Theses for Project Management

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Enhancing Construction Supply Chain Management Through the Application of Digital Innovation and Knowledge Management Practices: The Case of the UAE Construction Sector
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2024-07) MARCHAHA, HALA MAHMOUD; Professor Edward Ochieng
The construction sector in the UAE has a major role in and is making a growing contribution to the country’s economic activities. However, there are various challenges and factors that affect construction supply chain management and therefore construction projects success, which can be faced by the effective implementation of digital innovation. Noting that knowledge is a central obstacle for construction organisations in implementing digital innovation design efficiency and promote a collaborative working culture in construction projects, which has triggered the requirement for a new knowledge management framework development to support construction organisations to adopt digital innovation aiming to enhance the performance of construction supply chain management. The research aimed to examine the association of the integrated role of knowledge management practices and digital innovation on the performance of construction supply chain management in the UAE construction sector. The research proposes an innovative knowledge management framework that can be used by senior construction practitioners in the UAE to enhance construction supply chain management performance through this transformative framework that integrates traditional knowledge management practices with digital innovation, which is recommended for construction organisations to navigate the complexity of construction projects, make informed decisions, and achieve sustainable growth in an evolving sector. The aim was achieved through a quantitative research method. Data was collected by conducting a questionnaire survey with a sample size of 400 experts working in the UAE construction sector. The collected data was analysed using SPSS software selected tests that enabled the research questions to be answered and met the research objectives. The study revealed the significant association of advanced technologies on managing knowledge and enhancing the performance of supply chain partners, as the study found that there is a strong association between the integration of digital innovation and knowledge management practices and the performance of supply chain management, and that the innovative knowledge management framework proposed in this study is as well strongly associated with the performance of supply chain management. This research forms a reference for future studies on the integration of digital innovation and knowledge management practices as this was the core principle guiding the research on the enhancement of supply chain performance. The research provides recommendations to policymakers to lay the foundation for a successful implementation of the innovative knowledge management framework by the construction practitioners; this is suggested to prioritise the adoption of digital innovation to transform from traditional knowledge management to innovative knowledge management for the managing construction supply chain, and to navigate the complexities of construction projects.
Organizational Innovation of UAE Healthcare Sector: The Role of Knowledge Management through Technology Adoption and Organizational Culture
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2024-06) KARAM, SAEED HUSSAIN IBRAHIM MOHAMMAD; Dr Muhammad Waris Khan
Model for Improving the level of Labourers Productivity through the Use o BIM and Clould technology in UAEBuilding Construction Projects
(The British University in Dubai, 2023-12-05) Muneer Shahatit
Importance of the research This study examined the capabilities of building information modelling (BIM) and cloud technologies and their impact on improving labourers’ productivity in building construction projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Thus, there was a need for this research to identify the key factors affecting labourers’ productivity in construction projects in the UAE and their impact magnitude. Problem and aim The research aimed to examine how advanced technologies such as BIM and cloud could be used to improve labourers’ productivity during the delivery of building construction projects in the UAE. The research proposed a model that comprises of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and cloud technology determinants that could be used to improve labourers’ productivity in the UAE building construction sector. Method The study adopted a quantitative method approach to achieve the intended research objectives. The population of the study comprised construction contractors and consultants working on building construction projects in the UAE. The key targeted participants who provided the data required for this study were project managers, supervisors, foremen, inspectors, project engineers, and consultant resident engineers. Analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS and Hayes process. Findings The research proposed and validated a model that comprises BIM, cloud technology and labourers’ productivity determinants that can be used to improve labourers’ productivity in the UAE building construction sector. As shown in this study, the advancement of BIM and cloud technologies can democratize access to vital information, tools, and techniques, which can be used to create a collaborative team environment. Within the context of the UAE, this research has also shown how these technologies have emerged as a means of improving productivity in the construction sector. Conclusion The research identified several factors affecting construction labourers’ productivity. Among the 42 factors identified from the reviewed literature. From the findings of the study, it was found that the UAE construction sector is still facing labourers’ productivity challenges, and the industry has one of the lowest productivity rates. As a result, it was revealed that implementing BIM and cloud technologies facilitates the successful delivery of building construction projects. In addition, the study further established that BIM and cloud technologies can be used to facilitate integrated project delivery. Future research The study achieved its main aim of proposing a model that comprises BIM and labourers’ productivity determinants’. Although the findings and the conclusion of the study have added value to the existing knowledge on the use of BIM to improve labourers’ productivity in the UAE, it is important that further research is carried out in the form of a case study to evaluate the impact of the model’s proposed context.
