1st workshop: Megaprojects:
Theory meets Practice
London, 12-13 September
Organisers:
Nuno Gil, Professor of New Infrastructure Development
Andrew Davies, Professor of the Management of Projects
WHO ARE WE?
• Scholars in built environment schools
• Scholars in business schools
• Practitioners: working for clients, for the project
supply chains, for governmental authorities
OUR GOALS
• Advancing shared understanding on an important socioeconomic phenomenon – megaprojects
• Learn from different research perspectives: organization
design, innovation, design, project management,
institutions, etc.
• Invigorate theoretically rigorous research empirically
grounded on megaprojects
• Bring theory and practice together- be rigorous and relevant
DEBATE IMPORTANT ISSUES
• What form of organization are megaprojects?
• How does innovation, design happens in megaprojects?
• Why has ‘lean’ struggled to make inroads in megaprojects?
• Have strategic misrepresentation and optimism bias made a
disservice to our understanding of megaprojects?
• What are the challenges in using megaproject phenomena for
advancing management & organization theory?
• What value can megaproject grounded-theory have to the
megaproject practice?
OUR PROGRAMME: Thursday morning
9.30-10.30 (presentations)
- Alfons van Marrewijk ( VU University Amsterdam) Organizing Mega-projects:
Understanding their Cultural Practices
- Nuno Gil (MBS): What is a (mega)design commons?
10.30-11.00 (break)
11.00-12.30 (presentations and panel discussion)
- Don Lessard (MIT): Project Shaping and Risk Management (via skype)
- William Wu (Imperial College Business School), Andrew Davies (UCL), Lars
Frederiksen (Aarhus University): Designing an Ecocity: Building Capabilities
in a Nascent Market
- Gernot Grabher, Joachim Thiel (HafenCity University of Hamburg): Projects,
People and Professions: Trajectories of Learning through Mega-Projects
12.30-14.00 (Lunch)
OUR PROGRAMME: Thursday afternoon
14.00-15.30 (presentations)
Sam Macaulay (Imperial College Business School), Andrew Davies (UCL): Constructing Innovation
Strategy in Megaprojects
Colm Lundrigan, Nuno Gil (MBS): Megaprojects: A Hybrid, evolving meta-organisation
Jennifer Whyte (Reading University): Digital delivery of megaprojects
15.30-16.00 (Break)
16.00-17.00 (Presentations and Panel Discussion)
Richard Tee (EPFL), Andrew Davies (UCL), Jennifer Whyte (Reading): Modular Components,
Integrated Practices: Managing Interdependence in Temporary Organizations
Tyrone Pitsis (Newcastle Business School) The Immaculate Conception: Why we need some
miracles (cancelled)
17.00-18.00 (Discussion)
Andrea Prencipe, LUISS & Gernot Grabher, HafenCity University of Hamburg
DINNER: Bacco Restaurant & wine bar
(25-26 Red Lion Street, Holborn)
OUR PROGRAMME: Friday
9.00-09.15 (Introduction)
Don Ward, Constructing Excellence CEO
09.15-09.45 Key note speaker
Sir John Armitt, Chairman, Olympic Delivery Authority
09.45-10.30 (Presentations )
Jason Prior, Global Head of Building & Places, AECOM
Simon Kirby, Managing Director of Infrastructure Projects, Network Rail
10.30-11.00 (Coffee)
11.00-12.30 (Presentations & Panel Discussion)
Ailie MacAdam, Delivery Director, Crossrail/Bechtel
Steven Livingston, T2 Programme Director, Heathrow Ltd.
Roy Hill, Project Director, High Speed 2 Ltd/ CH2M HILL
12.30-13.30 (Lunch)
13.30-14.30 (Closing debate)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AECOM (Jason Prior, Paul Dyson, & team)
Constructing Excellence (Don Ward)
Centre for Infrastructure Development (Manchester)
School of Construction &Property Development (UCL)
Our distinguished speakers
All participants