Commitment to Software Process Improvement—Development of Diagnostic Tool to Facilitate Improvement1

Functional, process and process-project approaches to management: comparative analysis

The relevance of this research stems from the need to find effective models for managing organizations in the context of digitalization, accelerating change, and increasingly complex interfunctional interactions. This article provides a comparative analysis of functional, process-based, and process-project-based approaches to management. Their essence, organizational characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses are revealed. The paper outlines the key criteria for comparing these approaches: the object of management, the type of organizational structure, the distribution of responsibilities, the performance indicator system, and the advantages and risks of implementation. It is shown that the functional approach remains valuable for stable and regulated activities, the process-based approach focuses the organization on end-to-end value streams, and the process-project-based approach allows for the combination of sustainability of current activities with change management and organizational development.

Managing Improvement Projects Under Continuous Improvement: Practices, Portfolios, and Failure Factors – Evidence from Polish Industry

Abstract The study investigated the role and effectiveness of improvement projects (IPs) which have been implemented within the Continuous Improvement (CI) framework in Polish manufacturing companies. Although CI practices are widely recognized worldwide, little is known about how such projects are organized and managed in Poland. A survey has been conducted using computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) among 70 managers and quality specialists from manufacturing firms to address this gap. The research examined the types and frequency of IPs, project management methodologies (PMMs), the presence of project portfolios, and the impact of critical failure factors (CFFs) on project outcomes. The results show that projects focused on quality, efficiency, and waste reduction are the most common, whereas Six Sigma and 5S initiatives are less frequently applied. Organizations with higher CI maturity tend to engage more actively in improvement projects and use PMMs more consistently. In practice, tool-based approaches, such as project schedules or charters, are preferred over more formalized methodologies, like PMI or PRINCE2. The findings also reveal that operational barriers – especially insufficient engagement of project leaders – undermine the success of CI initiatives. This research offers the first empirical evidence on CI-related projects in Polish manufacturing, highlighting both enablers and barriers, and provides practical recommendations for managers seeking to strengthen the strategic impact of their improvement efforts.

The Relationship Between Project Management and Overall Performance of a Company

In today's business environment, project management has become an important requirement for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large-scale enterprises. The implementation of project management tools and techniques is widely believed to be a major source of competitive advantage, enabling organizations to leverage their resources effectively. Project management encompasses several phases, including defining the project, execution, and monitoring. The goal of this paper is to analyze the impact that project management can have on the performance of a company. In doing so, various methodologies and tools are examined, along with how the impact of different systems varies. This research concludes that proper and successful project management results in excellent overall outcomes, while poor project management leads to poor company performance.

SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL RISKS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS

In the context of rapid digital transformation, information technology (IT) projects have become a fundamental component of organizational development strategies. However, the successful implementation of such projects is often challenged by various technical risks and issues that may arise at different stages of the project lifecycle. The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze the sources of technical risks in IT project management, evaluate their impact on key project performance indicators, and identify effective mechanisms for their mitigation. The research is based on a system-oriented approach combined with comparative analysis and risk structuring methods. The findings reveal that the primary sources of technical risks include inadequate requirements definition, suboptimal architectural decisions, integration inconsistencies, and insufficient testing processes. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the application of modern approaches such as DevOps practices, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), and automated testing significantly contributes to minimizing technical risks and improving project outcomes. The results of this research provide both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for enhancing decision-making processes and ensuring more effective management of IT projects.

Software Development Methodologies Evolutionary Trends from Waterfall to DevOps

Agile and DevOps are currently the most popular software development techniques. Software methodologies started with the application of the Waterfall model and other models of Software development. It provides a general overview of the approaches and their integration throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). SDLC phases are described and different SDLC methodologies are discussed with respect to their impact on motivation, productivity and quality. A comparison of the traditional Waterfall and newer iterative/incremental/agile is identified, as are the reasons behind this change, such as customer participation, timely feedback, and quality improvement. The following issues are common to all methodologies: architecture limitations, scalability and organizational restrictions. It was identified that the industry tends to follow a hybrid Agile-DevOps practice with more emphasis on automation, continuous integration and collaboration to achieve quick and competitive software environments.

principles for an enterprise systems chartering method