Individual Determinants Influencing the Acceptance and Use of Mobile Health Applications for Pandemic Management in the UAE
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2023-12) ALSHEHHI, SAEED ALI SAEED ZAID; Dr Sulafa Badi
Pandemics are among the crises that are challenging to manage and contain because of their unique characteristics, such as high speed of spread, lack of medicine and development of mysterious side effects. In order to efficiently manage and control pandemics, modern technologies are used by governments and health authorities, such as mobile health applications (m-health) applications installed on smartphones that are used by everyone. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE realised the severity of the pandemic and the need for technology utilisation to overcome this dilemma; thus, the government developed m-health applications such as the Al Hosn app and the Covid19 DXB smart app to manage, monitor and control the pandemic. The main goal of these applications was to be used by the population in order to manage the pandemic efficiently and contain the disease. It is important to explore what factors determine if the users will use such m-health applications for pandemic management because if users are concerned about their medical security and privacy or if they have any fears regarding using the application, then it might have a negative impact on their intention to use the application. The main aim of this research is to investigate the factors that influence the user adoption of mobile applications for pandemic management and to extract the individual determinants that influence the adoption of the mobile application for pandemic crisis management in the UAE. The study is underpinned by innovation adoption theory and utilises an extended model of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The study extends the UTAUT model by testing the significance of the two additional constructs of perceived privacy risk and perceived security risk, as well as testing the moderating role of the fear of social isolation, social discrimination, and technology optimism. The research is underpinned by the positivism research philosophy and employs a deductive research approach. A quantitative questionnaire survey was distributed among the UAE public and a total of 384 complete responses were returned and analysed using SPSS version 25 and SmartPLS 3. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to analyse and evaluate the linkages among the study’s constructs. SEM is a multivariate analysis method which is employed to evaluate structural relationships. The findings highlighted individual determinants such as perceived performance expectancy perceived effort expectancy, social influence, perceived privacy risk, and perceived security risk have a positive impact on the behavioural intention of the users and their adoption of m-health applications in the UAE. The findings also demonstrated a positive mediating effect of behavioural intention between the determinants and the use behaviour and the moderating effect of the fear of social isolation, social discrimination, and technology optimism on the relationship between the determinants and behavioural intention. The research theoretically contributes to an extended UTAUT framework by confirming the significance of the constructs of perceived privacy risk and perceived security risk and testing the moderating role of the fear of social isolation, social discrimination, and technology optimism and their effect on the behavioural intention of users of m-health applications for pandemic management. The research practically contributes to practice by developing recommendations for how m-health applications should be designed and managed to motivate individuals to use them while undergoing a pandemic.
Exploring the Determinants of IoT Adoption Intention in the Public Sector: An Extended TOE Framework Perspective
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2023-07) NAQI, ABDULLA; Professor Khalid AlMarri
Purpose: This research aims to investigate the determinates of the adoption intention of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector, recognizing its significance in modernizing government operations and public services. The study addresses the limited research on IoT adoption in this context by proposing a theoretical model that incorporates technological, environmental, and organizational attributes, while also considering individual innovation traits. The research builds upon the Technological Organizational Environmental (TOE) framework to examine these adoption factors. Design/Methodology/Approach: Employing a positivist approach, this study conducts quantitative analysis through an online survey with 160 respondents. The research explores the relationships between TOE factors, technological factors, organizational factors, environmental factors, individual innovation traits, and IoT adoption intentions within the public sector. Furthermore, it investigates how Individual traits moderate the relationship between TOE factors and IoT adoption intentions. Findings: The study uncovers several significant insights. It identifies positive relationships between TOE factors, technological factors, organizational factors, environmental factors, and IoT adoption intentions within the UAE public sector. Additionally, it highlights that Individual traits exert a positive influence on IoT adoption intentions. Furthermore, the research demonstrates that Individual traits moderate the relationship between TOE factors and IoT adoption intentions, shedding light on the complex interplay of factors in IoT adoption. Practical Implications: This research contributes to existing knowledge by concentrating on organizational-level IoT adoption factors within the UAE public sector, distinct from studies that primarily focus on individual adoption. It also elucidates the unique challenges and opportunities specific to the public sector, setting it apart from industrial sectors. These findings offer valuable insights for technology practitioners in the public sector, aiding them in enhancing IoT adoption strategies. Originality: This study contributes originality by addressing the dearth of research on IoT adoption in the UAE public sector. It proposes a comprehensive theoretical model and employs a TOE framework to examine IoT adoption factors, while also considering individual innovation traits. This unique approach adds to the body of knowledge regarding IoT adoption in organizational contexts. In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of IoT adoption intention factors within the UAE public sector and provides a practical framework for public sector organizations to optimize their IoT adoption strategies. Future research is encouraged to delve into potential mediators, introduce novel constructs, and apply the model across diverse sectors to further advance our knowledge in this area.
