OVERVIEW: Many manufacturers are moving to servitization, but making that move successfully requi... more OVERVIEW: Many manufacturers are moving to servitization, but making that move successfully requires considering the underlying business logic of a division or product. Differences in existing conditions, such as product characteristics or other business attributes, may determine success in transition to a services-based business model and create challenges for a firm moving, for instance, from a spare-parts model to advanced service contracts. Our study pinpoints a number of key product attributes that define how far a company can move up the service ladder. The findings suggest that the Power-by-the-Hour model pioneered by Rolls-Royce suits products that constitute critical ancillary input to, and not essential elements of, customers’ core processes; that require low initial investments relative to high total costs of ownership; that are used in controllable operating environments with measurable performance requirements; and that are associated with high risk and high costs in the event of failure. Further, the service delivery system must be integrated and orchestrated to be product-specific—that is, aligned with the function and operating conditions of the product in use.
This article challenges the dominant assumption of goal rationality behind temporary organization... more This article challenges the dominant assumption of goal rationality behind temporary organizations’ design in project-based organizations (PBOs). While extant literature posits that organizations strive to select the most appropriate project arrangements to fit particular task requirements at hand, findings from an in-depth ethnography-inspired case study suggest that projects in PBOs tend to imitate each other's structures, strategies, and practices with little consideration of the potential performance effects. Building upon the new institutionalism, this article conceptualizes the PBO as an organizational field of temporary and permanent organizations embedded in wider organizational and institutional fields and explicates isomorphic processes among temporary organizations in PBOs.
This paper challenges the implicit 'one-size-fits-all' assumption that dominates mainstream progr... more This paper challenges the implicit 'one-size-fits-all' assumption that dominates mainstream program management competence literature. Findings from case studies of 10 programs executed in a large pharmaceutical company suggest that different programs require different competences of program managers. Based on the Pellegrinelli's (1997) program typology we put forward a framework, linking specific management competences to program types. By establishing the link between the program typologies literature and program management competence literature, the paper shows that programs should not be treated as a generic and homogenous category in discussions on program management competences. In addition, the findings highlight program content as a significant contingency variable for understanding program management dynamics. The paper suggests a conceptual framework that combines program types with program management competence profiles that could be applied to appointment decisions, staff assessments and organizational development.
International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2012
Multi-project work is fragmented and unpredictable making project professionals continuously faci... more Multi-project work is fragmented and unpredictable making project professionals continuously facing the risk of experienced control being reduced. In such work settings, there is an increased need for (temporary) sense making structures. In this article, the concept of infrastructure (Bowker and Star, 2002) is applied to multi-project work. The findings, which are based on 43 interviews with multi-project professionals, reveals that task lists are important infrastructures created for supporting sense making, control and prioritising. The task lists reduces ambiguity and uncertainty and thus bridge the gap between organisational demands and individual resources providing room for improvised action.
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2013
PurposeWith the purpose of enhancing the understanding of multi‐project management, this paper is... more PurposeWith the purpose of enhancing the understanding of multi‐project management, this paper is based on the findings of a doctoral thesis that focuses on the management and organisation of project‐based companies.Design/methodology/approachThe research presented here is based on an inductive and qualitative case study approach, characterised by an exploratory purpose and based on an in depth analysis of two individual cases.FindingsThe study sheds light on several important aspects for managing and organising the special dynamics that characterise project‐based organisations. The thesis discusses how the balance between structuring mechanisms and the ability to handle the ever‐present uncertainty in project‐based organisations (PBOs) can be understood. This balance is necessary in order to handle the amount of changing requirements – both operational and contextual – during a certain period of time, thereby, being given the opportunity to encourage the organisation's dynamic ...
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2013
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to situate project portfolio management practice and explore ... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to situate project portfolio management practice and explore its improvisational nature. The overall aim is to deepen the knowledge of what project portfolio managers do when they manage portfolios based on an organizational theory perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis research explores the situated actions of project portfolio managers managing project portfolios and is based on two different case studies. The approach is qualitative and interpretative, with the aim of gradually developing an understanding.FindingsThe primary contributions in this paper are insights that enhance the understanding of project portfolio management practice, and the differences in practice between portfolio managers and project managers when creating “action space” and improvising. This knowledge is important for both project theory and project practice, for example when developing managerial competences and sense making structures as well as organizational des...
Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose... more Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
This paper explores the nature of organizational settings, where a large extent of the operations... more This paper explores the nature of organizational settings, where a large extent of the operations is organized as simultaneous or successive projects. Anchored in qualitative case studies, the paper analyzes why the resource allocation syndrome is the number one issue for multi-project management and discusses the underlying mechanisms behind this phenomenon. #
Nordic Five Tech (N5T) is a strategic alliance between five technical universities in Denmark, Fi... more Nordic Five Tech (N5T) is a strategic alliance between five technical universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The overall aim is to “utilize shared and complementary strengths and create synergy within education, research and innovation”. ...
