Building project resilience: A critical systems practice approach

Consisting of multifaceted interactions between various human and non-human actors, projects are prime illustrations of complex systems. Such complexity amplifies the negative effect of disruptive events—common in projects owing to their high level of uncertainty. Therefore, building project resilience to provide a quick recovery process with minimal adverse consequences is of critical importance. However, literature lacks an effective framework for such. This paper argues that methodological pluralism is necessary for solving complex practical problem situations, based on the view of Mike C. Jackson—a seminal figure in the field of systems thinking. Accordingly, this paper takes a critical systems practice (CSP) approach to develop a framework for building resilience in projects. The application of the proposed framework is illustrated through a case of supply shortages in the automotive industry. The results underscore the significance of portraying a comprehensive view of both human and non-human contributors to projects, surpassing conventional project-driven management methods, which rely on science and experimentation. Additionally, the study emphasises how CSP, as an ideal type of multimethodological practice, broadens our perspective by offering insights into the multidimensional characteristics of resilience.