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Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management
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Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 12006

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Indra Gunawan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Adelaide Business School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Interests: applications of system approaches in complex project management; analysis of system maintenance and reliability; implementation of system dynamics in critical infrastructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the complexity of projects increase, systems thinking is needed to analyze how these projects should be managed. In this Special Issue, we would like to invite you to submit papers on applications of complex system approach in project management. Various applications of models and methods to manage the complexity of projects are welcome, including modelling and simulations tools based on discrete event simulation, systems dynamics, and agent-based modelling. It is expected that the papers will present new ideas to project management academics and practitioners in order to implement system approach in complex projects.

Examples of such applications include but are not limited to the following:

  • Analysis of system maintenance and reliability.
  • Implementation of system dynamics in critical infrastructures.
  • Modelling and simulation of complex systems.
  • Complex system analysis in water and energy systems.
  • Systems thinking applications in project management.

Assoc. Prof. Indra Gunawan
Guest Editor

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

  • systems thinking
  • complex project management
  • project modelling and simulation.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 11943 KiB  
Article
Energy Loss Impact in Electrical Smart Grid Systems in Australia
by Ashraf Zaghwan and Indra Gunawan
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7221; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137221 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3052
Abstract
This research draws attention to the potential and contextual influences on energy loss in Australia’s electricity market and smart grid systems. It further examines barriers in the transition toward optimising the benefit opportunities between electricity demand and electricity supply. The main contribution of [...] Read more.
This research draws attention to the potential and contextual influences on energy loss in Australia’s electricity market and smart grid systems. It further examines barriers in the transition toward optimising the benefit opportunities between electricity demand and electricity supply. The main contribution of this study highlights the impact of individual end-users by controlling and automating individual home electricity profiles within the objective function set (AV) of optimum demand ranges. Three stages of analysis were accomplished to achieve this goal. Firstly, we focused on feasibility analysis using ‘weight of evidence’ (WOE) and ‘information value’ (IV) techniques to check sample data segmentation and possible variable reduction. Stage two of sensitivity analysis (SA) used a generalised reduced gradient algorithm (GRG) to detect and compare a nonlinear optimisation issue caused by end-user demand. Stage three of analysis used two methods adopted from the machine learning toolbox, piecewise linear distribution (PLD) and the empirical cumulative distribution function (ECDF), to test the normality of time series data and measure the discrepancy between them. It used PLD and ECDF to derive a nonparametric representation of the overall cumulative distribution function (CDF). These analytical methods were all found to be relevant and provided a clue to the sustainability approach. This study provides insights into the design of sustainable homes, which must go beyond the concept of increasing the capacity of renewable energy. In addition to this, this study examines the interplay between the variance estimation of the problematic levels and the perception of energy loss to introduce a novel realistic model of cost–benefit incentives. This optimisation goal contrasted with uncertainties that remain as to what constitutes the demand impact and individual house effects in diverse clustering patterns in a specific grid system. While ongoing effort is still needed to look for strategic solutions for this class of complex problems, this research shows significant contextual opportunities to manage the complexity of the problem according to the nature of the case, representing dense and significant changes in the situational complexity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management)
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16 pages, 6486 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Rainfall Interception by Vegetation Using a Rainfall Simulator
by Thiago Augusto Mendes, Roberto Dutra Alves, Gilson de Farias Neves Gitirana, Jr., Sávio Aparecido dos Santos Pereira, Juan Félix Rodriguez Rebolledo and Marta Pereira da Luz
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095082 - 01 May 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2314
Abstract
Interception by vegetation is one of the main variables controlling hydrological and geo-environmental problems such as erosion, landslides and floods. Interception, along with precipitation and evapotranspiration, is required for the modeling of infiltration, percolation and runoff. Unfortunately, the measurement of interception in the [...] Read more.
