Floating in Space? On the Strangeness of Exploratory Projects

Sylvain Lenfle
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Sylvain Lenfle: CRG I3 - Centre de recherche en gestion i3 - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - Université Paris-Saclay - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, THEMA - Théorie économique, modélisation et applications - UCP - Université de Cergy Pontoise - Université Paris-Seine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: This article deals with the management of exploratory projects and relies on a case study of the space industry to study their supposed strangeness compared with more traditional projects. Indeed, exploratory projects seem to be floating because they lack clear objectives, carefully defined work packages and phases, risk management plans, and so forth. We rely on advances in design theory to demonstrate that exploratory projects actually follow a different logic of expansion that can be managed. We conclude by discussing the contribution of the project mode to the structuring of exploration processes.

Keywords: Exploration projects; Design theory; Space industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-03
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Published in Project Management Journal, 2016, Special Issue: Project and Innovation Management: Bridging Contemporary Trends in Theory and Practice, 47 (2), pp.47 - 61

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01499099

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