OVERVIEW: Many manufacturers are moving to servitization, but making that move successfully requi... more OVERVIEW: Many manufacturers are moving to servitization, but making that move successfully requires considering the underlying business logic of a division or product. Differences in existing conditions, such as product characteristics or other business attributes, may determine success in transition to a services-based business model and create challenges for a firm moving, for instance, from a spare-parts model to advanced service contracts. Our study pinpoints a number of key product attributes that define how far a company can move up the service ladder. The findings suggest that the Power-by-the-Hour model pioneered by Rolls-Royce suits products that constitute critical ancillary input to, and not essential elements of, customers’ core processes; that require low initial investments relative to high total costs of ownership; that are used in controllable operating environments with measurable performance requirements; and that are associated with high risk and high costs in the event of failure. Further, the service delivery system must be integrated and orchestrated to be product-specific—that is, aligned with the function and operating conditions of the product in use.
This article challenges the dominant assumption of goal rationality behind temporary organization... more This article challenges the dominant assumption of goal rationality behind temporary organizations’ design in project-based organizations (PBOs). While extant literature posits that organizations strive to select the most appropriate project arrangements to fit particular task requirements at hand, findings from an in-depth ethnography-inspired case study suggest that projects in PBOs tend to imitate each other's structures, strategies, and practices with little consideration of the potential performance effects. Building upon the new institutionalism, this article conceptualizes the PBO as an organizational field of temporary and permanent organizations embedded in wider organizational and institutional fields and explicates isomorphic processes among temporary organizations in PBOs.
This paper challenges the implicit 'one-size-fits-all' assumption that dominates mainstream progr... more This paper challenges the implicit 'one-size-fits-all' assumption that dominates mainstream program management competence literature. Findings from case studies of 10 programs executed in a large pharmaceutical company suggest that different programs require different competences of program managers. Based on the Pellegrinelli's (1997) program typology we put forward a framework, linking specific management competences to program types. By establishing the link between the program typologies literature and program management competence literature, the paper shows that programs should not be treated as a generic and homogenous category in discussions on program management competences. In addition, the findings highlight program content as a significant contingency variable for understanding program management dynamics. The paper suggests a conceptual framework that combines program types with program management competence profiles that could be applied to appointment decisions, staff assessments and organizational development.
International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2012
Multi-project work is fragmented and unpredictable making project professionals continuously faci... more Multi-project work is fragmented and unpredictable making project professionals continuously facing the risk of experienced control being reduced. In such work settings, there is an increased need for (temporary) sense making structures. In this article, the concept of infrastructure (Bowker and Star, 2002) is applied to multi-project work. The findings, which are based on 43 interviews with multi-project professionals, reveals that task lists are important infrastructures created for supporting sense making, control and prioritising. The task lists reduces ambiguity and uncertainty and thus bridge the gap between organisational demands and individual resources providing room for improvised action.
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2013
PurposeWith the purpose of enhancing the understanding of multi‐project management, this paper is... more PurposeWith the purpose of enhancing the understanding of multi‐project management, this paper is based on the findings of a doctoral thesis that focuses on the management and organisation of project‐based companies.Design/methodology/approachThe research presented here is based on an inductive and qualitative case study approach, characterised by an exploratory purpose and based on an in depth analysis of two individual cases.FindingsThe study sheds light on several important aspects for managing and organising the special dynamics that characterise project‐based organisations. The thesis discusses how the balance between structuring mechanisms and the ability to handle the ever‐present uncertainty in project‐based organisations (PBOs) can be understood. This balance is necessary in order to handle the amount of changing requirements – both operational and contextual – during a certain period of time, thereby, being given the opportunity to encourage the organisation's dynamic ...
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2013
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to situate project portfolio management practice and explore ... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to situate project portfolio management practice and explore its improvisational nature. The overall aim is to deepen the knowledge of what project portfolio managers do when they manage portfolios based on an organizational theory perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis research explores the situated actions of project portfolio managers managing project portfolios and is based on two different case studies. The approach is qualitative and interpretative, with the aim of gradually developing an understanding.FindingsThe primary contributions in this paper are insights that enhance the understanding of project portfolio management practice, and the differences in practice between portfolio managers and project managers when creating “action space” and improvising. This knowledge is important for both project theory and project practice, for example when developing managerial competences and sense making structures as well as organizational des...
Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose... more Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
This paper explores the nature of organizational settings, where a large extent of the operations... more This paper explores the nature of organizational settings, where a large extent of the operations is organized as simultaneous or successive projects. Anchored in qualitative case studies, the paper analyzes why the resource allocation syndrome is the number one issue for multi-project management and discusses the underlying mechanisms behind this phenomenon. #
Nordic Five Tech (N5T) is a strategic alliance between five technical universities in Denmark, Fi... more Nordic Five Tech (N5T) is a strategic alliance between five technical universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The overall aim is to “utilize shared and complementary strengths and create synergy within education, research and innovation”. ...
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