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Project Management and Sustainability: Playing Trick or Treat with the Planet

Author

Listed:
  • Danijela Toljaga-Nikolić

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Marija Todorović

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Marina Dobrota

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Tijana Obradović

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Vladimir Obradović

    (Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

Abstract

The incorporation of the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability in different aspects of human life and business provides a guarantee for our future. Organizations have shown a great interest in incorporating sustainability into managerial concepts, both at the strategic and operational levels. Sustainable business strategies are being implemented in many projects, which has led to a recent expansion of interest in exploring the potential of integrating sustainability dimensions in project management. With the intention of contributing to a better understanding of sustainable project management, this paper examines whether project management methodologies, applied in different sectors, support the introduction of sustainability dimensions. It also surveys the level of integration of sustainability dimensions in groups of project management processes. Considering that the incorporation of sustainability in project management poses numerous challenges for project managers, this paper examines the necessary knowledge and skills required for sustainable project management in different sectors. As part of this research, an empirical survey was conducted in project-oriented organizations from both the public and private sectors. The findings reveal that the application of project management methodologies promotes the introduction of sustainability dimensions, particularly the social aspect, irrespective of the sector, since the processes in projects managed by a specific methodology are consistent with the social elements of sustainability. In the public sector, there is a noticeable lack of knowledge of the meaning and dimensions of sustainability and, accordingly, an urgent need for project managers to gain knowledge and skills pertaining to sustainable project management.

Suggested Citation

  • Danijela Toljaga-Nikolić & Marija Todorović & Marina Dobrota & Tijana Obradović & Vladimir Obradović, 2020. "Project Management and Sustainability: Playing Trick or Treat with the Planet," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-20, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:20:p:8619-:d:430659
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    5. Jelena Cvijović & Vladimir Obradović & Marija Todorović, 2021. "Stakeholder Management and Project Sustainability—A Throw of the Dice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
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    7. María Pilar de la Cruz López & Juan José Cartelle Barros & Alfredo del Caño Gochi & Manuel Lara Coira, 2021. "New Approach for Managing Sustainability in Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-27, June.
    8. John Aliu & Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke & Ahmed Farouk Kineber & Andrew Ebekozien & Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa & Naif Sultan Alaboud & Ahmed Osama Daoud, 2023. "Towards a New Paradigm of Project Management: A Bibliometric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    9. Gisele Blak Bernat & Eduardo Linhares Qualharini & Marcela Souto Castro, 2023. "Enhancing Sustainability in Project Management: The Role of Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Management in Virtual Team Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Agata Klaus-Rosińska & Joanna Iwko, 2021. "Stakeholder Management—One of the Clues of Sustainable Project Management—As an Underestimated Factor of Project Success in Small Construction Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, September.
    11. Mohamed M. Dhiaf & Khakan Najaf & Hazem Marashdeh & Osama F. Atayah & Guilherme F. Frederico, 2022. "The role of project’s initiatives focused on the reduction of environmental footprints during COVID-19: evidence from the United States firms," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 413-427, June.
    12. Eduardo García Villena & Santos Gracia Villar & Luís A. Dzul López & Roberto Marcelo Álvarez & Irene Delgado Noya & Juan Luís Vidal Mazón, 2021. "Approach to a Project Framework in the Environment of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Case Study of a Training Proposal to a Group of Students in a Higher Education Instituti," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.
    13. Bálint Blaskovics & Zalán Márk Maró & Gábor Klimkó & Viktória Papp-Horváth & Ágnes Csiszárik-Kocsir, 2023. "Differences between Public-Sector and Private-Sector Project Management Practices in Hungary from a Competency Point of View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.
    14. Gisele Blak Bernat & Eduardo Linhares Qualharini & Marcela Souto Castro & André Baptista Barcaui & Raquel Reis Soares, 2023. "Sustainability in Project Management and Project Success with Virtual Teams: A Quantitative Analysis Considering Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-38, June.
    15. Akrivi Krouska & Katerina Kabassi & Christos Troussas & Cleo Sgouropoulou, 2022. "Personalizing Environmental Awareness through Smartphones Using AHP and PROMETHEE II," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, February.
    16. Elina Jääskä & Kirsi Aaltonen & Jaakko Kujala, 2021. "Game-Based Learning in Project Sustainability Management Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Mohammad Bilal Shaukat & Khawaja Fawad Latif & Aymen Sajjad & Gabriel Eweje, 2022. "Revisiting the relationship between sustainable project management and project success: The moderating role of stakeholder engagement and team building," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 58-75, February.
    18. Francisco José Gomes Silva & Konstantinos Kirytopoulos & Luis Pinto Ferreira & José Carlos Sá & Gilberto Santos & Maria Carolina Cancela Nogueira, 2022. "The three pillars of sustainability and agile project management: How do they influence each other," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1495-1512, September.
    19. Ruth Borg & Rebecca Dalli Gonzi & Simon Paul Borg, 2020. "Building Sustainably: A Pilot Study on the Project Manager’s Contribution in Delivering Sustainable Construction Projects—A Maltese and International Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-15, December.

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