Routines in consecutive projects

dc.contributorAalto Universityen
dc.contributorAalto-yliopistofi
dc.contributor.authorLiiri, Anne
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Management and International Businessen
dc.contributor.departmentJohtamisen ja kansainvälisen liiketoiminnan laitosfi
dc.contributor.schoolKauppakorkeakoulufi
dc.contributor.schoolSchool of Economicsen
dc.date.accessioned2012-01-10T13:07:36Z
dc.date.available2012-01-10T13:07:36Z
dc.date.dateaccepted2011-12-02
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractROUTINES IN CONSECUTIVE PROJECTS Research Objectives The objective of this study was to understand routines in project context. As routines are recurring, context-related behaviour patterns and projects are one-off complex endeavours, the combination provides an interesting and paradoxical but rarely researched research set-up. Routines are seen as key components in capability building, knowledge creation and transfer, as well as a source of inertia and excess bureaucracy. Projects on the other hand face a challenge in transferring knowledge and capabilities. The research aimed to understand what routines are in project context, what their role is, what factors affect the routines and how they are developed in consecutive projects. Methodology The research was conducted as an embedded case study of one investment program with four consecutive projects. The case company was a Finnish oil company aiming at becoming the world’s largest renewable fuels provider. The empirical study used 29 open, semi-structured interviews from the projects and the case company. The research was done as part of a larger research project on large project governance. Research Findings The research findings state that routines exist in projects but are relatively difficult to identify. They are not isolated events but intertwined with other routines and artifacts. Routines are used to create, store and transfer knowledge and capabilities between projects. If routines are not appropriately acknowledged and transferred from one project to another, know-how can be lost. Routines are affected by the context, the participants of the routine as well as the related artifacts. Both the permanent as well as the project organization affect the project’s routines. Routines are developed among other things by increasing the participants’ knowledge on the cause and effect of the routine, as well as planning appropriate artifacts and incentives. Routines in consecutive projects Master’s thesis Anne Liiri 2011 Aalto University School of Economics AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS ABSTRACT Organization and Management November 2011 Master’s Thesis Anne Liiri ROUTINES IN CONSECUTIVE PROJECTS Research Objectives The objective of this study was to understand routines in project context. As routines are recurring, context-related behaviour patterns and projects are one-off complex endeavours, the combination provides an interesting and paradoxical but rarely researched research set-up. Routines are seen as key components in capability building, knowledge creation and transfer, as well as a source of inertia and excess bureaucracy. Projects on the other hand face a challenge in transferring knowledge and capabilities. The research aimed to understand what routines are in project context, what their role is, what factors affect the routines and how they are developed in consecutive projects. Methodology The research was conducted as an embedded case study of one investment program with four consecutive projects. The case company was a Finnish oil company aiming at becoming the world’s largest renewable fuels provider. The empirical study used 29 open, semi-structured interviews from the projects and the case company. The research was done as part of a larger research project on large project governance. Research Findings The research findings state that routines exist in projects but are relatively difficult to identify. They are not isolated events but intertwined with other routines and artifacts. Routines are used to create, store and transfer knowledge and capabilities between projects. If routines are not appropriately acknowledged and transferred from one project to another, know-how can be lost. Routines are affected by the context, the participants of the routine as well as the related artifacts. Both the permanent as well as the project organization affect the project’s routines. Routines are developed among other things by increasing the participants’ knowledge on the cause and effect of the routine, as well as planning appropriate artifacts and incentives. Key Words Routine, project, artifact, capabilities RUTIINIT PERÄKKÄISISSÄ PROJEKTEISSA Tutkimuksen tavoitteet Tämä Pro Gradu-tutkielma tutki rutiineja projektikontekstissa. Rutiinit ovat toistuvia, kontekstisidonnaisina käyttäytymismalleja. Projektit taas ovat uniikkeja, monimutkaisia hankkeita. Tämä yhdistelmä tarjoaa mielenkiintoisen ja ristiriitaisen tutkimusasetelman, jota on harvoin tutkittu. Rutiinit nähdään tärkeänä osana organisaation kyvykkyyksiä, tiedon synnyttämistä ja luomista, mutta myös inertian ja byrokratian lähteenä. Projektien haasteena taas on yleisesti nähty tiedon ja kyvykkyyksien siirto. Tämä tutkimus pyrki selvittämään mitä rutiinit ovat projektikontekstissa, mikä rutiinien rooli on projekteissa, mitkä tekijät vaikuttavat rutiineihin sekä miten rutiineja kehitetään peräkkäisissä projekteissa. Metodologia Tutkimus toteutettiin tapaustutkimuksena neljän projektin investointiohjelmasta. Tapaustutkimuksen yritys oli suomalainen öljy-yhtiö, jonka tavoitteena on kasvaa maailman suurimmaksi uusiutuvien polttoaineiden tuottajaksi. Empiirinen tutkimus käsitti 29 avointa, puolistrukturoitua haastattelua projekteista ja kohdeyrityksestä. Tämä tutkimus toteutettiin osana laajempaa, suuria projekteja tutkivaa tutkimusprojektia. Tutkimuksen tulokset Tutkimus osoittaa, että myös projekteissa esiintyy rutiineja, mutta ne ovat vaikeammin tunnistettavissa kuin pysyvissä organisaatioissa. Rutiinit eivät ole irrallisia tapahtumia, vaan ne ovat liitoksissa muiden rutiinien ja artefaktien kanssa. Rutiinit ovat projekteissa osa tiedon ja kyvykkyyksien luomista, säilömistä ja siirtämistä projektien välillä. Jos rutiineja ei tunnusteta ja asianmukaisesti siirretä projektista toiseen, tietämys voidaan kadottaa. Rutiineihin vaikuttaa konteksti, rutiiniin osallistujat sekä artefaktit. Projektiorganisaation lisäksi, myös pysyvä organisaatio vaikuttaa projektin rutiineihin. Rutiineita projekteissa kehitetään muun muassa lisäämällä osallistujien tietämystä rutiinin syistä ja seurauksista, sekä suunnittelemalla asianmukaiset artefaktit ja kannustimet. Avainsanat Rutiini, projekti, artefakti, kyvykkyydeten
dc.ethesisid12700
dc.format.extent94
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttps://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/2032
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:aalto-201201111236
dc.language.isoenen
dc.locationP1 I
dc.programme.majorOrganization and Managementen
dc.programme.majorOrganisaatiot ja johtaminenfi
dc.subject.heleconorganisaatio
dc.subject.heleconorganization
dc.subject.heleconjohtaminen
dc.subject.heleconmanagement
dc.subject.heleconprojektit
dc.subject.heleconprojects
dc.subject.helecontyö
dc.subject.heleconwork
dc.subject.heleconprosessit
dc.subject.heleconprocesses
dc.subject.keywordroutine
dc.subject.keywordrutiini
dc.subject.keywordprojects
dc.subject.keywordprojektit
dc.subject.keywordcapabilities
dc.subject.keywordkyvykkyydet
dc.subject.keywordartifact
dc.subject.keywordartefakti
dc.titleRoutines in consecutive projectsen
dc.typeG2 Pro gradu, diplomityöfi
dc.type.dcmitypetexten
dc.type.ontasotMaster's thesisen
dc.type.ontasotPro gradu tutkielmafi
local.aalto.idthes12700
local.aalto.openaccessyes

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