mohammad forozandeh

To achieve continuous growth in a project-oriented organization, managing projects individually does not work well. By combining multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) and strategic analysis, the present research examines the challenges of selecting and managing the project portfolio in the Nano Development Headquarters, emphasizing the importance of optimal use of limited resources and reducing investment risk. Its main goal is to develop a model for evaluating and prioritizing projects based on the greatest synergies and values and improving the effectiveness of decisions in line with strategic goals.

This research uses a hybrid approach that includes the implementation of a scientific framework with five steps. At first, using the SWOT analysis, three key strategies were formulated to manage the portfolio of nano projects: portfolio of multidisciplinary cooperation, portfolio of commercialization of nano products and portfolio of connection between nano and everyday life. The projects were categorized using the concepts of synergies and the benefits map. Then, using the Electre method, the projects were prioritized based on 10 criteria and included in the final basket. Finally, a balanced portfolio of projects was selected and a roadmap for better management of this portfolio was presented.

The research showed that among the 32 initial projects, 7 projects were removed and 3 other projects were also abandoned due to non-compliance with the key criteria. According to the SWOT matrix, four options were presented and three strategies were developed based on that. The categorization of projects was done based on the concepts of synergy and proximity of projects to strategic goals and the intended value created through the logical map of benefits. The final grouping of the projects in three categories: pearls, oysters, and white elephants was done with the opinion of experts, and with the update of the final basket, the definite priority of each project in each basket was included in the portfolio roadmap. With this approach, an optimal combination of projects in portfolios was created, and the order of projects was determined. The presented model was able to create an optimal combination of projects and determine their execution order by considering the primary criteria, risk analysis, probability of success, earnings, and return on investment (ROI). Also, the roadmap of the project portfolio was drawn to help better management and achieve strategic goals. The final finding from the data analysis is that initially, basket 2 (D5, B3, A3, E5, E1, E2, D2, A1, C2) started with project D5 and at the end of the first three years of basket 1 (B6, A4, E4, B2, A5, D1, B5, E3, E6) with project B6 will start simultaneously with projects E5 and E1 and the start time of basket 3 (E7, D7, E8, C1) in the middle of the second schedule with project E7 with the implementation of projects D2, A1, E4, and B2. The maximum execution time for basket 1 is ten, for basket 2 eight, and for basket 3 six years.

Research limitations/implications: 

Access to data, experts' lack of familiarity with project portfolio management concepts, and the unpredictability of nanotechnology and changing criteria are some of the limitations of this research. The research is specifically focused on the field of nanotechnology, but it can be easily extended to other fields with personalization. In this research, the concepts of project portfolio management, synergy of projects, and logical map of benefits have been used for writing. It is suggested that in future research, aspects of uncertainty in the decision-making process allocation of resources and project schedule should be addressed with modelling.

Practical implications: 

By providing a comprehensive model for project portfolio management, managers can make better decisions in selecting and prioritizing projects. This helps to increase efficiency and reduce risks associated with projects. It also helps companies get closer to their business goals and grow and develop their business by creating synergies.

Social implications:

 In addition to the positive effects on improving public health, the environment, and increasing the quality of life, the correct selection of the portfolio of nano projects will help project-oriented companies to achieve higher standards in the fields of safety, health, and environment (SHE) by using project portfolio management. At a larger level, it helps government and policymakers make more informed decisions to invest in and support nanotechnology projects that directly lead to economic and social development.

Originality/value: 

This research is added to the literature on project management because it provides a comprehensive and new framework for selecting the project portfolio from different angles and can be a valuable resource for researchers and managers. Overall, this research provides a useful framework for organizations seeking to optimize their project portfolios.

Today, due to the increase in complexities and uncertainties faced by manufacturing organizations, the production of products faces planned/unplanned events that happen during the production life cycle. Meanwhile, some factors can have a significant impact on the success or failure of the organization, and the most effective of such factors is the occurrence of delays and disruptions in the production and delivery schedule. Some of these factors are caused by the nature of the industry, which is difficult to reduce/eliminate. The effect of many other factors can be reduced and sometimes eliminated. Most of the manufacturing-related literature focuses on providing solutions to the issues that lead to delays. The neglected point in the literature is to identify the underlying factors that lead to delays in the production schedule and delivery of products and to provide a comprehensive framework for identifying delays in production environments. This study aims to reduce delays and optimize production time by identifying and ranking the possible factors causing delays in production organizations based on the review of the literature related to production and empirical research.

Design/methodology/approach

: This research includes a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a more detailed analysis of the dimensions related to the problem. First, four types of production systems, i.e., engineering to order, manufacturing to order, assembly to order and production to warehouse have been described, and then these production environments have been compared with different aspects. In the following, by reviewing previous research and benefiting from experts, factors affecting delays in production projects have been identified and localized, and the weight of each criterion has been determined using Shannon's entropy method. Finally, by applying this model in the manufacturing industries of Iran and using the TOPSIS technique, the causes of delay have been ranked.

