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PurposeContingency studies within logistics and supply chain management have shown a need for longitudinal studies on fit. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the logistics strategy from a process of establishing fit perspective.Design/methodology/approachA large Swedish building contractor's logistics strategy process was analysed using a longitudinal single-case study for a period of 11 years (2008–2019).FindingsThe case study reveals three main constraints to logistics strategy implementation: a dominant purchasing organisation, a lack of incentives and diverging top-management priorities. This suggests that logistics strategy fit is not a conscious choice determined by contextual factors.Research limitations/implicationsEstablishing fit is a continuous cycle of regaining fit between the logistics context and logistics strategy components. Fit can be achieved by a change to the logistics context or to logistics strategy components.Practical implicationsLogistics managers may need to opt for satisfactory fit in view of the costs incurred by changing strategy versus the benefits to be gained from a higher degree of fit.Originality/valueThis paper adopts a longitudinal case design to study the fit between the logistics context and strategy, adding to the body of knowledge on organisational design and strategy in logistics and supply chain management.

Learning from past project failures presents opportunities for firms working within the construction sector to improve project delivery. This is because, if lessons from these experiences are absorbed, they offer benefits such as failure mitigation and developing resilient project teams. However, instead of using sector-wide perspectives, Project-Based Organisations (PBOs) typically implement internal technological and strategic mechanisms in both learning and project management with little attention being given to institutional contexts. Hence, this study focuses on how learning within a PBO is influenced by the external environment by adopting institutional theory. Via exploratory research, the data was collected using semi-structured interviews with 19 UK construction industry professionals. Thematic data analysis method was used to analyse the data. Findings reveal that there exists an institutional field of learning within which PBOs operate based on their interactions with the external environment. Three pillars of organisations are revealed: Organisations that are related to the Regulatory Pillar, Normative Pillar and Cultural-cognitive Pillar. The study contends that each of these pillars offers lessons for the sector. Findings further reveal that cross organisational learning is hampered mostly by competition and fragmentation. Hence, to learn from failure, it is important that the sector brings together the identified institutional field members through boundary spanning organisations such as professional bodies and regulatory bodies. Thus, PBOs should build better networks by viewing organisations within the institutional field as sources of knowledge and embracing collaboration instead of competition.

This study explores how organizational learning (OL) impacts project management practices within Event Project-Based Organizations (EPBOs), addressing the question: How does OL influence project management in Brazilian EPBOs? Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 owners and managers of Brazilian EPBOs. The study analyzed challenges in disseminating lessons learned, with data examined through thematic analysis. Findings show that OL significantly enhances project management by fostering risk preparedness and agility. Learning from past projects enables EPBOs to manage variability and uncertainty more effectively, strategically leveraging resources to ensure event quality and client satisfaction. OL is key in optimizing project management strategies, giving EPBOs a strategic advantage in dynamic environments. The study's focus on Brazilian EPBOs suggests future research should include diverse cultural contexts. Practical implications highlight the importance of structured learning to improve operational efficiency and event quality.

PurposeThrough the lens of the leader–member exchange theory, this study assessed the relationship between inclusive leadership (IL) and project success by incorporating the mediating roles of psychological empowerment (PE) and psychological safety (PS).Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged data were collected from 328 employees working in project-based organisations across the information technology industry. Structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 26 was employed for data analysis.FindingsBy using the SEM approach, the confirmatory factor analysis had verified the distinctiveness of the variables used in this study. The findings displayed that IL increased project success both directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of PE and PS.Originality/valueThis study addressed two research questions that have been left unanswered in the literature. The initial research question is “how IL enhances project success?”, and this study found that IL enhanced project success. The second research question is “what are the suggested mechanisms for IL to promote project success?” This study has proven that IL enhanced project success through two important mediating mechanisms, namely, PE and PS.

For the time being, companies and organisations are being forced to compete in utterly complex and globalised environments, facing massive natural, economic, and technological challenges on a daily basis. Addressing these challenges would be impossible without a proper approach that helps them identify, measure, understand, and control the performance of their organisations. Lean principles and techniques rise as a solution. This paper justifies and proposes the use of lean principles and techniques to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) in project-based organisations based on their organisational and operational needs. The research focuses mainly on the identification and categorisation of KPIs through a qualitative approach, based on systematic literature review (SLR) of performance indicators, project management, and project success. As a case study, an analysis of relevant information of an R&D and innovation project-based organisation, such as quality manuals, a benchmarking process, internal studies, and surveys regarding what success means for different kinds of stakeholders and for the organisation itself was conducted. As a result, this research is of a high value for project-based organisations, especially those that are not apprised of how to correctly formulate a series of KPIs, or whose path to it is still not clear.

