bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Name and Facial Feature Stereotyping
Authors: Bruning James L. , Liebert Dale M.
Published: July 2018

25 names and faces which had been previously scaled with respect to perceived degree of masculinity-femininity were presented to 28 Ss whose task was to match the name which seemed most appropriate to each of the photographs. The results indicated that Ss associated names with faces which had similar connotations.
An Introduction to Construct-Theoretic Psychology
Authors: Katz Jeffrey Owen
Published: July 2018

A construct language is developed. It is shown how some psychological phenomena, such as emotion and motivation, can be discussed and analyzed non-metaphorically by its use. As a result of the non-metaphorical concern with fundamental processes, the viewpoint presented should be productive of better research than is currently being done in many areas of psychology.
Caudate Nucleus Effects on Geriatric Senility: Effect of Belladonna on Learning and Memory of Geriatric Patients
Authors: Levine Fredric M. , Spitalnik Robert , Dobos Charles
Published: July 2018

Recent research has raised the possibility that learning and memory losses which characterize geriatric senility may be due to increased activity of the caudate nucleus. Belladonna was unsuccessfully tried as a caudate inhibitor. The results indicated that aging leads to a greater learning loss than loss of memory.
Protesting iconic megaprojects. A discourse network analysis of the evolution of the conflict over Stuttgart 21
Authors: Nagel Melanie , Satoh Keiichi
Published: July 2018

The past decades witnessed enormous transformations in the built environment of cities, and one of these trends is the development of iconic megaprojects. Public protests against these projects occur frequently, and scholars in urban governance have diagnosed this as an emerging ‘post-political’ condition, that is, as a sign of a deficient democratic politics. Others criticise this kind of reasoning as a ‘post-political-trap’ (Beveridge and Koch, 2017), and demand more research. This article responds to this debate with an empirical study of the popular protests against the infrastructural public transport project Stuttgart 21 in Germany. We apply discourse network analysis to investigate the evolution of the discourse, illuminate multiple dynamic connections between issues and actors, and apply factor analysis to identify the key issues of the conflict. Our study complicates and qualifies the arguments for a ‘post-political’ state of urban politics.
Toxic politics: Acting in a permanently polluted world
Authors: Liboiron Max , Tironi Manuel , Calvillo Nerea
Published: July 2018

Toxicity has become a ubiquitous, if uneven, condition. Toxicity can allow us to focus on how forms of life and their constituent relations, from the scale of cells to that of ways of life, are enabled, constrained and extinguished within broader power systems. Toxicity both disrupts existing orders and ways of life at some scales, while simultaneously enabling and maintaining ways of life at other scales. The articles in this special issue on toxic politics examine power relations and actions that have the potential for an otherwise. Yet, rather than focus on a politics that depends on the capture of social power via publics, charismatic images, shared epistemologies and controversy, we look to forms of slow, intimate activism based in ethics rather than achievement. One of the goals of this introduction and its special issue is to move concepts of toxicity away from fetishized and evidentiary regimes premised on wayward molecules behaving badly, so that toxicity can be understood in terms of reproductions of power and justice. The second goal is to move politics in a diversity of directions that can texture and expand concepts of agency and action in a permanently polluted world.
A New Control Strategy Integrated into the Desired Safety Margin Car-Following Model Considering the Disturbance Level
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Wang Yunpeng , Lu Guangquan
Published: July 2018

A vehicular communication system can provide motion information based on various sensors. Thus, adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems based on a reliable communication system can relieve traffic congestion in a platoon. However, acquiring vehicle information entails uncertainties because of the disturbance of traffic environment and vehicular communication systems, thereby influencing vehicle control performance. In this study, the desired safety margin (DSM) model is employed to investigate the influence of uncertainty on car-following performance, such as starting, emergency braking, and car-following processes. Based on the DSM model, the disturbance level on perceived safety margin is introduced to characterize the uncertainty of vehicle information. The stability criterion of the DSM model with the disturbance level is derived via linear stability theory. Analytical results indicate that a negative value of disturbance level will enlarge the stable region. By contrast, a positive value is conducive for maintaining the consensus state and achieving the high acceleration and deceleration of following vehicles in the starting process. Findings show that the disturbance in the vehicular system significantly influences car-following performance. To enhance the smoothness and stability of traffic flow evolution, a new control strategy is proposed in this study. Numerical experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy in stabilizing traffic flow. This study highlights the need to resolve the stability of sensors and vehicular communication systems, and to develop the vehicular controller to help ACC systems improve vehicle control performance in the car-following process.
The Role of Accessibility to Public Transport and Quality of Walking Environment on Urban Equity: The Case of Santiago de Chile
Authors: Tiznado-Aitken Ignacio , Muñoz Juan Carlos , Hurtubia Ricardo
Published: July 2018

