Management of Knowledge in Project Environments

✍ Scribed by Peter Love, Patrick Fong, Zahir Irani

• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 261
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Management of knowledge in project environments is a unique text that brings together contributions from leading academic practitioners, to demonstrate how the management of knowledge can lead to project success in today's complex and changing business environment. The work examines how the management of knowledge, particularly the sharing of knowledge and the importance of learning through reflection, can lead to project success and improved business performance. This book is written by an international contributor team and offers practical applications, models and case studies from a variety of international perspectives. * Demonstrates how the management of knowledge can lead to success in project outcomes * Highlights the importance of inter- and intra- organizational learning * Incorporates international case studies to demonstrate how knowledge can be effectively managed

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Management of Knowledge in Project Environments......Page 4
Contents......Page 6
List of contributors......Page 8
Forewords......Page 10
Knowledge and learning......Page 14
References......Page 17
Introduction......Page 20
A knowledge framework......Page 22
The knowledge management cycle......Page 25
Knowledge management strategy and implementation......Page 26
Knowledge management strategy implications for projects......Page 30
Case study: NASA’s strategic plan for knowledge management......Page 31
References......Page 35
Introduction......Page 38
Cross-functional project teams......Page 39
Knowledge integration......Page 40
Data analysis......Page 43
Case background......Page 44
Case findings......Page 45
Efficiency of integration......Page 47
Scope of integration......Page 50
Flexibility of integration......Page 51
The relationship between integration efficiency, scope and flexibility......Page 53
Conclusions......Page 55
References......Page 56
Knowledge creation and new product development teams......Page 60
Knowledge creation: interrelationships between explicit and tacit knowledge......Page 62
Case studies......Page 66
Knowledge creation in multidisciplinary project teams......Page 67
Interrelationships between the five processes of knowledge creation......Page 71
References......Page 73
Introduction......Page 76
The challenges of knowledge transfer......Page 77
Knowledge transfer in project-based firms......Page 79
Knowledge transfer as an agency problem......Page 80
Methodology......Page 81
Industry contingencies......Page 82
Firm level......Page 83
Industry contingencies......Page 84
Firm level......Page 85
Firm level......Page 87
Industry contingencies......Page 89
Firm level......Page 90
To hoard or share?......Page 91
Conclusions......Page 94
References......Page 95
Introduction......Page 100
Managing knowledge in project environments......Page 102
Methodology......Page 105
Project context......Page 106
Networking and modes of communication......Page 109
Enablers and barriers to knowledge capture and diffusion......Page 110
Discussion......Page 112
Conclusions......Page 117
References......Page 118
Introduction......Page 122
Managing knowledge in project-based firms......Page 124
Knowledge worker......Page 126
Use of knowledge management to enhance quantity surveying professionalism......Page 127
Methodology......Page 128
Awareness of knowledge management......Page 129
Knowledge sharing......Page 130
Knowledge transfer and acquisition......Page 132
Development of knowledge management systems......Page 137
Professionals’ preference of knowledge management skills......Page 138
Expected benefits......Page 139
Critical issues for knowledge management......Page 141
Strengthen employees’ professional knowledge......Page 143
Develop knowledge management in quantity surveying firms......Page 144
Conclusions......Page 145
References......Page 149
Introduction......Page 152
Elements of a learning organization......Page 154
Project environment of construction organizations......Page 156
Building a learning construction organization......Page 158
A shift in strategy......Page 159
Organizational transformation......Page 160
Customer-orientated and quality-centred learning organizations......Page 163
Conclusions......Page 167
Note......Page 168
References......Page 169
Introduction......Page 174
Understanding project environments: projects, knowledge and learning......Page 175
Creating knowledge and learning about complex problems......Page 177
The nature of knowledge......Page 178
Reflection and participation......Page 179
The project management–multiple perspective framework: participation, learning and reflection......Page 180
Participative enquiry......Page 181
Interpreting the interconnectedness of the perspectives......Page 182
Communication: an overarching domain......Page 187
Applications of the project management multiple perspective framework in practice......Page 188
Unbounded systems thinking and the project management multiple perspective framework......Page 190
Participation, public reflection and the project management multiple perspective framework......Page 192
Conclusions......Page 194
References......Page 196
Introduction......Page 200
Two different worlds......Page 201
Two processes......Page 203
Intuitive......Page 205
Rational......Page 206
Intuitive......Page 207
A mixture of processes......Page 208
The need for recognizing intuitive processes......Page 210
Conclusions: a time for reflective management......Page 212
References......Page 214
Introduction......Page 216
Obstacles on the road to interproject learning......Page 217
Interproject learning and learning landscapes......Page 219
Understanding the diversity of learning landscapes......Page 225
Technical novelty......Page 226
Project timing......Page 227
Organizational size......Page 228
Style of project organization......Page 229
Project staffing......Page 231
Conclusions......Page 232
References......Page 234
Introduction......Page 238
Why is learning from projects difficult?......Page 239
Using causal mapping to facilitate learning......Page 243
Ability to stand back and reflect on own decisions......Page 245
Analysing the model......Page 246
Triangulating the causal map with more precise modelling forms......Page 247
Encouraging learning organization-wide......Page 248
Project management simulation tool......Page 249
Enhancing the company’s risk management processes......Page 251
References......Page 253
C......Page 256
I......Page 257
M......Page 258
Q......Page 259
T......Page 260
U......Page 261