Report on the PM-04 Project Management Conference
organized in Chios, Greece from 29-31 May 2008

Reported by Professor John-Paris Pantouvakis in Athens

The PM-04 > 4th SCPM and 1st IPMA/MedNet Conference on Project Management, held on the Greek Island of Chios during 29-31 May 2008 has been completed successfully last week. The Conference was organized by the Centre for Construction Innovation (www.innovation.view.gr/) National Technical University of Athens & the Dept. of Financial & Management Engineering (http://www.fme.aegean.gr/fme_en.htm), University of the Aegean. The Conference was officially sponsored by the profPM (http://cem.civil.ntua.gr/profpm/index.en.php) project (Network of Project Managers in Greece – Sustainable Professional Development) and a number of industrial sponsors. PMForum was the official Media Partner.

More than 150 participants and 60 speakers from 20 countries contributed to the Conference. The 500+ pages Conference ISBN proceedings are offered free of charge to the PM-Forum’s readership. They can be downloaded at http://cem.civil.ntua.gr/pm-04-proc.rar in compressed format [20 MB]. Also, printed copies of the proceedings for concerned organizations & libraries in Europe and the Mediterranean are available by contacting Dr. J.P. Pantouvakis at jpp@central.ntua.gr.

Selected papers from the PM-04 conference will also be published in a revised form in the International Journal of Engineering and Management and the Journal of Studies in Regional & Urban Planning. In addition, PMForum will publish selected papers in future editions of the popular monthly PM World Today eJournal (www.pmworldtoday.net).

The pre-conference activities included a seminar on “Best value practices from the USA” given at the Hellenic American Union (http://www.hau.gr/) in Athens on the 27th of May. Professor Kashiwagi of Arizona State University addressed an audience of 20+ participants and explained his innovative ideas and practices.

The pre-conference activities also included a project management standards workshop organized in Chios on May 29. During this workshop, the new ELOT-1429 Greek standard related to the managerial capability of organizations implementing public interest projects took place.

Prof. P. Fitsilis (TEI Larissa) explained the new standard. Prof. Nino Grau, Vice President of IPMA responsible for standards informed the audience about global project management standardization initiatives (esp. those of ISO) and IPMA’s involvement whereas Prof. J.P. Pantouvakis and Prof. K. Kirytopoulos joined the speakers in answering the audience’s questions and concerns. The two-hour event was actively attended by more that 60 delegates.

The Conference itself started in early afternoon on May 29. The event has been saluted by the Prefecture of Chios, the Mayor of the City of Chios, Prof. M. Mimikou, Dean of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Prof. I. Karkazis, Dean of the Business School, University of the Aegean and Prof. A. Loizos, Director of the Department of Construction Engineering & Management, National Technical University of Athens. Salutations by the Technical Chamber of Greece and the Union of Hellenic Scientists for Protypation and Standardization have also been made.

Following the salutations, the first three keynote speakers addressed the Conference. Prof. M. Kagioglou, University of Salford, spoke on “Benefits realization – Bringing back the purpose of Project / Programme Management”. Why manage projects? To achieve benefits! Should we manage the projects as such or the benefits accrued from them? The talk contributed to finding the answer on this basic question.

Prof. Dean Kashiwagi, Arizona State University, questioned the applicability of project management itself. Do we really need to manage projects or should we create the structural framework by which they can run by themselves? New controversial ideas were presented at an audience that some accepted the principle and some opposed it as non-applicable.

The keynote speeches were completed by Gilles Caupin, PMAmbassador™ and Secretary General of MedNet who spoke on “Certification of Project Management Competences in the Mediterranean”.

For a full report on the 2008 PM-04 Project Management Conference in Chios, Greece,
click here.

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Student paper award winners' 08 announced in Vienna

Reported by Martina Huemann in Austria

"This year we had many high quality papers, so the decision of the jury was not an easy one", said Rodney Turner, University of Limerick and ESC Lille, jury member of the international student paper award, since it has been initiated by Roland Gareis, WU-Wien in 2002 and sponsored by Telekom Austria.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP, WU-Wien and ROLAND GAREIS CONSULTING organize annually the international and the austrian student paper award, to give student researchers an opportunity to present their results at the international happy projects conference held in Vienna. (www.happyprojects.at). As the conference was on PROJECTS & SALES the participants were encouraged to hand in papers on these topics, but papers on all project and process management topics were accepted.

Winners of the international student paper award´08

For the international student paper award we had 31 papers that entered the competition. The papers are written by Master, MBA and PhD students. The participants represented 16 universities and came from nations such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and the Ukraine.