Most studies of public transport accessibility have focused on proximity to stops, walking distances or time to reach them. This approach ignores other accessibility barriers, such as the quality of the urban environment of these walks. The aim of this research is to analyze both accessibility to public transport stops and the quality of the urban walking environment, exploring fairness issues across the city in terms of these two dimensions. The proposed methodology considers the definition of two indicators: walking accessibility to public transport stops and quality of the walking environment, considering different attributes and dimensions. These indicators are later used to develop a fairness analysis at the local and metropolitan level, using Lorenz curves, Gini coefficient, and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty measures. A diagnosis based on these indicators for Santiago de Chile allows us to suggest public policy priorities to improve accessibility to public transport and promote modal shift. The results show that 12 out of 34 municipalities in Santiago are deprived of one or both dimensions, not managing to achieve minimum fairness standards. Moreover, since a correlation between low income and poor access and urban space quality is detected, urban fairness across the city would benefit from centralized urban policies not depending on the budget of each administrative division.
Alternative Activity Pattern Generation for Stated Preference Surveys
Authors: He He , Atasoy Bilge , Brazier J. Cressica , Zegras P. Christopher , Ben-Akiva Moshe
Published: July 2018

We present a systematic method for generating activity-driven, multi-day alternative activity patterns that form choice sets for stated preference surveys. An activity pattern consists of information about an individual’s activity agenda, travel modes between activity episodes, and the location and duration of each episode. The proposed method adjusts an individual’s observed activity pattern using a hill-climbing algorithm, an iterative algorithm that finds local optima, to search for the best response to hypothetical system changes. The multi-day approach allows for flexibility to reschedule activities on different days and thus presents a more complete view of demand for activity participation, as these demands are rarely confined to a single day in reality. As a proof-of-concept, we apply the method to a multi-day activity-travel survey in Singapore and consider the hypothetical implementation of an on-demand autonomous vehicles service. The demonstration shows promising results, with the algorithm exhibiting overall desirable behavior with reasonable responses. In addition to representing the individual’s direct response, the use of observed patterns also reveals the propagation of impacts, that is, indirect effects, across the multi-day activity pattern.
Investigation of Relationship between Train Speed and Bolted Rail Joint Fatigue Life using Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Yin Hao , Qian Yu , Edwards J. Riley , Zhu Kaijun
Published: July 2018

Reducing the allowable operating speed or imposing temporary speed restrictions are common practices to prevent further damage to rail track when defects are detected related to certain track components. However, the speeds chosen for restricted operation are typically based on past experience without considering the magnitude of the impact load around the rail joints. Due to the discontinuity of geometry and track stiffness at the bolted rail joints, an impact load always exists. Thus, slower speeds may not necessarily reduce the stresses at the critical locations around the rail joint area to a safe level. Previously, the relationship between speed and the impact load around the rail joints has not been thoroughly investigated. Recent research performed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has focused on investigating the rail response to load at the joint area. A finite element model (FEM) with the capability of simulating a moving wheel load has been developed to better understand the stress propagation at the joint area under different loading scenarios and track structures. This study investigated the relationship between train speed and impact load and corresponding stress propagation around the rail joints to better understand the effectiveness of speed restrictions for bolted joint track. Preliminary results from this study indicate that the contact force at the wheel–rail interface would not change monotonically with the changing train speed. In other words, when train speed is reduced, the maximum contact force at the wheel–rail interface may not necessarily reduce commensurately.
Effect of rutin on cisplatin-induced damage in human mesangial cells via apoptotic pathway
Authors: Zhang Y , Wang Q , Wang Y-D , Sun B , Leng X-W , Li Q , Ren L-Q
Published: July 2018

Cisplatin (CP) is one of the most effective and widely used compounds in the treatment of disease, including cancer, but is known to induce toxicity in patients. Rutin (RUT) is a flavonoid glycoside from Sophora japonica L. that has been shown to possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. RUT is also known to attenuate cardiotoxicity, isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis, and ischemia/reperfusion-associated hemodynamic alteration, and prevents high glucose-induced renal glomerular endothelial hyperpermeability. In this study, we investigated the effect of RUT on CP-induced nephrotoxicity. CP was used to induce toxicity in human mesangial cells (HMCs), HMCs were pretreated with different concentrations of RUT before being exposed to 10 μg/mL of CP. A positive group was pretreated with antioxidant agent N-acetylcysteine prior to CP administration. At doses between 12.5 and 25 μM, RUT prevented CP-induced reduction in cell viability. Treatment with RUT suppressed intracellular reactive oxygen species and malonic dialdehyde levels and inhibited cell apoptosis. RUT reversed the CP-induced upregulation of p53, cleaved-caspase-3, and increased pro-caspase-3 and pro-caspase-9 levels. In conclusion, the RUT can relieve CP-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting the p53/caspase signaling pathway.
Treatment with Respect to Medical Advice before and after Hospitalization in India
Authors: Mukesh  , Gupta Mohita , Sahu Raj Kishore
Published: July 2018

