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https://aaudk.zoom.us/j/62934312702 
Meeting ID: 629 3431 2702
Passcode: 401288

Thesis title

On project management - A semiotic approach to project-as-practice

Summary of the thesis

Project management is investigated with a project-as-practice approach by focusing on formal as well as informal mechanisms that regulate practitioners’ actions within a project. The practice theoretical approach enables for an understanding of practice, where performed actions are considered meaningful because they are part of a practice. This understanding differs from the view of practices seen in guidelines called “Best practice”, as these guidelines prescribe explicit and desired ways to behave.

The data was collected by shadowing a contract manager on a building site enabling a focus on understanding the link between observed actions and mechanisms in a project.

The contributions identify practices in the project setting. The practices are shown to produce and reproduce formal and informal mechanisms. Furthermore, a methodological contribution is presented demonstrating how an awareness of stages and audiences can assist the researcher investigating human actions. A theoretical contribution to project management research is also provided by demonstrating the complexity of project management and showing how the project-as-practice approach can reveal new insights into the connection between actions and mechanisms in projects.

The implication is a proposal for a semiotic approach to practices, which should be considered as a method to see hidden mechanisms in a project. The identification of a mechanism through its associated practice in a project cannot be used to predict what will happen next nor to understand the motives for practitioners’ actions. However, familiarity with certain practices will allow practitioners to identify what is happening right now and reflect on the possible impact of their as well as other practitioners’ actions.

Copy of thesis

For a copy of the thesis, please email inst.build.phd@build.aau.dk.