Management

Transition countries represent a challenge for the sustainability of project management and the appropriateness of results to expectations. The paper analyzes, after a summary on the evolution of main intervention approaches, some recent experiences in project management that seem to open new perspectives for research and applied knowledge. These perspectives are related to different organizational models as it regards the managerial structures and the methods to evaluate projects performances. To this purpose the paper proposes an adaptive approach to projects sustainability, focused on the period of survival after the start up, instead of the achievement of a critical mass of employed resources. The research is made within the PRIN 2008 "Governing, managing and developing networks of public administrations and public/private partnerships in labour and knowledge-intensive sectors" by Authors engaged in the Unit dedicated to the Organisation analysis, design, simulation on virtual platform and performance evaluation of public/private networks. This has been developed with multi Author and individual contributions concerning restricted cases on project management. The analysis of this field is in progress and is regularly submitted in different scientific events, conferences, workshops through debates with the other research units.

In recent years, public and private organisations have carried out international cooperation projects that contributed in a relevant way to the development of local systems in transition countries, thereby increasing the interests of scientific communities, project managers, and entrepreneurs through the experiences derived from these initiatives. This paper analyses and discusses the role of synergies and conflicts in the governance of projects. It outlines the results of the research on RecoURB project, which was submitted within the Adriatic Cross-Border Cooperation Programme IPA. This case study represents an example of project planning in which governance manages the network of stakeholders. Among the project stakeholders, the interests of each unit can produce either a state of conflict or synergy. The hypothesis of this paper is that whether there is a state of conflict or synergy depends on the connections among units in previous projects. Furthermore, the tension between the two potential states of synergy or conflict in itself pushes systems towards increasing complexity within the governance model and can also produce the organisational resources needed for concluding the project. That is, the 'conflict of interests' among project stakeholders leads to adequate, effective, and efficient coordination, as can be seen, for example, in the network and in the use of ICTs.

The paper aims to analyse the application of enterprise simulation for small businesses' start up in international cooperation projects carried out by Bologna University in Albania. The analysis considers the simulated cases KK Personal Robe in the fashion sector and Elbasan Renaissance Tour in the cultural tourism one, both created in Albania (Shkoder and Elbasan) with the purpose of developing the managerial competencies using the distance learning. The focus has been placed on the organizational implications of connection between the start up of small businesses and the learning process applied by "Simulimpresa" (Enterprise simulation). The results concern the acquisition by participants of managerial competencies in the Laboratory useful to support small businesses' start up.

The paper wants to discuss the results of network building activities realized by Internet in the experimental environment of "Simulimpresa" (Enterprise Simulation) laboratory managed by Bologna University -Forlì campus. The research analyses the networking of the simulated enterprise Perting Ltd operating in Forlì laboratory that reproduces the activities of a real business using Internet. The hypothesis concerns the consolidation of strong links coming from a rising selection as the business continuity over the time increases. The results outline that this process, in the analysed period, leads to the consolidation of some links that set up the more relevant framework of the enterprise business network.