Projects in Innovation, Innovation in Project - Latest PM Research ideas from Brighton, UK

Reported by Miles Shepherd in the UK

IRNOP, the International Research Network on Organizing by Projects, held its latest conference at the Freeman Centre on the University of Sussex Campus outside Brighton, in the South of England on the theme of Projects in Innovation, Innovation in Projects. Supported by IPMA and PMI, the conference brought together many of the major names in European project management research who were joined by many well known academics from Australia.

The conference theme was the link between innovation and projects. The conference covered the role of projects in innovation, taken broadly to include not simply technological innovation, but organisational and other forms of innovation, and the role of innovation and innovative approaches within projects.

Aptly, the Freeman Centre is home to two leading UK Research Institutes in the field of Innovation – SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research) and CENTRIM (Centre for Research on Innovation Management). The organizing committee was drawn from UK Innovation centres; Dr Tim Brady and Steve Flowers (CENTRIM), Professor Mike Hobday( SPRU), Dr Andrew Davies, Innovation Studies Centre, Imperial College, London and Dr Jonas Söderlund, University of Linköping, Sweden.

Innovative Programme
The innovation theme extended to the programme and after a traditional welcome from Prof Hobday, Dr Edwin Andrews outlined the role of PMI research programme and Miles Shepherd explained the resurgence of the IPMA Research Management Board and its support for events and individual researchers. A fascinating plenary on ‘Innovation technology: enabling innovation in projects’ was given by Prof David Gann of Imperial College London.

On the social side, delegates were entertained at a reception in Brighton’s impressive Museum, adjusted to the Royal Pavilion (see left) as well as a dinner in Stanmer House, the delightful 17th Century mansion that was the original University building.

Another interesting aspect was the closing part of the programme which was devoted to a debate on the topic ‘This house believes that we no longer need the discipline of project Management’. Although mainly a light hearted debate with
amusing contributions from Prof Mike Hobday and others.

IPMA Awards at IRNOP

One of the highlights of the conference was the award of honorium for submitted papers. As part of IPMA’s support for researchers, awards were made for best papers and posters. Winners were selected by Dr Martina Heumann and Miles Shepherd from IPMA’s Research Management Board from the 45 papers selected for presentation at the Conference from more than 100 submitted by academics and practitioners form all over the world.

Winners were:

Best paper by a junior researcher:
Karin Bredin, 'Developing people capabilities in project-based organisations: the cases of Tetra Pak and Saab Aerosystems'

Best paper/innovation stream:
Jonas Söderlund, Anne Live Vaagaasar and Erling S. Andersen, 'Relating, reflecting and routinization in complex projects:Project competence as recursive processes'

Best paper/projects stream:
Sylvain Lenfle, 'Projects and Innovation: the ambiguity of the literature and its implications'

Best poster:
Mats Engwall, Markus Hällgren, and Anders Söderholm 'Project coupling processes for the management of deviations'

The last IRNOP was held in Xi’an, PR China in October 2006. The decision was made there to tend to odd numbered years so that the event did not clash with PMI’s respected biannual Research Conference. IRNOP IX will be held in Berlin in 2009. Dates will be released through PMForum shortly.

 

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