Key Determinants of Artificial Intelligence Adoption and the Perception of Decision Makers Towards Enablement of Socio-Economic Sustainability Goals: Case UAE Smart Sustainable Cities
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2023-06) KHANSAHEB, KHULOOD SHEBIB HUSSAIN ABDULRAHMAN; Professor Edward Ochieng; Professor Khalid Al Marri
The purpose of this research was to examine the case of the UAE smart cities with specific focus on the key determinants of AI adoption and the perception of decision makers regarding the usage of AI in enabling the socio-economic sustainability development goals of the UAE. The nexus between smart cities and sustainability was examined in detail with the underlying role of AI in smart cities functionalities being analyzed to understand how it fosters smart cities’ role in sustainability. The research adopted a quantitative methodological framework to rigorously examine the subject matter above. A survey was distributed to 500 decision makers in AI, smart cities, and sustainable development programmes across the UAE (mainly, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah). The research developed and tested six hypotheses using structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the strength of relationships between variables of AI adoption and usage, smart cities, and socio-economic sustainable development goals. The findings of the study revealed that, the mediating role of action fields of smart cities when affected by AI adoption led to the attainment of socio-economic sustainable development goals in the UAE at a strong regression coefficient of 0.789. The findings further enlightened that environmental factors of AI adoption including infrastructure readiness, stakeholder readiness, and regulatory environment strongly impacted the action fields of smart cities, overly leading to better attainment of socio-economic sustainable development goals. Other key findings of the study included but not limited to, organizational factors impacting AI adoption and usage were an impediment to the effective application of AI in UAE smart cities to realize the attainment of socio-economic sustainable development goals; technological factors of AI adoption and usage did not positively impact UAE smart cities to lead to the attainment socio-economic sustainable development goals. The research proposed a strategic conceptual model for the adoption, usage, and implementation of AI in UAE smart cities to facilitate socio-economic sustainability through achievement of socio-economic sustainable development goals. The research novelty lies in bridging the paucity in literature regarding the use of AI in smart cities by establishing the connection between AI, smart cities, and socio-economic sustainable development goals and developing a strategic conceptual model for the implementation of AI in smart cities for successful socio-economic sustainable development. Theoretically, the findings of the study regarding the relationships between AI, Smart cities and the Socio-economic development goals of the UAE, builds literature on the subject matter to a more integrated understanding of the functionalities of the disparate constructs. Practically, the conceptual model developed for the implementation of AI policies and programmes for UAE smart cities development will foster the attainment of the country’s socio-economic sustainable development goals through integration of these interdependent constructs.
The Influence of Risk Determinants and the Project Environment on the Successful Delivery of Software Development Projects
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2023-01) ALHOUSANI, AMNA
While the literature has widely discussed the adverse effect of risk factors on software project success, there has been a lack of empirical examination of this relationship, particularly in the software development industry. Particularly, the existing literature on cognition lacks a unified conceptualization of risk factors. Few studies have looked at the association between risk variables in the area of successfully completing software development projects, according to a study of the literature. Additionally, only a small number of research have explored how the project environment influences both risk factors and success of project. This study proposes a structural model in which risk factors (i.e. development-environment, product-engineering, and program-constraints-associated risks) directly impact the successful delivery of software development projects in the federal government of the UAE. Further, project environment (i.e. stakeholders, resources, market and culture) mediates the association among risk factors and the successful delivery of software development projects in the federal government of the UAE. The survey-based technique was used to gather information from 250 IT employees assigned to projects of the software development in the federal government of the UAE. The PLS-SEM technique was employed in this study. The reliability, validity, and goodness of model fit and the hypotheses were tested. Findings indicate that the risk factors (i.e. -, development-environment, product-engineering and program-constraints-correlated risks) have significant direct negative effects on the accomplishment of projects of related to software development projects. This study significantly contributes to the existing knowledge by providing a comprehensive model of risk factors in software development projects, particularly within the UAE federal government context, and by unveiling the mediating role of the project environment in the relationship between risk factors and project success. This not only enriches the understanding of risk management in software projects but also offers valuable insights for practitioners in managing risks effectively in the public sector.