This article provides an overview of treatment on medical advice before and after hospitalization in India, using the unit-level data of Social Consumption on Health collected by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The survey began in January 2014 and concluded in June 2014. The authors have used two approaches to analyse the details in the article at an all-India level and also at the state level. In the first approach, discussion about medical advice for treatment before and after the hospitalization of family members has been initiated based on the descriptive analysis. In the second approach, a logistic regression analysis has been done to get the idea about the factors influencing the same. The analysis reveals that a very high percentage of hospitalized family members were not treated on medical advice before hospitalization in India. However, an improved approach towards treatment on medical advice after hospitalization has been observed. The chunk which did not get treated or did not carry out treatment needs to be identified and focused upon to improve the overall health environment of India.
Peer Support Arrangements to Promote Positive Postschool Outcomes
Authors: Scheef Andrew R. , Hollingshead Aleksandra , Voss Cory S.
Published: July 2018

The use of peer support arrangements can be an effective strategy to improve educational services for students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). When developing peer support arrangements, secondary teachers should consider aligning these services with evidence-based predictors of positive postschool outcomes to help students with ASD achieve transition-related goals. This article presents research-based strategies as well as evidence from peer support arrangements program implemented at a rural high school.
Computational Model for Predicting the Relationship Between Micro-RNAs and Their Target Messenger RNAs in Breast and Colon Cancers
Authors: Kim Shinuk
Published: July 2018

Motivation:

Uncovering the relationship between micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) can provide critical information regarding the mechanisms underlying certain types of cancers. In this context, we have proposed a computational method, referred to as prediction analysis by optimization method (PAOM), to predict miRNA-mRNA relations using data from normal and cancer tissues, and then applying the relevant algorithms to colon and breast cancers. Specifically, we used 26 miRNAs and 26 mRNAs with 676 (= 26 × 26) relationships to be recovered as unknown parameters.

Results:

Optimization methods were used to detect 61 relationships in breast cancer and 32 relationships in colon cancer. Using sequence filtering, we detected 18 relationships in breast cancer and 15 relationships in colon cancer. Among the 18 relationships, CD24 is the target gene of let-7a and miR-98, and E2F1 is the target gene of miR-20. In addition, the frequencies of the target genes of miR-223, miR-23a, and miR-20 were significant in breast cancer, and the frequencies of the target genes of miR-17, miR-124, and miR-30a were found to be significant in colon cancer.

Availability:

The numerical code is available from the authors on request.
Randomized Controlled Trials of Interventions Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cork Cliodhna , White Ross , Noel Pia , Bergin Niamh
Published: July 2018

Background:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrated by males is the most prevalent form of violence against women across the globe. A systematic review was carried out to identify published randomized controlled trials of interventions aiming to prevent or reduce IPV in Sub-Saharan Africa. Details were sought on the interventions, outcomes, and risk of bias in evaluations.

Methods:

Articles were identified by searching MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycInfo. The search included terms pertaining to IPV, the research design, and the target geographical region. To be included, studies needed to have assessed the impact of an intervention on reported incidence, prevalence of IPV, or measures of related attitudes and behaviors. Fifteen papers were included in the final review. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Library “Risk of Bias” tool.

Results:

Findings suggest that interventions have the potential to reduce IPV-related behaviors and attitudes. Certain types of IPV were more amenable to change than others. Higher levels of efficacy were identified in interventions that had longer follow-up, addressed IPV as a main aim, and occurred at the community level or multiple levels of the social ecology.

