Browsing by Author "Davis, Kate"
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Item Open Access Chapter 15: Normalization of deviance in projects: its causes and implications for effective governance(Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023-09-15) Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Davis, KateOrganizational mistakes and accidents have a long history in practice and have been studied extensively in the engineering and organizational literature. One of the primary causes of persistent organizational error is the existence of deviance, i.e., behavior violating organizational norms. This chapter examines the behaviors and motivations of project team members in situations where deviant behaviors have been accepted and normalized as part of project operations. It discusses how normalization of deviance (NoD) manifests in terms of (1) project proposals and strategic misrepresentation, (2) client/contractor relationships, (3) planning and scheduling dynamics, and (4) workplace safety, and provides examples of NoD in practice. The chapter concludes with implications of NoD for organizational performance improvement and offers advice for how to avoid NoD situations.Item Open Access Chapter 20: Corporate innovation and agile project management(Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023-10-01) Davis, Kate; Pinto, Jeffrey K.Item Embargo Chapter 8: Fostering project social sustainability through stakeholder inclusion(Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024-07-09) Di Maddaloni, Francesco; Davis, KateIn project-based organizations, it is essential to respect the needs and expectations of different stakeholders. Sustainability and social outcomes have gained increasing importance, reflecting the demand for positive results in economic, social, and environmental areas. These results determine the actual value an organization contributes to its stakeholders. Aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, organizations should prioritize sustainable economic growth, infrastructure, reduced urban inequalities, and partnerships in society. Neglecting social sustainability can lead to inequalities and suffering within local communities, posing reputational risks, particularly in complex projects. This chapter emphasizes the significance of stakeholder inclusion in project decision-making for better social sustainability. Project organizations should adopt a strategic and systematic approach, actively involving and harmonizing the interests of all stakeholders to achieve organizational goals and contribute to a cohesive and sustainable world.Item Embargo Coming to terms with project success: current perspectives and future challenges(Elsevier, 2022-09-10) Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Davis, Kate; Ika, Lavagnon A.; Jugdev, Kam; Zwikael, OferItem Open Access The corruption of project governance through normalization of deviance(IEEE, 2022-07-11) Davis, Kate; Pinto, Jeffrey K.Organizational mistakes and accidents have a long history in practice and have been studied extensively in the engineering and organizational literature. One of the primary causes of persistent organizational error is the existence of deviance; i.e., behavior violating organizational norms. We examined the behaviors and motivations of project team members in situations where deviant behaviors had been accepted and normalized as part of project operations. We used NVivo content analysis to classify the narratives of 52 project professionals as they related to normalization of deviance (NoD) situations, their perceived causes, and subsequent outcomes for their organizations. Our findings suggest that NoD occurs in three primary dimensions: project processes, relationships, and outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for project organization performance improvement and avoiding NoD situations.Item Open Access Governance in a crisis and the decision to replace the project manager(Sage, 2024-04-12) Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Davis, Kate; Turner, NeilThis article explores the concept of governance behaviors during project crises, which demand rapid responses. Grounded in the Cynefin model for decision-making and inspired by Iftikhar et al., (2021), we sought to explore in greater detail the challenge of a particular and common response to crisis: project manager replacement. We address governance as essentially a two-level function: sensemaking under crisis conditions and offering guidance within the critical early stages of project manager replacement, when the need for governance is crucial. Finally, this article offers some guidance for the employment of governance within different Cynefin complexity domains for maximizing effective replacement steps.Item Embargo Managing complex projects(CRC Press, 2024-08-21) Turner, Neil; Davis, Kate; Cantarelli, Chantal C.Complexity is an issue that affects all projects. Project managers know this, but it can be difficult to express the realities they face in a language that others can easily grasp. In this chapter we draw on research that identifies three different kinds of project complexity – structural, socio-political, and emergent, and look at practical response techniques to these. We offer a complexity framework to help managers deal with these challenges. We then show how this can be used both as a problem-solving tool, and also as a method to draw out lessons learned at gate reviews or at the completion of the work.Item Open Access Managing disruptions in complex projects: the antifragility hierarchy(European Academy of Management (EURAM), 2024-06-28) Usher, Greg; Cantarelli, Chantal C.; Davis, Kate; Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Turner, NeilProjects are prone to a variety of disruptions across their development cycle, requiring that effective organizations develop strategies for proactively recognizing disruption likelihood and swiftly responding to these events. This paper explores a hierarchy of responses to disruption, based on Taleb’s (2012) theory of antifragile system behavior. Following this reasoning, we suggest that when faced with project disruptions, organizations need to investigate the means to trigger a “convex” response that increases value through antifragile thinking. We propose an “antifragile hierarchy” in which four key responses to project disruption are demonstrated, with a range of strategies available for addressing these disruptions. This hierarchy offers a novel conceptualization of responses to project disruption events, suggesting that the options available to organizations facing disruptions range from fragile (the least effective) to antifragile (the most constructive). Finally, we offer a set of strategies for effectively responding to disruptions to promote antifragility in projects.