An operations readiness typology for mitigating against transitional ‘disastrous openings’ of airport infrastructure projects

Abstract

This paper seeks to highlight the essential readiness factors commonly engaged to prevent 'disastrous openings' of complex multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects. To identify these readiness factors, we undertook a survey of 724 Operations managers, Project managers and 'Operations Readiness, Activation and Transition' management practitioners working across four international airports in the United Arab Emirates. Data were analysed using SPSS/AMOS. What emerges from the data analysis is a risk-focused typology of knowledge that is able to prevent past mistakes from being repeated. The main contribution of the paper is twofold. First, the paper develops a risk-focused operations readiness typology. The second

Designing the transition to operations in large inter‐organizational projects: Strategy, structure, process, and people

“…However, they had different delivery outcomes. Heathrow Terminal 5 has not escaped the fate of the opening disaster of most large airports (Al-Mazrouie et al, 2021), facing severe operational disruptions when it opened (Zerjav et al, 2018). In contrast, Daxing Airport was put into operation 6 months earlier than originally planned and was awarded status of best airport by the Airports Council International for two consecutive years after it was put into operation.…”

“…The delivery of large inter-organizational projects is replete with examples where projects have failed to meet the basic operational and usage expectations after handover (Al-Mazrouie et al, 2021). For example, London Heathrow Terminal 5 experienced a series of problems on its opening day, resulting in numerous canceled flights and thousands of missing and misplaced suitcases.…”

The Critical Risk Factors that Influence Production-oriented Projects in the United Arab Emirates: A ‘Best-worst Method’ (BWM) Analysis

“…The critical risk factors that influence production-oriented projects in the United Arab Emirates: a 'best-worst method' (BWM) analysis 'migration' and 'monitoring' (see Lee et al 2013). Here, 'Risk identification' will focus on identifying sources of sources of risk with a view to developing an appreciation of their interrelatedness while 'Risk assessment' focuses on evaluation of risks that are more than likely to potentially have an impact on the organisation (see Lee et al 2013;Marshall et al 2019aMarshall et al , 2019bSingh et al 2020;Al-Mazrouie et al 2021). Competency in 'Risk identification' does however require those who manage risk to possess an element of knowledge that will foster their ability to engage in some form of threat scanning (Marshall et al 2019a).…”

Managing strategic resources in petroleum industry projects

“…A point worth noting is that the problem of ensuring that RBV theory provides the necessary guidance on how performance and competitive success can filter down from the strategic level and institutional level to the project level makes demands for connections to be established between the various levels in a manner which will facilitate resource alignment. Such an understanding is important as it is inevitable that tensions will exist between these different levels (Chandrasekaran, Linderman, and Schroeder 2012), and not managing these tensions is a major source of risk to enhanced project performance and sustained business competitiveness (Marshall et al 2019;Al-Mazrouie et al 2020). Organizations will generally consist of different stakeholders which research should not treat as cohesive or homogeneous decision-making units (Ojiako et al 2014(Ojiako et al , 2015Chipulu et al 2019).…”

“…They state that ' … project operations are responsible for fulfilling customer expectations with respect to project success criteria, setting up the company for repeat business, and enhanced performance reputation' (175). The idea of 'project operations' was taken forward by Al-Mazrouie et al (2020) in the form of an extended project life-cycle. However, they highlight the potential for 'disastrous openings' of such projects due to the discontinuities that exist between the 'project' and 'operations' stage of such endeavours.…”