If we want to empower and reenchant social scientific research, we need to do three things. Cost overruns of 50 per cent to 100 per cent in real terms are common in megaprojects. Interview with alumna ann mccall, mmpm 201517 how the oxford msc in major programme management helps pms navigate career challenges and progress their careers to the nextlevel in todays fastpaced climate, major programmes are under more pressure to deliver on time and on budget than ever before. The extent and magnitude of actual environmental impacts of projects are often very different from. Bent flyvbjerg, nils bruzelius, werner rothengatter. Chapter 1 of flyvbjerg, bent, nils bruzelius, and werner rothengatter, 2003, megaprojects and risk. The case of transportation bent flyvbjerg, mette k. Making social science matter presents an exciting new approach to social science, including theoretical argument, methodological guidelines, and examples of practical application. It is a new addition to the venerable tradition set down by peter winch, hubert dreyfus, harold garfinkel, and many others, who claim that the canons. This paper takes stock of megaproject management, an emerging and hugely costly field of study. Making social science matter was written in danish and translated into english, very beautifully, by steven sampson. General, theoretical knowledge is more valuable than concrete case knowledge correction no.
Mega project definition a mega project is an extremely largescale investment project. Making social science matter by bent flyvbjerg ssrn. You will find stamps with numerous different illustrations, designs, topics, colors and size. New scientist megaprojects and risk provides a fascinating look at the pervasiveness of misinformation in the planning of major construction projects and the systematic bias of such.
This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. Aristotle physics envy and prekantian shamans when the may 1996 issue of the journal social text appeared, an issue devoted to the understanding of science wars, the editors became. Big dig overrun is just plain big perspective on project given by world study by raphael lewis, globe staff, 07142002 the series part one bechtels mistakes drive up cost overruns, and company profits. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. All content in this area was uploaded by bent flyvbjerg on mar 10, 2014.
Flyvbjerg, bent 2018 planning fallacy or hiding hand. It is a fascinating account of how the promoters of multibi. Cambridge core social theory making social science matter by bent flyvbjerg. Megaprojects and risk provides the first detailed examination of the phenomenon of megaprojects.
Learn how to pronounce flyvbjerg and more about the flyvbjerg word at. Bent flyvbjerg, 2014, what you should know about megaprojects and why. Why do projects fail and more to the point what can we do about it. These are citations from works listed in repec that could be analyzed mechanically. Buhl d espite the enormous sums of money being spent on transportation infrastructure, surprisingly little systematic knowledge exists about the costs, bene. All content in this area was uploaded by bent flyvbjerg.
Follow bent flyvbjerg and explore their bibliography from s bent flyvbjerg author page. The ones marked may be different from the article in the profile. Author links open overlay panel nils bruzelius a bent flyvbjerg b werner rothengatter c. First, we must drop all pretence, however indirect, at emulating the success of the natural sciences in producing cumulative and predictive theory, for their approach simply does not work in any of the social sciences. The oxford handbook of megaproject management provides stateoftheart scholarship in the emerging field of megaproject management. He is the most cited scholar in the world in megaproject planning and management. It is possible the name you are searching has less than five occurrences per year. Bent flyvbjerg ten characteristics of megaprojects.
Studies by academics, professional bodies, consulting firms and even. Bent flyvbjerg is professor and chair of major programme management at oxford university. Policy and planning for largeinfrastructure projects. Using the url or doi link below will ensure access to this page indefinitely.
