Fuzzy Assessment Method and Its Application to Selecting Project Managers

Open competition is a new form of the assessment of candidates and selection of project managers. This has many merits compared to the traditional administrative method of appointment. This article introduces a method of fuzzy assessment of project manager candidates. Fuzzy assessment unifies objective qualitative and quantitative appraisal and can be used for improving decision-making in the selection process.

American, Asian and European Scientists and Practitioners View on ICT Project Managers Soft Skills

USA as an ICT （Information and Communication Technology） innovative leader, Europe with its knowledge offensive and Asia as the fastest growing economies share the common fate： ICT projects do under perform. Numerous surveys point at human factor as a source of this malheur. The question emerge to what extent project manager is responsible for improvements there, and which particular skills are demanded to turn the ICT projects course towards more predictable, more efficient and better budget able endeavours. Authors examined and compared the scientific and practitioners views. Twenty-nine journal and conference papers and 46 monographs and standards dedicated to project manager skills have been scrutinized. Further 324 jobs advertisements for the ICT project managers in USA, Switzerland, Poland and Thailand underwent an analysis related to the demanded soft skills of the project manager. The L-Timer~ taxonomy of human factor related processes in project management is applied as comparison vehicle. Methodology extracted main （global） terms and detailed aspects, both weighted appropriately. The practitioners on all continents expect primarily communication skills followed by the team management abilities. Human resource is partially treated, while conflict management is underrepresented. The science seems to be focused on leadership followed by the communication skills, neglecting self management skills of project managers. The last are surprisingly well represented in the US advertisement. The USA job advertisements are the most comprehensive and elaborated one--and, what might be explained by high impact of American science on job definition--close to the scientific details of skill description, self management excluded. In Poland, team management appears to be a problem, while Thailand＇s companies seek leaders first. The best balanced approach might be found in Swiss job advertisements. The inter-cultural differences point at impact of cultural heritage, which call for differentiated view of science on demanded project manager human factor related skills. Authors pursue this fascinating research.

Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Readiness Assessment of Project Managers in Tanzania

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is transforming the way we live, learn, work, and relate to one another. However, there is still an awareness inadequacy of the 4IR among project managers and the society in Tanzania, thus low readiness to conceptualize, implement and manage 4IR-related projects in the country. This study aimed to assess the 4IR readiness of project managers in Tanzania. The assessment is made in the frame of 4 readiness dimensions: strategy and governance structure, technology awareness, human capital digital skills development, and social-economic impact. The research used a quantitative method with the diffusion of innovations theory perspective, and data were collected mainly through an online survey questionnaire. The survey aimed at answering the research question concerning the project managers’ readiness for the 4IR. The 50 valid samples were completed by project managers from various industries such as agriculture, finance, consulting, construction, education and training, government, healthcare, Information Technology, and manufacturing. Data were analysed using SPSS. The results revealed that despite the generally low awareness of 4IR, several project managers in Tanzania have some varying awareness of 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, blockchain, robotics, cryptocurrency, chatbots, drones, and other digital transformation platforms. The results also indicated that project managers in Tanzania had little extent in readiness to initiate, develop and implement 4IR products and services due to inadequate 4IR-related awareness, strategy and governance structure, human capital digital skills development, and social economic impact. Consequently, some recommendations are made in the frame of the four assessed readiness dimensions for improvement. The value of this research is mainly to provide the state of 4IR readiness of project managers and associated recommendations to policymakers, practitioners, academia, donors, business industry and youth in digital innovation. The study also contributes to the body of knowledge on 4IR, project management and digital transformation.

GIS as Project Manager in Geophysical Applications Software

The changing trends in information technology have greatly influenced the role of GIS in spatial data management, analysis, processing and presentation. It has evolved from the conventional cartography and image processing to advanced 3D visualization and dynamic graphics tools. Due to this evolving nature of GIS, it has found wide applications in a number of diverse fields. Geophysical exploration projects involve data acquisition at hundreds of spatial locations resulting in large number of datasets. It takes a great deal of time to manage all these datasets during data processing and interpretation. This paper presents the use of GIS as an effective project management tool, providing an interactive data access interface in compute intensive geophysical processing applications. A reusable GIS software component is presented which can be used by geophysical applications to manage their datasets. A practical example is included to demonstrate the implementation of this GIS component as an embedded Project Manager in a seismic refraction software.

