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Constructing the Olympic Dream: A Future Perfect Strategy of Project Management

Author

Listed:
  • Tyrone S. Pitsis

    (School of Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW 2007, Sydney, Australia)

  • Stewart R. Clegg

    (School of Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW 2007, Sydney, Australia)

  • Marton Marosszeky

    (School of the Built Environment, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2033, Sydney, Australia)

  • Thekla Rura-Polley

    (School of Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW 2007, Sydney, Australia)

Abstract

In this paper we investigate a uniquely complex organizational context—that of the fast-tracked large-scale project management of a significant piece of Sydney 2000 Olympic infrastructure, which we researched in terms of its management through the “future perfect.” In a grounded analysis we resolved to track how the future perfect developed in the life of one large, complex project whose uniqueness meant that it was unable to be strategically planned in advance. We tracked the use of what we term “future perfect strategy” through analysis of data collected both in leadership meetings of the directing agency, “PALT”—Project Alliance Leadership Team—as well as in individual interviews that we conducted in and around the project, and through analysis of media coverage. Overall, the project was a success, but some problems arose along the way to completion. Largely, these were focused on issues of social rather than technical construction—something even the most strategic of plans cannot account for. As well as identifying some of the specific mechanisms for encouraging future perfect strategy that were used in the project, including encouraging “strange conversations,” “playing end games,” “workshopping,” and “projecting feelings, concerns and issues,” we also suggest some ways that the social construction issues might be handled in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Tyrone S. Pitsis & Stewart R. Clegg & Marton Marosszeky & Thekla Rura-Polley, 2003. "Constructing the Olympic Dream: A Future Perfect Strategy of Project Management," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(5), pages 574-590, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:14:y:2003:i:5:p:574-590
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.14.5.574.16762
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Richard J. Boland, Jr., 1984. "Sense-Making of Accounting Data as a Technique of Organizational Diagnosis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(7), pages 868-882, July.
    2. Lenz, R. T., 1987. "Managing the evolution of the strategic planning process," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 34-39.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Manning, Stephan, 2017. "The rise of project network organizations: Building core teams and flexible partner pools for interorganizational projects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(8), pages 1399-1415.
    2. Bret Crane, 2022. "Eudaimonia in Crisis: How Ethical Purpose Finding Transforms Crisis," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 391-416, December.
    3. , Aisdl, 2020. "The Serendipity Mindset," OSF Preprints w52y9, Center for Open Science.
    4. Ronald Klingebiel & Arnoud De Meyer, 2013. "Becoming Aware of the Unknown: Decision Making During the Implementation of a Strategic Initiative," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 133-153, February.
    5. Nina Jakubeit & Willem Haanstra & Jan Braaksma & Mohammad Rajabalinejad & Leo van Dongen, 2022. "Co-Designing Sustainable Coordination to Support Inter-Organizational Decision Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    6. Isabell Stamm & Marie Gutzeit, 2022. "Group conditions for entrepreneurial visions: role confidence, hierarchical congruences, and the imagining of future in entrepreneurial groups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 1023-1041, October.
    7. Sarah Kaplan & Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2013. "Temporal Work in Strategy Making," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(4), pages 965-995, August.
    8. Bent Flyvbjerg & J. Rodney Turner, 2017. "Do Classics Exist in Megaproject Management?," Papers 1710.09678, arXiv.org.
    9. Kennedy, Deanna M. & Sommer, S. Amy & Nguyen, Phuong Anh, 2017. "Optimizing multi-team system behaviors: Insights from modeling team communication," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 258(1), pages 264-278.
    10. Alfons Van Marrewijk & Marcel B. Veenswijk, 2016. "Changing institutional practices in the Dutch construction industry," International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(1), pages 44-62.
    11. Tapinos, E. & Pyper, N., 2018. "Forward looking analysis: Investigating how individuals ‘do’ foresight and make sense of the future," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 292-302.
    12. Makridakis, Spyros & Hogarth, Robin M. & Gaba, Anil, 2009. "Forecasting and uncertainty in the economic and business world," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 794-812, October.
    13. Peter B. Doeringer & Pacey Foster & Stephan Manning & David Terkla, 2013. "Project-based industries and craft-like production: structure, location and performance," Chapters, in: Frank Giarratani & Geoffrey J.D. Hewings & Philip McCann (ed.), Handbook of Industry Studies and Economic Geography, chapter 4, pages 99-151, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. McKinlay, Alan & Pezet, Eric, 2018. "Foucault, governmentality, strategy: From the ear of the sovereign to the multitude," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 57-68.
    15. , Aisdl, 2020. "Becoming Attuned," OSF Preprints j7f8y, Center for Open Science.
    16. Johan Ninan & Stewart Clegg & Steve Burdon & John Clay, 2023. "Reimagining Infrastructure Megaproject Delivery: An Australia—New Zealand Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    17. Paul Andon & Jane Baxter & Wai Fong Chua, 2015. "Accounting for Stakeholders and Making Accounting Useful," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(7), pages 986-1002, November.
    18. Carlsen, Arne & Clegg, Stewart R. & Pitsis, Tyrone S. & Mortensen, Tord F., 2020. "From ideas of power to the powering of ideas in organizations: Reflections from Follett and Foucault," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 829-835.

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