<p>In this changing world, companies have had to learn how to formulate and implement their strategies through projects and organizational structures in order to successfully face threats and opportunities. However, the management of multiple projects is not easy and due to this complexity, a new type of organization has emerged, called Multiproject organization. Depending to its characteristics, this new organization can be classified in project oriented (POO) or project based (PBO) (Arvidsson, 2009).</p><p>Before to execute a project, the organization needs to evaluate its resources and decide if should buy the project through contractors or make it with its own resources (Müller and Turner, 2005). A Project Based Organization (PBO) which manages multiple projects at the same time through contractors requires to keep a good monitoring and controlling project performance, and to create the best project governance structure.</p><p>About these subjects, there have been journals and books published since an academic perspective; but, not all of them have described these topics in a real organization. The aim of this research is to learn how these concepts are applied in a real project based organization, as well as the problems that can be faced and how they have solved them.</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to show how a PBO deals with the governance of its contracts, considering how the PBO estimates the cost of the project, how it deals controlling the contractors and their projects, as well as how it minimizes the transaction‟s (i.e. the project‟s) economic and administrative costs. Based in the purpose of the study, the research question is: “How do project minimize transactions costs in supplier engagements in delivery projects in the Swedish construction industry? the construction of a railway in the north of Sweden and due to it has 130 major contracts, can be considered as a multi-project organization. The Unit of Analysis used is the transaction cost in supplier involvement in project. A single case study was chosen to present and analyze the information from the organization. It was analyzed qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews which were applied inside and outside the company, in order to make a triangulation of the data collected.</p><p>The findings explained that the railway company analyzed, achieved to minimize its based organizations (PBOs)” In order to answer, it was selected an organization created for transaction costs on supplier‟s investments during the delivery project phase due to right selection of types of contracts, as well as those process and systems implemented in all the project offices. These process and systems helped it to detect on time potential problems as well as take decisions and covered: the selection of suppliers through the bidding process, the negotiation of contracts, the monitoring, controlling and reporting performance, the closure of the project and the last payments for contractors. The PBO tried to keep a good communication with contractors and at the same time, it developed a team work feeling in which both parts supported each other. It could be observed that : the  it is possible to achieve successfully the organization‟s objectives and minimize the transactions costs during the execution through essential factors as a careful and detailed planning, team work with all the areas involved, communication and hardworking.</p>

In this changing world, companies have had to learn how to formulate and implement their strategies through projects and organizational structures in order to successfully face threats and opportunities. However, the management of multiple projects is not easy and due to this complexity, a new type of organization has emerged, called Multiproject organization. Depending to its characteristics, this new organization can be classified in project oriented (POO) or project based (PBO) (Arvidsson, 2009). Before to execute a project, the organization needs to evaluate its resources and decide if should buy the project through contractors or make it with its own resources (Müller and Turner, 2005). A Project Based Organization (PBO) which manages multiple projects at the same time through contractors requires to keep a good monitoring and controlling project performance, and to create the best project governance structure. About these subjects, there have been journals and books published since an academic perspective; but, not all of them have described these topics in a real organization. The aim of this research is to learn how these concepts are applied in a real project based organization, as well as the problems that can be faced and how they have solved them. The purpose of this thesis is to show how a PBO deals with the governance of its contracts, considering how the PBO estimates the cost of the project, how it deals controlling the contractors and their projects, as well as how it minimizes the transaction‟s (i.e. the project‟s) economic and administrative costs. Based in the purpose of the study, the research question is: “How do project minimize transactions costs in supplier engagements in delivery projects in the Swedish construction industry? the construction of a railway in the north of Sweden and due to it has 130 major contracts, can be considered as a multi-project organization. The Unit of Analysis used is the transaction cost in supplier involvement in project. A single case study was chosen to present and analyze the information from the organization. It was analyzed qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews which were applied inside and outside the company, in order to make a triangulation of the data collected. The findings explained that the railway company analyzed, achieved to minimize its based organizations (PBOs)” In order to answer, it was selected an organization created for transaction costs on supplier‟s investments during the delivery project phase due to right selection of types of contracts, as well as those process and systems implemented in all the project offices. These process and systems helped it to detect on time potential problems as well as take decisions and covered: the selection of suppliers through the bidding process, the negotiation of contracts, the monitoring, controlling and reporting performance, the closure of the project and the last payments for contractors. The PBO tried to keep a good communication with contractors and at the same time, it developed a team work feeling in which both parts supported each other. It could be observed that : the  it is possible to achieve successfully the organization‟s objectives and minimize the transactions costs during the execution through essential factors as a careful and detailed planning, team work with all the areas involved, communication and hardworking.

