Project managers' ability to explore and exploit predictive and iterative best practices

Abstract

Purpose Project managers face decisions every day and those decisions result in an “either or” situation. This is also true when it comes to the choice of a project management approach, i.e. predictive versus iterative. A case is made in this article that project managers should be ambidextrous and apply practices that are beneficial to the project, irrespective of the origin of the practices.Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a questionnaire focussing on six themes. The results of 290 projects were analysed using ANOVA and boxplots to test for skewness and variances.Findings Based on the analysis of 117 practices, most of these projects could be classified as either hybrid or iterative projects. The results indicate that irrespective of the classification of the projects or the industry, projects are managed using a hybrid approach, with a tendency to incorporate more iterative practices than predictive practices.Originality/value This article contributes to the current debate on which approach is the best given certain circumstances.

Knowledge ambidexterity in construction project-based organizations: predicaments of knowledge networking intention within outbound consultant-supplier interfaces

“…, 2023; Jia et al. , 2022; Marnewick and Marnewick, 2023). This is because; PI in industrial organisations commonly exhibits reliance on standard operation procedures, which inhibits organisational adaptation and its outcomes (Jia et al.…”

“…, 2023; Jia et al. , 2022; Marnewick and Marnewick, 2023; Zhang et al. , 2023) to reinforce KNI and knowledge integration (transfer/sharing, creation and infusion) process.…”

“…The dynamic customer, stakeholder and environmental needs of CSSCs subject the AEC organisations to adopt flexible organisational as well as inter-organisational structures (i.e. project teams, consultant-supplier interfaces) and flexible procedures (Cheng et al, 2023;Jia et al, 2022;Marnewick and Marnewick, 2023). This is because; PI in industrial organisations commonly exhibits reliance on standard operation procedures, which inhibits organisational adaptation and its outcomes (Jia et al, 2022;Liao, 2002;Liao et al, 2008;Ozawa, 2023).…”

“…(Ali and Haapasalo, 2023;Ingvarsson et al, 2023;Pauna et al, 2023;Tampio et al, 2023) and facilitating infrastructure (such as ICT, big data analytics, building information modelling (BIM), blockchain, etc.) (Gao et al, 2023;Jia et al, 2022;Marnewick and Marnewick, 2023;Zhang et al, 2023) to reinforce KNI and knowledge integration (transfer/sharing, creation and infusion) process. Therefore, effective and efficient KG is critical to avoiding consultant-supplier interface-related difficulties (Lello et al, 2023b;Malla and Delhi, 2022), incidental, unstructured, loose networks (Wang et al, 2023) and distrust-based relationships (Cheng et al, 2023;€ Ortqvist, 2020).…”