Conclusions:

Findings should be interpreted in light of varying risks of bias. Suggestions are made for future research and practice.
Racial Bias Increases False Identification of Black Suspects in Simultaneous Lineups
Authors: Vitriol Joseph A. , Appleby Jacob , Borgida Eugene
Published: July 2018

People are better able to correctly identify the faces of individuals who belong to their own race. Research linking the cross-race effect in face recognition to racial attitudes has been limited to explicit measures and sequential presentation formats. Using a simultaneous lineup task, our results from two studies revealed a systematic relationship between explicit racial bias and increased false identification of Black faces. We observed inconsistent evidence to suggest that individual differences in implicit attitudes impact judgments of Black faces. Nevertheless, nonconscious activation of crime-related concepts prior to encoding facial targets impaired White perceivers’ accuracy for Black faces. Nonconscious priming of crime concepts did not affect White perceivers’ judgments of White faces. Thus, among Whites, racial bias, as a function of both individual differences and contextual cues, can increase the false identification of Black faces in simultaneous lineups. Theoretical and legal implications for face recognition and eyewitness memory are discussed.
谈唐兰先生 “三书说” 对传统六书说的批判和继承
Authors: 陈英杰
Published: July 2018

摘要

唐兰先生的三书说不是另起炉灶, 而是在充分吸收历代文字学研究成果基础上, 对传统六书说作了不同层次的剥离, 这种剥离工作密切结合了历时的、动态的文字发展过程。其所作 “剥离” 工作表现在如下六个方面: 一、文与字的剥离（象形、指事和形声、会意的剥离）；二、图画文字和形声文字的剥离（把文字分为上古期和近古期）；三、文字构成和文字构成过程的剥离（三书和六技, 包含了造字法和用字法的剥离）；四、指事字内部构成的剥离（结果是取消了指事字）；五、会意字内部构成的剥离（结论是 “古文字只有象意没有会意” ）；六、形声字内部构成的剥离（主要是从形声字产生方法角度进行剥离, 剥离的一个重要成果就是声化象意字的析出）。这些工作是形成他的文字分期观和文字发生发展观的重要基础, 反过来, 他的文字分期观和文字发生发展观, 又进一步影响着他对历代研究成果的评鉴、吸收和对具体文字资料的分析、利用。限于篇幅, 本文主要分析了唐兰先生对汉代三套六书体系的批判, 以及对六书中指事、会意的意见, 并基于他的理论体系, 纠正了学界认为唐先生把 “三书” 跟文字形音义三方面相比附的误解。
Analyzing the Role of the Project Consultant: Cultural Change Implementation
Authors: Brown Karen L.
Published: July 2018

Manufacturers typically operate in a steady-state mode and may be inadequately prepared to deal with large projects, especially those involving major cultural changes. This paper integrates the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) processes with the use of an external consultant. To illustrate the use of an external consultant in cultural change projects, Just-in-Time (JIT) implementation was chosen, due to its widespread reporting in both academic and practitioner literature. Such expertise enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of the project through objective coaching and the skilled application of project management techniques.
Beyond PM 101: Lessons for Managing Large Development Programs
Authors: Graham Alan K.
Published: July 2018

This paper reports lessons in project management that are focused on large, complex development programs. The lessons often contradict what one learns in smaller projects and in everyday life. The lessons derive from over 100 consulting studies of such programs that used an extensively evolved and validated series of dynamic simulation models. Unlike the usual postmortem “lessons-learned” compilations, the lessons here are demonstrable: The simulation models allow controlled experiments to identify with certainty which management strategies are successful and why. The lessons are rules of thumb for both planning and starting a program and responding to the unexpected, both in the small (normal design rework) and the large (major redesigns or scope changes). The lessons fall into three major areas: team architecture, managing rework, and managing the plan. The value of the lessons lies in enabling program managers to respond more appropriately within the large program environment; there are many lessons that have improved cost and schedule 20% or more, usually improving quality as well.
Show it Simply
Authors: Abdomerovic M. , Blakemore G. , Stewart J.
Published: July 2018

Project management reports must be simple, yet useful. However, the Communications Planning process in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK® Guide) used in the creation of the reports can be more or less complex, depending on the project data structures. The purpose of this paper is to recommend how multiple data structures can be related to produce a report structure. The scope of this paper includes the methods that will identify the project management information needs and sources of the information for the report structure. The paper analyzes the results of the reports for approximately $500 million worth of construction projects and answers, who needs what information?

As a side result of this analysis, an important fact was discovered: the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) belongs as one of the inputs to the PMBOK® Guide Inputs to Communications Planning. Implicitly, this idea contributes to the reengineering of the PMBOK® Guide and suggests changes that need to be made and how they may be controlled.
Software Project Risks and Development Focus
Authors: Jiang James J. , Klein Gary
Published: July 2018

Risks to software projects pose a major dilemma to information systems (IS) project managers. The identification of techniques that may mitigate certain risks can help determine approaches that may be taken during the development process. Based on a survey of Project Management Institute (PMI®) members, the authors identify the major risks to software success and the commonly applied approaches to mitigate the risks. Risks involving the size and complexity of the project were deemed most threatening and were approached with methods to gain more support and provide more training. Certain risks were found to have no common response, and others were found to have inappropriate responses.
A Statistical Project Control Tool for Engineering Managers
Authors: Bauch Garland T. , Chung Christopher A.
Published: July 2018

