Research
NETLIPSE has its origins in an European research project and many members continue to be involved in various forms of research. NETLIPSE finds it important to continue the interaction and exchange between the professional and scientific community around large infrastructure projects.
NETLIPSE is a great platform for collecting, developing and sharing research on all topics related large infrastructure projects. The network open to academic researchers and supports relevant research projects to foster the exchange between research and practice.
NETLIPSE actively promotes the synergy between research and practice in three ways:
- The bi-annual NETLIPSE Network Meetings are open for to both participants from practice and research. Subscribe to our mailing list to keep yourself updated on oncoming Network Meetings [click here to subscribe]
- At the Network Meetings special Research cafés are organised to offer researchers the opportunity to present and discuss their current research
- NETLIPSE is always looking for new research initiatives to initiate or participate in and would like to facilitate these with the support of network members
Publications
Report: Integrated Project Delivery Workshop
The Bavarian State Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Transport (StMB) has initiated an exploration of new project delivery models, focusing primarily on IPD approaches and other partnering methods and tools for the delivery of infrastructure projects.
To this end, StMB and the University of the Bundeswehr Munich – Institute of Construction Management (UniBW) collaborated with the European NETLIPSE Network to organise a two-day workshop with various German client organisations and European NETLIPSE experts. The workshop took place on 6-7 December 2023 in Munich.
During the workshop best practices and lessons learned from IPD-implementations across Europe were exchanged, and tailored to the German context. The resulting report provides a comprehensive list of best practices, implementation steps, and critical success factors for adopting IPD in transport infrastructure projects.
Book: Managing Large Infrastructure Projects: Research on Best Practices and Lessons Learnt in Large Infrastructure Projects in Europe
Book: Managing Large Infrastructure Projects: Research on Best Practices and Lessons Learnt in Large Infrastructure Projects in Europe
In total 15 transport infrastructure projects with a total investment of more than € 50 billion were studied in depth during a two-year research period, by a consortium of private, public and research institutes. Infrastructure projects often experience delays, cost overruns and face challenges with technological developments. The research identified the causes of such problems and established “best practice” methods, to help improve the management of future projects. Despite the different political, legal and financial frameworks, the Netlipse consortium found that many projects have similar, if not identical, problems.
Some conclusions:
- Managing the “hard” factors is of equal importance as the “soft” factors, such as coping with stakeholder management and political influence;
- Project organisations often focus on the building phase rather than on the larger scope of the project and the very purpose of their construction
Marcel Hertogh, Netlipse Project Manager: “…an enormous amount of research material has been obtained resulting in numerous best practices and lessons learnt that could be of benefit to other projects. However, our research shows that projects do not focus on learning from others.” A shame, because these lessons could help improve the management of these projects.” Netlipse offers valuable experiences, as well as a active network to exchange knowledge.
Book: 10 Years of Managing Large Infrastructure Projects in Europe: Lessons Learnt and Challenges Ahead
From 2006 to 2008 the NETLIPSE project researched fifteen large infrastructure transport projects in Europe looking for good practices in the management and organisation of these rail, road and waterways projects. Since then, NETLIPSE has evolved into a client sponsored knowledge network where project clients, sponsors, project delivery organisations and researchers meet on a regular basis to discuss challenges and new approaches in their projects. Main goal of the network is to improve the delivery of the large infrastructure projects and infrastructure programmes.
Now, ten years later, several members of the network have looked back at the results of 2008 to determine what has happened to the lessons described then. It is interesting to see to what extent issues that were relevant then in terms of objectives & scope, stakeholders, financial management, organisation & management, risks (and opportunities), contracting, legal consents and knowledge & technology are still relevant today, or have become part of everyday project management activities. In addition, contributors provide their view on current challenges in managing and organising their projects and strategies as well as their expectations for the next ten years.
This book provides an overall as well as personal perspectives on the different topics, provided generously by members of the NETLIPSE network.
Book: Playing with Complexity: Management and Organisation of Large Infrastructure Projects
The need for mobility in current society seems to be ever growing. At the same time we notice that the large infrastructure projects set-up to meet this need, often produce disappointing results in terms of costs (increases) and schedule (overruns); as well as stakeholder dissatisfaction. To overcome this conflict, management quality in the delivery of large infrastructure projects needs to improve. In their thesis, six major European projects have been investigated and approaches are set out to deal with the complexity that underlies the problem.
Based on their findings, the authors construct an approach, which in their view offers the best chance of success in the management of these large projects: dynamic management. Dynamic management is based on an intricate balance between control and interaction. In addition, dynamic management embraces 5 X-factors that are keys in the successful management of complexity in LIPs.
On March 4 2010 the Dutch Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management formally accepted the PhD Disstertation of mr. Marcel Hertogh (NETLIPSE Programme Manager) and mr. Eddy Westerveld (IPAT Development). The Minister, Mr. Camiel Eurlings, displayed a great interest in the international results as published in the dissertation.
Both Marcel and Eddy succesfully defended their PhD dissertation in a public questioning and obtained their PhD title. The PhD research has played an important role in the start and development of NETLIPSE. It is therefore the opinion of the authors that this dissertation should be electronically available to all members of the European Community.
Book: Conflicts between Institutional Frameworks and Managerial Project Practice: Results of the first European Infrastructure Procurement Symposium
On May 8th 2012 in Copenhagen the first European Infrastructure Procurement Symposium (EIPS) took place organized by the Network for Large Infrastructure Projects (NETLIPSE) and Next Generation Infrastructures (NGInfra). The Danish Road Directorate was the main sponsor of the event.
The EIPS was part of the 12th bi-annual NETLIPSE Network Meeting which focused on implicit and explicit benchmarking of present and future procurement experience from project clients, practitioners, researchers and scientists from different European countries active in the field of public transport projects. Keynote speakers provided historical and future perspectives on the impact of regulation on current project practice. Participants also discussed emerging topics in Business Arenas that were coordinated by representatives from different member states. In addition, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats on procurement development were gathered for future research.
Book: Public Project Management in Europe: Perspectives on project success
This research is executed in cooperation with the NETLIPSE organisation. It is a research on perspectives on management success of European public project managers, involved in major infrastructure projects. The scope is to improve understanding between public and private parties within the project, ease goal alignment and by this open the way to more international, competitive tenders. The following three perspectives are included:
- Product – oriented management
- Management in politicized/ decision making context
- Process – oriented management
