An investigation of governance frameworks for public projects in Norway and the UK

This paper describes four case studies which formed a key part of an investigation into public investment project governance frameworks in Norway and the UK. The studies looked at how the embedded governance principles worked out in practice, how they affected PM, and how consistent their effects were with their aims. Conclusion is made about the actual effects of the frameworks, and various areas for improvement or further study are highlighted.     

Organizational enablers for governance and governmentality of projects: A literature review

This study identifies the organizational enablers for governance in the realm of projects. We first conceptualize organizational enablers as comprising of process facilitators and discursive abilities, each with its own factors and mechanisms. Then we apply this concept to the literature on project governance, governance of projects and governmentality. Outcomes indicate that governance is enabled through different forms of flexibility at different levels of governance, institutional setup and authority at the project level, flexible structures and mindsets of people at the organizational level, and through development of self-responsible, self-organizing people for governmentality in project settings. Questions for future research are indicated.     

An investigation into the governance of information technology projects in South Africa

Information technology (IT) projects are often perceived as adding little or no organisational value despite substantial investments being made. The non-adoption of governance principles might contribute to this perception as unfeasible projects are often approved and initiated without proper discourse. To test this statement, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand current practice. This article reports on the investigation of IT projects in South African organisations to determine whether generally accepted governance principles were applied in the project domain. The main trend that emerged as a result of the investigation is that adherence to governance principles is a myth and that it does not guide decision-making for IT projects. Using the findings of the investigation, a conclusion is drawn that the majority of the organisations do have corporate governance in place but that they do not comply with IT and IT project governance.     

The governance of horizontal leadership in projects

Using the framework of balanced leadership in projects, we explore how horizontal leadership is governed. Previous research in project governance has focused on control and trust as the main mechanisms of governance. We apply this approach to the leadership field and investigate the nature of governance of temporary horizontal leaders in projects through contextual enablers, mechanisms, structures, practices and process. We argue that control and trust unfolds in particular combinations of the above items. Based on a study of different projects in Lithuania, we provide insights and discuss characteristics of trust and control, as exercised in the governance of horizontal leadership.     

Project governance and path creation in the early stages of Finnish nuclear power projects

In this paper we focus on the early stages of projects and their governance implications by investigating the introduction of nuclear power in Finland. We look at the early stages through the lens of path dependence and illustrate how early decisions may lead the project down the wrong path. However, we also develop a path creation perspective in order to develop an understanding of how the project actors in our case deliberately navigated in the cold war atmosphere to avoid a budding lock-in. This historical study highlights the importance of building relationships between key actors and securing their commitment during the early stages of a project. We argue that strong relationships and commitment open up opportunities for creating alternative paths during project appraisal, increase the array of available governance mechanisms, and hence lay the foundations for the final governance structure of the project execution phase.     

A new governance approach for multi-firm projects: Lessons from Olkiluoto 3 and Flamanville 3 nuclear power plant projects

We analyze governance in two contemporary nuclear power plant projects: Olkiluoto 3 (Finland) and Flamanville 3 (France). We suggest that in the governance of large multi-firm projects, any of the prevalent governance approaches that rely on market, hierarchy, or hybrid forms, is not adequate as such. This paper opens up avenues towards a novel theory of governance in large projects by adopting a project network view with multiple networked firms within a single project, and by simultaneously going beyond organizational forms that cut across the traditional firm-market dichotomy. Our analysis suggests four changes in the prevailing perspective towards the governance of large projects. First, there should be a shift from viewing multi-firm projects as hierarchical contract organizations to viewing them as supply networks characterized by a complex and networked organizational structure. Second, there should be a shift in the emphasis of the predominant modes of governance, market and hierarchy towards novel governance approaches that emphasize network-level mechanisms such as self-regulation within the project. Third, there should be a shift from viewing projects as temporary endeavors to viewing projects as short-term events or episodes embedded in the long-term sphere of shared history and expected future activities among the involved actors. Fourth, there should be a shift from the prevailing narrow view of a hierarchical project management system towards an open system view of managing in complex and challenging institutional environments.     