This paper describes the development and application of a Statistical Project Control Tool (SPCT) for engineering project managers. This tool consists of a set of modified Shewart statistical process control (SPC) charts. The fundamental purpose of these charts is to determine whether or not a project process is under statistical control. The SPCT includes charts that monitor time, cost, and technical performance-related project parameters. With the SPCT, project managers can be alerted to developing situations and take corrective action before project failure occurs. Chart validation indicates that the SPCT chart methodology possesses the capability to detect out-of-control situations.
Developing a Risk Management Matrix for Effective Project Planning—An Empirical Study
Authors: Datta Sumit , Mukherjee S.K.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a risk management matrix for effective planning of industrial projects. A schematic view of the project environment has been suggested to systematically identify the effects of various project environments, and thereby take a holistic view of risks arising out of immediate and external environments. Various subfactors within each risk element are presented. A process to quantify the immediate and external risks for industrial projects using a weighted probability method is proposed. To derive a useful interpretation, a risk management matrix is also proposed. The results of empirical validation of the model in two recently concluded large industrial projects are also presented. The risk management matrix model can be used to identify a number of policy alternatives at the planning stage.
Updating the Project Management Bodies of Knowledge
Authors: Morris Peter W.G.
Published: July 2018

Project management bodies of knowledge (BOKs) have been published by professional project management associations now for 10 to 15 years. They are enormously influential. Not only do they provide standards against which the associations' certification programs are run, they are used by many practitioners and companies as best practice guides to what the discipline comprises. There are two or three different BOKs. This paper reviews the status of BOKs and reports research on what topics should be included in the BOK (1) conducted at the Center of Research in the Management of Projects (CRMP) using data from 117 companies and (2) through ongoing work on a Global framework sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and others. It concludes that, while a perfect BOK is a chimera, it is important to agree on the elements that should be in the profession's BOK, and that the current initiatives are timely and should be given further support. The profession's BOKs have a particularly interesting relation to emerging work on project management competencies.
The Relative Influence of IS Project Implementation Policies and Project Leadership on Eventual Outcomes
Authors: Jiang James J. , Klein Gary , Chen Houn-Gee
Published: July 2018

Project leadership and a favorable development environment both are important to the successful delivery of an information system (IS). One issue that confronts organizations is where the responsibility for creating a positive environment lies. Should the project manager be responsible for building the climate to suit the needs of the project team, or should the organization provide the climate? Data from a survey of Project Management Institute members involved with IS projects indicates that the project manager's performance is a better predictor of project outcome, but preproject partnering and software implementation policies directly relate to the project manager's performance.
Project Management in the Information Systems and Information Technologies Industries
Authors: Hartman Francis , Ashrafi Rafi A.
Published: July 2018

For many enterprises, sustainable success is closely linked to information systems (IS) and information technologies (IT). Despite significant efforts to improve software project success, many still fail. Current literature indicates that most of the software project problems are related to management, organizational, human, and cultural issues—not technical problems. This paper presents results of a survey of 36 software owners/sponsors, contractors/suppliers, and consultants on 12 projects. The empirical results address answers to questions related to success, performance metrics, and project business drivers. A lack of alignment on these critical issues emerge consistently by phase as well as across the entire project. The results of this study also are compared with others that span seven additional industry sectors. As a result, the authors have developed an approach that links project critical success factors (CSFs) to corporate strategy, and project metrics to the CSFs. An important finding of this study is the critical need to identify and manage realistic expectations of the stakeholders to achieve perceived project success.
Critical Chain Project Scheduling: Do Not Oversimplify
Authors: Herroelen Willy , Leus Roel , Demeulemeester Erik
Published: July 2018

Critical chain scheduling/Buffer management (CCS/BM)—the direct application of the theory of constraints (TOC) to project management—has received much attention in project management literature. There still is controversy over the merits and pitfalls of the CCS/BM methodology. This paper focuses on the fundamental elements of CCS/BM logic and pinpoints some intricacies that are not commonly referred to in the available literature. The authors’ analysis is based on a critical review of the relevant sources and experimentation with both commercial CCS/BM software and an internally developed CCS/BM-based tool.
Beyond the Body of Knowledge: A Knowledge-Flow Approach to Project Management Theory and Practice
Authors: Snider Keith F. , Nissen Mark E.
Published: July 2018

