Clash of the Titans: Temporal Organizing and Collaborative Dynamics in the Panama Canal Megaproject

Abstract

Recent studies of temporary organizing and project-based work explain how organizational actors establish and maintain clear role structures and harmonious relations in the face of precariousness by engaging in stabilizing work practices. This focus upon 'order' undervalues conflict-ridden negotiations and power struggles in temporary organizing. This paper demonstrates that in temporary organizing conflict and order may exist in tandem. Drawing close to the collaborative dynamics in a large-scale global project, we analyse the political struggles over role patterns and hierarchic positioning of client and agent in the temporary organization of the Panama Canal Expansion Program (PCEP). In such projects, the agent typically takes the position of project leader. In this case however, the client was formally in charge, while the agent was assigned the role of coach and mentor. The diffuse hierarchy triggered project partners to engage in both harmony-seeking social and discursive practices and to enter into conflict-ridden negotiations over authority

Applying institutional theories to managing megaprojects

“…Strategies found in the literature focus more on regulative and normative issues and it was not easy to find examples of strategies focusing on cultural/cognitive issues. One exception that charts how cultural and cognitive issues gave rise to contradictory logics is the study of the Panama Canal Megaproject (van Marrewijk, Ybema, Smits, Clegg & Pitsis, 2016), which was riven by such conflicts.…”

“…Baunsgaard & Clegg, 2013). Organizational scholars who have investigated projects have used such methods (Clegg et al, 2002;van Marrewijk et al, 2016) as well as anthropological approaches (Löfgren, 2015). In earlier work, Clegg (1975) pioneered an approach to the rationalities exhibited in and underlining the diverse language games entered into by different stakeholders in project management.…”

The rise of project network organizations: Building core teams and flexible partner pools for interorganizational projects

“…general contractors and suppliers, which are typically strategically coordinated (see e.g. Van Marrewijk et al, 2016;Ebers and Maurer, 2016). Eccles (1981) calls these forms 'quasi-firms'.…”

“…In general, construction involves the development and provision of physical infrastructures, such as buildings, tracks, canals, bridges and airports (see e.g. Davies 2010, 2014;Van Marrewijk et al, 2016). Unlike cultural goods, physical infrastructures are relatively easy to 'measure' in terms of their utility, convenience of use, and resilience.…”

Visualizing the Knowledge Domain of Project Governance: A Scientometric Review

“…Achieving success has always been one important function of project governance, and it is increasingly being stated [34,35]. Project governance in megaprojects focus on policy making [15], managing stakeholders [16], and top management [17,36]. is result relates to Flyvbjerg [37], who have argued that reform in managing megaprojects is emerging.…”