• The 1st prize went to Barry Rodgers, ESC Lille Graduate School of Management, France for his paper “Selling a PMO to management as a centralised repository of project expertise”

• The 2nd prize was honoured to Gabriella Dancsecz, PhD student at University of Pannonia, Hungary for her paper “Assessing project excellence of international sport event projects”.

• The 3rd prize went to Catriona Burke, master student at University of Limerick in Ireland for her paper “Programme Management as a framework for implementing strategy: Brief flirtation or enduring marriage?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally a big thank you to the juries!

The jury for the international student paper award´ 08 consisted of Frank T. Anbari, The George Washington University (USA), Constanta Bodea, Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, (Ro), Christophe Bredillet, ESC Lille (F), Lynn Crawford, University of Technology Sydney (Aus),
Pernille Eskerod, Univerity of Southern Denmark (DK), Ali Jaafari, Asia Pacific International College (Aus), Bernd Lauer, Telekom Austria (A) and Rodney Turner, ESC Lille (F).

The jury for the Austrian student paper award´08 consisted of Karl Kaineder, university of applied science, bfi Vienna, Dietmar Kilian, MCI Management Center Innsbruck (A), Renate Prantner, University of Applied Science bfi Vienna (A), Ursula Schneider, Karl Franzens University Graz (A), Franz Strehl, Johannes Kepler University Linz (A) and Dagmar Zuchi, Roland Gareis Consulting (A), Both juries were chaired by Martina Huemann, WU-Wien, (A).

The call for the student paper awards 09 will be out soon at
www.happyprojects.at

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New book by Lothar Katz on Principles of
Negotiating International Business

Principles of Negotiating International Business is a new book by Lothar Katz that teaches critical knowledge and skills that global business negotiators need to be successful. Published by BookSurge, an Amazon.com publishing house, Principles of Negotiating International Business is now available from Amazon.com and many other book stores

How is negotiating internationally different from negotiating in a domestic setting? How do I introduce myself and start right? What will make me effective when negotiating across cultural barriers? Which negotiation techniques can I use and which ones could be counterproductive? How do I effectively build relationships with my foreign counterparts? How much after-work socializing is expected and even necessary? What is expected of female negotiators?

Principles of Negotiating International Business answers these and other questions, sharing knowledge and teaching skills for global business negotiators. The author explains fundamental aspects of international business negotiations, explores how culture-specific expectations and practices affect business interactions, and presents numerous common and exotic techniques that negotiators anywhere in the world use.

Part I introduces fundamental aspects of international business negotiations that are vital to know. Culture impacts negotiations and negotiators must know how members of a given cultural group prefer to negotiate. You will learn how to prepare, how to build relationships, establish respect, communicate orally and non-verbally, set up and conduct initial meetings, conduct negotiations, close agreements and contracts, and much more. Case examples of successful and failed negotiations serve to illustrate the key principles covered in this part.

Part II lists more than 40 techniques that negotiators around the world frequently employ. Whether you are collaborating with a well-known international counterpart or fiercely negotiating with an aggressive person you just met for the first time, you will learn how to use each technique effectively and how you can counter it in ways that strengthen your negotiating position. In addition, the author explains the cultural context of each negotiation technique: who uses it, who will likely not use it, where and when it may work well, and when it may be dangerous to use.

Lothar Katz is an international business advisor and former Fortune 200 executive who has worked with customers, suppliers, partners and employees around the world. He is the president of Leadership Crossroads, an International Business Management consultancy helping clients maximize their global success. A former Vice President and General Manager with Texas Instruments, he has led world-wide business units and worked with international customers, suppliers, partners and employees, conducting negotiations and winning business in numerous countries around the world. Mr. Katz has helped corporations and other organizations in many countries grow their global competence and international business. Born and raised in Europe, Lothar teaches or has taught at several business schools in the United States. Currently an adjunct professor in the Graduate Program for Project Management in the School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas, Lothar teaches the popular workshop “Managing Projects Across Borders” with Sue Freedman, PhD. For information on these workshops, visit ManagingProjectsAcrossBorders.com.

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Adesh Jain to keynote International Luncheon
at AACE Congress in Toronto

AACE International has announced that Adesh Jain will be the keynote speaker for the International Luncheon scheduled for June 30 in Toronto. The 2008 AACE International Annual Meeting & ICEC World Congress for Cost Engineering, Project Management and Quantity Surveying: TCM - Cost Engineering for the Global Community, is being held during June 29 – July 2, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Adesh Jain, M. Eng, CPP, MPD, is the immediate past president and current Chair of the Council of Delegates for the International Project Management Association (IPMA). Mr. Jain is also Managing Director of the Centre for Excellence in Project Management Ltd, President of PM Guru, Inc. (USA), Honorary President of Project Management Associates (India) and Chair of the IPMA Nation to Nation Forum. Adesh was named a Fellow of IPMA in 2006 and a Global Advisor for PMForum in 2007.