Much of the theory associated with project management is explicitly organized according to taxonomic bodies of knowledge (BOK). Although such BOK are conceptually simple and easily disseminated, their generally static and explicit nature is out of phase with the dynamics of critical, tacit knowledge as it flows through the project organization. In this paper, we argue for a more descriptive view of project management theory, one that captures the dynamics of knowledge flows, addresses tacit knowledge and provides new insight into interrelationships between the management of project knowledge and the management of project activities in the enterprise. Introducing a multidimensional model of knowledge flow to describe project management theory, we instantiate this model with a project example from the domain of software development.
The Role of Induction and Training in Team Effectiveness
Authors: Atkins Steven , Gilbert Guinevere
Published: July 2018

Anecdotal evidence suggests that throughout project environments there are inadequate induction and training programs for project teams. Resultant issues include poor scope of works and a lack of communication for both project teams and project managers. This research is designed to evaluate why these problems occur and provide direction as to how these can be minimized. The case studies selected for this research have noted failures or issues in relation to project teams providing a service to major clients. The researchers discovered that there was a significant lack of management support for such a program, which cascaded into other areas of concern such as inadequate training, lack of internal processes, and a client lack of confidence to deliver.
Applying the Slevin-Pinto Project Implementation Profile to an Information Systems Project
Authors: Finch Peter
Published: July 2018

This paper describes and evaluates the application of the project implementation profile (PIP) methodology to a recent information systems (IS) project within a global company. The methodology was developed by Slevin and Pinto in an attempt to assess which aspects of a project determine its success or failure. Potential weaknesses of the methodology are highlighted. Areas in which the methodology is unable to fully assist in determining critical factors for the successful implementation of an IS project are identified. Recommendations for future research are made.
Effectiveness of Alliances between Operating Companies and Engineering Companies
Authors: Zhang He , Flynn Peter C.
Published: July 2018

Operating companies have formed ongoing alliances with engineering contractors for revamp work in operating plants. For the operating company, the alliance helps reduce overhead by eliminating cyclical work, allowing the company to focus on its core business. Ongoing alliances are different than traditional alliances, in that revamp work is harder to estimate and more likely to grow in scope and cost than new capital projects. Hence, ongoing alliances are fertile grounds for breeding mistrust. A study of five ongoing alliances found three distinct types of alliances. Operating and engineering companies have different motives for forming alliances. Key success factors include maintaining a core team, a climate of trust, and good procedures. Key factors that affect satisfaction within an alliance include the age of the alliance, the avoidance of traditional financial measures of performance and incentive fees, and close integration of operating and engineering company staff. Best practices for ongoing alliances are identified.
A Critical Look at Critical Chain Project Management
Authors: Raz Tzvi , Barnes Robert , Dvir Dov
Published: July 2018

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) has emerged in the last few years as a novel approach for managing projects. In this paper the authors analyze the principles of CCPM, starting with a review of its key elements: reduction of duration estimates; buffer calculations; task completion notification; progress measurement; and priority setting. The authors continue with a CCPM critical analysis using evidence in the research literature and in practice. The points addressed include duration estimation practices, project network structure, stability of the critical chain, resource productivity under multi-tasking, and the project's organizational and operational environment. The place that CCPM occupies in the broader project management context and the costs associated with its adoption are also considered. The authors' conclusion is that although CCPM has a number of valuable concepts, it does not provide a complete solution to project management needs, and that organizations should be very careful about the exclusion of conventional project management techniques.
Project Management in the Age of Complexity and Change
Authors: Jaafari Ali
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a study of complex society and its relationship to project management. The complex society is characterised by open systems, chaos, self organisation and interdependence. Accelerated change drives instability and chaos following an autocatalytic process. The conventional project management approach assumes a world of order and a predictable environment in which one can set and deliver a clear set of goals in a defined manner. The traditional approach is open to challenge. The author argues that a paradigm shift in project management is essential for it to be relevant and effective in a complex society of this century. Research is needed to further define a fresh understanding of project management and how it that can respond to the challenges of the complex society. This necessitates working globally to advance the field.
Managing the Impact of Customer Support Disruptions on New Product Development Projects
Authors: Ash Robert C. , Smith-Daniels Dwight E.
Published: July 2018

Knowledge-worker development projects are often performed where multiple projects are always in progress, and where preemption often occurs for solving time-critical customer service projects. The following nonlinear model for learning-intense situations demonstrates that the choice of preemption policy significantly impacts project completion times. Within this model, the authors identify policies that reduce the detrimental effects of preemption. The best policy preempts the activity that has the most slack and has been in progress the shortest time, and restarts the activity quickly with qualified resources as soon as possible.
Project Benefits Management in IT Projects–an Australian Perspective
Authors: Bennington Peter , Baccarini David
Published: July 2018

