Megaproject Leaders brings together 18 prominent academics who interviewed 16 great megaproject leaders originating from 10 different countries. Based on a reflective methodological approach, these chapters investigate the managing of megaprojects from a human perspective, identify new trends in the managing of megaprojects and identify lessons learned from the personal views of the interviewees. The novel ideas presented will appeal to academics, practitioners and university students.

This cutting-edge Research Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of research on the governance of projects. Spanning different sectors, project types, and organizational hierarchies, it delves into diverse theoretical and practical approaches to the governance of projects, identifying valuable new phenomena for future study. Through diverse case studies, chapters cover all aspects of the governance of projects, including theories of governance, governance approaches, mechanisms, and situational contingencies. It examines the governance of individual projects, groups of projects, megaprojects, and inter-organizational project networks in turn. Expert contributors explore key issues such as governance for sustainable development programs, benefit management, social value creation, ethical governance, and meta-governance. Drawing insights from industry, academia and the public sector, the Research Handbook provides a toolkit of resources that can be applied in diverse contexts. Covering a wide range of approaches to the governance of projects, this Research Handbook will be a valuable guide for academics and students in governance, business, management, and organizational innovation. With extensive case studies illustrating how theories of governance can be practically applied, it will also be a useful resource for practicing managers seeking to develop their governance strategies.

This concise text introduces an integrated view of all project management-related activities in an organization, called Organizational Project Management (OPM). Practical cases from several organizations, as well as popular theories such as the Resource-Based Theory and Institutional Theory provide for an insightful yet realistic understanding of OPM as an integrative tool for organizations to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. The reader will learn how separate organizational functions, such as project, program and portfolio management and governance integrate in a cohesive manner. The authors describe how different approaches to competing in the marketplace link to strategies, and the ways of selecting the 'best' business opportunities for organizations and integrating them into existing workflows and structures. They develop and describe a model that shows how OPM works within organizations. The book is a valuable resource for top managers, reflective practitioners, academics, and postgraduate students in organization theory.

This concise text introduces an integrated view of all project management-related activities in an organization, called Organizational Project Management (OPM). Practical cases from several organizations, as well as popular theories such as the Resource-Based Theory and Institutional Theory provide for an insightful yet realistic understanding of OPM as an integrative tool for organizations to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. The reader will learn how separate organizational functions, such as project, program and portfolio management and governance integrate in a cohesive manner. The authors describe how different approaches to competing in the marketplace link to strategies, and the ways of selecting the 'best' business opportunities for organizations and integrating them into existing workflows and structures. They develop and describe a model that shows how OPM works within organizations. The book is a valuable resource for top managers, reflective practitioners, academics, and postgraduate students in organization theory.

This guide is designed for systems researchers - emerging and seasoned - searching for holistic approaches of inquiry into complexity, which the Systems Sciences provide. The authors share insight into the foundations of research that are not only systematic in terms of rigor, but systemic in perspective, analysis, design, development, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. This guide also explores researcher competencies necessary to conduct sound systems research. Researchers using this guide will gain understanding of what distinguishes systems research from other types of research and why it is important in research today.

A new theory of balanced leadership in projects Leadership is not static. Instead, authority in projects shifts dynamically between project managers, individual team members, and sub-teams, depending on the situation. Leadership may be exercised through a vertical, horizontal, shared, or distributed leadership approach. However, balanced leadership ensures the best suitable approach is used in any given situation. Based on an award-winning global program of research studies, Balanced Leadership is a thorough investigation of balanced leadership in projects. Ralf Muller, Nathalie Drouin, and Shankar Sankaran present a project-specific leadership approach as well as a theory of balanced leadership, and the situations in which different strategies are required. They also outline the five building blocks that enable balanced leadership: nomination of team members, identification of potential leaders, selection and empowerment of leaders, empowered leadership and its governance, and leadership transition. The book explains the coordination of these building blocks through the socio-cognitive space shared by project manager and team. Using real-life case studies and clear examples, this book offers a new way of considering and utilizing dynamic leadership in project settings.

