Whitepapers

Project Management and its Barriers—Joelle Jello

Working in an environment like Australia is not easy, the country carries with its diversity and unique styles of working.

Project and organisational barriers in the site inspection phase—Amish Trilok Joshi

This paper describes the site inspection phase of a solar installation, the problems it encountered and how they were rectified at the time.

Improving project performance through tacit knowledge sharing—Katja Sinning

This paper is using a case study to analyse how a project team can improve their performance through tacit knowledge sharing.

Learning styles in today’s business domain—Nick Dominique-Bouvat

Because learning styles has not proven any universally accepted models, it continually remains one of the most talked about and debated topics among educators and managers in the business environment. This theoretical paper aims to examine the validity of learning styles in today’s business domain

The importance of effective knowledge management and conversion—Alice Chivell

The importance of effective knowledge management and conversion: A reflective paper drawing on lessons learnt from a case example

This paper highlights the challenges projects can face when there is not sufficient monitoring, planning and action taken regarding knowledge management and conversion. Explicit knowledge is seldom enough in the project management arena and tacit knowledge is also required for optimum performance. Tacit knowledge comes from a combination of experience, values, context and intuition and is not easily or readily shared. This paper uses a case example to highlight project setbacks and barriers experienced when important tacit knowledge is not effectively harnessed, converted and shared amongst the project team. Reflecting on the case example, the lessons learnt and actions taken, provides examples of how projects with knowledge conversion issues can overcome the barriers and improve performance. The paper discusses the complexities of power, insecurity and trust when it comes to harnessing and sharing knowledge and ways to address this. It explores a systematic and deliberate way to effectively manage knowledge, drawing on models and processes such as the SECI Knowledge Conversion Process. The paper concludes by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of knowledge management and conversion in projects, acknowledging that despite challenges a focus on these processes ultimately leads to performance improvement and increased project success.

Author: Alice Chivell
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Why do projects not succeed when project governance is not formalised?—Vanessa Sore

Why do projects not succeed when project governance is not formalised?

Barriers exist at both the project and organisational level. These barriers influence the organisation’s aptitude to successfully implement and execute projects, as well as the overall performance and market penetration of the organisation. This paper aims to critically reflect upon the current barriers at the project and organisational level within a large Australian financial services organisation. The reflection identifies three key barriers at the project and organisational level concerning the lack of: formal project-based structure; project methodology familiarity and skilled project managers; and open dialogue prohibiting collaboration. Moreover, this reflective practice has allowed recommendations to be made to adjust governance structures to improve project performance and progress towards achieving organisation objectives. A new governance structure is recommended in pursuit of: implementing a formal project-based structure, embodying support from a Strategic PMO to bring accountabilities and opportunities amidst the organisation into line; aiding better education and appreciation of project management methodology with ongoing support from a Tactical PMO; and adopting effective communication. Thus, the paper outlines the importance of these recommendations to assure project governance ownership and liability across the organisation to achieve project success.

Author: Vanessa Sore
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Conceptual model of performance measurement – Ali Naseri Gigloo

Conceptual model of performance measurement for power plant projects

This study is focused on the importance of performance measurement in projects. Projects are considered as temporary organizations with specific goals and objectives. Generally, power plant projects are considered as high-tech and large-scale projects and construction of them require a great amount of financial resource, human resource, materials and equipment. Also, they are considered as one of the strategic infrastructures of a country and any delay in these kinds of projects results in huge cost overrun as well as negative social and economic impacts. So, it is important to use a robust performance measurement system to help project managers to manage them effectively to achieve goals and objectives of projects. In this study, by using literature, a conceptual model of performance measurement was developed and then by using the company vision, the KRAs of the project were identified. Also, according to the project contract, the long-term and short term objectives were identified. To assess the performance of process and systems a set of KPIs identified.

Author: Ali Naseri Gigloo
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Synergy between tacit and explicit knowledge—Andrew Dahal

Synergy between tacit and explicit knowledge: Key to effective project management, a case of Nepal

In projects undertaken in a country like Nepal, specifically in the construction sector, the idea of knowledge management has been a burning issue for a considerable amount of time. Standard project management practices in Nepal being at the early stages, the idea of accommodating tacit and explicit knowledge with a view to assisting project managers and their team in better managing the projects is proposed which is also viewed as being able to set an example for the upcoming project leaders. Significant number of researches have shown the benefit of synergy between tacit and explicit knowledge in case of project setting and also in organizational setting as well. Despite the differences that occur among the subject matter experts working together in projects, consideration of how knowledge is acquired and how the context of the situation could play a decisive role in people applying their knowledge into action paves a way for effective project management. The paper focuses on the reflection of an event that had occurred in a construction project in Nepal and addresses how consideration of use of both tacit and explicit knowledge would have helped to improve the situation. Also the paper briefly highlights the mindset of project managers in a high-power distance culture and its effect on the execution of projects.

Author: Andrew Dahal
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

Improve Performance Through Reflective Practice and Knowledge Sharing In Project Management—Shan He

Improve Performance Through Reflective Practice and Knowledge Sharing In Project Management
It becomes increasingly crucial for organisations to make improvement in such a competitive environment. Being adaptive to the changing market can be acquired through enhancing competence of organisation members and improving the collaboration of whole organisation. Therefore, reflective practice can be perceived as an efficient and simple approach for either organisation or individual to promote performance improvement and learning process while knowledge sharing can provide an easy access for members to exchange knowledge information and make improvement.

This paper will focus on how reflective practice and knowledge sharing enable organisation to improve performance and learning. Reflective practice can be applied through many tools and techniques, which need to be tailored within different organisational context. With respect to knowledge sharing, the most challenging aspect is the process of converting tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge, where can create a collaborative and dynamic environment for organisation to make improvement. There will be a project case that author involved with during working experience to illustrate how the project was managed using reflective practice tools while advantages, problems, lessons learnt are identified through the application of reflective journals. An improved outcome will
be demonstrated if the ‘Gibbs reflective cycle’ could have been applied into the project.

Through the reflection analysis of the project case, it is found that reflection becomes effective when applying theory into practice and knowledge sharing can bring an improved outcome. In organisation, learning to make improvement comes effectively from reflecting on experience.

Author: Shan He
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)