently, an alternative approach to deal with these challenges emerged. This approach, entitled Agile Project Management (APM), firstly applied in the software development area, is based on a set of principles which has the purpose to keep the management process as simple as possible, becoming more flexible and self-manageable. By focusing on continuous learning using constant iterations and rapid value deliverable driven, APM aims to improve the results for clients in face of turbulent business environment. However, there is lack on the literature regarding APM principles application in new product development (NPD) projects. The aim of this research is to investigate this issue and the practical application of those principles to NPD projects, developed under turbulent and innovative business environments. To achieve this goal the following strategy was adopted: develop, implement and evaluate a method for planning and controlling scope and time. It was based on a set of principles extracted from the APM literature. The method developed was entitled IVPM2 (Iterative and Visual Project Management Method) and its creation comprised an extensive literature review combined with a pure action-research methodology carried out in two small technology-based companies from the So Carlos Technological Pole. The companies were called "Company A" and "Company B", and the IVPM2 development, implementation and evaluation activities occurred simultaneously in both companies, considering two distinct scenarios. In the "company A" the IVPM2 was implemented in a single long term project, with a high level of complexity and innovation. In the "company B" the IVPM2 was implemented in more than one project (a total of 7 projects) with less complexity and innovation aspects. In order to evaluate the IVPM2 adherence and contribution to project management a statistic descriptive approach was applied using qualitative and quantitative data. The data was collected by questionnaire, interviews and document analysis. The main purpose of this evaluation was to respond the central research problem and the specific research questions. The central research problem was described as: Is it possible to apply APM principles for planning and controlling innovative product projects? Consequently, the specific research questions considered after the method implementation were: RQ1) Did IVPM2 adhere to APM principles? RQ2) Did IVPM2 contribute to enhance project management process in the companies under study? The results showed many evidences of the presence of APM principles in the IVPM2 as stated in the literature. Moreover, the IVPM2 was capable to enhance many aspects of project management process of new product development in both companies studied. It also contributed to improve other aspects not directly addressed in the current research. Finally, the evidences collected during the research have indicated many benefits by combining principles from APM approach with traditional PM techniques and a PM software to support project management. This result is important to consider the applicability and viability of APM principles application to NPD projects in turbulent, innovative and complex business environments. Finally, this study has presented many indications of the need to explore this theme and improve the analysis and the IVPM2 components in order to implement them in different companies and project contexts.

Technology integration project involves so many players that it requires an effective project management to achieve a successful integration of a technology to business. As a program/project manager, you are aware of the significant impact of your project on the entire corporation even in a proof-of-concept or a pilot project. You want to ensure the success of the project and move forward for further rollout. You would use your past knowledge and experience of project management and in addition, you may refer to helpful references on successful project management. It would be a good idea to take a project management class and obtain a certification of project management professional (PMP) accredited by project management institute (PMI). PMI is “one of the world’s largest professional membership associations, with half a million members and credential holders in more than 180 countries. It is a not-for-profit organization that advances the project management profession through globally recognized standards and certifications, collaborative communities, an extensive research program, and professional development opportunities (http://www.pmi.org).” This would enhance recognition and acknowledgement of your expertise as a program/project manager. The project management planning and execution steps presented in this chapter is primarily based on the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK®) published by PMI, focusing on technology integration project. PMBOK is a collection of processes and knowledge areas generally accepted as best practices within the project management discipline.KeywordsTeam MemberProject ManagerProject TeamTechnology IntegrationProject ScheduleThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to emphasise the importance of high levels of trust and collaboration for increasing the likelihood of project management (PM) success. However, the link between these three constructs remains unclear.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors use structural equation modelling (SEM) based on the findings from an international survey of 151 project practitioners to demonstrate the significance of project team trust and collaboration for increasing the likelihood of PM success.FindingsThe results indicate that PM success becomes more likely as the degree of collaboration improves which, in turn, is influenced by an increase in the level of trust between team members. The two factors of PM success are project performance and knowledge integration and innovation. The six factors of the degree of collaboration that were studied are physical proximity, commitment, conflict, coordination, relationships and incentives. The three factors of the level of trust investigated are expectations, knowledge exchange and imported trust.Practical implicationsThe results of the study are expected to provide insight for project practitioners to increase the likelihood of PM success by taking cognisance of the factors that influence collaboration and trust. The results of the study may also provide insight into teaching and learning in tertiary education, in terms of professionalism and integrity issues.Originality/valueThis paper presents a new perspective for investigating PM success. SEM techniques are used to determine the likelihood of PM success by promoting trust and collaboration in the project team. This unique approach highlights the “human factors” that influence perceived PM success which should benefit both researchers and practitioners.

: In the evolving landscape of modern business, technology has emerged as a cornerstone in enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and success of project management practices. This study explores the transformative role of technology in project management, focusing on how digital tools and platforms streamline planning, execution, monitoring, and collaboration across diverse industries. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a comprehensive literature review with qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys conducted among project managers across IT, construction, and service sectors. Key technologies examined include project management software (e.g., MS Project, Asana, Trello), communication tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams), and emerging innovations such as AI-driven analytics and cloud-based collaboration platforms. Findings reveal that technology significantly improves project visibility, resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder communication. However, challenges such as user resistance, integration issues, and cybersecurity concerns persist. The study also highlights that the effectiveness of technology is closely tied to organizational culture and the digital literacy of project teams. Based on these insights, the paper concludes that while technology is not a panacea, it is a powerful enabler of project success when strategically implemented. The study recommends continuous training, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive project frameworks to maximize the benefits of technological integration in project management

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to show that project success is dependent on the project management approach selected, relative to the challenges posed by the project, and to develop an analytical model for analyzing the performance of the project organization.Design/methodology/approach– The research is based on literature review, model development, interviews, and case studies.Findings– The findings define two different approaches in project management: The prescriptive approach focusses on the formal qualities of the project organization, including governing documentation and procedures. The adaptive approach focusses on the process of developing and improving a project organization, project culture and team commitment. The two approaches have been identified through studies of three different case projects. An analytical model, referred to as the Pentagon model, has been applied for analyzing the performance of the project organization and explaining the project management approach. The model focusses on five different organizational aspects: structure, technologies, culture, social relations and networks, and interaction.Research limitations/implications– The research is limited to megaprojects and to project management success.Practical implications– It is suggested that project teams consider and select their project management approach at project initiation, and accordingly decide on relevant success factors to focus on. The adapted Pentagon model can be applied to develop the project management organization and assess its performance in the course of project delivery.Originality/value– The contribution of the research is the application of the analytical model, and the identification as well as illustration of the prescriptive, vs adaptive management approach.

Understanding the role of politics in successful project management