Interception by vegetation is one of the main variables controlling hydrological and geo-environmental problems such as erosion, landslides and floods. Interception, along with precipitation and evapotranspiration, is required for the modeling of infiltration, percolation and runoff. Unfortunately, the measurement of interception in the field is time consuming, burdensome and subject to testing parameters with relatively high variability. In this context, experiments using rainfall simulators (RSs) have the potential to provide an alternative approach that addresses most of the limitations of field experiments. This paper presents a new approach to evaluate interception that combines a RS and the monitoring of the wetting front using pore-water pressure instrumentation at specific locations of the specimen. Two specimens are required, one with and another without vegetation. The proposed approach was applied to Paspalum notatum (bahiagrass) and a tropical soil. The results indicated an average interception of 5.1 mm of the simulated rainfall for a slope at 15 degrees, rainfall intensity of 86 mm h−1, and duration of 60 min. Furthermore, the vegetation decreased the surface runoff that contributes to erosion. The proposed method will enable studies on the interception mechanisms and the various involved variables, with benefits to the modeling of soil-vegetation-atmosphere interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management)
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22 pages, 8646 KiB  
Article
Development of a Rainfall and Runoff Simulator for Performing Hydrological and Geotechnical Tests
by Thiago Augusto Mendes, Sávio Aparecido dos Santos Pereira, Juan Félix Rodriguez Rebolledo, Gilson de Farias Neves Gitirana, Jr., Maria Tereza da Silva Melo and Marta Pereira da Luz
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3060; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063060 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2860
Abstract
Laboratory apparatuses for the analysis of infiltration and runoff enable studies under controlled environments and at reduced costs. Unfortunately, the design and construction of such systems are complex and face difficulties associated with the scale factor. This paper presents the design, construction, and [...] Read more.
Laboratory apparatuses for the analysis of infiltration and runoff enable studies under controlled environments and at reduced costs. Unfortunately, the design and construction of such systems are complex and face difficulties associated with the scale factor. This paper presents the design, construction, and evaluation of a portable rainfall and runoff simulator. The apparatus allows the evaluation of unsaturated soils with and without vegetation cover, under a wide range of simulation scenarios. The apparatus also enables the control of the intensity, size, and uniformity of simulated raindrops for variable surface slope, specimen thickness, and length conditions. The monitoring of the volumetric water content and matric suction and a rigorous computation of water balance are ensured. The obtained results indicate that the automated rainfall generator produces raindrops with Christiansen uniformity coefficients higher than 70%, and with an adequate distribution of raindrop sizes under a range of rainfall intensities between 86.0 and 220.0 mm h−1. The ideal rainfall generator conditions were established for a relatively small area equal to or lower than 1.0 m2 and considering rainfall events with return periods of 10 to 100 years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management)
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35 pages, 1306 KiB  
Article
A Framework to Evaluate Project Complexity Using the Fuzzy TOPSIS Method
by Hadi Jaber, Franck Marle, Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal, Ilkan Sarigol and Lionel Didiez
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3020; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063020 - 10 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3243
Abstract
This work aims to help managers anticipate, detect, and keep under control complex situations before facing negative consequences. This article explores complexity modeling theory and develops a framework and associated score sheet to measure project complexity. A framework comprising ninety factors is presented [...] Read more.
This work aims to help managers anticipate, detect, and keep under control complex situations before facing negative consequences. This article explores complexity modeling theory and develops a framework and associated score sheet to measure project complexity. A framework comprising ninety factors is presented and divided into seven categories: stakeholders, project team, project governance, product, project characteristics, resources, and environment. For the project complexity assessment grid, the project manager prioritizes and weighs its factors using linguistic variables. The score sheet is customizable in its handling of the factors and their weights. A critical state of the art on multi-criteria methodologies is presented, as well as reasons for using the fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. This method provides early-warning signs with the possibility of comparing multiple projects. It also enables one to measure and prioritize areas and domains where complexity may have the highest impact. Practical applications on three projects within an automotive manufacturer highlight the benefits of such an approach for managers. Project managers could use both a project complexity rating system and a measure of risk criticality to decide on the level of proactive actions needed. This research work differs from traditional approaches that have linked proactive actions to risk criticality but not project complexity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Complex System Approach in Project Management)
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