Horas de emisión según contenidos propios o de producción externa

This section describes the data to be collected to assess the different components required to answer the research questions. Documents and verbal accounts via semi-structured interviews will be used to understand the different processes followed depending on the characteristics of the events. Re-using the structure provided by the conceptual framework Figure 3.1 displays the sequence of investigation of each area and the intermediate analysis required. An initial analysis of the background information (incl. organizational context, portfolio history and characteristics and processes used to manage projects). A study of the changes to the project portfolio over a period of at least one year will allow a characterization of these changes and probably a classification into categories. Using interviews the sensing, seizing, and transforming mechanisms will be investigated. This will be followed by feedback sessions with the participants. For each area different sources of data will be used.

Table 3.2 maps the data to be collected and the collection methods for each area. For most areas a combination of interviews and documents will be used to ensure consistency and correct understanding by the researcher. This corresponds to methods triangulation i.e. "checking out the consistency of findings generated by different data collection methods.” (Patton, 2002, p. 556) The following sections briefly describe the area to be investigated. 3.3.1 Background Information

Data will be collected to understand the environment and the context of the people involved in management of the project portfolio. This includes:

•

organizational context: The organizational context of the firm includes: vision, mission, strategy, goals, market, competitor, values, and organization structure. This will include the specific characteristics of the departments and sites being part of the study.

91 Organizational context Governance structure and constraints Portfolio history Processes for mgt of project portfolio Project management methodology Portfolio characteristics

Background

information

Changes to project portfolio plans over time Other significant changes over time

Characterization of

changes for a period of

one to two years

Interpretation modes for

different sensing

processes

Understanding activities

leading to change

decisions

Processes used to handle change Logic used to determine

process to use

Analysis:

Number and types of changes to portfolio over time

Other types of changes

Analysis:

Description and analysis of the characteristics of the sensing processes (using Teece & Weick)

Analysis:

Assembly rules and logic in activities leading to change decisions (using Weick’s and Hällgren as starting point)

Validation of findings

with firms

Feedback on findings

Analysis:

Understand where portfolio fits in organization

Identify key players and organizational

components

Analysis:

Present and integrate feedback from firms participants

Sensing processes Link to decision bodies Events leading to changes in the portfolio

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Table 3.2: Areas Investigated, Characterization and Data Sources

Area investigated To be characterized Primary Data Sources Complementary Data Sources

Organizational context Vision, mission, strategy, goals, market, competitor, values, org. structure

Documents: • Annual reports • Industry reports • Public online information • Corporate Intranet

Main point of contact: • Validation and clarifications

Governance and constraints

Processes, directives, rules and constraints, relationships between corporate, portfolio and project governance

Documents: • Process descriptions • Directives

• Description of bodies involved in deciding and reporting

• Organization structure • Roles and responsibilities • Reporting routines

Observation:

• Observation of steering group meetings

Main point of contact: • Validation and clarifications

Characteristics of Project Portfolio

Structure of project portfolio Characteristics of projects Dependencies

Documents:

• Multi-project charts summarizing project groups

• Descriptions of projects

Main point of contact: • Criteria to group projects • Level of dependencies between

projects

History of the portfolio How and why portfolio was put in place. Events prior to period under scrutiny.

Documents:

• Any textual account from early period

Person involved in the early phase of portfolio:

• Account of the early history of the portfolio

Processes related to the management of the project portfolio

Process used to manage portfolio

Documents: • Process descriptions • Directives

• Description of decision bodies

Main point of contact: • Validation and clarifications

Project Management methodology

Methods and tools used to plan, coordinate and control projects

Documents: • Process descriptions • Directives

• Tools guidelines

• Description of decision bodies

Main point of contact: • Validation and clarifications

C h ar ac te ri za ti on of ch ange s ( p er iod of one to t w o y ea rs i n recen t pas

t) Changes to the project portfolios

Type of change Date

Reason for request

Documents: • Portfolio plans

• Steering group minutes of meetings • Project final reports

Portfolio Manager:

• Description of changes to project portfolios Sensing processes Scanning characteristics Data Sources Acquisition Interpretation process

Equivocality, rules and cycles Strategy and decision making

Verbal accounts:

• Description of how changes were identified and translated into the project portfolio (or other changes)