Project Manager＇s Competencies in Czech Lottery Industry Enterprise

The presented paper analyses competencies of project manager of the enterprises operating on Czech lottery market. The contribution of the paper consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the basic terminology issues and anchors concepts such as project manager and competencies. The second part is dedicated to the analyzing and evaluation of the competencies of ideal project manager of the enterprises operating on Czech lottery market and subsequent presentation and verification. For the analyzing and evaluation of the competencies of ideal project manager, the questionnaire of the scale type with the grade valuation 1-6 was applied within the frame of 20 enterprises operating on the lottery market in Czech Republic. The respondents were from the AG CZ, Ltd. and the competitors of this enterprise. Analyzed data were after the evaluation worked up into the form of graphs. The final output of this paper is the definition of the competencies of ideal project manager operating on Czech lottery market. The paper arose thanks to the project supportted by The Ministry of Education, Slovakia （Project KEGA No. 001DTI-4/2015, proposal of behavior strategies in the difficult social situations in the management of secondary school using the innovative predictive software tools） in cooperation of Dubnicky, Technological lnstitut in Dubnica nad Vahom with AG CZ, Ltd. and The Institute of Technological and Business in Ceske Budejovice.

Building the Three Gorges Project for the Chinese Nation—An Interview with General Manager Lu Youmei, China Yangtze River Three Gorges Project Development Corporation

The Yangtze River has nurtured the fertile land on both its banks and hundreds of millions of Chinese people. but its raging waters have also wreaked havoc on the people living in its reaches. Since the founding of New China, large-scale surveys, planning, scientific research and feasibility studies have been carried out in an effort to harness the

Network Analysis for Projects with High Risk Levels in Uncertain Environments

The critical path method is one of the oldest and most important techniques used for planning and scheduling projects.The main objective of project management science is to determine the critical path through a network representation of projects.The critical path through a network can be determined by many algorithms and is useful for managing,monitoring,and controlling the time and cost of an entire project.The essential problem in this case is that activity durations are uncertain;time presents considerable uncertainty because the time of an activity is not always easily or accurately estimated.This issue increases the need to use neutrosophic theory to solve the critical path problem.Real-world problems are characterized by a lack of precision,consistency,and completeness.The concept of neutrosophic sets has been introduced as a generalization of fuzzy,intuitionistic fuzzy,and crisp sets to overcome the ambiguity surrounding real-world problems.Truth-,falsity-,and indeterminacy-membership functions are used to express neutrosophic elements.This study was performed to examine a neutrosophic event-oriented algorithm for determining the critical path in activity-on-arc networks.The activity time estimates are presented as trapezoidal neutrosophic numbers,and score and accuracy functions are used to obtain a crisp model of the problem.An appropriate numerical example is then used to explain the proposed method.

Contractor-Related Factors and Performance of Bridge Construction Projects Implemented by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Kenya

The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This study aimed to bridge this gap by examining the effects of contractor-related factors on the performance of bridge construction projects in Kenya through a case study of the Bridge projects Implemented by the Kenya National Highway Agency (KeNHA). The theory of constraints (TOC) was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive research was used, and the target population was 18 bridge construction projects, which were the units of analysis from 2012 to 2022. In each of these projects, 18 respondents, namely clients, consultants, contractors, engineers, environment and social guards, project managers, stakeholders, subcontractors, technical advisors, and inspectors, were included in a target population of 144 respondents. A census was conducted and a structured questionnaire was administered from which a response rate of 68% was achieved. The information was analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The contractor-related factors considered in the study were staff and management factors. The findings indicated that staff and management factors had a positive and significant outcome on performance of bridge construction projects. The study recommends continuous training and a safe learning environment for staff to improve their skills and performance in future projects. The study also recommends that a special category for bridge contractors be created in Kenya’s National Construction Authority rankings to ensure that only qualified contractors implement the Bridge projects.

Construction Safety Management of Mechanical and Electrical Installation Projects

Various industries today rely on the support of electromechanical equipment,expanding its scope of application and leading to an increase in electromechanical installation projects.However,due to the high level of expertise required and the potential risks involved,it is crucial to emphasize safety management during construction.This paper delves into the significance of construction safety management for electromechanical installation projects,identifies common problems encountered during construction,and proposes solutions.This analysis aims to provide relevant personnel with essential guidance and references for managing electromechanical installation projects safely.

