Organizational Governance and Project Success: Lessons from Boston’s Big Dig

Presentation:
Organizational Governance and Project Success: Lessons from Boston’s Big Dig
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Summary of presentation

In attempting to clearly understand the relationship between effective project governance and successful implementation, it is important to contrast accepted practices with an organizational culture that accepts the “normalization of deviance.” When the unexpected becomes the tacitly accepted norm for project performance, it complicates and even negates an organization’s ability to apply meaningful governance to its projects. Using the example of Boston’s recently completed and highly controversial Central Tunnel/Artery project (the “Big Dig”), this presentation will explore the relationship between standard measures of project success and effective governance, particularly when heavily mediated by the politicization of the project.
 

Autobiography

Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh (1986): Research interests include project management, information system implementation, power and political processes in organizations, and the diffusion of innovations. He teaches in the areas of project management, organizational behaviour, and organization theory.

Dr. Pinto is the Andrew Morrow and Elizabeth Lee Black Chair in Technology Management in Penn State’s Black School of Business. The author or editor of 20 books and over 100 scientific papers, he is a two-time recipient of the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Project Management Institute and the Behrend Council of Fellows Research Award. He has consulting experience with a number of major organizations, including General Electric Company, PPG Industries, Aker Rauma Offshore (Finland), Rolls-Royce, Data General Corporation, Erie Press Systems, Repola Oy (Finland), and Zurn Industries.