The year 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of IRNOP, a highly engaged and open community of project scholars, which has played a key role in establishing project studies as an independent field. Thus, the IRNOP conference 2024 provides us with a timely opportunity to reflect on the past, debate the present and imagine the future of project scholarship.
"Project Management in a Sustainable Future"
2024 year's conference theme is Project Management in a Sustainable Future, which is particularly apt for this conference of applied research on project management and project-based organisations. All contributions fitting under this broad agenda are welcome, but we would specifically like to highlight two evolving themes that have the potential to spur debates and contemplation on the future trajectories of project scholarship:
Projects are considered paramount for sustainability transitions, enabling foundational transformations in an era marked by increasing recognition of the imperative for cross-sectoral collaborations to address complex societal challenges effectively. At the core lies the dynamic interplay between projects and the broader landscape for sustainability transitions. Our call extends beyond surface exploration, delving into critical discussions and ethical considerations that underpin project work for sustainability transition. The ethical considerations surrounding projects as agents of transformation form a crucial facet of this discourse, sparking dialogues that span from, for example, ethics to global social equity.
The range of inquiry can be vast, encompassing projects and programs of varied scales within established socio-technical systems, involving transformations of existing socio-technical systems such as transport, communications, health systems, manufacturing processes, and supply chains. From reimagining transportation networks to overhauling healthcare structures, from revolutionizing manufacturing processes to revitalizing intricate supply chains – each undertaking carries implications across sectors, institutions and shape sustainable endeavors. Additionally, we embrace the transformative potential of digital innovation, as it profoundly intersects with the trajectory of projects aimed at sustainable transitions. We invite papers that explore how digital technology within projects reshapes the fabric of sustainability efforts. Our theme encourages thought-provoking dialogues between practice and industry, seeking submissions that encourage reflection on the intricate relationship between projects, digital innovation, and sustainability.
Over the past few decades, the ongoing projectification has profoundly transformed the way in which things get done in and between organizations, leading to the emergence of Project Society. The scale and extent of this transformation as well as the emerging social and institutional pillars of this order are yet to be fully understood and critically reflected upon. This theme encourages a critical reflection on how humans, organizations and the emerging structures and principles of Project Society enable and mutually constitute each other.
At the organizational level, we encourage contributions deepening our understanding of the changes in contemporary context in which projects are situated and which they drive, including the interplay with the wider organizational and social trends, such as digital transformation, servitization, algorithmic and data-driven management, the emergence of gig-economy, distributed/network, and meta-organizations etc. These ongoing changes draw attention to the topics of organizational change and transformation, and the role of projects enabling and situated in these changes.
At the individual level, we seek to spur a discussion on the cognitive, psychological, emotional and social aspects of project work. Project scholars seeking to contribute to this theme are encouraged to build on a broader suit of social theories, especially those underrepresented in project studies. Examples of the topics within this theme span individual and collective biases and heuristics in project settings, particular individual careers and competence development in an increasingly dynamic Project Society, etc.
To conclude, this theme encourages critical reflections on the interplay between individual and organizational facets in theory and practice. We particularly encourage investigation of the empirical settings underrepresented in project studies.
Papers and panel proposals are welcome
Papers
Full papers, not exceeding 8000 words, excluding references. It is important that the paper is set in the context of current research and shows that the work is original. Therefore, a significant proportion of the citations (typically a third) should be refereed papers published in the last five years. However, do also include citations of seminal papers from the past, which form the foundations of the subject. Tables and figures should appear in the text and numbered consecutively with their appearance. Style for references APA 5th.
Panel propoals
A panel is a session where a number (3-5) people discuss a certain topic under the direction of a moderator and in front of an audience. A panel proposal should be maximum 200 words and outline the rationale for the topic.
Submit your full paper in one anonymised PDF-format file on-line on the IRNOP 2024 submission system.
The paper must be your own original work, not published elsewhere. If you submit a paper, you also agree to review at least two papers for IRNOP 2024.
Papers will be blind peer reviewed by at least two reviewers. Hence, make sure not to include any authors identifying information in the document or file properties. Author information is to be included only in the submission form.
State clearly at the top of your paper if you think your paper belongs to the theme “Projects for sustainability transition”, the theme “Humans and organizations in Project Society”, or the general theme of the conference which is “Project Management in a Sustainable Future”. This will help the organizers when organizing the discussions.
Submitted and accepted papers will be available in e-format accessible for registered IRNOP 2024 delegates only. There will be no conference proceedings.
In case of acceptance, the author, or at least one of the co-authors should be present at the conference to discuss the paper. There will be no traditional ppt-presentations of papers, but interactive discussions based on the papers.
There is no limit to how many papers you may submit or discuss.