An Empirical Study of the Content Characteristics of Social Projects （According to In-depth Interviews）

This paper specifies substantial characteristics of social projects at the present stage of development of the Russian civil society. A social project is considered as a project system based on a set of measures of social orientation; has specific objectives; and is located in space and time-restricted. The sample data of 25 in-depth interviews with representatives of the business community, public authorities, and civil society institutions, all active participants in community development in the Voronezh administrative region served as an empirical basis for this paper. The analysis of respondents＇ views on the importance of social projects has enabled to define their descriptive and normative features. The main descriptive features include the following： overcoming specific urgent problems in a society; implementing state social policy; quantitative changes in the material life conditions of an individual or a social group; creating labor markets; implementing social innovations; two-way influence of the quality and quantity of social projects and the level of socio-economic structure （company, region, country）. Normative features include： encouraged development of state institutions; stability of the environment; balanced socio-economic development; formation of a community of reasonable individuals; development of human potential. Conclusions have been made about the nature, characteristics, and goals and objectives of social projects and their role in social and economic development of the region, spheres of social projects implementation significant for Russia, about active participants, success and failure factors of social projects, prospects and intensity of social engineering in the Voronezh administrative region and Russia as a whole. Soft systems methodology has been used for stating and structuring the empirical data. The results obtained have enabled to lay the foundation for finding the concepts and mechanisms to coordinate the participants in community development.

Whole-Process Project Cost Management Based on Building Information Modeling (BIM)

The whole-process project cost management based on building information modeling(BIM)is a new management method,aiming to realize the comprehensive optimization and improvement of project cost management through the application of BIM technology.This paper summarizes and analyzes the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,aiming to explore its application and development prospects in the construction industry.Firstly,this paper introduces the role and advantages of BIM technology in engineering cost management,including information integration,data sharing,and collaborative work.Secondly,the paper analyzes the key technologies and methods of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,including model construction,data management,and cost control.In addition,the paper also discusses the challenges and limitations of the whole-process BIM project cost management,such as the inconsistency of technical standards,personnel training,and consciousness change.Finally,the paper summarizes the advantages and development prospects of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM and puts forward the direction and suggestions for future research.Through the research of this paper,it can provide a reference for construction cost management and promote innovation and development in the construction industry.

Research on Intelligent Cost Estimation of Engineering Foundation Projects Based on CSIs Theory

Against the backdrop of rapid development in China’s construction and infrastructure sectors,discrepancies between project budgets and actual costs have become pronounced,manifesting in project overruns and suspensions,posing significant challenges.To address inaccuracies in investment targets and operational complexities,this study focuses on a beam-bridge construction project in a district of Shijiazhuang city as a case study.Drawing upon historical analogs,the project employs a Work Breakdown Structure(WBS)to decompose the engineering works.Building on theories of Cost Significant(CS)and Whole Life Costing(WLC),the study constructs Cost Significant Items(CSIs)and develops a CNN-BiLSTM-Attention neural network for nonlinear prediction.By identifying significant cost drivers in engineering projects,this paper presents a streamlined cost estimation method that significantly reduces computational burdens,simplifies data collection processes,and optimizes data analysis and forecasting,thereby enhancing prediction accuracy.Finally,validation with real-world cost fluctuation data demonstrates minor errors,meeting predictive requirements across project execution phases.

Financial Calculation Problems and Countermeasure Analysis of Large-Scale Engineering Construction Projects

The financial aspects of large-scale engineering construction projects profoundly influence their success.Strengthening cost control and establishing a scientific financial evaluation system can enhance the project’s economic benefits,minimize unnecessary costs,and provide decision-makers with a robust financial foundation.Additionally,implementing an effective cash flow control mechanism and conducting a comprehensive assessment of potential project risks can ensure financial stability and mitigate the risk of fund shortages.Developing a practical and feasible fundraising plan,along with stringent fund management practices,can prevent fund wastage and optimize fund utilization efficiency.These measures not only facilitate smooth project progression and improve project management efficiency but also enhance the project’s economic and social outcomes.

基于Microsoft Project的建筑施工项目管理分析

在当前社会经济快速发展的情况下,建设工程数量不断增加,而传统的手工记录方式已经无法满足现代建设工程的需求。因此,采用先进的计算机技术来辅助建筑施工项目管理已成为当今建筑业发展的趋势。Microsoft Project作为一种专业的项目管理软件,具有良好的数据存储和可视化展示功能,可以有效地提高建筑施工项目的质量和效率。文章分析了如何利用Microsoft Project软件进行建筑施工项目管理,并对该方法的应用效果进行评估,以期为今后的建筑施工项目管理提供参考价值。

Making Project Managers

Project management grows with and boosts China’s economic development Project management certification is a relatively new trend in China, but already professional training courses

Tension leg platform project execution

The first floating platform concept design work for South China Sea is undergoing in DMAR's office now. This tension leg platform has potential to become the first advanced floating production platform project. Project execution is always a challenge for floating system. This paper focuses on the critical elements of project execution for tension leg platform,and studies potential implications to future oil and gas exploration in South China Sea. There are many factors affecting successful execution of floating system project,including technical issues, engineering management,interface management,etc. There are also failure examples of project execution in the industry. The author has participated 28 large detailed projects and has gained extensive experience on floating projects,with ample hands-on project experiences. A detailed tension leg platform project study example and discussions in depth are presented for future project execution in China deepwater development.

