Paper (55): Meta-network and Dynamic Evolution Analysis For Megaprojects
Abstract: Megaprojects are featured by complexities in interactional areas such as technological challenges, economic viability, and spatio-temporal context. To achieve planned goals, megaprojects need to depend on stakeholders and their dynamic collaborations within cross-organizational context. Stakeholders, in another aspect, also leverage on similar megaprojects and form them as a strategic portfolio to gain competitive advantages. Therefore, the megaprojects network, formed by stakeholders and their collaborations, can significantly impact on megaprojects performance, organizations social capital and their market competitiveness. However, current research on project (organizational) network has mainly focused on the static and homogeneous project network that is constructed by a single project , social network, and one-time collaboration, while ignored the diversity of the project network that is attributed by repetitive, dynamic, and cross-project collaborations and other project elements such as location. This study aims to investigate the dynamics of the project network composed by mega construction projects and their collaborations of stakeholders in a long term, and to analyse the influence attributed by project locations, roles of stakeholders, strength of relations, and other factors. In particular, the study (1) collects data from 42 completed skyscrapers which are above 300 meters and were built during 1993 to 2014 in China; (2) develops a diverse and a dynamic network model that includes all projects’ properties, stakeholder characteristics, and time-series interactions; (3) analyses the quantifiable network relationships and discusses the dynamic evolution from both the whole network and individual network perspectives. The result can expand the application of dynamic network theory in megaprojects and their complex relational networks, and can also help construction companies make better strategic decisions when tendering new megaprojects.
Biography: Yujie Lu is an assistant professor in Department of Building, National University of Singapore. His research interests cover mega and complex project management, project organization and sustainable development in the built environment. He has leaded and participated over 10 research projects sponsored by Singapore, US and Chinese research funding agencies, published more than 40 academic papers, reports and proceedings, hold 6 journal editorial board membership, and won over 13 research awards including the 2nd-class National Science and Technology Progress Award issued by Chinese Ministry of Education in 2010. He holds a Ph.D. in Construction Project & Management (2012) and B.E. in Civil Engineering (2006).