ARCOM

Search or browse again.

Click on the titles below to expand the information about each abstract.
Viewing 3 results ...

Demirel, H C (2022) Dealing with uncertainty in infrastructure public-private partnership projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Delft University of Technology.

Liu, Y (2021) From best practices to next practices: project0based learning in the development of large infrastructure, Published PhD Thesis, Faculty Of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology.

• Type: Thesis
• Keywords: case study; co-creation; collaboration; exploitative learning; explorative learning; infrastructure project; knowledge management; organizational learning; project-based learning;
• ISBN/ISSN:
• URL: https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:c9dc7f63-012d-4f80-8d71-e6b0c737244f?collection=research
• Abstract:
  

  Over the last decades of development of knowledge management and organizational learning, there has been an increase in learning research within and across projects. Learning from past lessons in projects and preparing for the next project management practices is very important in large infrastructure projects. The autonomy of projects brings opportunities for generating new knowledge to solve problems but makes diffusing the knowledge between projects and even within stages of the project difficult. This poses a significant gap that may be negatively affecting practices. A clear and in-depth understanding of project-based learning is needed. The research aims to stimulate discussions and further debate about learning at the project level to identify and implement capabilities and structures that enable more efficient learning within and between projects in terms of value creation. To achieve the stated aim, the study attempts to answer the following main research question: What is the role of learning, and how can learning be promoted in large infrastructure projects? Q1. What is the state of the art of the current learning in project studies and practice? Q2. How do large infrastructure projects carry out learning in good practices? Q3. How can learning be promoted in large infrastructure projects? The PhD research addresses this topic in the context of infrastructure projects. The research consists of a literature review of the existing studies on knowledge management and organizational learning in the project setting and an empirical overview of project case bases worldwide. Three case studies were carried out, respectively, in the MultiWaterWork program, and the Gaasperdammer tunnel project in the Netherlands, and Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge in China. The research investigated specific learning mechanisms that emerged, including value co-creation, exploitative learning in inter-organizational projects, and explorative learning in megaprojects. A cross-case analysis reveals five project-based learning principles to achieve project capabilities: 1) Owner commitment, 2) Social environment approach, 3) Collaboration vision, 4) Value orientation, and 5) Open mindset. It involves different learning modes (codification and personalization) and ambidexterity (explorative and exploitative learning) in different project phases (front-end and on-going execution) and in programs and large projects (including megaprojects). We analyze and classify the research on "learning" in the "project" published in the leading project management, construction management, knowledge management, and general management journals. The research focuses on the project as a temporary organization and within contexts. Emerging research shows fragmented definitions and suggests a distinction between project-based learning and organizational learning. Seeing projects as singular may inhibit learning from other projects. The concept of project-based learning is enriched by deepening insights on different dimensions, such as exploration and exploitation, codification, and personalization. It is revealed that social interaction may be more effective than database learning in the current project environment, and how to facilitate inter-project learning will gain more research attention. This research scans the state of the art and addresses the gap of project-based learning in the existing literature, which directs the position of project-based learning research. Using the method of content analysis, this study provides a comprehensive overview of seven main project case bases set up by the academia or the market. It is found that the popularity of the project case base is increasing, with a majority emanating from Europe. Besides, some emerging issues mainly related to operation types, adopted methods, the scope of data collection and analysis, and limited access to project data, etc., are identified. The research then discussed the limited use of current project case bases. The project case base should not only be seen as a repository of explicit knowledge but more accurately seen as the product of tacit knowledge. More research on emphasizing the acquisition and disseminating of knowledge through social processes is recommended. This research paid attention to activates and initiatives in large infrastructure projects that stimulate learning. It shows how learning is unfolded in three different cases and brings the three cases together. The first case investigates what stakeholders do in co-creation sessions and how this contributes to the co-creation of value at the front end of programs. We used an action research approach combined with participant observation, document analysis, and interviews with participants to study stakeholder engagement in co-creation sessions at the front end of a Dutch infrastructure development program. The findings show that the client intended to realize a value (value-for-firm) that was competing with market partners’ values. Engaging in co-creation sessions with the client, market partners, and knowledge partners co-created three sets of values (value-in-use) as follows: commercial, intellectual, and collaborative values. The findings contribute to the academic debate on value creation in programs with an in-depth understanding of co-creation sessions at the front end. The second case analyses the exploitative learning process that occurred in the longest tunnel project in the Netherlands. Data were collected through archival documents, in-depth interviews, and site visits in the ethnographic research. The empirical findings indicate that exploitative learning is promoted with the help of the owner initiative. The most significant change that the exploitative learning process has led to is the change in mindset towards collaboration. Project culture is considered to be shaped by exploitative learning in the inter-organizational project. However, there is a gap between the knowledge transfer between the inter-organizational project management team and their parent organizations. The findings have practical implications for understanding learning in practical inter-organizational project settings. The third case draws upon the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), a cross-sea link construction project, to study how the ability to explore was achieved and sustained. The findings indicate that the megaproject is more likely to increase complexity but might bring the value of more significant learning opportunities. Explorative learning is enacted through the complementary use of owner leadership, collaboration, external resources, and experiment. This research adds to our knowledge of how explorative learning works in practice and highlights its significance for the megaproject context. A cross-case analysis follows and presents reflections. We show how learning is unfolded in three different cases. The empirical evidence gathered in this research forms five project-based learning principles: 1) Owner commitment, 2) Collaboration vision, 3) Social environment approach, 4) Value orientation, and 5) Open mindset. The study then focuses on the contribution of learning to achieve project capabilities. It is suggested that the critical role of learning in developing project capabilities should be on the future research agenda of infrastructure projects. This research provides new insights and understanding into learning in the project setting in the built environment, adding its perspectives to knowledge management and organizational learning. We argue the social side of learning rather than the previous efforts on explicit and post-project knowledge. The finding rejects the position of knowledge management as a best practice toolkit for immediate use. It emphasizes that there is no pure copy-paste knowledge learned from one project to another. Social channels such as co-creation sessions are more useful for distributing highly context-specific knowledge. The most significant change that exploitative learning has led to is the change in mindset. Explorative learning is enacted through the complementary use of leadership, collaboration, global resources, and experiment. Co-creation practices contribute positively to exploitative and explorative learning. Primarily, we emphasize the role of owner, collaboration, social environment, value orientation, and mindset change. Measures and environment that is dialogical, open, and tolerant of uncertainty, are needed to foster learning. In this environment, the owner sets the tone for project participants to retain shared knowledge and trust, search, and use new knowledge. We collaborate to learn and learn to collaborate in projects’ autonomy, which brings opportunities for generating new and innovative knowledge. We recognize that project-based learning and project capabilities lead to better business and project performance. This research underlines an essential capability for project management to develop, i.e., learning capabilities. The research is expected to have important implications for project-based organizations, project managers, and academics in the infrastructure sector. It creates a dialogue between theory and practice to address the current infrastructure project management challenges and provides insights to inform potential solutions to project-based learning and understand the relationship between stakeholders. It provides practical guidance for infrastructure project owners and contractors in their inter-organizational design and project-based learning at the front-end and execution phases of those projects.

Volker, L (2010) Deciding about design quality: value judgements and decision making in the selection of architects by public clients under European tendering regulations, Published PhD Thesis, Faculty of Architecture, Delft University of Technology.