Due to their nature, production systems are exposed to risks caused by various delay factors. The results indicated that engineering based on order, manufacturing based on order, assembly based on order, and production for warehouse are exposed to more risks, respectively. The most important causes of delay in each production system were among the other results. Based on the findings, it seems that manufacturing organizations, knowing the nature of the system, rank their system in terms of delays, and prevent unfortunate events in this field by careful planning.

Research limitations/implications:

 The extent of industries and manufacturing companies in identifying comprehensive criteria contributed to the study. However, from the point of view of specialization of the results, every industry must obtain relevant results by implementing the proposed approach according to the type of its production system. Therefore, more context-specific research is needed to examine the unique aspects of organizational cultures that include social, political, economic, technological, personnel, and personal considerations. Therefore, future studies should provide the analysis and findings in each case because each one will bring distinctive and unique findings in its case.

Practical implications:

 Accurate identification of the production system used in manufacturing industries and the main causes of delay can provide managers with a more effective view to prevent destructive consequences.

Originality/value:

 This study investigated the causes of delays in various production projects in Iranian manufacturing organizations. No research has been performed on investigating the reasons for delays in various types of production environments in the manufacturing organizations in Iran, as a developing country exhibiting differences in the aspects of cultures, social, political, economic, technological, personnel and personal.

The multitude of projects and the complexity of making decisions about them, as well as planning and allocating the organization's limited resources to the selected projects, are the main challenges that many project-oriented organizations face. Considering all organizational aspects in obtaining projects is the most key point in the success of project-oriented organizations. For this reason, choosing a portfolio of projects in a way that can meet the goals and strategy of the organization, in addition to considering the organizational limitations, is very vital. For this reason, in this research, while emphasizing the implementation of the portfolio management process in organizations, a two-stage model is presented for evaluating and prioritizing projects to form an optimal portfolio. By examining the life cycle of projects, first, 12 influential indicators in the evaluation of projects are extracted with the help of previous research, and after the confirmation of 8 important indicators by experts, they are analyzed with the help of fuzzyDematel technique, and the weight of each indicator is determined. In the next step, the proposed projects are evaluated and prioritized using the fuzzy TOPSIS technique. Finally, taking into account the capabilities, assets and limitations of the organization, the optimal portfolio of projects is formed and approved by the decision makers. By implementing the above model in a construction company active in public and private projects, it was found that the analysis of relationships between indicators helps a lot to choose the optimal portfolio and prepares the ground for achieving the set goals.

One of the issues and problems facing the research cycle is the integration of design and production. Research institutes design products that are made without the cooperation of the construction engineering firm. The manufacturing institution does not have a common language in the production of the designed product and therefore no production takes place. Design without considering production and supply considerations seems beautiful only for the designer, but in some cases, the production organization is either not able to produce it or has problems in supplying some parts. This research deals with the issue of coordination of design, production and supply, which by examining the literature, its key indicators at the level of research projects and industrial development were extracted and finally ranked with decision models. For the first time, this research examines concurrent engineering in the defense industry and provides a model for the integration of design, production and supply. The indicators of this issue are divided into 4 criteria of product structure and architecture, management, quality and organizational cooperation. The criteria of product structure and architecture are the most important.

Developing a life cycle model of R&D projects is one of the key factors for the success of research organizations. Using a standardized model leads to the creation of a common language between the organization and external providers of products, services and processes. The purpose of this paper is to present a general life cycle model for research and development in research organizations that is approved by various executives, supervisors and auditors. The model presented in this study provides a basis for evaluating the activities of executors and facilitates the evaluation and audit of research and development activities. The model has 4 dimensions, 17 components, 3 key decision points and 156 indicators. Model dimensions include need assessment processes, sample design and construction, manufacturing engineering and production management, and operation and support. The validity of the researcher-made questionnaire was evaluated by 9 experts and 3 questions were omitted. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.982 was also used to evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire. These results support all the research hypotheses and the rank of the components in each dimension is also determined. According to the results, the need assessment dimension is more important in the life cycle of research and development of research organizations. Using this research model enables research organizations to effectively implement the processes needed for research and development and assists managers and stakeholders in decision making and decision making.

Forage millet is a crop of tropical and subtropical regions which is considered due to abundant tillering, rebuilding ability, resistance to environmental stresses and diseases, high yield in poor soils and absence of prussic acid. Low amount of available water to plants results in drought stress and inappropriate morphological and physiological changes in the plant. Plants under environmental stress conditions accumulate low molecular weight organic solutions such as amino acids and sugars. Plant hormones affect plant growth in multifarious ways affecting a number of physiological and biochemical processes in plants subjected to biotic and abiotic stresses. Salicylic acid (SA) is one such plant growth regulators, which participates in the regulation of a number of physiological events in plants. The use of salicylic acid in wheat increased the photosynthesis rate, protein and sugar content of shoots, roots and leaf chlorophyll under drought stress conditions. Tomato and amaranth treatment with salicylic acid in different stages of growth during drought stress prevents reducing the production of dry matter of the plant.

