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435 research outputs found
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Project Risk Management in AI-Enabled Systems: Managing Ethical, Privacy, and Governance Risks
This research examined how Artificial intelligence (AI) has been embedded in project-based work, particularly in finance and software industries, where it enables efficiency and assists in complex decision-making. However, these innovations introduce significant ethical, privacy, and governance risks that traditional project risk management frameworks fail to adequately address. This study investigated how project managers can systematically integrate the management of these emerging risks into AI-enabled projects. Using a qualitative research design, the study drew on semi-structured interviews with project managers, compliance officers, and AI developers in finance, software and related sectors. Supplementary data included internal project documentation and risk registers. Data were coded and analysed using grounded theory techniques to surface themes related to risk perception, mitigation strategies, and governance structures. The research found that while project teams are aware of ethical and privacy risks, formal methods to manage them are inconsistent or underdeveloped. Participants noted the absence of clear AI-specific risk categories in existing project tools. The study identified ten major themes, amongst which are lack of bias auditing, uncertainty in regulatory compliance, underutilization of AI-specific standards, and the need for clearer accountability structures. The study concluded by proposing a conceptual framework that extends traditional project risk management by integrating ethical, privacy, and governance components across the project lifecycle. The framework has practical relevance for project managers seeking to ensure AI adoption aligns with stakeholder expectations and evolving legal standards. It also contributes to bridging the gap between AI governance and everyday project practice
Driver Behavior Analyzer 2.0: A Modular Framework for Interpretable Driver Safety Analysis from OBD-II and GPS Telemetry
Driver behavior analysis plays a central role in advancing road safety and enabling data-driven driver feedback. Although commercial telematics platforms offer sophisticated analytics, they are frequently expensive, proprietary, and optimized for enterprise-scale use. At the same time, low-cost On-Board Diagnostics II (OBD-II) adapters make telemetry collection widely accessible, but they typically do not provide higher-level behavioral interpretation.
In this paper, we present Driver Behavior Analyzer 2.0 (DBA 2.0), an offline-first, modular analytics framework that converts OBD-II and GPS telemetry into interpretable safety insights. DBA 2.0 supports ingestion of telemetry logs in CSV and JSON formats, data normalization, rule-based detection of unsafe driving events, geospatial alignment of detected events with GPS routes, and computation of a transparent distraction-oriented risk score. The framework further incorporates MongoDB-based persistence to enable longitudinal analysis and automated report generation. Rather than introducing a new predictive model, DBA 2.0 contributes a cohesive and extensible system architecture that bridges existing driver behavior analysis concepts with practical deployment. The proposed framework is well suited for educational settings, research applications, and small fleet analytics where transparency, affordability, and offline usability are important design requirements
Designing Inclusive Planning, Collaboration, and Communication Practices for Neurodivergent Individuals in Project-Based Environments
In a knowledge-driven economy where project-based work structures dominate, project management methodologies have become central to how organizations plan, collaborate, and communicate. However, these frameworks are often built around neurotypical assumptions of communication fluency, executive functioning, and time perception—creating systemic barriers for neurodivergent professionals. This study, Designing Inclusive Planning, Collaboration, and Communication Practices for Neurodivergent Individuals in Project-Based Environments, investigates how project management methodologies and tools can be adapted to foster more inclusive participation and performance. Grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm and informed by principles from Project Management and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the research adopts a qualitative, exploratory approach. Through interviews and interface evaluations, it examines three core domains: (1) communication barriers in team-based collaboration, (2) challenges with long-term planning and executive functioning, and (3) the cognitive accessibility of project management tools. By integrating insights from neurodiversity and inclusive design, the study aims to develop evidence-based recommendations for redesigning communication practices, planning structures, and digital interfaces within project-based environments. Ultimately, it positions inclusivity not merely as an ethical obligation but as a strategic enhancement to teamwork, creativity, and organizational effectiveness—proposing improvements to project management systems that better align with diverse cognitive strengths and working styles
Exploring the Impact of Team Culture in High-Pressure Jobs, such as Investment Banking and Consulting, and How Project Management Can Be Applied
Toxic team cultures remain a pressing issue in high-pressure environments such as investment banking and consulting, where long hours, and hierarchical norms often undermine employee well-being and compromise project delivery. Previous studies have documented how workplace stress, exclusionary leadership, and cultural rigidity fuel burnout and turnover. However, limited research has explicitly examined these cultural dynamics through the lens of project management frameworks such as resource management, stakeholder engagement, and agile practices. This study employs a qualitative research approach by leveraging semi-structured interviews with analysts and associates, to capture the lived experiences of culture and its impact on team coordination and deal execution. Participants will include junior investment banking and consulting professionals who are currently employed or have been employed within the past two years. The findings indicate that toxic work expectations such as “always-on” availability, restricted norms around time off, and fear-based managerial pressure contribute to emotional exhaustion, reduced morale, and increased turnover intentions. These cultural conditions also undermine project delivery by weakening ownership, increasing fatigue-related errors, and driving inefficiencies through rework and compressed timelines. Participants further reported coordination challenges linked to unclear expectations, delayed senior feedback, and limited upward communication. Notably, effective leadership behaviors described by participants closely aligned with core project management practices such as realistic planning, clear prioritization, and proactive communication
From Waitlist to Activation: Exploring Patient Barriers and Team Interactions in Kidney Transplant Readiness
