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Sustainability
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Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management
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Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 15727

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Isabel Ortiz-Marcos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Organization Engineering, Business Administration and Statistics, ETSI Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Interests: project management; risk management; stakeholders management; knowledge management; project management competencies; leadership and change management
Prof. Dr. Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Organization Engineering, Business Administration and Statistics, ETSI Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Interests: project management; risk management; international development; intercultural projects; project management competencies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability seeks original manuscripts for a Special Issue on ‘‘Improving risk management to increase sustainability in project management’’, scheduled to appear in 2021, and with a deadline of November 30, 2021.

Sustainability is a field of growing interest in project management (PM). The literature is abundant, and approaches sustainability in project management from different perspectives. Silvius G. [1] carried out a systematic literature review, and presented sustainability as a new school of thought in PM. On a global scale, regardless of the sector, Gareis et al. [2] suggest a model for sustainable development and PM based on the process-oriented principles of sustainable development. If we consider the different areas of knowledge in PM, their link with sustainability has been discussed recently in different studies. Just to name a few of them, Uribe et al. [3] presented the symbiotic relationship between stakeholder theory and sustainability; Martínez-Perales et al. [4] exposed an interesting approach in the field of the use of certification as a tool to develop sustainability in PM; Rodriguez-Rivero et al. [5, 6] discussed the importance of risk management to achieve project success, and how risk management helps to deal with intercultural differences.

Given the conditions of the moment we are living in, risk management has become a must. It was David Hillson [7] who said that "risk is an uncertainty that matters", because it can affect projects’ objectives. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear example of how uncertainty may affect project results. On the other hand, uncertainty also stimulates project management research toward new opportunities and innovations [8-10]. With this Special Issue, we want to highlight how uncertainty may also stimulate the increase in sustainability in project management, given the need for a better world. Therefore, we particularly welcome papers that help to clarify the link between risk management and sustainability in projects.

References

  1. Silvius, G. Sustainability as a New School of Thought in PM. J. Clean. Prod. 2017, 166, 1479–1493. doi: 1016/j.jclepro.2017.08.121.
  2. Gareis, R.; Huemann, M.; Martinuzzi, A. Relating sustainable development and PM: A conceptual model. In Proceedings of the PMI®Research Conference 2010: Defining the Future of PM, Washington DC, USA, 11–14 July 2010; PM Institute: Newtown Square, PA, USA, 2010.
  3. Uribe, D.; Ortiz-Marcos I.; Uruburu, A. What Is Going on with Stakeholder Theory in Project Management Literature? A Symbiotic Relationship for Sustainability. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1300. doi:3390/su10041300
  4. Martínez-Perales, S.; Ortiz-Marcos, I.; Juan Ruiz, J.; Lázaro, F. J. Using certification as a tool to develop sustainability in project management. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1408. doi: 3390/su10051408
  5. Rodríguez-Rivero, R.; Ortiz-Marcos, I.; Romero, J.; Ballesteros-Sánchez, L. Finding the links between risk management and project success: evidence from international development projects in Colombia. Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9294. doi: 3390/su12219294.
  6. Rodríguez-Rivero, R.; Ortiz-Marcos, I.; Ballesteros-Sánchez, L.; Martínez-Beneitez, X. Identifying risks for better project management between two different cultures: the Chinese and the Spanish. Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7588. doi: 3390/su12187588.
  7. Hillson, D. What is a risk? Identifying real risks is critical for effective risk management. Available online: https://infoworks.com/what-is-a-risk/ (accessed on 10 January 2021).
  8. Böhle, F.; Heidling, E.; Schoper, Y. A new orientation to deal with uncertainty in projects. J. Proj. Manag. 2020, 34 (7), 1384–1392. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2015.11.002.
  9. Feinstein, O. Development and radical uncertainty. Development in Practice 2020, 30(8), 1105–1113. doi: 1080/09614524.2020.1763258.
  10. Huemann, M.; Martinsuo, M. In project management, uncertainty is a great opportunity. J. Proj. Manag. 2016, 34(6), 1026–1027. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.06.001.