<p>Background: The knowledge-based theory proposes that knowledge and how it is managed is an important factor for determining the competitiveness of corporations. Project-based organisations are often put forward as a fast and flexible way of managing knowledge. The prioritizing between different tasks and projects in such organisations is to a large extent done by the individuals. In addition, electronic communication technology enables large amounts of information to travel far and fast. The bounded rationality of the human brain, the flood of information and the multitude of tasks pose a big challenge for project-based organisations. Communication is crucial for efficient project work and given this background it is interesting to examine how individuals in project-based organisations use different communication channels.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore individual communication behaviour in a project-based organisation and from these understandings create a practical framework for discussing and actively managing project communication.</p><p>Research method: The gathering of empirical data was done through a case study of the Converting Standard Line Project – TBA at Tetra Pak Carton Ambient in Lund. The case study consisted of observations and 20 qualitative interviews conducted with the project members, the project manager and representatives from senior management.</p><p>Results: The choice of communication channel was governed by the relative relation between individual gain and individual attention cost and high social presence media such as face-to-face interaction were more preferred than suggested by existing theories. Moreover e-mail had characteristics that made it more than a communication channel and therefore more popular than suggested by existing theories. Finally the study proposes a project communication framework that can be used as a platform for active management of project communication and thereby enabling a more efficient use of the limited attention budget of each individual.</p>

Background: The knowledge-based theory proposes that knowledge and how it is managed is an important factor for determining the competitiveness of corporations. Project-based organisations are often put forward as a fast and flexible way of managing knowledge. The prioritizing between different tasks and projects in such organisations is to a large extent done by the individuals. In addition, electronic communication technology enables large amounts of information to travel far and fast. The bounded rationality of the human brain, the flood of information and the multitude of tasks pose a big challenge for project-based organisations. Communication is crucial for efficient project work and given this background it is interesting to examine how individuals in project-based organisations use different communication channels. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore individual communication behaviour in a project-based organisation and from these understandings create a practical framework for discussing and actively managing project communication. Research method: The gathering of empirical data was done through a case study of the Converting Standard Line Project – TBA at Tetra Pak Carton Ambient in Lund. The case study consisted of observations and 20 qualitative interviews conducted with the project members, the project manager and representatives from senior management. Results: The choice of communication channel was governed by the relative relation between individual gain and individual attention cost and high social presence media such as face-to-face interaction were more preferred than suggested by existing theories. Moreover e-mail had characteristics that made it more than a communication channel and therefore more popular than suggested by existing theories. Finally the study proposes a project communication framework that can be used as a platform for active management of project communication and thereby enabling a more efficient use of the limited attention budget of each individual.

In the current market situation today which is changing rapidly, many companies have decided to adopt the project-based organisational structure. However, the literature on this area has been lacking, particularly in the multi-project environment. This is an important subject to explore since it has a substantial impact on a company’s productivity. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to expand the knowledge on project resource management in multi-project organisations. The methodological approach of this work was a case study, where interviews and observations were conducted at a large PBO running multiple new product development projects. The unit of analysis in the case was the way of working in projects and PRM techniques used in the context of two new product development projects. Waterfall Method and APM was identified as two fundamental ways of running a project. Additionally, RBS and RBV, Kitting, CONWIP and Project Freezing and finally CCPM were identified as techniques that can be used in project management. Several similarities and differences were identified when comparing the case study with previously conducted studies. Particularly, similarities regarding the experienced pressure and how resource conflicts caused by this were managed. Lastly, improvement proposals to current PRM techniques were identified. By using both Waterfall Method and APM together, their strengths could be combined. Moreover, HRM has become an increasingly more important task for the line managers, which should be taken into consideration when stating the work description. The results of this study will contribute both theoretically and practically. This work supports the evolution of the PRM techniques by evaluating them in a practical context. Finally, the conclusions of this work provide recommendations which are more practically applicable for PBOs.

