Aligning the practices of the permanent with those of the temporary
Paper in proceeding, 2009

Aligning the permanent structures of the organisation with the temporary organising of practices and operational activities in projects is a challenge for the construction industry. A prevalent lack of fit between the organisation and its projects causes tensions which negatively affect the way in which long-term environmental strategies and goals are understood and implemented in the project settings. Using the results from a qualitative interview study as an illustrative example, this paper highlights discrepancies between the organisational and social mechanisms that influence the interplay between environmental management and project management practices. Findings show that both research and practice amplify existing in-built tensions between environmental management and project management rather than mitigating them. As a result different units within organisations strive toward diverging goals and foci. Informed by recent reviews of the literature within the two areas of study, it is argued that top management needs to join forces with project management to create arenas where members from the two units can align and join forces.

Author

Pernilla Gluch

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Construction Management

Christine Räisänen

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Construction Management

25th Annual Conference of the Association of Researchers in Construction Management, ARCOM 2009; Nottingham; United Kingdom; 7 September 2009 through 9 September 2009

867-875
978-095523901-4 (ISBN)

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Building Futures (2010-2018)

Subject Categories

Civil Engineering

Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

ISBN

978-095523901-4

More information

Created

10/6/2017