Prof. Dr. Isabel Ortiz-Marcos
Prof. Dr. Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • project management
  • risk management
  • sustainability in projects

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 1432 KiB  
Article
Towards Sustainable Project Management: Evaluation of Relationship-Specific Risks and Risk Determinants Threatening to Achieve the Intended Benefit of Interorganizational Cooperation in Engineering Projects
by Maria Krechowicz
Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2961; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052961 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1953
Abstract
Nowadays, we can observe a growing number of investment projects in the construction industry and environmental engineering, as well as a growing interest in socially responsible projects aiming to contribute to sustainable development. Interorganizational cooperation in engineering projects is associated with many opportunities [...] Read more.
Nowadays, we can observe a growing number of investment projects in the construction industry and environmental engineering, as well as a growing interest in socially responsible projects aiming to contribute to sustainable development. Interorganizational cooperation in engineering projects is associated with many opportunities and risks that continue to be a challenge for today’s world. The aim of this work is to identify and assess relationship-specific risks and risk determinants threatening to achieve the intended benefit of interorganizational cooperation and to develop assumptions for the risk management model in such projects. It will support sustainable project management in interorganizational engineering projects and increase their sustainability. In this work, 18 risks and 28 risk determinants were identified. Risks’ frequency of occurrence, consequences, possibility of detection and Risk Priority Numbers as well as the significance of risk determinants were assessed based on the data gathered from 12,352 interorganizational projects from 100 Polish companies. It was found that self-interest orientation, hiding internal problems and/or problems related to the joint venture, unfavourable and imprecise contract, and lack of a good project coordinator pose the highest risk in interorganizational engineering projects. The study revealed that the highest Risk Priority Numbers in interorganizational projects were generally obtained for construction projects, lower for socially responsible projects taken by engineering companies, and the lowest for environmental engineering projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management)
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20 pages, 1547 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Project Management: Reducing the Risk of Cost Inaccuracy Using a PLS-SEM Approach
by Ali Foroutan Mirhosseini, Kelly Pitera, James Odeck and Morten Welde
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020960 - 15 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3685
Abstract
Determining the factors leading to cost inaccuracy in infrastructure projects relates to sustainability by improving the cost performance of the projects (economic sustainability) and reducing the waste of available resources (environmental sustainability). This study investigates the effects of various factors affecting the cost [...] Read more.
Determining the factors leading to cost inaccuracy in infrastructure projects relates to sustainability by improving the cost performance of the projects (economic sustainability) and reducing the waste of available resources (environmental sustainability). This study investigates the effects of various factors affecting the cost performance of large-scale road projects in Norway in both the planning and construction phases. To this aim, a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey was employed to understand the attitude of practitioners towards various factors causing cost increases. An advanced multivariate statistical approach of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Relative Importance Index (RII) was utilized to analyze the questionnaire responses. The results of the RII analysis show that local wishes, defective estimations, and long processing times had the most impact on the cost increase during the planning phase. At the same time, scope changes, market conditions, and unforeseen ground conditions were the most influential parameters in the construction phase. Moreover, the results obtained from PLS-SEM reveal that external related factors had the most influence among the other grouped factors (i.e., pre-construction, project management and contractual relationship, contractor’s site management, and external) on cost overrun during the construction phase. Increasing the knowledge of these factors will allow for developing relevant project management approaches targeted at improving economic and environmental sustainability within both the planning and construction phases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management)
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23 pages, 2254 KiB  
Article
Success Factors in Management of Development Projects
by Yovana Clarivel Surco-Guillen, Javier Romero, Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero and Isabel Ortiz-Marcos
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 780; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020780 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2295
Abstract
From the reports of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE), a limited analysis of the factors affecting the execution of development cooperation projects was identified. Thanks to the review of scientific articles by renowned authors, effectiveness, relevance, competencies [...] Read more.