Information technology (IT) projects are implemented in organizations to provide benefits. This paper reports the research findings into the process of benefits management by project managers in IT projects in Perth, Western Australia. It was found that IT project managers have a strong propensity towards efficiency benefits rather than effectiveness benefits. A significant majority of IT project managers do not assign Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to project benefits, which makes it difficult to assess if benefits have been delivered. Project managers tend to focus on managing deliverables rather than the benefits that should result from utilization of the deliverables. Many of the findings indicate that there is significant room for improvement in the formal effective application of project benefits management.
2004 Student Paper Award Winner
Authors: Brook George
Published: July 2018

Despite the difficulties inherent in the television production industry, it continues to thrive and flourish. Given the huge amount of experience, expertise, and resources available, it is possible to manage projects in television production with excellence and integrity. However, even though the television production industry offers many advantages in the practice of project management, including highly developed methodologies and straightforward (technical) quality management, productions fail or encounter significant setbacks with great regularity. This points to the inherent complexity and difficulty of the production process. This paper identifies commonalities in the project management experience within television production, in an effort to develop a list of universal “worst practices.” It is hoped that by identifying a suite of worst practices, this paper will be helpful in guiding future production endeavors.
Project Management: A Cultural Literary Review
Authors: Henrie Morgan , Sousa-Poza Andres
Published: July 2018

This paper describes the methodology and results of content analysis research on culture within the leading project management peer review journals and recent published project management books. A review of 770 journal articles and 93 books was conducted, extending four earlier project management literature reviews while focusing on culture within project management. Emerging from this research are three primary themes: (1) knowledge and awareness of culture is important for project management professionals, (2) the percentage of culture-related articles remained fairly constant with earlier research, and (3) empirical-based project management research continues to be limited.
Can Project Management Learn Anything from Studies of Failure in Complex Systems?
Authors: Ivory Chris , Alderman Neil
Published: July 2018

Studies of failure in complex technology systems point to the role of non-linear interactions, “emergence,” conflicting objectives, overly centralized management and “multi-nodality” in precipitating this failure. At the same time, studies of technology failure and safety in high-reliability organizations point to the benefits of what might be termed an “interventionist” approach to managing. Drawing on the insights of these studies, we explore three case studies of complex projects to show the importance of ongoing management “interventions” in preventing project failure. We conclude that “interventionism,” as a balance to overreliance on centralized project management systems, may be a fruitful approach to project management in the context of complex projects.
Strategic Management of Variation Orders for Institutional Buildings: Leveraging on Information Technology
Authors: Arain Faisal Manzoor
Published: July 2018

This study identifies major findings based on data collected from the source documents of 79 institutional building projects, and how these have implications for future policy. The study presents a Knowledge-Based Decision Support System (KBDSS), based on data collected from these 79 institutional buildings, for making timely and more informed decisions on the management of variations. To achieve the study's objectives, an in-depth study of source documents and a questionnaire survey were utilized. In-depth interviews with 62 professionals involved in these projects were analyzed. The KBDSS consists of two main components, a knowledge-base and a decision support shell for selecting appropriate controls. The KBDSS is able to assist project managers by providing accurate and timely information for decision-making, and a user-friendly system for analyzing and selecting the controls for variation orders regarding institutional buildings. The developed system and the findings of this study should be of interest to all building professionals.
A Deliverable-Oriented EVM System Suited to a Large-Scale Project
Authors: Bonnal Pierre , De Jonghe Jurgen , Ferguson John
Published: July 2018

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is under construction at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, near Geneva, Switzerland. In 2003, a new earned value management (EVM) system was introduced to improve transparency in LHC project reporting, to allow a clearer distinction between cost differences to the baseline due to overruns versus resulting delays, and to provide the project management team with a more reactive project management information system for better decision-making. EVM has become a de facto standard for the follow-up of cost and schedule and several commercial packages are offered for implementing an EVM system. But because none of these packages fulfilled CERN's requirements, its executive management decided to proceed with an in-house development. In this paper, an overview of what CERN considers to be good requirements for an EVM system suited to large-scale projects is provided: the deliverable-oriented, collaborative and lean management dimensions are enforced. In conclusion, we discuss some of our positive and negative experiences so those who would like to develop or implement similar enterprise-wide project control systems can be more aware of common pitfalls.
Longitudinal Analysis of Project Management Maturity
Authors: Mullaly Mark
Published: July 2018