Freelance solo self-employed have played a transformative role in economies over the last two decades. They have grown in number in the labour market in most developed economies and enabled firms to use new business and workforce models. In this special issue, we present a selection of research which explains and provides new insights into this phenomenon. The research unearths new findings showing that freelance solo self-employed are increasingly highly educated and play a key role in driving innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation. How this interplays across dependent and independent self-employed in terms of well-being, earnings and enablement of women’s work-life objectives are then explored. The problems in labour market segments involving the informal economy as well as the problem of ‘false self-employment’ of masked employees are also explored. In sum, the papers highlight both the importance and diversity amongst the freelance workforce and the purposes for which they are engaged by firms.

This paper conceptualises burnout in Project-Based Organisations (PBOs) as a systemic emergent property arising from the non-linear interaction between structural demands and human capital. Utilising a System Dynamics (SD) methodology, the study constructs a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to visualise the feedback architecture governing the burnout cycle. The analysis identifies the dynamic tension between the Reinforcing Loop of exhaustion (R1) and the Balancing Loop of adaptation (B1). A key theoretical contribution is the positioning of the Project Manager’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) not merely as a soft skill but as a systemic control lever (B2) capable of reducing information delays and shifting the system from reactive to proactive homeostasis. Crucially, the study operationalises these conceptual findings into a Burnout Risk Management Framework (BRMF), accompanied by a practical diagnostic dashboard. This tool offers managers a set of leading and lagging indicators for early detection, bridging the gap between theoretical plausibility and applied risk management in high-entropy project environments.

PurposeProject-based organisations (PBOs) experience high labour turnover due to wellbeing issues arising from inefficient policies. An in-depth review of previous attributes this to the fact that the experiences and perspectives of project managers are considered neither in organisational policy/practice nor in wellbeing research. This study addresses this gap with two questions: (1) How do project managers experience wellbeing practices in PBOs? (2) What factors enable or restrict the implementation of these practices from their perspective?Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory qualitative study collected interview data from 19 PBO employees in Western Europe across three sectors. Participants assessed the implementation and influencing factors of wellbeing practices in their organisations. Narratives were analysed thematically, followed by sentiment analysis to cross-reference the emotional tone of each theme.FindingsThe findings provided a framework showing the necessary shift in the project managers’ role in PBO wellbeing policy and devolution of voice practices. The results also provided two new conceptual themes specific to wellbeing in PBOs: (1) voice structure and policy and (2) demarcation of the project leader role.Originality/valueThe study introduces a new framework with two new theoretical concepts to improve wellbeing in PBOs. These concepts promote inclusivity of wellbeing concerns via new feedback structures and clarify the project manager’s role in advocating employee voice. The proposed solutions aim to improve knowledge in the research field of wellbeing providing the perspective of the project manager, which currently is lacking from theory.

In the current era of accelerated economic growth, project success - successful completion of the final product for which the project was initiated - is the ultimate goal of every organisation. It is essential for organisations to keep project-based employees motivated and focused on successfully accomplishing the project objectives. This research examined the association between psychological empowerment of project-based employees and project success. We explored the mediating role of knowledge sharing to explain the intervening mechanism between psychological empowerment and project success. We also tested the moderating role of employee creativity along with conditional indirect effects by performing a moderated mediation analysis. Using a time-lagged research design, multiple-source field data (N = 327) were collected from employees of project-based organisations in Pakistan. The findings of the study showed a positive association between psychological empowerment and project success and significant mediation of knowledge sharing. Project employees with high creativity are likely to achieve project success when they possess higher psychological empowerment too. Results concluded that psychological empowerment is positively associated with project success directly as well as indirectly through its impact on knowledge sharing. The study has its importance and implications for management specialists and project employees at all levels.

This study explores how organizational learning (OL) impacts project management practices within event project-based organizations (EPBOs), addressing the question: How does OL influence project management in Brazilian EPBOs? Using a qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 owners and managers of Brazilian EPBOs. The study analyzed challenges in disseminating lessons learned, with data examined through thematic analysis. Findings show that OL significantly enhances project management by fostering risk preparedness and agility. Learning from past projects enables EPBOs to manage variability and uncertainty more effectively, strategically leveraging resources to ensure event quality and client satisfaction. OL is key in optimizing project management strategies, giving EPBOs a strategic advantage in dynamic environments. The study's focus on Brazilian EPBOs suggests future research should include diverse cultural contexts. Practical implications highlight the importance of structured learning to improve operational efficiency and event quality.