The Evaluative Study of Action Research presents all eight published papers as part of the six-year, global, Evaluative Study of Action Research (ESAR) in one volume. The study sought to enhance the academic rigour of Action Research (AR) and provide greater evidence of its impact. This research contained in this book shows, in a cohesive way, how the ESAR exemplifies original research incorporating new methodologies to create new knowledge. An Evaluative AR framework and indicators were created for initial qualitative data collection with six initial case studies using interviews, survey, documentary analysis, and Goal Attainment Scaling methods. The initial study was followed by a large-scale mixed method survey with 174 projects from across the globe. Almost all projects exhibited positive elements linked to AR precursors (focus clarification, stakeholder engagement, funding), processes (phased, planned yet flexible activity, data collection and analysis, ongoing collaboration and leadership), and outcomes/impacts (change, knowledge mobilisation and continuing action). The results of the ESAR, elaborated in this volume, offer important indications for how to create the sort of respectful engagement that is required for collective strength in solution based, innovative, change. This book will be a valuable resource for: action researchers throughout the world; postgraduate research students, academics and libraries; evaluators; and anyone in communities who wishes to know how to create sustainable change.

The Evaluative Study of Action Research presents all eight published papers as part of the six-year, global, Evaluative Study of Action Research (ESAR) in one volume. The study sought to enhance the academic rigour of Action Research (AR) and provide greater evidence of its impact. This research contained in this book shows, in a cohesive way, how the ESAR exemplifies original research incorporating new methodologies to create new knowledge. An Evaluative AR framework and indicators were created for initial qualitative data collection with six initial case studies using interviews, survey, documentary analysis, and Goal Attainment Scaling methods. The initial study was followed by a large-scale mixed method survey with 174 projects from across the globe. Almost all projects exhibited positive elements linked to AR precursors (focus clarification, stakeholder engagement, funding), processes (phased, planned yet flexible activity, data collection and analysis, ongoing collaboration and leadership), and outcomes/impacts (change, knowledge mobilisation and continuing action). The results of the ESAR, elaborated in this volume, offer important indications for how to create the sort of respectful engagement that is required for collective strength in solution based, innovative, change. This book will be a valuable resource for: action researchers throughout the world; postgraduate research students, academics and libraries; evaluators; and anyone in communities who wishes to know how to create sustainable change.

This guide is designed for systems researchers - emerging and seasoned - searching for holistic approaches of inquiry into complexity, which the Systems Sciences provide. The authors share insight into the foundations of research that are not only systematic in terms of rigor, but systemic in perspective, analysis, design, development, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. This guide also explores researcher competencies necessary to conduct sound systems research. Researchers using this guide will gain understanding of what distinguishes systems research from other types of research and why it is important in research today.

In recent years, organizational project management (OPM) has emerged as a field focused on how project, program and portfolio management practices strategically help firms realize organizational goals. There is a compelling need to address the totality of project-related work at the organizational level, providing a view of organizations as a network of projects to be coordinated among themselves, integrated by the more permanent organization, and to move away from a focus on individual projects. This comprehensive volume provides views from a wide range of international scholars researching OPM at a cross-disciplinary level. It covers concepts, theories and practices from disciplines allied to management, such as strategic management, organization sciences and behavioural science. It will be a valuable read for scholars and practitioners alike, who are looking to enrich their understanding of OPM and further investigate this new phenomenon.

A new theory of balanced leadership in projects Leadership is not static. Instead, authority in projects shifts dynamically between project managers, individual team members, and sub-teams, depending on the situation. Leadership may be exercised through a vertical, horizontal, shared, or distributed leadership approach. However, balanced leadership ensures the best suitable approach is used in any given situation. Based on an award-winning global program of research studies, Balanced Leadership is a thorough investigation of balanced leadership in projects. Ralf Muller, Nathalie Drouin, and Shankar Sankaran present a project-specific leadership approach as well as a theory of balanced leadership, and the situations in which different strategies are required. They also outline the five building blocks that enable balanced leadership: nomination of team members, identification of potential leaders, selection and empowerment of leaders, empowered leadership and its governance, and leadership transition. The book explains the coordination of these building blocks through the socio-cognitive space shared by project manager and team. Using real-life case studies and clear examples, this book offers a new way of considering and utilizing dynamic leadership in project settings.