The industrial project. Studies of the work situation of project members

Sammanfattning: The aim of the thesis was to investigate and analyze howproject members at operative level experience industrialproject work. The project goal, alongside the time limits,methods applied, and cooperation, were envisaged to set theprerequisites for the work situation. Four empirical studies,based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, areencompassed by this thesis. In total, 31 companies and 298respondents were involved in the studies. The studies wereperformed in product-development and construction settingswithin the mechanical engineering industry. The analysis showsthat project work is characterized by: 1) Goal-focusedcooperation in flexible and changeable work groups. Demandscompetence for cooperation; interaction and communicationconstantly adjusted to problem-solving processes; and jointactivities for goal definition. 2) Treating time as a resource.A fast pace of work demands shared responsibilities in a team;unconstrained interaction and communication; and socialsupport. Scarce time resources give rise to the risk ofneglecting needs for long-term knowledge development. 3)Development and insecurity. Development makes contingency-basedsupervision and planning needed, together with team-basedplanning and goal formulation. High levels of developmentstimulate knowledge and improvements to routines and practices.Technological development also entails insecurity, whichrequires the ability mentally to cope with flexibility andcontinuous adjustments.Keywords:Project organization, Project work, Projectmanagement, Project team, Product development, Constructionprojects, Psychosocial work environment.