The influence of users’ addictive behaviours on the relationships between information security countermeasures and risky cybersecurity practices
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-06) ALRASHDI, ALI SAEED
The emergence of the modern internet in 1990 and the development of web 1 was the first step on information sharing and reading-data, while the web 2 took a step closer and allowed peer-to-peer interactions with always an inter media system acting as a transmitter. Nowadays, web 3 is underway which will boost worldwide connectivity even further. The world is living the era of huge data flows, global scale interactions and social engagement of multicultural people in a worldwide network. People from various backgrounds and cultural dimensions are influencing the way that data are interpreted and managed through the technology driven system. Therefore, cyber security became extremely important and critical for organisations continuous operations. As the literature indicates the 95% of cyber security breaches are cause by a human error. Consequently, organisations worldwide are looking ways of minimising cyber threats that caused by human behaviour to improve information security. Currently, there is a lack of research on the role as well as the impact of the multi-behaviour countermeasures dimensions on information security. The main purpose of this research is to suggest a human behaviour information security countermeasures model for supporting investigation of and reasons for the main features of people’s risky behaviours in the context of information security within public organisations in the UAE. The research methodology used descriptive quantitative with linear regression analysis. The research used a questionnaire that was analysed with the software (SPSS) 24.0. Findings indicate that Attitude and self-efficacy have a direct influence on the attitudes towards cybersecurity countermeasures and Administrative, Managerial and Support countermeasures have a direct influence on the Security awareness countermeasures. The users’ addictive behaviours can influence both information security countermeasures and risky cybersecurity behaviour practices of the workforces of public organisations. Further research on employee behaviour can be studied over a longer period of time using a longitudinal study.
The Influence of Cognitive Bias Attributes on Decision-making Style of the Project Manager: The Moderating Role of Narcissistic and Voice Behaviour
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2022-04) OBEIDAT, OMAR SALEM
This thesis investigates the influence of cognitive bias attributes (CBA) on the decision-making (DM) style of project managers (PJM): the moderating role of narcissistic behaviour (NB) and voice behaviour (VB) in Information Technology Software Development (ITSD) projects in Dubai. The research classified sources of bias under two families: (1) perception and behavioural bias, (2) belief and probability estimation bias; these families consist of six groups that contain 21 sources of bias. The research followed a positivism philosophy using a deductive approach based on a quantitative analysis methodology and a survey instrument strategy to collect data; 381 responses were collected through an electronic survey. The study used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the constructive validity of the variables, Cronbach’s alpha to test the reliability of the variables, a pilot study conducted prior to survey distribution and multiple regression analysis through IBM SPSS statistics version 20 to test research hypotheses. The results indicated that: 1) CBA influences the decision-making style of project managers, 2) the relationship between CBA and the experiential decision-making style of the project manager is significant, whereas the rational decision-making style of the project managers is less affected by CBA, 3) using the experiential style to make a decision under uncertain events has a relatively negative influence on the success of projects as it is connected to CBA, 4) using the rational style to make a decision under uncertain events has a relatively positive influence on the success of the projects as it is less connected to CBA, 5) voice behaviour negatively moderates the relationship between cognitive bias and the decision-making style of project managers; however, the relationship was weak, and 6) NB does not moderate the relationship between CBA and the DM style. The researcher developed a de-biasing DM model which can be used to mitigate the influence of the biased decisions. The study enriched the body of knowledge of the CBA through extensively exploring various sources of bias and their impact on the DM process; and expands on the knowledge of the DM styles provided by CEST by exploring the negative influence posed by CBA. The study imparts elaborate information about the role of project managers’ NB and VB in the context of PM and provides a model that will help mitigate the risk of CBA on the decision-making process. The thesis recommends testing the group and social bias family, effect, and memory bias family in future research.
Determinants of Value Benefits in Adopting an Engineering Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) – ABU DHABI Oil and Gas, UAE
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2022-02) ALZAABI, ABDULLA RASHED
The requirement for modern businesses to develop complex projects has forced businesses to consider opportunities for application of specific contracting models which would guarantee adequate distribution of responsibility in the project team among stakeholders and minimise risks for the project owner. This study aims to analyse the main characteristics of the EPC and EPCM contracting models for the Abu Dhabi oil and gas sector, and determine opportunities and risks related to the application of both contracting models. Specific results had to be associated with the definition of optimal guidelines for application of the EPCM contracting model in the target sphere of practice. The results of the prior literature review demonstrated that, though the EPCM contracting model is generally considered as more effective compared to the EPC approach, practitioners lack reliable recommendations for application of this method in practice. The methodology of the thesis included a quantitative study of a large sample of employees and managers in the target industry to gain understanding of their perception of the EPCM contracting model. The results of the study demonstrate the main features and factors of successful application of the EPCM contracting model in the target industry, together with practical guidelines for future implementation. It was found that the EPCM contracting model could be the optimal approach to large project management if properly arranged. The novelty of this research can be viewed from two perspectives:  One is from a theoretical point of view where the research will challenge existing theories of value and contracting strategies. The research proposes ways in which value and contracting strategies and theories can be enhanced within the context of the oil and gas sector.  Two, from a practical point of view, the research ascertained key practical EPCM determinants which can be used as guidelines for senior project practitioners in delivering large oil and gas programmes and mega projects in Abu Dhabi for better value through using the EPCM model.