Documents:

• Documents used to assess changes (e.g. market survey, technology assessment, customer requests)

Events leading to changes in the portfolio

Type of events Sources of events

Verbal accounts:

• Description of how changes were identified and translated into the project portfolio (or other changes)

Documents:

• Documents used to assess changes (e.g. market survey, technology assessment, customer requests)

S

eiz

in

g

Process and logic used Processes used to seize changes Logic used to determine process to use

Verbal accounts of key actors involved:

• Account of rules, mechanisms, processes used to translate events into changes to portfolios

V a lid a tio n o f resu lt s

Feedback on findings Findings in previous areas

Feedback sessions:

• Presentation and feedback session with participants B a ck gr ound i n fo rm at io n In terp ret a ti o n m o d es fo r sen si n g p ro cesses

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•

governance and constraints: Details of the governance structure and rules will be collected. This will cover the links between the corporate, the portfolio and project governance. This will allow a better understanding of the key stakeholders and their relationships. The constraints imposed on the project portfolio will also be analyzed. This will include the type of constraints, origin (i.e. who decides them if applicable), how frequently they are updated and what is the process to modify the constraints.

•

characteristics of the project portfolios: This will include the analysis of documents describing the list of projects included in the portfolio with such parameter as: size, duration, different levels of dependencies, use of resources, complexity, etc. The rules used to structure the portfolio and group projects will also be investigated.

•

history of the portfolio: In the previous section it was mentioned that the time span analyzed in details will cover a period of one to two years. The history of the origin of the portfolio will serve as a basis to understand the goal and the initial processes used prior to the period investigated.

•

processes related to the management of the project portfolio: these include any document describing the decision bodies, the rules, documents and decisions used to manage the projects portfolios.

•

project management methodology: this includes any document describing the decision bodies, the rules, documents and decisions used to manage the projects portfolios.

3.3.2 Characterization of Changes to the Project Portfolios

The documented traces left by changes over the period (updated portfolio plans, steering group minutes or meetings and project final reports) will be analyzed to develop a preliminary characterization of the number and types of changes to portfolio over time (and other types of changes having impacts on the portfolio). The analysis will be mainly based on the comparison of the portfolio plans over time and a log of the changes between the different versions. This might be complemented by other sources such as the minutes of steering group meetings, final reports and progress reports. Steering groups will be observed if accessible to help relate to the documents.

3.3.3 Interpretation Modes for Sensing Processes

Data will be collected on the different processes used to sense, filter and interpret changes which might have an impact on project portfolios. This will most likely vary between the different cases but a good starting point is suggested by Teece (2009) as:

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•

processes to tap innovation (from suppliers and complementors)

•

processes to tap in exogenous technology

•

processes to identify target market segment, changing customer needs

The processes will be analyzed to identify their interpretation mode which refers to the level of organizational intrusiveness and the assumptions about the environment.

3.3.4 Seizing

This is the most complex aspect and the core of the research. It includes how managers translate the sensing of external changes into changes to the project portfolio and other changes affecting the portfolio such as:

•

Business model used

•

Selection rules

•

Decision making protocols

This is unlikely to be documented and will have to be assessed through interviews of the managers involved. Through verbal accounts the different processes used to manage the impacts of changing environments will be analyzed. The analysis will verify the previous experience with the events and the need for information; two elements which were identified as important by Hällgren and Maaninen-Olsson (2005).

It is important to analyze a number of events covering different types of changes and see how they were handled by the managers. Two main approaches will be used to investigate the research question.

A first approach will be to follow back in time a number of representative changes to the project portfolio which have been identified under “Characterization of changes for a period of one to two years”. For example, if a new project was added, it could be investigated what happened prior to the decision to add the project: How was it triggered? How was it assessed? Who decided what? However if there were a large number of scope changes the focus will not be on the analysis of individual changes but on the mechanisms put in place to address scope instability.

A second approach will be to determine through a series of interviews which processes were followed once external changes were identified. This should be based not necessarily on

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individual events but on the initial characterization which will have been done in the step described in section 3.3.3. This could be done by meeting portfolio managers, project managers, line managers and senior managers involved in steering groups.

3.4 Data Collection Procedures

In document La televisión local en Palencia. Origen y Evolución. (página 36-40)