This study aims to investigate and analyse organisational learning in project-based organisations (PBOs) that work with complex projects. The focus is to contribute to the knowledge about how PBOs can enhance the management of experiences derived from complex projects to promote organisational learning. This is investigated by studying how experience is captured and transferred within a project, across different projects, from project to the line organization and reintegrated into new projects. Additionally, the study examines challenges related to knowledge transfer and evaluates human and structural capital. To fulfil this, a case study is conducted on a consulting PBO that works with complex infrastructure projects. Qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals in various roles within the organisation. Furthermore, participant observations were conducted on meetings where project experience was discussed, both during ongoing projects and at project completion. The findings show that employees have a lot of knowledge and experience after working in complex projects. Experiences are collected and shared with other colleagues in various forums in complex projects. The findings suggest that PBOs can enhance their management of experiences from complex projects by the following strategies: (1) creating time for reflection to collect, discuss and evaluate experiences on an ongoing basis, (2) promoting knowledge exchange among colleagues to transfer tacit knowledge, (3) making documentation searchable and accessible beyond the project organization and (4) conducting regular and in-depth analysis to uncover patterns that can improve the structural capital. In future studies, it would be interesting to explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning could aid in conducting in-depth analysis of experiential data from complex projects. This to facilitate the identification of patterns and relationships within the data, providing valuable insight for enhancing organisational learning in PBOs.

Samverkan har internationellt uppmärksammats som en lösning på de utmaningar byggindustrin möter. Utmaningar har tidigare belysts som komplexa processer och idag finns en utveckling där projekten är både större och mer komplicerade, vilket kräver en bättre koordinering av resurser. Det har också visats att projektbaserade organisationer har svårt att hantera och överföra kunskap mellan projekt och inom entreprenadorganisationen. Samverkanskonceptet strävar att kombinera aktörers resurser och kunskaper i tidiga skeden av projekt. Detta för att bättre hantera komplexitet, samtidigt som samarbetet leder till bättre affärsrelationer och minskade konflikter mellan projektets olika aktörer. Sedan 2017 har ledningssystem, modeller och kontrakts mallar för samverkan lanserats och anpassats för svenska byggindustrin. Målet med dessa är att främja användandet av samverkan och skapa en enhetlig bild av konceptet i branschen. Denna masteruppsats syfte är att förbättra förutsättningar för entreprenadorganisationers arbete med kunskapsåterföring i och mellan samverkansprojekt. Masteruppsatsen studerar hur utvecklingen och arbetet med samverkansprojekt sker i entreprenadorganisationer och fokuserar på deras erfarenheter, förutsättningar, definitioner av samverkan samt samverkansprojektens roll i deras affärsplaner. Vidare undersöks vilka strukturer och mekanismer för lärande som existerar i entreprenadorganisationer och hur dessa kan bidra till utveckling av samverkansprojekt. Resultatet i studien är baserad på en kvalitativ studie där 15 respondenter intervjuades. Studien visade att de två affärsområdena har strategiskt satsat på samverkan. Trots att samverkan har blivit en stor del av entreprenadorganisationers verksamhet återstår utmaningar vid implementering av samverkan då branschen har olika erfarenhet och förståelse för att driva projekt i samverkan. Dock står det klart att samverkans projekt är en värdefull del av entreprenadorganisationens affärsplaner. Därför strävar entreprenadorganisationer till att upprätta strukturer för kunskapsåterföring i och mellan samverkansprojekt, bland annat genom nätverk, forum för kunskapsutbyte, studiebesök och strategisk samverkan. Trots att strukturer för kunskapsdelning existerar är det svårt att formalisera kunskap och erfarenheter från individer. Studien påvisar att den mest värdefulla kunskapen finns hos individen och att det är individer som i hög gradbidrar till utveckling och förbättring i samverkansprojekt. Därför måste organisationer försöka skapa en god samarbetskultur så att strukturer för kunskapsåterföring och kunskapsdelning fyller sin funktion och motiverar individerna