Kidney transplant candidates frequently experience prolonged inactive waitlist status due to incomplete readiness requirements, yet limited understanding exists regarding how patient barriers and team interactions intersect to influence activation timelines. This transcendental-phenomenological study explored how patient barriers and team dynamics contribute to delays in kidney transplant readiness, guided by Team Theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants (8 patients, 8 healthcare professionals) between December 2025 and February 2026. Data were analyzed using systematic phenomenological methods to identify patterns that address patient barriers, team interaction effects, and the teamwork improvements needed for earlier activation. Five interconnected themes emerged: Navigating a Complex and Fragmented Readiness System, Communication Breakdowns Within the Transplant Team, Psychosocial and Resource-Based Vulnerabilities, Missed Opportunities for Team-Driven Empowerment, and Workflow Bottlenecks and Lack of Task Ownership. Financial complexity, medical evaluation bottlenecks, and psychosocial factors manifested as coordination failures. Both patient and professional perspectives converged on solutions including patient navigators, standardized pathways, and clear role definitions. Findings demonstrate that transplant readiness delays are preventable coordination failures rather than inevitable medical complexity. The study extends the application of Team Theory to sustained care coordination and provides actionable frameworks for improving transplant equity through system redesign
The Significance of Risk Mitigation Strategies on Project Success in the Construction Industry
The construction industry is persistently challenged by risks such as cost overruns, schedule delays, and quality failures, often arising from ineffective or reactive mitigation strategies. To bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and real-world applications, this study investigates the impact of risk mitigation techniques on project success in the construction industry. The study employs a qualitative method approach, with qualitative interviews to examine management insights and adoption barriers. Founded on risk management theory, this study aims to analyze existing mitigation techniques, identify key risk factors, and develop an evidence-based framework to enhance risk assessment and strategy implementation. It is projected that the study\u27s findings will offer stakeholders useful and scalable recommendations
Improving Stakeholder Communications Practices: A Quantitative Study on the Relational Communication between Clinical Research Coordinators and Research
Communication plays an essential part in the responsibilities of the clinical research coordinator’s position. Challenges in communicating with stakeholders during clinical trials can disrupt the study timeline, its outcomes, and the success of the trial. Clinical research coordinators often experience these challenges when interacting with internal stakeholders, such as principal investigators, and external stakeholders, including sponsors. This quantitative correlational study will examine whether clinical research coordinators can utilize project management communication practices to improve their stakeholder interactions. Data from 32 clinical research coordinators will be collected using SurveyMonkey and analyzed. The study results will fill gaps in the literature on standard communication practices, power dynamics, and training, and will extend the application of Relational Communication Theory and the Stakeholder Performance Domain in clinical trials
The Role of Stakeholder Management in the Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings: Balancing Social, Economic, and Community Interests
The adaptive reuse of historic buildings has emerged as a vital strategy for sustainable urban development. While such projects can preserve cultural heritage, revitalize communities, and stimulate economic growth, they often face significant challenges due to competing stakeholder priorities. The central problem addressed in this study is the lack of effective stakeholder management in adaptive reuse initiatives, which can result in project delays, inflated costs, and outcomes that overlook social sustainability.
The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore how stakeholder management practices influence the success of adaptive reuse projects by balancing social, economic, and community interests. Three research questions guided the inquiry: How do stakeholder engagement practices influence social sustainability and community involvement in adaptive reuse projects? What challenges arise when balancing economic viability with community needs? How can structured stakeholder management frameworks improve outcomes in adaptive reuse projects? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews across multiple adaptive reuse cases involving developers, public officials, preservation advocates, and community members. An inductive thematic analysis identified patterns in stakeholder engagement and decision-making, interpreted through the Stakeholder Performance Domain
Performance Reviews in Project-Based Engineering Firms: Toward a More Holistic and Development-Oriented Approach
Performance reviews are widely used in engineering consulting firms to evaluate employee contributions and determine compensation and promotion decisions. However, research has shown that traditional review systems may overemphasize measurable technical results while overlooking collaboration, leadership, and innovation. In project-based engineering environments, where employees work across multiple teams and stakeholders, this structure may not fully reflect the nature of daily work. This qualitative phenomenological study explored how early-career engineers in project-based engineering consulting firms experienced performance review practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 engineers working in consulting firms. The study examined participants’ perceptions of fairness, completeness, and developmental value in their performance evaluations. Thematic analysis was used to identify shared patterns across participant experiences. Five major themes emerged: project contributions were often not fully captured in formal reviews; evaluations relied heavily on a single supervisor; performance reviews were perceived as more compensation-driven than development-focused; evaluation criteria lacked transparency; and multi-source feedback was viewed as fairer and more useful. The findings suggest a misalignment between the collaborative structure of project-based engineering work and traditional performance review systems. The study provides practical recommendations for developing more holistic and development-oriented evaluation practices in engineering consulting firms
Enhancing Risk Governance in Agile Settings: Toward an Integrated Agile Framework for Strategic Risk Alignment
Agile project management is widely used in dynamic and regulated environments because of its adaptability and iterative delivery (Beck et al., 2001). However, Agile teams often rely on informal risk practices that may limit visibility into enterprise-level risks (Stare, 2014). In contrast, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks provide structured oversight aligned with strategic objectives (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission [COSO], 2017), yet they are frequently viewed as fast-paced project settings. This misalignment creates governance challenges for organizations operating in complex environments.
This study examined how Agile practices can be integrated with ERM frameworks to strengthen strategic risk governance. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed (Creswell & Creswell, 2022). Quantitative data were collected through a structured survey (N = 120) to assess relationships among Agile–ERM integration, risk visibility, estimation accuracy, technical debt management, and project performance outcomes. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 practitioners across information technology, healthcare, and financial services sectors. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical techniques, and qualitative data were analyzed through thematic coding. Findings indicated that leadership support, shared risk ownership, and cross-functional collaboration were central to effective integration. The study guides balancing agility with structured risk oversight