Decision-making in immature projects organisational environment: A mental model approach that influences conscientious critical thinking

ABSTRACT

Hepworth Construction, a consultancy organisation for Oil and Gas project management offices, identified a decision-making problem in the project office environments and the field because of continued erroneous decisions and the processes used. Erroneous decisions led to poor project performances that impacted projects cost, time, and resource allocation. The research intervention aimed to develop a shared mental decision model to improve project performances and decision-making processes in both the project office and the field and influence critical and conscientious thinking. Moreover, a successful decision model could lead to speeding up project maturity processes and reducing project risk.The research methodology used was a qualitative, thematic analysis approach that used an action research focus using colleague participants from two action learning sets. One learning set was based in Azerbaijan the other learning set was established in Iraq. The individual sets attended cycle events using an online platform to participate and interact. Each set attended three separate action cycle events. Before the action cycle events, seven initial interviews were conducted online to develop concepts that focused on decision models. Further interview cycles were performed to authenticate action cycle data and identify new theories relating to the discussed concepts. Data was analysed between action cycles that informed the next cycle event. The data was processed using NVivo for open and thematic coding, identifying the main categories, and capturing memos and annotations. Thematic diagrams were also used to determine the linkages and relationships between critical concepts and add meaning to the theories (see Appendix K) (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Axial coding was the output from the thematic diagrams that presented the six selected themes and interpreted them into actionable knowledge.The findings were espoused through the learning sets participant's reflections crossing three action cycles. Each learning cycle progressed with new insights and evolved the main categories. The transcribed and analysed data led to discovering the selected themes and interpretation of actionable knowledge. The selected theme findings: situation, conscience, experience, listening, confidence, and sensemaking were interpreted into actionable knowledge and the shared mental model framework and the critical components situation, experience, priorities, prompts, proposed action, and sensemaking. The mental model framework influences practical approaches to decision-making, which logically justifies decisions. The organisation accepted the research in January 2021, and the framework was implemented in the project office and field. The research implications were the successful methodology used and drawing on participants responses and the interview data that enriched the action cycles and influenced the success and co-development of the mental model framework. Furthermore, the practical consequences of the research were the outbreak of COVID-19 forcing an online study. However, the online study approach evolved to a diverse opportunity using two learning set locations and selected interviewees worldwide. Future practice organisational change should consider a similar approach using insider empowered participants. And future research might focus on a mental model implementation's complexity, a shift of mind towards system thinking, or how organisational learning bridges both vision and system acceptance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)