The Analysis of Project Governance and Cultural Intelligence in the Successful Delivery of Complex Construction Projects: The Case of the UAE Construction Sector
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2022-03) ALEID, ALJAZZY BINT MOHAMED
The overarching aim of this research was to examine how project governance and cultural intelligence can influence successful complex construction project delivery. The research proposed a model that comprises project governance and cultural intelligence determinants that can be used to enhance successful complex construction project delivery in the UAE. The key variables of project governance, cultural intelligence and successful complex construction project delivery are significantly explicated in the literature review with the accompanying factors and references for each. To obtain the needed results, the study entailed the use of a quantitative research method. For this study, it was crucial to ensure that only the relevant respondents took part in each stage of the research. A total sample of 404 respondents was used in the study. This number of respondents was considered sufficient in the context of this study and the realisation of the set goals aimed at understanding the complex building construction industry. The study adopted non-probability sampling and snowball sampling strategies. Data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, reliability test, correlation test and regression test. Validity and reliability were attained through the assessment of their plausibility in relation to the existing knowledge on the relationship between the aspects of project governance and cultural intelligence and their effects on successful complex construction project delivery. The verification occurred when the model had been formulated. Workshops and group discussions helped achieve this goal. The research rigour was attained by focusing on verification and validation, which include aspects of methodological coherence and data analysis. As specified below, the novelty of the research can be viewed from two perspectives:  There is a paucity of research studies that examine how project governance and cultural intelligence could influence successful complex construction project delivery, yet the topic is of significance in the construction sector. The research findings of the study are intended to add to the existing body of knowledge in the single area that explicates the relationship between complex area of cultural intelligence, project governance, and complex building construction projects.  The proposed model is intended to provide senior construction project practitioners in the UAE with approaches for managing the rising numbers of multicultural teams based on the aspects of project governance and cultural intelligence. Keywords: Project governance, Cultural intelligence, Complex building projects, Construction sector, United Arab Emirates, Project management.
Alignment of Team Integration with Successful Digital Transformation in the Higher Education Sector in UAE
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2022-03) ANISSA BETTAYEB
This study looks into the alignment between team integration and successful digital transformation in higher education sectors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although several researchers have studied various team integration factors, particularly in construction, there is a clear research gap that is filled in this research by studying different types of team integration related to technology and processes and aligning them with successful digital transformation implementations. Furthermore, the education sector is slower to adopt such new technology than other sectors, making such adoption more difficult to achieve unless a clear framework and practices are followed. Following a thorough literature review, this research work identifies the fundamental aspects that determine team integration from several perspectives. Furthermore, the research aims to investigate the relationship between individual and team traits, technological features, process aspects, and team integration, all of which will contribute to a successful digital transformation. Several project environmental variables, such as organizational support, the team's location and presence, work pressure, and task design, influence this relationship. Data was collected using the quantitative technique by delivering an online questionnaire to various employees, including leaders, project managers, team members, academics, and administrative staff working on digital transformation projects in several educational sectors in the United Arab Emirates. Different statistical methods are used to analyze the data, including normality, regression, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Both EFA and CFA contributed to the identification of latent factors and the investigation of variable-to-variable correlations. To determine the hypothesis and moderator effects, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and structural equation modeling (AMOS) were employed. According to the findings, Team Traits (Team Trust and Cohesion, No Blame Culture, and Team Diversity), Technological Aspects (Digital Skills and Technology Adoption and Exchange), and Process Aspects (resistance, innovation, team spirit, and communication) are important factors influencing digital transformation. Furthermore, the researcher confirmed that project environment factors such as organizational support, team location and presence, work pressure, and task design moderate the relationship between team integration and successful digital transformation. The findings of this study provide a framework made up of essential team integration factors that may be used to improve the implementation of successful digital transformation in the UAE's higher education sector. The new recommended framework offers useful direction to all decision makers and project managers, as it will assist organizations in managing, developing, and maintaining team performance, as well as preventing any human risks or project failure.