Relationship between Project Consultants’ Performance and Project Success in the Rwandan Construction Industry

As discovered, today’s Rwandan construction industry is developing day by day, which plays a very important role in the country’s economic growth. In the construction industry, project consultants play a very significant role in providing services for such projects. The project consultants provide services from the beginning of the project to the completion of the project. Using project consultants is very useful for construction projects because it can ameliorate project efficiency and effectiveness. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between project consultants’ performance and project success in the Rwandan construction industry. The data used in this study were obtained from primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was attained through an elaborated literature review of various books, articles, and papers related to this research to outlining and describing the chief ideas of this research title. The primary data was compiled through a questionnaire survey that was directed to 110 selected professionals in the construction projects in Rwanda to collect data from the site for statistical analysis of the research to test the hypothesis. However, a total of 90 usable responses were received within the scheduled period representing the response rate of 81.82%, which is likely to be representative and acceptable. Data collected from the questionnaire surveys were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS), excel spreadsheets, and Relative Importance Index (RII), which provide more merit presentations. The survey results show that even if there are many obstacles in the use of project consultants in the Rwandan construction industry such as lack of knowledge and practice in project consulting, lack of well-trained project consulting professionals, lack of training opportunities in project consulting, lack of knowledge and experience in addition to the senior management opposition, and lack of local project consulting guidelines and information;they are needed in the construction project to make it more successful through reducing and saving the overall project’s life cycle cost according to client’s wishes, keeping time of construction project, improving quality of the project products in the present and future, removing major variations that affect construction project with its attendant cost overrun, and advising on construction project process. Therefore, it is more important to remark that the good performance of the project consultants in any industry especially in the construction industry will contribute to the successful implementation of the project. From the results of the study, the performance of project consultants is closely related to the success of the construction industry in Rwanda. The project consultants’ leading skills and knowledge automatically guide the project to complete with accurate time, budget, and quality to make the project successful. In this paper, we will also consider the project success criteria;the role and responsibility of project consultants;the factors affecting the performance of project consultants;and the reasons that hinder the implementation of project consulting in the Rwandan construction industry.

Exploring Industry 4.0 Paradigm as Applied to Project Management:A Proof of Concept

This research study elaborates and conceptualizes the architectural framework of Industry 4.0 to be applied to project management.Research is based on the literature in digital transformation in project management and extends the literature in adding the feasibility of Industry 4.0 applied to project management.The exploring paradigm of Industry 4.0 is 5-layer architecture.Mixed research approach,a blend of qualitative and quantitative approach is adopted with the objective of acquisition of knowledge,examination of the concepts,and analysis of the theories in order to understand feasibility of Industry 4.0 in a constructive research methodology.Findings of the research suggest the feasibility of implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts for project management,especially for project monitoring and control.It is explored that there can be an automation of project management process with a certain degree of capability in decision making.

Coping and Constructing: A Narrative Perspective on Project Dynamics

Recent studies on collaborative practices in large infrastructural projects address the importance of discursive strategies and power relations in dynamic project arenas [1]-[3]. This paper focuses on the coping narratives developed by contract team members during the building phase of a large-scale infrastructural project. Coping narratives relate to the management based grand narrative of the project and are produced and shaped in the process of sense making. By analyzing this interaction and the developments in a specific sub-team of a project, which is faced with multiple identity claims, this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge on how policies, views and decisions on an organizational level work out in project teams. The empirical material relates to a recent Dutch Mega-Project regarding the construction of a new sea defense and boulevard in Scheveningen. This paper shows that developments, discourses and decisions on an organizational level are of importance for the commencing coping narratives in project teams.

Modeling of Business Processes of Project Financing

Need of transformation of means of support of project financing for commercial banks is proved.The analysis and modeling of business processes of project management by the contextual chart and the chart of decomposition is carried out that allowed to describe the main stages of project financing.With use of tools of programming the business application of project management which will promote operational assessment on selection of introduced drafts is created.