From the reports of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE), a limited analysis of the factors affecting the execution of development cooperation projects was identified. Thanks to the review of scientific articles by renowned authors, effectiveness, relevance, competencies and motivation, sustainability, risk management, and additionality were evaluated using the analysis of relationships between variables and causality using IBM SPSS and fsQCA 3.0 software, respectively. As a result, a model was obtained that relates the components, factors, and roles that make up the stakeholder matrix. It was concluded that the effectiveness factor has a significant relationship with the success of a project; however, this could not be possible without a good development of sustainability and risk management, the latter being a necessary and sufficient condition for success in this type of projects. Currently, risk management has not only become a necessity nowadays, but the improvement of risk management will increase sustainability in project management, the main factors for the success of a project. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management)
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14 pages, 1537 KiB  
Article
The methodology of the Logical Framework with a Risk Management Approach to Improve the Sustainability in the International Development Projects
by Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero and Isabel Ortiz-Marcos
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 756; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020756 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4875
Abstract
When working with international development projects (IDPs), the use of the logical framework approach (LFA) prevails as the most important tool to plan and manage these projects. This paper presents how the methodology has been enriched, including risk management (LFRMA logical framework with [...] Read more.
When working with international development projects (IDPs), the use of the logical framework approach (LFA) prevails as the most important tool to plan and manage these projects. This paper presents how the methodology has been enriched, including risk management (LFRMA logical framework with risk management approach), proposing an original contribution, tested with professionals that will improve the effectiveness of IDPs by increasing their success rate and their sustainability. The steps followed to design the methodology (problem statement (literature review, interview with experts, questionnaire for professionals. and statistical analysis), case study analysis (eight case studies in Colombia, interviews with IDPs managers, focus groups, questionnaire for participants, qualitative analysis, and fuzzy analysis) and design of LFRMA (focus group with experts)) and the methodology itself (how to introduce risk management during all the life cycle through the methodology steps) are presented. Conclusions answer the research questions: can the effectiveness and sustainability of IDPs be improved? Can risk management help to improve IDPs effectiveness? Would it be useful to introduce risk management into the LFA? The LFRMA methodology consists of two fields of application, the first at the organization level and the second at the project level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management)
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12 pages, 2255 KiB  
Article
Harnessing Machine Learning for Classifying Economic Damage Trends in Transportation Infrastructure Projects
by Junseo Bae, Sang-Guk Yum and Ji-Myong Kim
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6376; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116376 - 03 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1950
Abstract
Given the highly visible nature, transportation infrastructure construction projects are often exposed to numerous unexpected events, compared to other types of construction projects. Despite the importance of predicting financial losses caused by risk, it is still difficult to determine which risk factors are [...] Read more.
Given the highly visible nature, transportation infrastructure construction projects are often exposed to numerous unexpected events, compared to other types of construction projects. Despite the importance of predicting financial losses caused by risk, it is still difficult to determine which risk factors are generally critical and when these risks tend to occur, without benchmarkable references. Most of existing methods are prediction-focused, project type-specific, while ignoring the timing aspect of risk. This study filled these knowledge gaps by developing a neural network-driven machine-learning classification model that can categorize causes of financial losses depending on insurance claim payout proportions and risk occurrence timing, drawing on 625 transportation infrastructure construction projects including bridges, roads, and tunnels. The developed network model showed acceptable classification accuracy of 74.1%, 69.4%, and 71.8% in training, cross-validation, and test sets, respectively. This study is the first of its kind by providing benchmarkable classification references of economic damage trends in transportation infrastructure projects. The proposed holistic approach will help construction practitioners consider the uncertainty of project management and the potential impact of natural hazards proactively, with the risk occurrence timing trends. This study will also assist insurance companies with developing sustainable financial management plans for transportation infrastructure projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Risk Management to Increase Sustainability in Project Management)
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