Complex Construction Project Management with Systems Thinking

Dear Colleagues,

The complexities of construction projects are increasing with the development of construction systems that address a broad range of research issues relating to the sustainable design, construction, and management of the built environment. These complexities may be managed using innovative approaches, such as systems thinking. However, construction project managers do not seem to use systems thinking tools, even though these provide unique benefits in framing and solving problems. This well represents the gap between theory and practice.

On the other hand, new conditions resulted from the environment determine the necessity to implement new approaches to project management. However, treating problem-solving as a routine-like constant process may not lead to desirable results in reality. The traditional approach to project management, which emphasizes planning, may translate to the expected results in a limited way. There are few straightforward problems in the dynamic and complex environment of construction projects, and, obviously, non-standard problems are harder to solve conventionally. Therefore, the further theoretical development of project management as well as the dissemination of new approaches to project management, including problem-solving methods based on both systems thinking and competencies and the adaptive abilities of a team, are essential.

This Special Issue seeks contributions that establish new directions in construction project management and systems thinking theory and practice. Contributions will be presented to the construction community and construction researchers and practitioners in various industries. Papers are being sought in the following areas:

• Project management performance;
• Complex construction projects;
• Infrastructure projects;
• Construction maintenance systems;
• Value engineering;
• Engineering systems;
• Systems thinking approach;
• Systems thinking for construction safety;
• Systems thinking for sustainable development;
• Systems thinking for construction project innovation.

Dr. Hadi Sarvari
Dr. Hala Nassereddine
Dr. Chris Roberts
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• project management
• project performance
• system thinking
• construction project
• engineering systems
• complex projects