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Systems Approach in Project Management

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Systems Approach in Project Management
University College London
The Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management MSc Project Enterprise and Management 2012-2013

TERM PAPER BENVGPM1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
“All projects need simple processes in place to monitor and control cost, progress and quality. It is argued, however, that projects involving innovation and complexity, almost regardless of size, need a “systems approach” to project management.”

Sokratis Avenidis
SN: 110075446 S.Avenidis.12@ucl.ac.uk

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 2 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 3
2.1 THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF CONSTRUCTION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT ........... 3 2.2 SYSTEMS APPROACH ................................................................................................................. 4 2.3 THE PROJECT MANAGER: ROLES AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................... 5 2.4 THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PROJECT SYSTEM.................................................................... 6 2.5 CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION ................................................................................................... 8 2.6 UNCERTAINTY AND COMPLEXITY............................................................................................. 9

3. ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION..................................................................... 10 4. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................... 12 5. REFERENCES............................................................................................ 14

1|Page

1. INTRODUCTION
In the construction industry the role of project management is one of the key factors in the success of a project. While the success of a construction venture can be defined in numerous ways, the only definition of success for project management is the satisfaction


References: Akintoye, A. and Goulding, J. and Zawdie, G. (2012) Construction Innovation and Process Improvement.1st ed. UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Arttoa, K. and Kulvika, I. and Poskelab, J. and Turkulainena, V. (2011) The integrative role of the project management office in the front end of innovation, International Journal of Project Management. 29 (2011), pp. 408–421. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-projectmanagement [Accessed 16 October 2012] Atkinson, R. (1999) Project management: cost, time and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, its time to accept other success criteria, International Journal of Project Management. 17(6), pp.337-342. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Baccatini, D. (1996) The concept of project complexity – a review, International Journal of Project Management. 14(4), pp.201-204. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Barnes, M. (1988) Conctruction Project Management, International Journal of Project Management. 6(2), pp.69-79. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Collyer, S. and Warren, C.M.J. (2008) Project management approaches for dynamic environments, International Journal of Project Management. 27 (2009), pp. 355–364. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/internationaljournal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Cooke, B. and Williams, P. (2012) Construction Planning, Programming and Control. 3rd ed. UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Dragan, Z.M. (1989) Systems approach to strategic project management, International Journal of Project Management. August, 7(3), pp.173-179. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-ofproject-management [Accessed 17 October 2012] Gambatese, J.A. and Hallowell, M. (2011) Enabling and measuring innovation in the construction industry, Construction Management and Economics. 29(6), 553-567. [Online]. Available from: Taylor Francis Online http://www.tandfonline.com [Accessed 15 October 2012] Gann, D. (2000) Building Innovation: complex constructs in a changing world. 1st ed. London: Thomas Telford. 14 | P a g e Gardiner, P.D. and Stewart, K. (1999) Revisiting the golden triangle of cost, time and quality: the role of NPV in project control, success and failure, International Journal of Project Management. 18(2000), pp.251-256. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 17 October 2012] Gidado, K.I. (1996) Project complexity: The focal point of construction production planning, Construction Management and Economics. 14(3), pp. 213-225. [Online]. Available from: Taylor Francis Online http://www.tandfonline.com [Accessed 15 October 2012] Hartmann, A. (2006) The context of innovation management in construction firms, Construction Management and Economics. 24(6), pp. 567-578. [Online]. Available from: Taylor Francis Online http://www.tandfonline.com [Accessed 15 October 2012] Kapsali, M. (2011) Systems thinking in innovation project management: A match that works, International Journal of Project Management. 29(2011), pp.396-407. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-ofproject-management [Accessed 17 October 2012] Koppenjana, J. and Veenemanb, W. Voortb, H. and Heuvelhofb, E. and Leijtenb, M. (2010) Competing management approaches in large engineering projects: The Dutch RandstadRail project, International Journal of Project Management. 29(2011), pp.740-750. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Pryke, S. and Smyth, H. (2006) The Management of Complex Projects: a relationship approach. 1st ed. UK: Blackwell Publishing. Rothwell, R. (1994) Towards the fifth generation innovation process, International Marketing Review. 11(1), pp. 7-31. [Online]. Available from: Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ [Accessed 26 October 2012] Seaden, G. and Guolla, M. and Doutriaux, J. and Nash, J. (2003) Strategic decisions and innovation in construction firms, Construction Management and Economics. 21(6), pp. 603-612. [Online]. Available from: Taylor Francis Online http://www.tandfonline.com [Accessed 15 October 2012] Vidal, L.A. and Marle, F. and Bocquet, J.C. (2010) Measuring project complexity using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, International Journal of Project Management. 29 (2011), pp. 718–727. [Online]. Available from: Elsevier http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-project-management [Accessed 16 October 2012] Walker, A. (2007) Project Management in Construction. 5th ed. UK: Blackwell Publishing. 15 | P a g e Winch, G.M. (1998) Zephyrs of creative destruction: understanding the management of innovation in construction, Building Research & Information, 26(5), pp.268-279. [Online]. Available from: Taylor Francis Online http://www.tandfonline.com [Accessed 17 October 2012] Winch, G.M. (2011) Managing Construction Projects. 2nd ed. UK: Wiley-Blackwell. 16 | P a g e
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