Megaprojects are inherently risky due to long planning horizons and complex interfaces. Megaprojects are large, complex projects that typically cost billions of dollars and impact millions of people, like building a highspeed rail line, a megadam, a national health or pensions it system, a new widebody aircraft, or staging the olympics. The study incorporates conceptual contributions such as moral hazard, illusion of control and sunkcost effect literature. So far, only a minority of all works could be analyzed. Opinion the iron law, or what every politician should know about megaprojects cost overruns, delays and broken promises almost certain, says researcher. Bent flyvbjerg, university of oxford, said business school, faculty member. Pdf bent flyvbjerg came in with a bang with the english language. At the same time that case studies are widely used and have produced canonical texts, it may be observed that the case study as a methodology is generally held in low regard, or is simply ignored, within the academy. He works for better management of megaprojects and. Professor flyvbjergs research focuses on the better management of megaprojects, including the olympic games, and cities. How inaccurate are demand forecasts in public works. Cost estimates at each successive stage typically progress toward a smaller. Various cost estimates are made at different stages of the process. Bent flyvbjerg world bank policy research working paper 3781, december 2005 the policy research working paper series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues.
Rafaela alfallaluque, ivana burcar dunovic, aldo gebbia, ana i. This page was last edited on 21 october 2018, at 00. The topic of power has long been of interest to anthropologists and other social scientists not only for how it is produced, distributed and challenged, but also for its symbolic and cultural significance in. The oxford handbook of megaproject management hardcover. While flyvbjergs team did not include the big dig in its study, because its not finished, the danish researcher said the project has. Bent flyvbjerg argues that the strength of social science is in its rich, reflexive analysis of values and power. Social security administration public data, the first name flyvbjerg was not present. Bent flyvbjerg msc in major programme management blog. The case for disciplined, fast and frugal decisionmaking by stephen jenner introduction its almost an article of faith that somewhere between 50% and 70% of projects and programs fail. If the new millennium marks a recurrence of the real, flyvbjergs rationality and power epitomizes this development, setting new standards for social and political inquiry. Why has social science failed in attempts to emulate natural science and produce normal theory. Demand forecasts that are wrong by 20 per cent to 70 per cent compared with actual developments are common. Pdf if we want to empower and reenchant social scientific research, we need.
Article information, pdf download for bringing power to planning research. Thus, the practical wisdom which flyvbjerg sees as being at the heart of the research process is itself theoretically suspect. Flyvbjerg then elaborates on how this problem can be dealt with so that more fruitful deliberation and action can occur. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. Risk in the front end of megaprojects the rfe working group report editor. He was previously professor of planning at aalborg university, denmark and chair of infrastructure policy and planning at delft university of technology, the netherlands. I founded and cofounded several businesses and sold with a profit. The paper explores these critiques, assesses their effects on flyvbjergs argument, and discusses how a modified version of flyvbjergs phronetic research methodology might be. Bruzelius, nils, bent flyvbjerg, and werner rothengatter.
Highlights this exploratory study identifies characteristics of global megaprojects and factors leading to disappointing outcomes. Bent flyvbjerg is the first bt professor and inaugural chair of major programme management at oxford. It is a fascinating account of how the promoters of multibilliondollar. And bent flyvbjerg s damning analysis concentrates on a series of financial nightmares that should bring even the most casual reader out in a sweat. Jlj flyvbjerg embarks on a project to understand a citys attempt to architect and replan its center the aalborg project and ends up with a social science case study in politics, power, and rationality. Building on the prospect theory and selfjustification theory, we examine decision making in megaprojects. An overview by bent flyvbjerg professor and founding chair of major programme management said business school oxford university draft 9. Often projects are led by planners and managers without deep domain experience who keep changing throughout the long project cycles that apply to megaprojects, leaving leadership weak. Pdf download for policy and planning for largeinfrastructure projects. Citations many of the citations below have been collected in an experimental project, citec, where a more detailed citation analysis can be found. Studies social sciences, management, and project management.
Im especially passionate about building scalable saas solutions that solve real wants and needs of the enduser. Managing mega projects content mega projects definition mega projects challenges driving and executing mega projects to success. It is a fine addition to sociological theory, and deserves a careful reading. Bt professor and chair of major programme management, said business school. First, it answers the question of how large megaprojects are by measuring them in the units mega, giga, and tera, concluding we are presently entering a. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Pdf flyvbjerg bent making social science matter global. Post jobs, find pros, and collaborate commission free in our professional marketplace.