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF TALENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-09) ALTAMIMI, EBTIHAL JASSIM MOHAMMED
In this thesis attention is given to aspects of talent management within projects and is based on the assumption that organisational success depends on the capacity to attract, develop, and retain high quality personnel for specific roles. The project management discipline offers a flexible means of implementing and meeting the challenges of talent management. Qualitative and quantitative research were used and case studies regarding the effectiveness of projects aimed at managing talent in public sector organisation within three police forces in the United Arab Emirates were examined. In addition to data collected from secondary documents, several human resource managers, talent management managers and team members were interviewed. An initial pilot case study was conducted in the Sharjah Police involving the distribution of 100 questionnaires in different departments. It is noted that from the perspective of rigorous professional project management, there is no explicit concept of project management of talent management in any of the sample organisations studied in this research. Clearly, this constitutes a major shortfall in project management implementation in talent management which should be addressed by the police forces as well as in other public and private sector organisations. Despite certain limitations, this thesis does contribute to knowledge on project management and talent management in police forces in the GCC and Middle East. The GCC and MENA region are under-studied areas in the academic and practitioner literature on talent management and the project management of talent management, especially in public sector management contexts. For future research, it is recommended that a combination of action research and case study research is conducted. Overall, it is concluded that there are no major political or cultural obstacles in developing more sophisticated and functional project management of talent management policies and practices in police force organisations in the GCC and MENA region.
Uncovering the Structure Complexity of Stakeholder Interactions with Process and Product Innovation in Oil and Gas EPC Projects
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-03) ALHAMMADI, NASSER MOHAMED IBRAHIM
Using Social Network Analysis framework to analyse the influence of project stakeholders on process and product innovation, this study set out to understand the stakeholders and activities that can lead to process and product innovation in a Greenfield, Downstream Oil and Gas EPC project. Deriving their position from having a high number of interactions and occupying a central position in social network, the Engineering Manager, the Cost Control Manager/ Procurement Engineer, and the Senior Construction Engineer were identified as the most influential stakeholders in Process Innovation in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Phases respectively. For the same reasons, the Engineering Manager, Cost Control Manager/Procurement Engineer, and Senior Quality Assurance/ Quality Control Engineer were identified as the most influential stakeholders on product innovation in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Phases, respectively. Based on being the most senior decision maker in the whole EPC project, Engineering Manager was found to have the highest level of influence on process innovation. For the same reasons, the Project Manager was identified as most influential stakeholder on product innovation. In terms of activity nodes, the most influential on both process and product innovation were identified as those having many connections with other nodes giving them access to important information flows. The most influential activity nodes on process innovation were identified as “IPF (SIL Review)” for Engineering, “Weekly Procurement expediting meetings with Contractor and Vendors” for Procurement, and “Fire water Tank – Final Testing” for the Construction Phase. Also based on the number of node connections, the most influential activities on product innovation were identified as: IPF (SIL Review) for Engineering, “Suction K.O. drum – prepare and Issue MR” for Procurement, and “Mechanical (Equipment) – HIPS Installation” for the Construction Phase. Because of its high number of connections, highly central Network position, and ranking higher in the hierarchy in terms of decision making, “IPF (SIL Review)” was identified as the most influential activity on both Process and Product innovation for the entire EPC project.
A design thinking-based Framework for effective business excellence outcomes in the public sector
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-10) ALMOMANY, GEBREEL AHMAD
Business excellence has a proven history of making real differences in the outcomes of organizations. However, most scholarly published research is limited to the application of excellence models in the private sector, because most excellence models are only adapted to fit the context of the public sector organizations. This study adds value by focusing on investigating the relationship between the independent variable of attitude, knowledge, actions, and excellence and the business excellence implementation outcomes. Furthermore, it examines if this relationship is moderated by design thinking and its determinants of empathise, define, ideate, and prototype. This research used a questionnaire survey from the population of leaders and senior level managers listed at Dubai local Government Departments. A sample of 141 senior managers were selected through convenience sampling who completed the survey. Positive relationships were found between knowledge, actions, attitude and excellence with business excellence implementation outcomes. The impact of attitude and knowledge on excellence implementation outcomes is found to be moderated positively by design thinking and its determinants. However, actions were not moderated by design thinking and its determinants for their relationship with business excellence outcomes. This anomalous moderating influence of design thinking determinants is explained by the changes in work environment and organisational priorities during the persisting COVID-19 pandemic. Based on these results, a design thinking-based framework for business excellence implementation in the public sector is recommended by the researcher, which suggests that managers should promote factors and criteria of excellence that are suited to their organizational context. This is in addition to empirical and academic recommendations.
