بهبود ارتباط و همکاری در پروژه های مشارکتی از طریق سیستم های مدیریت
Trans-SEC
CPM-Survey, Data, Indicators and Sample Composition
Effects and Learnings
Discussion
Conclusion
Selected bibliography
Since the 1990s, conflict prevention and management (CPM) systems are increasingly used by a variety of organizations in order to improve work environments and to reduce the cost of conflict. CPM systems are a set of measures that interact with each other to prevent conflict escalation and help manage conflicts if they arise. Geographically, CPM systems are particularly important in North America, but also are gaining prominence in other countries, including Germany. While most examples of these systems are in the corporate sector, systems also exist in governmental institutions, hospitals, and educational institutions. About 30% of the U.S. Fortune 1000 companies used CPM in 2011 and the increased prevalence of CPM in both US federal agencies and US headquartered international agencies, such as the World Bank, is observable. Yet, the use of CPM is not yet prominent in collaborative projects. Scientific research projects are prone to the detrimental effects of conflict, much like private companies or public agencies, especially if they are large-scale, interdisciplinary agglomerations of multiple research institutes from different countries, often including high stakeholder involvement. In addition, such projects rely mainly on virtual communication and are time-limited. These characteristics, coming together make such projects complex organizational settings that are challenging to manage because of the inherently high risk of conflict. The likelihood of collaboration is threatened by the very complex organizational structure built to support it. Team processes and project outcomes are harmed if not well managed. An additional challenge faced by third-party funded projects is that there are usually limited resources available for coping with conflict costs, including delays in delivery, poor data, staff absenteeism, replacement of staff, and extensive conflict management processes. Well-known coping mechanisms, such as budget top-up or time extensions, are difficult to obtain under third-party funding. The foundation of successful collaboration includes good communication and teamwork. Information sharing and knowledge creation depends on well-functioning relationships and communication between project partners. This is particularly true in a project setting defined by a limited lifetime, which makes on-time performance crucial in order to achieve project goals. With increasing task complexity, it is not just more time, more cooperation and more communication among project members that is required, but also more instructions from project management. Significant delays, increased reminders before task completion, as well as an increase in stress and dissatisfaction can result from such high levels of resource investment. Hence, relationships and good communication play an important role in creating a productive work environment that helps achieve project goals. However, most project frameworks, particularly in the sciences, fail to explicitly consider and openly address these issues. Projects that acknowledge the need for so-called metacommunication to facilitate collaboration and organizational effectiveness are mainly found in the fields of biomedical and public health sciences. Here, individual measures, such as training on group processes, communication, and conflict management are increasingly integrated into collaborative research initiatives, such as large research and training centers. Some also offer on-demand mechanisms, such as mediation, in case of conflict. Still, frequently the majority of projects neither incorporate measures of metacommunication nor embed it strategically. To fill this gap while supporting the building and sustaining of relationships between different project members, CPM systems are a suitable tool.