The spiritual identity of projects

In this qualitative paper, we discuss the spiritual identity of projects by examining how participants in a project setting develop a deep connection with a project, its purpose and with others, and become inspired into action. We demonstrate how projects can be particularly instrumental in facilitating workplace spirituality, and identify the overarching and perceptually elusive outcomes of experiencing project workplace spirituality at the individual, project team and organizational levels. These outcomes, involving connectedness, well-being, generative self-growth, and leadership strategies suggest that pragmatic organizational attention directed towards the personal and social complexities within projects is of paramount importance. Built on the analysis provided in this paper, we present a conceptual research framework to further explore this project phenomenon.     

运营控制与项目治理

在过去的三期文章里，我主要阐述了项目的治理问题。本期我们来讨论运营控制和单个项目的治理，如图1所示。达两个主题涵盖了传统的项目管理的所有内容，在这里我只着重阐述以下两方面：     

The Victorian London sanitation projects and the sanitation of projects

The paper reports upon an analysis of a programme of 19th century large-scale and complex construction projects initiated in order to improve sanitation in London. These projects managed by Sir Joseph William Bazalgette included the construction of the Main Drainage and the Thames Embankment and were facilitated through significant levels of government support, legislation and public funding, requiring the interaction of social, technical, political and environmental processes. They exhibited innovative forms of construction, estimating, partnership working and contracting. Two major conclusions may be drawn. Firstly, these successful projects and the work of Bazalgette and colleagues merit greater recognition in expanded accounts of project history. Secondly, there are real dangers in forgetting the prehistory of project management, a time when major projects were distrusted and perceived as invariably failing.     

建筑工程中的计算流体力学

针对计算流体力学计算的特点及模拟的目的,对当前CFD在建筑工程方向的研究进展进行了论述,介绍了CFD的处理过程,探讨了CFD技术在建筑工程中的应用前景,指出将理论分析、实验研究及数值模拟结合起来,从而推动建筑工程的发展。     

The utopia of order versus chaos: A conceptual framework for governance,organizational design and governmentality in projects

Images of utopia of order and chaos can serve to depict paradoxes observed in projects by illustrating the ongoing challenges presented by formal organization and informal social structure at the interface of temporary/permanent organizing. This paper develops a conceptual framework that shows that governance, organizational design and governmentality are all essential to an understanding of projects. We seek to clarify these concepts and to consider temporalities in the organizational project management context. This implies examining temporary/permanent organizing interaction at macro-meso-micro levels and challenging the traditional categorization of the formal and the informal aspects into two different and isolated streams of research. The paper offers a theoretical contribution to project studies by creating a bridge between process theory, the sensemaking perspective and the study of organizational project management. It also contributes to practice through the framework's analytical potential and improved understanding of the relationship between governance and organizational design.     

The Inspection House and Neglected Dynamics of Governance: The Case of Domestic Visits in Family Intervention Projects

There has been an expansion in the provision of family intervention projects in Britain. These projects, in which housing providers are centrally implicated, aim to provide a form of coercive support to households subject to, or at risk of, legal sanctions. In both core accommodation and outreach models of these projects, the dwelling is a key site, and the inspection of domesticity a primary technique, of governance. This article argues that policy narratives and some academic critiques of these projects are heavily influenced by understandings of governmentality as a disciplinary power based upon Bentham's and Foucault's works on the panopticon. The article uses indicative findings from recent research to illustrate that such conceptualisations neglect the centrality of the social worlds, social class and habitus that embed non-clinical sites and modes of governance and influence the interactions between project workers and individuals subject to project interventions.     

