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Adopting Agile Project Management Practices in Non-Software SMEs: A Case Study of a Slovenian Medium-Sized Manufacturing Company

Author

Listed:
  • Tena Žužek

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Žiga Gosar

    (Elvez d.o.o., Ulica Antona Tomšiča 35, 1294 Višnja Gora, Slovenia
    Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Janez Kušar

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Tomaž Berlec

    (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

In today’s highly dynamic and unpredictable project environment, companies need to be able to manage changes quickly and effectively, otherwise, the final product will not be current and will only go to waste. Traditional project management approaches that focus on planning are no longer efficient and companies are forced to adopt new ways of working. As a result, more flexible agile project management (APM) approaches have emerged over the last decades. Originally developed for the software industry, APM is now increasingly recognized and adopted also by other industry sectors. However, due to some discipline-specific differences, the adoption of APM by non-software companies is challenging and requires many adjustments and high financial input. While the larger organizations have sufficient resources to make such a transition, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) generally cannot afford to do so, and therefore need alternative strategies to increase their agility and stay competitive on the global market. In this paper, we present a case study of a Slovenian medium-sized manufacturing company that implemented only certain APM practices separately and not as part of a structured APM methodology, and still managed to achieve significant benefits: improved communication, faster detection of discrepancies, more effective problem-solving and greater flexibility. The results also suggest that APM practices, even when implemented separately, positively impact project success in terms of both efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction, and can thus help in establishing an economically, socially, and environmentally more sustainable workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Tena Žužek & Žiga Gosar & Janez Kušar & Tomaž Berlec, 2020. "Adopting Agile Project Management Practices in Non-Software SMEs: A Case Study of a Slovenian Medium-Sized Manufacturing Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:9245-:d:441198
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David Leicht & Daniel Castro-Fresno & Joaquìn Dìaz & Christian Baier, 2020. "Multidimensional Construction Planning and Agile Organized Project Execution—The 5D-PROMPT Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Abigail López-Alcarria & Alberto Olivares-Vicente & Fátima Poza-Vilches, 2019. "A Systematic Review of the Use of Agile Methodologies in Education to Foster Sustainability Competencies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-29, May.
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    5. Kasper Edwards & Robert G. Cooper & Tomas Vedsmand & Giulia Nardelli, 2019. "Evaluating the Agile-Stage-Gate Hybrid Model: Experiences From Three SME Manufacturing Firms," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(08), pages 1-32, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Taimour Khalid Claudhary & Stefan Trzcielinski, 2021. "Agile Enterprise and Opportunity Recognition in SMEs: A Concise Bibliometric Analysis," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 2), pages 48-63.
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    3. Tena Žužek & Žiga Gosar & Janez Kušar & Tomaž Berlec, 2021. "A New Product Development Model for SMEs: Introducing Agility to the Plan-Driven Concurrent Product Development Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, November.
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    5. Orlando Lima & Gabriela Fernandes & Anabela Tereso, 2023. "Benefits of Adopting Innovation and Sustainability Practices in Project Management within the SME Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.
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