att dela med sig av tidigare erfarenhet och kunskap och kan därmed förbättra och utveckla organisationens samverkansprojekt. / Partnering has internationally been acknowledged as a solution to the challenges that the construction industry faces. The challenges have previously been illustrated as complex processes and a development where projects have become larger and more complicated, which requires efficient coordination or resources. Furthermore, it has been proven that project-based organisations face challenges in managing and sharing knowledge between projects and within the contractor organisation. Partnering as a concept aims to combine stakeholders’ resources and knowledge in early phases of projects to better manage the complexity, in addition this collaboration improves business relations and reduces conflicts between project stakeholders. Since 2017 partnering models, management systems and contract templates have been launched and adapted to the Swedish construction industry, with the purpose to promote the use of partnering and create a common view of the concept within the industry. This Master Thesis aims to improve the prerequisites for contractor organisations work with knowledge feedback in and between partnering projects. The Master Thesis studies the development and work in partnering projects in contractor organisations and focuses on their experience, prerequisites, definitions of partnering and partnering projects role in their business plans. Furthermore, the existing structures and mechanisms for learning in contractor organisations are explored, along with how they can contribute to the development of partnering projects. The result of the study is based on a qualitative study where 15 respondents were interviewed. The study showed that the two business areas have strategically invested in partnering. Although partnering has become a large part of operations in contractor organisations, challenges remain upon implementation of partnering due to differences in experience and understanding of managing partnering projects within the industry. However, it is clear that partnering projects have a valuable role in contractor organisations business plans. Therefore, contractor organisations strive to establish structures for knowledge feedback within and between partnering projects through, amongst other things, networks, knowledge feedback forums, study visits and strategic partnering. Although structures for sharing knowledge exist, it is challenging to formalise individuals' knowledge and experience. This study demonstrates that the most valuable knowledge lies within the individual and that it is the individuals who contribute to the development and improvement in partnering projects. Therefore, organisations should aim to create a good collaboration culture so that the structures for knowledge feedback and sharing fulfil their purpose and motivate individuals to share their past experience and knowledge and therefore improve and develop partnering projects in contractor organisations.

Today, organisations in multiple industries are faced with challenges connected to digitalisation. The construction industry is one of the sectors in Sweden that are struggling most to digitalise, despite their efforts. The construction industry consists of project-basedorganisations, which literature have proven to have difficulties with managing complexity. Furthermore, there is a lack of experience with innovation projects and digitalisation knowledge. The purpose of this study is to investigate how large-size construction companies utilise learning mechanisms to capture the knowledge obtained from digital innovation projects and retain it as an organisational memory. By increasing the focus on managing learning mechanisms with a suitable knowledge management strategy, it is possible to improve the organisational performance in relation to digital innovation. The theoretical approach of interproject learning is used to analyse the Swedish construction industry by doing a case-study of four large-size construction companies which are operating in Sweden. The data is gathered through semi-structured interviews of two different hierarchic members in each case company and through investigations of their webpages, annual reports and existing written materials. Additionally, interviews with experts and interest organisations are included in the data gathering. The investigation presents that digitalisation and digital innovation in the construction industry are connected to digital tools, such as BIM. We also see a shift in attention, where digital tools originally were supposed to solve concrete tasks, whereas they now