建设工程监督经费模式探讨

本文通过对我国的社会阶层及其经济基础分析,论证在社会主义市场经济下,政府对建设工程监督的必要性;探讨在现行的法律和市场经济条件下,建设工程监督及其经费的模式。     

单位自建工程项目质量管理体系中存在的问题

分析了单位自建工程项目的特点及质量管理体系存在的问题,结合该单位目前正在进行的各项建设工程项目、现行的管理体制和实际情况,提出了具体的对策和建议,以期完善建设工程项目质量管理体系。     

建筑工程项目的市场化管理体制

通过分析建筑工程项目管理实施中存在的问题,进一步深化了市场化背景下建筑项目管理的内容及施工系统,并对进度、质量、安全管理及项目成本控制等建筑工程的项目管理措施进行了阐述,以建立一个公平、有序、健康的建筑建设市场。     

Project governance and stakeholders: a literature review

Despite the importance of stakeholders in project governance, project management literature lacks from an inclusive framework which defines the roles, relationships and positions of internal and external stakeholders inside and outside of the organization's governance structure. This paper has the purpose to report a review on project governance literature to draw attention to the context within which the stakeholders are positioned, to extract their roles and relationships inside and outside of the organization and to develop new avenues for research regarding stakeholders in project governance. The conducted thematic analysis reveals that there are three contexts influencing organization's approaches towards stakeholders: success, megaprojects and ethics. The developed conceptual framework illustrates that organizations are in direct contact with external stakeholders at the organizational level and project level. Strategic decisions made at the organizational level are operationalised at the portfolio level and influence the approach towards external stakeholders at the project level. Considering the lack of theories to support general doctrine of stakeholder theory, this research suggests that future governance researchers adopt a broader view in selection of theoretical lenses in order to include the social and psychological aspects of the management of external stakeholders.     

AutoCAD软件在工程测量中的应用技术

介绍了AutoCAD软件技术在传统测量基础上的技术改进,通过工程实例应用,分析了该技术的优越性和经济技术的可行性,并对AutoCAD软件技术在平面控制测量与水平位移监测两方面的应用情况做了阐述,以推广AutoCAD软件的应用。     

社会主义市场经济条件下的重点工程建设思考

重点工程建设已经走过了五十多年的历程,为我男民经济和社会发展做出了重大贡献,该文对各个历史时期的重点工程建设进行了回顾,阐述了重点工程建设的作用,结合现状分析了当前重点工程建设存在问题,并就在社会主义市场经济条件下如何解决这些问题提出了一些见解,对如何搞好重点工程建设进行了有益的思考。     

Financial and contractual aspects of build-operate-transfer projects

Build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects have become of increasing interest over the last few years. The BOT model entails a concession company providing the finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance of an asset for a fixed period, at the end of which the asset is transferred free of charge to the client. The paper outlines the nature of BOT projects, and examines aspects of the financial and contractual arrangements associated with BOT methods. The financial aspects include the raising of finance, the assistance needed from the host government, the use of existing facilities, the retention of title and construction-cost overrun. The methods of forming the concession and the construction and operation agreements, and the role of the maitre d'oeuvre, are also discussed.     

Evaluation of Chinese projects and comparison with Norwegian projects

Project work in developing and emerging economies is complicated and unpredictable. It would be of great help to equip project managers with an easily applicable tool to assess whether the project is on the right track or not. A Project Evaluation Scheme (PEVS) has earlier been used on Norwegian projects. Data from 89 Chinese projects has been collected using the scheme. This article analyses the Chinese data and compares them to the Norwegian findings. The Chinese projects are scoring higher in all areas investigated, except on informal contacts. Particularly high were goal setting, overall planning and control execution. The Chinese projects achieve their goals and are regarded as a success by all participants. They should improve in project closeout work. The article discusses the reasons for differences between Chinese and Norwegian projects, ranging from differences in perception regarding the questionnaire, to the possibility that Chinese projects in fact are better. The qualities of activity execution are found to be the most important factor in predicting project success. PEVS is proven to be applicable to Chinese projects, yet further customisation is needed.