Defining Decisions Points to Avoid Escalation in Construction Projects
(2003) 3rd Nordic Conference, Construction Economics and Organization, Lund University, 2003 p.311-320- Abstract
- Conflicts between project stakeholders can stop or damage a construction project as well as
technical problems. It is not uncommon that projects are stopped or changed late in the process
with the effect that large amounts of already made investments becomes obsolete. One
explanation of this phenomena is the escalation of project decisions, where project managers
persist with a course of actions long beyond the point where it would be sensible to quit or
change the course. By defining decision points in the project process, time frames for evaluating
risks, social as well as technical, can be determined. Within in the different time frames, project
management need to determine... (More) - Conflicts between project stakeholders can stop or damage a construction project as well as
technical problems. It is not uncommon that projects are stopped or changed late in the process
with the effect that large amounts of already made investments becomes obsolete. One
explanation of this phenomena is the escalation of project decisions, where project managers
persist with a course of actions long beyond the point where it would be sensible to quit or
change the course. By defining decision points in the project process, time frames for evaluating
risks, social as well as technical, can be determined. Within in the different time frames, project
management need to determine how different stakeholders may affect project completion in
order to set the correct course of actions, at every single decision point, with the main purpose of
achieving an acceptance for the project from its stakeholders. Thus the main purpose of this
evaluation is to avoid escalation in project decision-making, due to the lack of knowledge of
stakeholder demands and conflicts. This paper discusses the phenomenon of escalation and
presents a hypothetical model how a project management could determine and define these
decision points, with consideration to risk and stakeholder management. Furthermore this paper
suggests how a project management team could use these decision points as a tool for
construction projects to set the right course of action in different stages of the project, due to the
perceived affect different stakeholders has on project completion. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/732913
- author
- Olander, Stefan LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2003
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Risk analysis, Construction projects, Escalation, Stakeholder analysis
- host publication
- [Host publication title missing]
- editor
- Hansson, Bengt and Landin, Anne
- pages
- 10 pages
- publisher
- Department of Construction Management, Lund Institute of Technology
- conference name
- 3rd Nordic Conference, Construction Economics and Organization, Lund University, 2003
- conference dates
- 2003-04-23
- ISBN
- 91-974618-0-6
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7e825d04-a4aa-457b-b071-98732d1f34b4 (old id 732913)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 12:11:59
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 21:09:35
@inproceedings{7e825d04-a4aa-457b-b071-98732d1f34b4,
abstract = {{Conflicts between project stakeholders can stop or damage a construction project as well as<br/><br>
technical problems. It is not uncommon that projects are stopped or changed late in the process<br/><br>
with the effect that large amounts of already made investments becomes obsolete. One<br/><br>
explanation of this phenomena is the escalation of project decisions, where project managers<br/><br>
persist with a course of actions long beyond the point where it would be sensible to quit or<br/><br>
change the course. By defining decision points in the project process, time frames for evaluating<br/><br>
risks, social as well as technical, can be determined. Within in the different time frames, project<br/><br>
management need to determine how different stakeholders may affect project completion in<br/><br>
order to set the correct course of actions, at every single decision point, with the main purpose of<br/><br>
achieving an acceptance for the project from its stakeholders. Thus the main purpose of this<br/><br>
evaluation is to avoid escalation in project decision-making, due to the lack of knowledge of<br/><br>
stakeholder demands and conflicts. This paper discusses the phenomenon of escalation and<br/><br>
presents a hypothetical model how a project management could determine and define these<br/><br>
decision points, with consideration to risk and stakeholder management. Furthermore this paper<br/><br>
suggests how a project management team could use these decision points as a tool for<br/><br>
construction projects to set the right course of action in different stages of the project, due to the<br/><br>
perceived affect different stakeholders has on project completion.}},
author = {{Olander, Stefan}},
booktitle = {{[Host publication title missing]}},
editor = {{Hansson, Bengt and Landin, Anne}},
isbn = {{91-974618-0-6}},
keywords = {{Risk analysis; Construction projects; Escalation; Stakeholder analysis}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{311--320}},
publisher = {{Department of Construction Management, Lund Institute of Technology}},
title = {{Defining Decisions Points to Avoid Escalation in Construction Projects}},
year = {{2003}},
}