Project Management Practices for Project Sustainability (Dissertation Sample)

MAR042-6 Business Dissertation
Assignment 2- Main Dissertation Assessment
Project Management Practices for Project Sustainability
Student Name
Course Name
Date of Submission
Department and University Name
Abstract
The study aims at examining how project management practices ensure sustainability in different perspectives including people’s perspective, planet’s perspective, and profit’s perspective. To fulfil the research aim, the researcher formulated and answered objectives are (1) to know different dimensions of sustainability including economic, environmental, and social (2) to determine the relationship between sustainability and project management practices and (3) to find out to what extent current management practices entail sustainable initiatives. The research problem was sustainability and project management are rarely studied as an interlinked concept. The sustainability was rarely considered in programs and projects and project management field failed to address sustainability in their projects. For the research, PRISMA framework has been given priority. The selected strategy helped the researcher think about the research issue more effectively and allowed the researcher to choose the best data and information to produce a meaningful conclusion. The major research finding is that project sustainability is increasing with the increase understanding of environmental, social and economic consequences on project. At the end, conclusion and recommendation are provided.
Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc118374062 \h 2Executive Summary PAGEREF _Toc118374063 \h 4Introduction PAGEREF _Toc118374064 \h 5Research Problem PAGEREF _Toc118374065 \h 6Research aim PAGEREF _Toc118374066 \h 6Research objectives PAGEREF _Toc118374067 \h 6Adopted Research Methodology PAGEREF _Toc118374068 \h 7Discussion of Research Findings PAGEREF _Toc118374069 \h 8Integration of Sustainability into project management PAGEREF _Toc118374070 \h 8Major discussion of four themes PAGEREF _Toc118374071 \h 10Why does Sustainability Still Matter? PAGEREF _Toc118374072 \h 13Recommendation PAGEREF _Toc118374073 \h 14Reflection on the dissertation process PAGEREF _Toc118374074 \h 15Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc118374075 \h 15References PAGEREF _Toc118374076 \h 17Appendices PAGEREF _Toc118374077 \h 24Chapter 2: Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc118374078 \h 24Chapter 3: Method of Analysis PAGEREF _Toc118374079 \h 32Chapter 4: Analysis and Findings PAGEREF _Toc118374080 \h 40
List of Tables
TOC \h \z \c "Table" Table 1 Finalized theme with supporting evidences; Source (Self-made) PAGEREF _Toc118117844 \h 40
Table 2 Themes and Supported Research papers; Source (Self-made) PAGEREF _Toc118117845 \h 45
List of Figures TOC \h \z \c "Figure"
Figure 1 Saunders's Research Onion; Source (Synder, 2019) PAGEREF _Toc118117846 \h 31
Figure 2 Inductive and deductive reasoning; Source (Synder, 2019) PAGEREF _Toc118117847 \h 33
Figure 3 PRISMA framework; Source (Self-made) PAGEREF _Toc118117848 \h 35
Project Management Practices for Project Sustainability
Executive Summary
The executive summary deals with the structure and major findings of the complete dissertation. The first section introduction explained the aim, objective, research problem and adopted research methodology. It has been observed that automotive industry is currently facing face dynamic environment challenges and development. Construction are more likely to face a wide range of challenges, including ineffective technologies, lack of data, unstable economy, and corruption and transparency issues. The automotive industry been under pressure to broaden their accountability and to report to shareholders through economic performance. The study aims at examining how project management practices ensure sustainability from different perspectives, including people's perspectives, the planet's perspective, and profit's perspective. To extract the major findings, the researcher also consulted a few more peer-reviewed articles and past literature to support the findings to ensure the validity and reliability of the results. In methodological section, the PRISMA framework was used to increase the validity of the research. For better analyses, the researcher wanted to collect information from three different perspectives such as profit, planet and people. In the end, recommendation and reflection section has also been provided.
Introduction
In recent decades, project management practices in different industrial sectors have profoundly impacted societies, government, and social, environmental and economic features (Ghoddousi and Hosseini, 2012). However, Chang et al. (2016) conceded that industries like manufacturing and construction are more likely to face a wide range of challenges, including ineffective technologies, lack of data, unstable economy, corruption and transparency issues. At the same time, Hakiminejad and Mohammad (2015) argued that a lack of formal education on political, financial, economic and sustainability constraints hinders the sustainability factor in project management studies. Moreover, Gan et al. (2015) contended that the dearth of obstructive policies and financial incentives is the most challenging situation for most developed and underdeveloped countries while achieving sustainability in project management. At the same time, Othman and Ahmed's (2013) major factors that influence the sustainability element while delivering effective projects can be divided into five different elements. Such as (1) human development, (2) technical issues, (3) managerial challenges, (4) triple bottom line and (5) political instability. Besides these factors, the managerial challenges are considered the most influential ones. It has been argued that organisations not only face dynamic environment challenges and development. Okland (2015) explained that in the past two decades, the concept of sustainability gained more attention and importance. For instance, Visser (2002) argued that in the past two decades, companies have been under pressure to broaden their accountability and to report to shareholders through economic performance.
The most widely used and authentic definition of sustainable development dated back to 1987 and was presented by Bruntland. According to Bruntland (1987), sustainable development can be explained as the "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". After observing more than 67 articles and research papers for this capstone, it was observed that 70% of the publications used this definition to explain the sustainability concept. And In these referred publications, merely 50% of the studies interpret the concept of sustainability in terms of Tripe-P, which is the planet, people and profit. It was also observed that research mentioned different dimensions of sustainability, including social, economic, and environmental dimensions. In order to discuss the concept of sustainability, all three Pillars must be discussed simultaneously because they are interlinked and cannot be discussed without ignoring another element. Most of the research papers previously focused on in chapter 2 and chapter 3 (see attached appendices) discussed project sustainability as the combination of environment and an economic dimension (as they have discussed the profit, people and planet).
Research Problem
The research issue relates back to the opening statement of the World Congress of the IPMA “International Project Management Association” back in 2008, in which they emphasised the project management profession to "take responsibility for sustainability" (Pade, Mallinson and Sewry, 2006). A few past research papers, including Labuschange and Brent (2008) and Silvius and Schipper (2014), that earth is in a perilous position and has a wide range of sustainability threats. On the other hand, program and project managers have to take responsibility to ensure sustainable practices in future. Later in 2009, researchers including Gareis, Huemann and Martinuzzi (2009) found out that "Sustainable development in companies was a temporary practice". In simple terms, sustainability was rarely considered in programs and projects. At the same time, Eid (2009) also stated that the project management field failed to address sustainability in their projects. The research studies published in the last five years, including Martens and Carvalho (2017) and Silvius (2017), also concluded that the relationship between project management and sustainability is picking up momentum. Simply put, sustainability and its core relationship with project management gained significant attention, but the whole idea, challenges, and concept are difficult to explain in concrete and operational terms. The understanding and the whole content of project sustainability varies according to different perspectives such as profit, people and plant. Therefore, the research aimed to analyse the relationship between project management and project sustainability. The researcher also aimed to conduct the research from three different perspectives such as plant, people and profit.
Research aim
The study aims at examining how project management practices ensure sustainability from different perspectives, including people's perspectives, the planet's perspective, and profit's perspective.
Research objectives
To fulfil the research aims, the formulated research objectives are as follows:
1 To know different dimensions of sustainability, including economic, environmental, and social.
2 To determ...