SYSTEM DYNAMICS APPROACH FOR WHOLE LIFE CYCLE COST MODELLING OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PROJECTS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-04) Sadek, Ahmed
Purpose – Project management field is experiencing many challenges to maintain its performance and delivery within planned time, budget, and quality. Latest research focused on cost modelling and estimation. There is a high demand to have many developments within a short period and acceptable quality. The significance of cost modelling comes from the forecasted information value. This research study aims to model project's whole life cycle costs of residential buildings in UAE at the preconstruction stage, choosing VENSIM system dynamics approach. The objective is to simulate dynamically cost over time for all outputs. Design/methodology/approach – The approach of this research is pure quantitative. It requires mapping diagrams and mathematical computation systems. Research questions were answered as a gear unit to build the final cost model. Identifying cost risks values are the first required answer. These values are extracted from field experts. Data validity and reliability are conducted using mechanistic (hypotheses) mathematical models (correlation and regression). Adjusting cost risks are computed using Monte Carlo stochastic mathematical model. Finally, VENSIM system dynamics final cost model is developed approaching empirical, dynamic (stock and flow), and deterministic mathematics. Findings – The result of system dynamics approach investigation revealed that it can model project's total expenditure (TOTEX) dynamically over time, including cash flow and NPV. Limitations – The model’s verification process could not verify OPEX estimation accuracy due to the absence of OPEX real data in UAE. This is because UAE age (≈ 50 year) is less than the model's lifecycle (60 years). The model is developed for residential buildings in UAE. This requires further investigation to check the ability of system dynamics approach to model costs for other project types and/or in other geographical regions. It is required to check the model's response against changing/adjusting the used mathematical system to ensure the maximum accuracy of system dynamics approach for cost modelling. It is compulsory to investigate system dynamics cost modelling response against adapting deferent demolition scenarios. Theoretical implications – The final system dynamics cost model is incorporating TOTEX cash flow and net present value estimates for each time step across the project's whole life cycle at the preconstruction stage. This is achieved by applying adjusting risks on project's initial cost at the preconstruction stage with respect to cost and risk behaviours at each time step. Cost impact is following an increasing S-Curve behaviour during CAPEX time and risk impact is following a decreasing S-Curve behaviour during CAPEX lifetime. Both cost and risk impacts are linearly increasing during OPEX lifetime. And NPV is following a negative exponent behaviour over TOTEX lifetime. The applied adjusting risks are comprising three value levels. Minimum, mean, and maximum cost risks. Simulated costs under adjusting risks' levels can be presented in the same exported data sheet. All cash flow scenarios, under three cost risks levels, can be trended in the same chart, simultaneously, including all project's lifecycle time steps. Practical implications – TOTEX and NPV accurate estimation outputs are the most important criteria for future investments decisions. In addition, modelling project's cash flow is the most helpful approach to apply stochastic area method (easy-to-apply) analysis. Multiple scenarios provide better understanding of future events. Originality/value – This research significant contribution to the project management body of knowledge is accomplished by providing the first cost model, approaching system dynamics, for residential building projects' whole lifecycle.
Developing a Stochastic Model to Predict Cost Overrun due to the Causes of Projects Delay in Oil Fields Construction Industry
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-05) ALKHOORI, KHALID ABDUL MAJEED
The criticality of managing projects delay in oil fields construction projects has been exacerbated by the general complexities associated with the sources of projects delay and how varied the impact may be to various stakeholders such as client/owner, contractor, design/consultant and miscellaneous/external groups within the industry. While most of the previous research investigated the causes of project delay in general construction, very little research exists specifically on oil fields construction projects in terms of budget overrun. The main aim of the research is to establish a model that could be used to map the causes of projects delay to the cost overrun in oil fields construction projects and to investigate the variables that contribute to budget/cost overrun. In addition, the author used regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulation to develop a stochastic model to map the causes of projects delay to cost overrun. The research results revealed that poor contractor works was found to have the most significant positive impact in the delay experienced by the projects considered in this work. However, most of the causes of cost overrun were found to follow the Log logistic distribution – a family of distribution associated with projects where the risk increases at the initial phase of the project and decreases later on. Therefore, to minimize cost overrun, the study suggest that those involved in a project’s value chain must ensure a smooth execution of project in its early stage so as to limit the high risk associated with the project during in its initial phase. The main contribution of this work, is the research framework which can be used by businesses in oil fields construction industry to model their own factors and help in their decision-making, as opposed to using anecdotal evidence. Finally, the author recommended some areas of the current study that can be developed such as mapping the causes of projects delay to other impacts, such as time overrun success criteria and to increase the number of projects delay in the regression model.
