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In spite of decades of research, Information Systems/Information Technology (IS/IT) projects still often fail to deliver the objectives expected of them. Managers require information systems to achieve their business objectives and the failure of these projects inevitably hinders the progress and success of their organisations. This research examines the key criteria by which IS/IT projects are judged to be successful and what factors are important in influencing the success of IS/IT projects. The research shows that very often different participants in a project are aiming at different targets and they each have their own perception of project success. There must be greater convergence on the criteria for success. To achieve this, the criteria for success and associated factors that influence success need to be defined clearly, agreed by all parties at the start of the project and reviewed as the project progresses. Agreeing the criteria is not sufficient to guarantee success. The project has to be carried out within a defined framework. The project life cycle is used to link the two disciplines of project management and systems development, and to highlight the fundamental issues that must be carried out on all projects. However, project managers need to focus more on the products of the system and not on the plans and schedules. Therefore, there should be the emphasis on configuration management as a means of linking the two disciplines. Furthermore, automated tools need to provide additional functionality to be of any practical use to project managers and system developers. Project managers are crucial to the development process and they need a portfolio of skills to deliver successful projects in the future. The research outlines the development path for project managers to acquire these skills. They should not rely solely on experience but formal career development has to be part of the overall strategy of the organisation.

The airport business is undergoing a shift from that of a traditionally operational nature, to a more commercial, profit driven business orientation. Airport infrastructure is experiencing a face lift in order to meet the requirements for customer satisfaction resulting from this shift in culture. In this regard airport operators must seek improvements in the way in which their development projects are planned, designed and delivered. An inherent link between corporate, business and project value, highlighted within this thesis, has led to the requirement for project management systems that maximise value and therefore facilitate the corporate strategy of the organisation. This thesis develops a model to strategically manage projects to enhance value for money for BAA plc. It is concluded that the project management process is divided into two primary phases: the strategic and tactical, the former receiving minimum attention in UK construction project management. By combining the strategic management of a portfolio of projects with the tactical management of individual projects a link is forged between corporate and customer value and project value. The thesis concludes by presenting the Strategic Project Management framework for use by BAA project managers. The decision making framework facilitates the definition of project objectives and manages the project process to realise optimum value to the client / customer groups. By defining sub processes within the overall project process, the framework binds the interfaces such that information and communication flows freely and completely through the project.

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The construction industry is a fundamental, integral part of economic development. It is organised around individual projects. The effectiveness of the industry is largely determined by the collective performance of projects and the effectiveness of the project manager. This thesis investigates the following issues: the major characteristics of construction projects and the variables affecting the construction industry; the education, training and experience of construction project managers; major skills and knowledge required for the construction project managers; comparisons of the general education policies in other countries; performance in construction and the factors affecting the successful completion of construction projects. The investigation of the education, training and experience of project managers, plus the major skills and knowledge required for the project managers was carried out by mailed questionnaires, followed by face to face interviews. This was organised with the co-operation of the European Construction Institute, which represents major international contractors. The number of completed questionnaires received was 120 out of 170 mailed questionnaires. This is a response rate of 70.5%. The responding project managers were clearly successful and working for successful companies. The majority of these project managers are engineering graduates. They are of very strong technical background, but of shallow or very shallow managerial background. The top priority of the required knowledge and skills was given to management related subjects. The importance of technical knowledge is not diminished by the attendant need for management, legal and other personal skills. projects in order to identify the factors affecting the successful completion of construction projects and achieving a clearer picture of the required skills and knowledge for effective project managers. This thesis identifies the following: the education background of project managers; the effectiveness of the major sources of knowledge in contributing to skills and knowledge of the project managers; the top 20 skills required for the job of the project manager; the required actions by all the parties concerned to enhance the effectiveness of construction project managers; the link between the required skills and the factors affecting the successful completion of projects. In general this thesis contributes to the policies for developing effective construction project managers.

The construction industry plays a key role in both the Australian and Chinese economies. Given this importance, the factors that contribute to effective construction project management are clearly valuable. As a project based industry, the construction industry needs more insights on the cultural issues at the project level. This study intended to answer the following questions: what is project culture? and How does project culture affect the performance of construction projects? / Thesis (PhDBuilding)--University of South Australia, 2008.

I started the research in a small way by involving my functional group, i.e. group 2, in the research process. Within my functional group, I sought the consent of one of my section heads and his team members to be my collaborators. They are referred to in my thesis as the 'core team'. / As action research was a methodology recommended by University of South Australia, I started off reading action research and the associated action learning literature. As the research progressed, the participation expanded to include all other groups in the organisation as well as our customers. With each successive action research cycle, my understanding of the breadth of the issues became clearer. Therefore, I broadened my reading into the literature on socio-technical systems, soft system methodology, search conferences, stakeholder analysis and other areas as the events unfolded in a dynamic way. As the research developed further, I saw the need to camouflage action research with the use of culturally appropriate terminology to achieve an effective change process. / In my thesis, I show how the learning, participation and level of involvement expanded from my core team to my functional group and subsequently to other groups. When the research reached the Lset 3 phase, it had expanded to the project team and finally to all other projects teams as well. / I also claim the following original contribution to knowledge in a structured engineering organisation in Singapore and in a slatemated situation. I have demonstrated that action learning and action research can be an effective methodology to change processes, and enhance system implementation, work practices and management outcomes. I have called this process “collaborative engineering”. My model reflects an integrated interpretive model of change that incorporates every successful parameter of change that has been tested for previously. I was trying to change a situation of which I was a part. Therefore the very model on which the research is based is innovative and there is little organised work in this area. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 1999.

Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2004.