This paper examines and identifies core dimensions of assessment frameworks, including five core requirements for conducting assessments, two key processes of assessing organizations (audit and self-assessment), and two dimensions of improving performance (delivering data and applying data). It discusses the evolution of using maturity models to assess organizational capabilities and the development of maturity models to assess project management competencies. It then outlines a five-level project management maturity model that the authors used to assess the way 550 international organizations practice project management. The paper lists the challenges, advantages, and disadvantages of using this model; it identifies the practices synonymous with improvements in demonstrated maturity. It also compares the results ofdata collected since this benchmarking study's inception, results that show underlying project management trends, such as changes in organizational capabilities and performance. It reviews the impact of these trends on the studied organizations and the way they manage their projects. It concludes by detailing four key—and unexpected—results.
Stress and Coping: A Study of Project Managers in a Large ICT Organization
Authors: Richmond Arin , Skitmore Martin
Published: July 2018

Information technology (IT) project managers face a multitude of stressors in their workplaces. This has implications not only for the individual practitioners but also for their employers and society. Exactly what stressors are faced by IT project managers and how they cope with them has received little attention in the literature. In addressing this situation, this paper reports on an exploratory study aimed at identifying the sources of stress, coping strategies, and outcomes that are relevant to IT project managers in a large Queensland-based ICT organization. A critical incident analysis method was used involving interviews with a sample of 12 project managers, resulting in the identification of 50 stressor, coping, and outcome incident chains. These were then coded into categories for frequency analysis.
Applying Traits Theory of Leadership to Project Management
Authors: Gehring Dean R.
Published: July 2018

This research investigates the validity of the traits theory of leadership applied to project management and determines how it correlates to core project management competencies. Previous published work on traits theory of leadership primarily deals with organizational leadership, and not specifically with project leadership. Consequentially, although the previous work is useful in providing a good basis for this paper, additional research is required for application in the field of project management. The necessary data was gathered via researching modern literature on project leadership and through questionnaires sent to project managers with varying levels of project management experience. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate the individual's assessment of what core competencies a project manager should possess. In addition to the questionnaire, an online personality assessment was used to determine the participants' Meyers-Briggs (MBTI) personality type. The results of the literature research and the returned questionnaires clearly indicate that certain MBTI types have preferences that support project leadership, specifically, ISTJ, INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, ESTJ, ENFJ, and ENTJ, with INTJ, ESTJ, and ENTJ being the types containing the most traits that supported project leadership competencies.
Living with the Unknown Unknown: Uncertainty in Projects
Authors: Kvalnes Øyvind
Published: July 2018

In this article, I explore how the traditional understanding of uncertainty in project management can be revised in light of the philosophical input from Kierkegaard, Dewey, and Wittgenstein. Planning models of projects tend to view uncertainty as a threat to successful project implementation. An alternative approach can emerge from a philosophical investigation of the potentials embedded in surprising turns of events. It is possible to retain a planning orientation to projects while also embracing uncertainty as a potentially energizing dimension of projects—one that can activate positive personal and collective drama in project management.
Root Metaphors for the Management of Projects: Toward a Knowledge-Based View
Authors: Ahern Terence , Byrne P. J. , Leavy Brian
Published: July 2018

In traditional project management, knowledge integration assumes upfront plans as explicit knowledge. For complex projects that cannot be fully specified in advance, however, knowledge integration requires emergent learning in situated contexts (Lindkvist), which involves explicit knowledge (know-that) and experiential knowledge (know-how).

To expand the knowledge boundaries of traditional project management, the root-metaphor perspectives of American philosopher Stephen Pepper (1942) are interpreted as a project management framework, focusing on Mechanism for traditional project management and Contextualism for situated approaches. Using this root-metaphor framework, explicit knowledge and experiential knowledge are mutually complementary when projects are viewed as modes of organizing and learning for temporary undertakings, which encompasses process and task. The implications for research and practice include using the framework for situated research, where Contextualism has greater explanatory power, and for the management of project diversity—traditional, complex, portfolio, and program projects.
Expertise Coordination in Information Systems Development Projects: Willingness, Ability, and Behavior
Authors: Hsu Jack Shih-Chieh , Hung Yu Wen , Shih Sheng-Pao , Hsu Hui-Mei
Published: July 2018

Information systems development (ISD) projects are complex, requiring a variety of expertise. Coordinating such expertise helps manage complexity, increasing the likelihood of a project's success. Findings of past studies have been inconsistent regarding the benefits of expertise coordination—perhaps, in part, because three different forms of coordination have been used: willingness, ability, and behavior. We find that willingness and ability are antecedents of coordination behavior, and that coordination behavior fully mediates different forms of project success. Thus, successful expertise coordination requires team members who are both willing and able. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed.