Title: Measuring performance of distributed projects: a proposed methodology

Authors: Mario Bourgault, Elisabeth Lefebvre, Louis A. Lefebvre, Robert Pellerin, Elia Elia

Addresses: Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, PO Box 6079, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A7, Canada. ' Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, PO Box 6079, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A7, Canada. ' Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, PO Box 6079, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A7, Canada. ' Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, PO Box 6079, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A7, Canada. ' Departement of Management and Technology, Ecole des sciences de la gestion, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, PO Box 8888, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada

Abstract: The increasing prevalence of projects carried out in a distributed mode is creating new challenges with respect to the coordination that is necessary to ensure the proper integration and delivery of project outcomes. From a practical perspective, we propose to initiate a discussion of performance metrics for distributed projects. We focus on three issues: how to identify project management metrics that take into account the efforts of each partner involved; how to develop indicators that provide information about clients| expectations and finally, how to measure the project|s value for the firm|s development and growth. Building on recent research into different aspects of the virtual organisation and supply chain management, we propose a methodology for the construction of performance metrics for a distributed project in response to these issues. The proposed methodology integrates the Balanced Scorecard and Product Value Chain approaches and is illustrated with the case of a distributed remanufacturing project.

Keywords: balanced scorecard; distributed projects; enterprise development; metrics; performance measurement; project management; virtual organisations; supply chain management; SCM; product value chain; remanufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2009.022628

International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2009 Vol.6 No.2, pp.212 - 229

Published online: 19 Jan 2009 *

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