Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects (2024)

Megaprojects, characterized by their large-scale, capital-intensive nature and significant societal impact, are human-designed social tools that have become increasingly prevalent in various domains such as infrastructure development, urban planning, transportation, energy, defense, and technology to produce science (Ceric ́ et al., 2021; Schindler et al., 2019; Söderlund et al., 2017, Miller and Lessard 2000; Gil & Pinto 2018). If project- based enterprises are designed to extend beyond a self-financing logic that disregards distributional concerns, they have the potential to generate positive change in the social, economic, and environmental aspects of society. By addressing constraints on planetary resources and other global challenges, these enterprises can shape landscapes, stimulate economies, enable self-actualization, and address pressing global issues. Megaprojects, in particular, present a unique opportunity to create and distribute value, as they possess the potential to foster positive change in multiple areas (Gil et al., 2021; Gil 2023). They are not simple, straightforward endeavors as they are commonly assumed to be by outdated social norms, regulations, and early academic research (Merrow, McDonnell, and Arguden 1988, Flyvbjerg, Berzelius, and Rothengatter, 2003). Instead, they should be viewed as “wicked” enterprises that have a significant impact on many stakeholders and generate both support and opposition based on perceived positive and negative externalities. This new and more nuanced understanding of what a megaproject entails challenges the notion that it is primarily caused by agency and capability issues. However, it also raises the important question of how to balance stakeholder governance with supply chain management while maintaining the norms that define “success” as staying on target. This dilemma leads us to consider “who is in and out” and “who gets what” in a megaproject, which are fundamental questions that can help us better understand value creation and distribution.MeRIT Conference and WorkshopThe Megaproject Research Interdisciplinary Team (MeRIT) was established in 2018 by researchers and academics from Politecnico di Milano and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore to combine the multiple aspects related to the design and implementation of megaprojects. The goal of this initiative is to spark conversations about megaprojects among all stakeholders in the supply chain, with the aim of increasing awareness of the intricate issues that cause criticalities and common problems worldwide. By doing so, we hope to improve performance throughout the entire life cycle of a megaproject, which includes selection, design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. The work- shop includes innovative research work presentation on the topic of complex projects on a broad spectrum of disciplines, such as engineering, organizational studies, law, eco- nomics, social studies, and others. The workshop brings together various stakeholders from the megaproject implementation industry, to debate with academics, researchers, and other professionals about what are the best and worse practices on megaproject development and to look all together on practical solution to improve them.Each year, the conference is gaining increasing international recognition, and it has become a regular fixture on the schedules of numerous megaproject leaders.

Cantoni, F., Corazza, L., De Nito, E., Di Nauta, P., Favari, E. (eds.), Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects, Springer, Cham, Svizzera 2024: ND . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59703-9 [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/278376]

Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects

Cantoni, Franca
;
Favari, Edoardo
2024

Abstract

Megaprojects, characterized by their large-scale, capital-intensive nature and significant societal impact, are human-designed social tools that have become increasingly prevalent in various domains such as infrastructure development, urban planning, transportation, energy, defense, and technology to produce science (Ceric ́ et al., 2021; Schindler et al., 2019; Söderlund et al., 2017, Miller and Lessard 2000; Gil & Pinto 2018). If project- based enterprises are designed to extend beyond a self-financing logic that disregards distributional concerns, they have the potential to generate positive change in the social, economic, and environmental aspects of society. By addressing constraints on planetary resources and other global challenges, these enterprises can shape landscapes, stimulate economies, enable self-actualization, and address pressing global issues. Megaprojects, in particular, present a unique opportunity to create and distribute value, as they possess the potential to foster positive change in multiple areas (Gil et al., 2021; Gil 2023). They are not simple, straightforward endeavors as they are commonly assumed to be by outdated social norms, regulations, and early academic research (Merrow, McDonnell, and Arguden 1988, Flyvbjerg, Berzelius, and Rothengatter, 2003). Instead, they should be viewed as “wicked” enterprises that have a significant impact on many stakeholders and generate both support and opposition based on perceived positive and negative externalities. This new and more nuanced understanding of what a megaproject entails challenges the notion that it is primarily caused by agency and capability issues. However, it also raises the important question of how to balance stakeholder governance with supply chain management while maintaining the norms that define “success” as staying on target. This dilemma leads us to consider “who is in and out” and “who gets what” in a megaproject, which are fundamental questions that can help us better understand value creation and distribution.MeRIT Conference and WorkshopThe Megaproject Research Interdisciplinary Team (MeRIT) was established in 2018 by researchers and academics from Politecnico di Milano and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore to combine the multiple aspects related to the design and implementation of megaprojects. The goal of this initiative is to spark conversations about megaprojects among all stakeholders in the supply chain, with the aim of increasing awareness of the intricate issues that cause criticalities and common problems worldwide. By doing so, we hope to improve performance throughout the entire life cycle of a megaproject, which includes selection, design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. The work- shop includes innovative research work presentation on the topic of complex projects on a broad spectrum of disciplines, such as engineering, organizational studies, law, eco- nomics, social studies, and others. The workshop brings together various stakeholders from the megaproject implementation industry, to debate with academics, researchers, and other professionals about what are the best and worse practices on megaproject development and to look all together on practical solution to improve them.Each year, the conference is gaining increasing international recognition, and it has become a regular fixture on the schedules of numerous megaproject leaders.

  • Scheda breve
  • Scheda completa
  • Scheda completa (DC)
  • Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects (1)

2024

Inglese

978-3-031-59702-2

Springer

Cantoni, F., Corazza, L., De Nito, E., Di Nauta, P., Favari, E. (eds.), Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects, Springer, Cham, Svizzera 2024: ND . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59703-9 [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/278376]

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Complexity and Sustainability in Megaprojects (2024)

FAQs

What are the complexities of mega projects? ›

So by this definition, megaprojects are complex and yet the definition does not consider all possible layers of complexity because it just is con- cerned with task complexity. There are four other layers that need to be considered: social complexity, cultural complexity, operative complexity, and cognitive complexity.

What is complexity in sustainability? ›

The complexity of sustainability as a focus is both a challenge and an appeal. It makes implementing sustainability measures a challenge because it requires a deep understanding of the business, its supply chains, its impact on the environment, society, and the potential consequences of any changes.

How do you explain complexity of a project? ›

For most authors, the complexity of a project can be measured in terms of its degree of novelty, its interdependencies, and the technologies involved, among other variables. For some authors, the idea of complexity entails a subjective connotation.

What are the four factors that demonstrate the complexity of a project? ›

3.2 Project complexity factors

Inherent complexity; 2. Uncertainty; 3. Number of technologies; 4. Rigidity of sequence; 5.

What are the challenges of mega-projects? ›

The challenges with megaprojects are various and complex. Multi-stakeholder megaprojects with enormous infrastructures—such as bridges, dams, railways, and highways, with a typical budget in the billions—can last several years, increasing risk and impact on profitability.

What are the disadvantages of mega-projects? ›

Top 5 Biggest Types of Risks for Mega-Projects
  • Environmental Risks. Over the last few years, environmental risks inherent in infrastructure development projects have been increasing in scale and scope. ...
  • Dependency Risks. ...
  • Regulatory Risks. ...
  • Communicatory Risks. ...
  • External Risks.
Feb 13, 2019

What are complexities in construction project? ›

The notion of complexity is often used when talking about construction projects. Construction projects consist of a large number of elements, and their implementation requires a large number of participants and a large number of resources, as well as various techniques for their management.

Why do mega-projects fail? ›

Large projects have a high potential for failure, especially when they exceed their budget and timeline. This indicates that there may be underlying issues that need to be addressed. Often, projects that go wrong can be traced back to poor planning, misalignment among stakeholders, and a lack of appropriate resources.

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