The ABC Wind Power Station Construction Project Management Performance Study—Yi Gao

The ABC Wind Power Station Construction Project Management Performance Study
At the present, there are too many academic researches concentrated on the corporation performance evaluation in China, but there is lack of researches consider about the construction project performance evaluation. Because of this, it is difficult for the managers to give correct evaluations in assess the construction projects even it may cause profit losses to the corporations by making the wrong decisions.

With the construction market competition intense more and more in the wind power station today, the developers also have more and more requests to the construction corporations, especially to the constructing quality, safety and environment protection. Because of this, it is a critical problem which is the performance evaluation of wind power construction project to be paid more and more attention by the publics.

The study analyzed the market environment for the wind power station developers and did some researches and analyses. By integrating the characteristics of the construction project performance evaluation and the wind power station projects, it made a performance analysis for the ABC wind power station based on the project quality, schedule, cost and other part of project management. Then there are some project performance improvement suggestions in the next for the wind power station construction projects.

Author: Yi Gao
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Review: Reinventing Communication – Mark Phillips

This highly original book looks at two perennial issues faced by projects of all kinds, reviews Lynda Bourne: how to create an environment of high performance for the people working in it and how to manage project complexity.

Performance Techniques: Reflective Practice and Action Learning—Alexandra Secerbegovic

Performance Techniques: Reflective Practice and Action Learning as Leadership Developmental Tools in the Pursuit to Improve Project Performance within the Project Organisation
The purpose of this article is, using a literature review, to discuss the processes of Reflective Practice and Action Learning using a project based organisation as a case study and to discuss the advantages and importance of these processes to improving project performance through leadership development. Some of the barriers to effective implementation within such workplaces will also be discussed. The article will first provide the definition and importance of both Reflective Practice and Action Learning. This is then followed by linking these processes with the concept of the Learning Organisation in order to create an environment where leadership development is encouraged as part of employee engagement attract and retain strategies and the overall continuous improvement process.

The organisation used for this article is an Australian medium sized oil and gas company. A project based organisation undertaking exploration, construction and eventually operations of assets. The organisation does not currently undertake Action Learning, however realises that if it is to attract and retain skilled project managers, then it must offer a strong leadership development program, because a high salary is no longer the sole motivating factor for many project managers. It is my belief that this case study organisation will benefit from implementing a leadership development program based on Reflective Practice and Action Learning because the future of improving their projects is not just going to be through traditional technical training of their project managers but raising it to the next level.

Author: Alexandra Secerbegovic
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Project Performance Improvement—Charlotte Tanner

Project Performance Improvement
The emergence of Open Source Software and the broader Communities of Practice are leading the way in terms of creating new dynamics and paths to knowledge creation. Whilst these communities of practice increasingly include global virtual teams, the teams themselves have not yet reflected the highly connected, non-hierarchical structures of Communities of Practice in their own methods and approaches to managing projects. Through the process of reflective practice, global virtual teams have within their power the ability to seek out new ways of thinking and collaborating not just within their own virtual teams, but also within the broader Open Source Software Community.

The project environment of global virtual teams can create barriers to communication, but the shared context of the team itself, can act as a catalyst for transforming knowledge from tacit to explicit by increasing the points of connection within the team. By the sharing of knowledge, teams are able to build trust within the team, which leads to improved performance of the team. Whilst the emergence of new methodologies such as Agile within Project Management seeks to deal with the rapidly evolving development of new software, whereby the end ‘product’ is not always clearly defined when a project commences, does provide a workable approach to Project Management, problems can still arise within the way the team interrelates with one another. The next stage of the process should be a reflection on the way in which teams interact and how new knowledge is created.

Author: Charlotte Tanner
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Integration of Reflective Practice—Gerard Datoc

Integration of Reflective Practice And Knowledge Within The Organization
In today’s organizations, it becomes vital to be able to adapt to the changing markets as it develops an incline for new and more innovative products or services. Companies spend countless money and human resources in improving the way they achieve results and develop a structure for continuous improvement plans. An extensive percentage of this is dependant on the teams who are the drivers of success for every organization; hence through my research I endeavour to tackle the qualities of successful teams in how they structure knowledge and reflective practices that are the drivers behind these accomplishments. Through coaching and mentoring, reflecting on our experiences can further develop how an individual can process data and turning that into knowledge.

Individuals may have years of experience but that a learning experience is more beneficial for both the individual and the organization. There are challenges in bringing cohesion regarding the transference of explicit and implicit knowledge through training sessions. By integrating reflection within organizations and marrying that with knowledge, organizations contributes to improving business processes and further defining business objectives. The application of David Kolb’s Learning Cycle and incorporating that as part of reflective practices of an organization can manifest benefits in how any organization can develop knowledge management practices. Reflective practices foster growth on many levels and create an avenue for situations that require problem-solving skills. It is evident that reflection also enhances our skill sets and how we instigate resolutions and possible actions.

Author: Gerard Datoc
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

The one highly effective habit for project managers

The habit editor Adeline Teoh thinks we need to make, as decision-makers and project managers, is the one that stops us before we sign off on decisions in case we’ve submitted to routine thinking.

Why are so many projects set up to fail?

Project failure rates have remained steady for at least the last 30 years despite increased knowledge and education about project management. Pat Weaver discusses the pervasive governance problems that lead to a culture of failure.

Engaging virtual project teams

As workforces become more dispersed and remote, what does it take to manage a virtual project team effectively? Matthew Franceschini looks at the trend towards contract workers and how managers can deal with dispersed project teams.