Supervisors: Per Svejvig & Anders Fihl (virksomhedsvejleder)
Discussants: Ann-Kristina Løkke Møller & Carsten Bergenholtz

Abstract
Success in megaprojects, digital transformation, and general project management of large public projects has received significant research and practical focus. Thus, smaller operational projects within organizations get far less attention. These operational projects are often smaller initiatives, overlooked by upper management and the formal project portfolio. However, the cumulative costs of these operational projects can be substantial when they fail, yet this phenomenon is rarely discussed. The challenge with operational projects arises when political, strategic, and operational initiatives are implemented in the same place and time—namely, within day-to-day operations. Employees and local management experience cross-pressures, resulting in change fatigue and project overload. The consequences are potentially a lower success rate for each individual project due to the thinly spread resources.

The overall structure of this research project follows an action research approach and will proceed through the following phases: 1. Discovery, 2. Idea, 3. Prototype, 4. Intervention, and 5. Evaluation and Redesign. This cycle will be conducted twice, and it is likely that some phases will need to be revisited along the way. As the research project has progressed, the design has been adjusted due to unforeseen developments within the case organization. While the cycle and structure remain the same, the research now follows two parallel tracks: one track follows the original planned approach. Here the researcher assumes a first-persons practice and is actively involved in both discovering the phenomena and developing interventions. The second trac follows an emergent organizational development, with the researcher taking a second-persons practice role, and following the practices and experiments carried out by a newly appointed network for technology.

The research project will contribute three articles. The first article is a literature review that conceptualizes the less-explored phenomenon of operational projects. The second article builds on empirical findings from the first cycle of action research, examining the role of operational projects in the project portfolios of two departments within a public organization. This article will test practices that may either harness the potential of these projects or reduce associated challenges. The third article draws on empirical and theoretical insights gained from both the public organization and two private companies, investigating practices that support operational project management. As the research project approaches the end of its first year, the literature review is in progress and is being submitted to the EURAM 2025 conference. Data collection is ongoing through interviews, workshops, and archival studies.

Everyone is welcome!