Exploring Public Sector Resilience to Emerging Events
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-05) Nabulsi, Fadi
There are certain challenges that require the public sector to be more resilient in the face of emerging events. These include the fourth industrial revolution, change in economic structures, security challenges, health pandemics, and other social cohesion challenges. This study aims to explore the concept of resilience and to develop a conceptual framework for governments, public sector leaders, various governmental sectors, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders to. To achieve this purpose, the study, through a content analysis of resilience literature, defined key components of resilience in general to come up with relevant themes and concepts of resilience to draw an initial framework. This framework was then used to conduct an exploratory qualitative study via semi-structured interviews to investigate the insights of 37 subject matter experts in the public sector within UAE. As an outcome of the thematic analysis conducted, four resilience concepts, seven principles, and eight attributes of building resilience in the public sector emerged from the data. A conceptual framework incorporating these components was developed including three resilience strategies, namely, absorptive, adaptive, and transformative strategies were identified to face various emergent events. This study showed that resilience in the public sector is not a passive, reactionary attribute of organizations that enable them to survive a disruptive event. Rather, building resilience includes taking proactive steps to collaborate, monitor, anticipate, and possibly predict emergent events. Further studies are required to validate the proposed relationships between the different attributes in the framework and resilience in the public sector by conducting quantitative hypothesis testing or qualitative case-study research.
Using Social Media for Public Participation in Government Policies and Services
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-09) ALJANAHI, AYESHA ABDULNOOR MUSTAFA
A major problem facing the UAE, as well as governments in many other countries, is how to sustain high levels of public participation. Social media and continuous innovation are becoming key factors in providing government services to gain public satisfaction and encourage loyalty. This research aims to discover the optimal applications and implementation processes involved in incorporating social media into government innovation strategies and projects. This thesis, therefore, asks two research questions. First, how do social media contribute to the success of government projects? Second, how can social media be effective in the diffusion of innovation programmes across the national culture (NC)? The empirical research reported in this thesis concentrates on five case studies which are all government or semi-government organisations, each with varying levels of experience and resources in social media. The case data were collected based on the two main research questions and ten case questions. The case issues are reported, analysed and interpreted based on the emergent themes in the empirical field, as well as compared to existing themes in the literature on social media and public participation in government. The research contains five case studies; these are Implementer, Residential, Healthcare, Education, and Media entities. From the five cases, it is clear that the concept of public participation is not yet comprehensively implemented To conclude, first, social media has the potential to contribute to the success of government projects, when local and federal government entities initiate and maintain two-way communication with the public; facilitated by skilled and qualified social media teams. Employees should be trained in different crisis management scenarios so that they can cope with the problems encountered on social media platforms. Second, for social media to be effective in the diffusion of innovation programmes across the NC, there should be a coordinating government department that specialises in innovation and recent technologies, and collaborates with social media specialists and teams. While the regional, governmental, societal and cultural context of the UAE is significantly different compared to, for example, the USA, it is concluded that there is emergent evidence from these five empirical case studies of the advantages of implementing Linders’ (2012, 2015) evolving concepts of we-government. It is recommended that future research investigates the theoretical framework of government initiatives, programmes and projects and evaluates how they use social media platforms and modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence to advance and implement government policies and services.
The impact of strategy diffusion on organisational performance of project-based organisations
(The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-06) Al Maazmi, Jamila
Many studies have investigated topics related to strategy management, portfolio management, program management, and project management relationships. However, traditional one-way cascading of the strategy is still preferable by many organisations, with few studies investigating the use of top-down and bottom-up techniques to spread an organisation’s strategy and getting back the performance, or the possibility of employing one of diffusion theories (e.g., Rogers’ Theory of Innovation Diffusion) within strategy or project contexts in project-based organisations. Consequently, the need to understand and apply a strategy diffusion (top-down) and report its performance (bottom-up) was urgent and necessary within project-based organisations, to fulfil the complete drive of the strategy and raise the competitive advantage of businesses. In this study, there was a comprehensive literature review of strategic management, diffusion theory, and project management facets, where the strategy spreading practices were based on the five well-known skills of Rogers’ diffusion theory; to diffuse the strategy (top-down) and reveal performance results (bottom-up) to feed each level of the project-based organisation hierarchy structure, taking the advantage of the interrelationships that exist amongst the strategy, the portfolio, the program, and the project levels. This was done to facilitate the deployment process. Moreover, mediation effects were taken into consideration for the organisational culture and the performance (bottom-up) related to the four organisational levels during the relationships investigation between all the research variables; since it is known that organisational culture and bottom-up performance have huge influence on business outcomes. Accordingly, the research framework was adopted and designed. This study used a quantitative method to investigate the influence of strategy diffusion on organisational performance within project-based organisations, where significant positive influences on the relationships were found between the required research variables. This thesis shifts strategy diffusion practices within the project context from a traditional one-way method to strategy diffusion top-down and performance bottom-up methods. Since, the study was limited to government agencies in the Emirate of Dubai located in United Arab Emirates (UAE), the generalisation of outcomes to other sectors is challenged.

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