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A design science research approach to closing the gap between the research and practice of project scheduling

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  • Jeff Scales

Abstract

This paper illustrates one researcher's experience of applying design science research (DSR) to the nexus between systems thinking and project scheduling. Project management has become increasingly popular in the decades since its advent but has changed little in that time. This is especially true because of its signature technique, project scheduling. Scheduling research however is vibrant and modern and even includes dynamic concepts such as learning curves in schedule construction. However, justifications for acquiring this level of systems literacy have not yet convinced the practice community. A similar gap is identified in management science, and a literature review yields two potential solutions: dissolving the subjective‐objective divide by adopting Critical Realism and using DSR as a framework for producing artefacts. This paper outlines how these concepts were applied to project scheduling, resulting in a new method for schedule construction that allows an expanded range of concepts to be included.

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  • Jeff Scales, 2020. "A design science research approach to closing the gap between the research and practice of project scheduling," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 804-812, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:37:y:2020:i:5:p:804-812
    DOI: 10.1002/sres.2743
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Brucker, Peter & Drexl, Andreas & Mohring, Rolf & Neumann, Klaus & Pesch, Erwin, 1999. "Resource-constrained project scheduling: Notation, classification, models, and methods," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 3-41, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Roelien Goede, 2020. "Nature's enduring patterns: A path to systems literacy," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 787-788, September.

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