To evaluate the quantity and quality fodder traits of foxtail millet Bastan cultivar under the influence of drought stress levels and salicylic acid concentrations in Sistan climate, a field experiment was conducted as split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Institute of Zabol University during 2017. Treatments included three irrigation levels as main plot (45, 65 and 85 percent humidity of field capacity) and sub plot including salicylic acid in four levels (0, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 mM). Spray application was considered for salicylic acid. Dry forage yield, dry matter digestibility, water soluble carbohydrates, crude protein, crude fiber, insoluble fiber in acid detergent, insoluble fiber in neutral detergent and ash were measured. Measurement of forage quality characteristics in the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands was performed with NIRS device made in Sweden.

Results revealed that drought stress caused significant differences on dry forage yield, dry matter digestibility, water soluble carbohydrates, crude protein, insoluble fiber in acid detergent and insoluble fiber in neutral detergent at 1% significance level and on ash at 5% significance level. Drought stress increases water soluble carbohydrate, insoluble fiber in acid detergent and insoluble fiber in neutral detergent and decreases dry forage yield, dry matter digestibility, crude protein, crude fiber and ash. The effect of salicylic acid on dry matter digestibility, water soluble carbohydrates, crude protein, crude fiber and insoluble fiber in acid detergent at 1% significance level and on dry forage yield and insoluble fiber in neutral detergent were significant at 5% level. The interaction effects of drought stress and salicylic acid on dry forage yield, dry matter digestibility, water soluble carbohydrates, crude protein, crude fiber, insoluble fiber in acid detergent and insoluble fiber in neutral detergent were significant at 1% probability level. Maximum dry forage yield (12.34 t.ha-1), dry matter digestibility (68.85%) and crude fiber (40.79%) were obtained from full irrigation and application of 3 mM salicylic acid treatments. The highest water soluble carbohydrates (13.81%) and crude protein (18.93%) were obtained from intense tension × 1.5 mM salicylic acid and control× 1.5 mM salicylic acid, respectively. The highest insoluble fiber in acid detergent (41.31%) and insoluble fiber in neutral detergent (81.51%) were observed under severe drought stress conditions without salicylic acid.

The results of this study represent the adverse impact of drought stress on the quantity and quality traits of foxtail millet Bastan. Application of salicylic acid has a positive role in modulating the effects of drought and improves quantity and quality forage. Therefore, can be expressed that irrigation of 85% moisture filed capacity and spraying 3 mM salicylic acid as growth regulator can produce quantity and quality desirable performance in Sistan climatic conditions.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of organizations that use the project management approach to advance their goals. In spite of improving the effectiveness, this approach has led to some problems. For this, during the years in which project management knowledge has been formed, various standards and institutions have been formed to improve effectiveness in project management. Due to challenges in the field of project management, especially monitoring and steering R & D projects, the study sought to design an optimum model to solve challenges and improve index of the success in R&D projects. Comprehensive review of literature reveals that one of the solutions for these challenges is establishment of an Organizational Unit called Project Management Office (PMO). For this purpose, the concept of the project management office, models, structures and functions has been studied and parameters for effective monitoring and steering research and development projects are identified. In order to design an optimum model for organizations with the nature of such activities, a questionnaire was prepared and after approval and completion by experts of a related organization as a case study and also analyzing the results, a project management office model for covering the above needs is presented

The transfer of technology, the possibility of access and acquiring the technology provides its effective application to economic and technological growth of industry, improve the quality of the work and when an organization is in its integrated and systematic model fits with technology maturity levels exist to right technology to be identified convert and work. The purpose of this article is identifying the factors affecting the transfer of technology from research and developing the industry sector in defense industries and providing a native model for it. For this purpose, after surveying the literature of the subject and the current models and technology transfer with industry experts, the factors affecting the sixth strategic dimension, the transferor, receiver technology results and achievements and the method of the transfer category. It continued on with the use of an interview and poll of 10 people from the experts and also by distribution of a questionnaire among 40 experts and the implementation of T-Test, the effect of these factors on the transfer of technology in the defense industry. Finally, with respect to known factors based on interviews with the subject, the final and native model of this research was designed. Based on the results, the transfer of technology from the beginning of a project’s feasibility phase should be considered. Moreover, the continuation of the cooperation with the recipient to the transferor to promoting level of elements should be emphasized. Using this model can transfer technology research project success and it is an important aid.