Adesh’s career includes 40 years of project-oriented work, including projects for Litton Industries and Control Data Corporation in the USA in the early 1970s. In 1973, Adesh returned to India where he became No. 2 in one of the largest steel plants in India. In 1975, Adesh was asked by Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited, the largest Indian Government engineering undertaking, to head their IT and Project Management services, the youngest CEO ever to head a division there. He became Chairman of the Heavy Engineering Group in 1982.

In 1991, the President of India honored him with a Fellowship award for laying a strong foundation for the IT industry in India. He has since been conferred with 6 major awards in India, including the 'Gem of India' award. Adesh started the CEPM in 1992, and founded PMA, India - a-not-for-profit registered society in 1993. He was elected to the steering committee for the Global PM Forum in 1996 and received a Distinguished Contribution Award from the Project Management Institute (PMI®) in the USA in 1997.

In January 1999, Adesh became the first non-European to become a Vice President of IPMA, serving three terms through 2004. He was elected President of IPMA for 2005-2006 and IPMA Chair for two years beginning January 2007. Additional information about Adesh Jain can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/ambassadors/ambassadors.htm#Jain.

The 2008 AACE conference in Toronto will be the association’s 52nd annual meeting and 6th World Congress for ICEC (International Cost Engineering Council). The International Luncheon will be held on June 30, 2008, from 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM. For more information, visit the conference website at http://www.aacei.org/annualmeeting/.

Since 1956, AACE International has been a leading-edge professional society for cost estimators, cost engineers, schedulers, project managers, and project control specialists. With thousands of members worldwide, AACE International is the largest organization serving the entire spectrum of cost management professionals. AACE International is industry independent, and has members in 78 countries and 71 local sections. AACE offers a monthly journal, online bookstore, education, library, certification, annual conference, professional development opportunities, employment information, executive search services, member discounts and other benefits. For more information, visit http://www.aacei.org/.

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APM Fellow David Shannon named International Correspondent
for PMForum in the UK

David Shannon, Oxford alumni and APM Fellow in the UK, has been named an International Correspondent for PMForum and PM World Today. David is also Managing Director of Oxford Project Management Ltd., a UK-based project management advisory and consulting firm. David has a Natural Sciences degree and Master of Arts degree from Oxford University (Oriel College), and a Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from the Association of Certified Accountants in the UK.

David Shannon is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultancy, Honorary Fellow of the Association for Project Management (APM), Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Member of the Institute of Directors, Member of the British Quality Foundation, and is certified as a Meyers Briggs PTI Practitioner and as a Design Quality Indicator Facilitator. He is a lifetime member of the Oxford Business Alumni.

David has over 40 years of projects-related and management experience. Since 1987 he has led Oxford Project Management, completing more than 100 independent assignments for such blue chip companies as AEA, BBC, BSI, DflD, LUL, RBS and the World Bank. From 1985 to 1987, David was on the staff of the World Bank as internal management consultant, providing advice and support in various sectors and countries. He previously spent 11 years of successful consulting in PA Management Consultants Projects Division across UK private and public sectors and internationally. From 1964 to 1973, he was involved in civil engineering design and consulting in urban housing, urban renewal, transport and nuclear power.

Some of his more interesting and illustrative experiences have included:

• Led 16 assignments for the British Standards Institute (BSI), including the programme for cross-sectoral roll-out of the world’s first environmental management systems standard;

• Chaired Steering Committee on UK national competence standard in project management;

• Improved efficiency of World Bank HQ Operational Programme Offices;

• Introduced process controls including new project management handbook to RBS leasing subsidiary;

• Lectured and published articles and guides on Project Auditing and on Governance of Project Management;

• Led investment programme review and reorientation for National and Regional Broadcasting in the BBC;

• Led major change programme in Housing and Technical Services Department of Greater London Council, included organisation, methods, systems and training;

• Managed programme of infrastructure renewal for Saudi Arabia’s central bank;

• Mentored programme directors and project managers for several clients;

• Programme managed the introduction of quality control systems to ISO 9001 in Chief Engineer’s Group in London Underground;

• Promoted and sold project and programme management software;

• Provided project quality assurance across range of client projects;

• Team leader for major change programmes in Government departments clarifying vision, mission and then implementing strategic and short term plans, including organisation, manning, technical and financial controls in Abu Dhabi, Botswana, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mauritius;

• Trained project management professionals in oil industry and other sectors;

• Trained senior BBC managers in Project and Programme Direction;

• Facilitated design quality review of RB Kingston-upon-Thames boy’s school

He has worked on projects in Abu Dhabi, Botswana, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, the USA and throughout the UK.

