TY - JOUR
T1 - Managing sudden unexpected disruptions in complex projects
T2 - the antifragility hierarchy
AU - Usher, Greg
AU - Cantarelli, Chantal C.
AU - Davis, Kate
AU - Pinto, Jeffrey K.
AU - Turner, Neil
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Projects are prone to a variety of sudden unexpected disruptions across their development cycle, requiring that effective organizations develop strategies for proactively recognizing disruption likelihood and swiftly responding to these events. This paper explores a hierarchy of responses to disruption, based on Taleb’s theory of antifragile system behavior. Following this reasoning, we suggest that when faced with project disruptions, organizations need to investigate the means to trigger a ‘convex’ response that increases value through antifragile thinking. We propose an ‘antifragility hierarchy’ in which three key responses to project disruption are demonstrated, with a range of strategies available for addressing these disruptions. This hierarchy offers a novel conceptualization of responses to project disruption events, suggesting that the options available to organizations range from robust (the least effective) to antifragile (the most constructive). Finally, we offer a set of strategies for effectively responding to disruptions to promote antifragility in projects.
AB - Projects are prone to a variety of sudden unexpected disruptions across their development cycle, requiring that effective organizations develop strategies for proactively recognizing disruption likelihood and swiftly responding to these events. This paper explores a hierarchy of responses to disruption, based on Taleb’s theory of antifragile system behavior. Following this reasoning, we suggest that when faced with project disruptions, organizations need to investigate the means to trigger a ‘convex’ response that increases value through antifragile thinking. We propose an ‘antifragility hierarchy’ in which three key responses to project disruption are demonstrated, with a range of strategies available for addressing these disruptions. This hierarchy offers a novel conceptualization of responses to project disruption events, suggesting that the options available to organizations range from robust (the least effective) to antifragile (the most constructive). Finally, we offer a set of strategies for effectively responding to disruptions to promote antifragility in projects.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85210471491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85210471491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09537287.2024.2433479
DO - 10.1080/09537287.2024.2433479
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85210471491
SN - 0953-7287
JO - Production Planning and Control
JF - Production Planning and Control
ER -