have a more process oriented focus with changes in the organisations to smoother digital implementations. Creating standard digital tools, which is utilised in all the projects in the industry and are ready for use will smooth the implementation. The learning mechanisms that exist in digital innovation projects are presented in relation to the decentralised environment. The variety of individual knowledge codification is high, with an absence of knowledge articulation and a high presence of experience accumulation. From a project perspective, there is an evolvement from local to a more central focus for digital innovation initiatives. In an organisational perspective, there is no clear knowledge management strategy, but we argue to see a shift towards a more navigator learning landscape, where emphasises on knowledge articulation is increasing. A discussion of the shift in perception of digital innovation and the evolvement to a more central focus of innovation initiative will increase digitalisation is provided, with a conclusion where the importance of not losing the advantage of having a project-based approach is highlighted. The main limitation of this work is that the research only consists of large-sized companies; therefore, this investigation may not highlight the whole industrial organisational behaviour. Instead, it can provide an understanding of the different learning mechanisms in relation to digital innovation. Further work should investigate small- and medium-sized organisations in the construction industry. / Organisationer i flera branscher står idag inför utmaningar, där hanteringen av digitalisering ären av dem. Den svenska byggbranschen anses ha en stor utmaning med digitalisering. Byggbranschen utgörs till stor del av projektbaserade organisationer och litteratur visar att branschen har svårigheter att hantera komplexitet. Det finns också brist på erfarenheter av projekt relaterat till innovation och även en brist på kunskap om digitalisering. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur stora byggföretag samlar kunskaper från digitala innovationsprojekt genom att utnyttja inlärningsmekanismer och på så sätt behålla kunskapen som en lärdom inom organisationen. Genom att fokusera på hantering av inlärningsmekanismer med en lämplig kunskapsstrategi är det möjligt att förbättra organisationen i förhållande till den digitala innovationen. Den teoretiska aspekten för intern projektinlärning används för att analysera den svenska byggbranschen och detta görs genom en fallstudie av fyra stora byggföretag som är verksamma i Sverige. De data som används har erhållits genom semistrukturerade intervjuer av personer från två olika nivåer inom varje företag och via granskning av företagens hemsidor, årsredovisningar och befintligt skriftligt material. Dessutom ingår intervjuer med experter och intresseorganisationer i datainsamlingen. Studien visar att digitalisering och digital innovation inom byggbranschen är kopplad till digitala verktyg, såsom BIM. Studien visar också på ett skifte i fokus bland de undersökta företagen från ett tidigare fokus på digitala verktyg som löser konkreta problem ändras till ett mer processorienterat fokus. Detta innebär att inkludera förändringar i företagsorganisationen vilket förenklar implementeringen av digitala lösningar. Detta kan göras genom att ha ett utvecklingsfokus av de digitala verktyg som redan används. Dessa kan då delas mellan projekten och vara färdiga för att användas från projektstart. De inlärningsmekanismer som finns i digitala innovationsprojekt förklaras i förhållande till den decentraliserade miljön de ärverksamma inom. Mångfalden av individuell kunskapskodifiering är hög, liksom insamlandetav upplevelser. Däremot finns det en brist på kunskapsstrategier inom de studerade byggföretagen. Från ett projektperspektiv sker det en utveckling som går från ett lokalt till ett mer centraliserat fokus gällande digital innovation. Från ett organisatoriskt perspektiv finns detingen tydlig strategi för kunskapshantering, men vi argumenterar för att det ska ske ett skifte mot ett mer styrt lärandelandskap med en betoning på kunskapsledning. Vidare görs en diskussion huruvida denna utveckling är relevant och om den kommer att öka digitaliseringen. Slutsatsen poängterar vikten av att inte förlora fördelarna med ett projektbaserat arbetssätt. Begränsningen av denna studie är att enbart stora företag studerats. Därför kan studien inte fungera som en överblick för hela byggbranschens beteende, utan ger en förståelse för en utveckling av inlärningsmekanismer i samband med digital innovation. Framtida studier börbehandla även små och medelstora företag inom byggbranschen.