A long time member of the APM, David has been Branch Chairman (Thames Valley Branch), Director, Deputy Chairman, Head of Professional Board, SIG Coordinator and Interim Chief Executive; he has also been intimately involved in developing APM’s Guidance on Governance of Project Management. He has published papers and made presentations at numerous academic and professional conferences and in journals, and taught numerous project management courses. David’s key areas of practice are related to change management, governance, organisational development, project and programme management, and use of the Meyers Briggs PTI.

London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom (UK). An important settlement for nearly two millennia, London is an international centre for global finance, business, politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts. It is considered one of the world’s major global cities. London is also one of the largest and most populated cities in Europe. The city is an international transport hub and popular tourist destination.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, usually shortened to the United Kingdom, UK or Britain, is a country located off the northwest coast of mainland Europe. The UK is a political union of the four constituent countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK also has several overseas territories and dependences.

A constitutional monarchy, the UK has close relationships with 15 other “commonwealth realms” that share the same monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II, as head of state. A member of the G8, the UK is a highly developed country with the fourth largest domestic product in the world

With a population of 60 million, it is the third most populous country in the European Union and is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), where it holds a permanent seat on the Security Council. The UK is also one of the world’s major nuclear powers and has an economy of approximately US$1.8 trillion. As the successor state to the British Empire, the UK retains influence throughout the world due to the extensive use of the English language, as well as through the world-spanning Commonwealth of Nations, which is ceremoniously led by the UK. (London and UK facts courtesy of Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org.

Needless to say, London and the UK are the source of many programmes and projects, both in the UK and worldwide. The Association of Project Management (APM) in the UK has been one of the world’s leading professional associations for advancing project management for over 30 years and is currently seeking Chartered status.

David Shannon is based in London and can be contacted at David.Shannon@opmg.co.uk.

Established in 1995, www.pmforum.org was the world’s first website devoted to professional project management and continues to be one of the world’s most popular sources of project management news and information. PMForum also produces the monthly PM World Today eJournal where articles, papers, stories and viewpoints by leading PM authorities from around the world can be found; free subscriptions are available at www.pmworldtoday.net. PMForum’s global network of correspondents provides news and information from around the world of project management. More information can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/pm%20forum%20team/index.htm#5.

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Rethinking Project Management - new book by Erling S. Andersen in Norway offers Organizational Perspective

An important new book on project management has been published by Pearson Education.

Rethinking Project Management: An Organizational Perspective by Norwegian professor Erling S. Andersen examines project management from an organizational perspective, focusing on the relationship between the permanent and the temporary organization.

A project is a temporary organization, established by its base organization to carry out an assignment on its behalf. Inherent in this perspective is an understanding of the project’s most important purpose, to facilitate another organization’s progress. The assignment is about change, often within a certain time limit. The book discusses the foundation of a project, the planning, essential organizing, controlling, and leadership, all within an organizational perspective. There is not one right way to tackle projects - this book invites readers to rethink traditional methods and theories and offers new perspectives on every aspect of the project management process.

In practice we see that projects often fail. People disagree, they change their minds, they learn as a work progresses. The project develops into an important and influential organization with its own opinions, needs and challenges. Researchers have for a long time pointed out the need for new approaches to project management to take into account the specific demands of individual projects.

The table of contents of the book includes:

1. The project concept and the organisational perspective

2. The foundation of the project

3. Planning the project

4. Organising the project

5. Controlling the project

6. Important project leadership tasks

7. The project-oriented organisation and the project-oriented society

8. References

9. Index

The book provides a unique grounding in the essentials of the subject, as well as a base for further study of contemporary issues in the field, and should be a useful addition for any project management library.

Erling S. Andersen is professor of Project Management and Information Systems at BI Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, Norway. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Oslo. Before joining BI NSM he was Associate professor in economics at the University of Oslo and Dean of NKI College of Computer Science and Professor of Information Science at the University of Bergen. He has been a visiting professor to the University of Tokyo, Japan and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Professor Andersen has published several books and articles on information technology, systems development, project management and management in general. His previous book "Goal Directed Project Management" has been translated into several languages.

Rethinking Project Management: An Organisational Perspective, by Erling S. Andersen (ISBN-10: 027371547X; ISBN-13: 9780273715474) was published in May 2008. For purchase information, visit http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/Bookshop/detail.asp?item=100000000264131.

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