International Journal of System Dynamics Applications

Volume 8 • Issue 1 • January-March 2019

Application of System Engineering

to Project Management:
How They Relate and Overlap
Brian J. Galli, Long Island University, Brookville, USA

ABSTRACT

Task administration is the procedure through which work is instated, arranged, executed, and controlled
by a group to accomplish an objective. Since project management activities are different from normal
business activities that are conducted every day, project management calls for special technical and
management skills amongst team members. The successful completion of a project depends largely
on systems engineering and the management of various programs. Systems engineering refers to
an interdisciplinary approach that facilitates the realization and success of complex systems. The
purpose of system engineering is to, therefore, influence the whole system through various cohesive
subsystems. The principles of system engineering are synonymous with most characteristics of project
management. System engineering is, therefore, applicable to advance project management. This paper
looks at the application of system engineering to project management.

Keywords
Management Skills, Project Management, System Engineering, Task Administration, Teamwork

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Topic Background

Project management as a discipline has permeated through various fields of application, including civil
engineering and construction. Project management is applicable to any field that requires management
and the completion of large tasks that must be broken down into smaller tasks to facilitate efficient
completion (Klenke, 2016). Jeremy et al. (2017) follow the historical backdrop of task administration
in the early years where substantial ventures in structural design were overseen by a gathering of
individuals containing planners, structural architects, and developers. This set of experts would break
down projects into smaller activities that were completed in phases within a particular period of time.
Postponement in the consummation of one stage would cause delays in finishing alternate stages, so
this would cause delays in the culmination of an entire undertaking (Galli, 2018; Jeremy et al., 2017)
Pioneers of task administration have assumed a noteworthy part in propelling the utilization of
venture administration through their advancement of undertaking administration apparatuses (Jeremy
et al., 2017). Additionally, the development of the standard tools for project management facilitated
successful application of principles of project management to other fields than civil engineering.
For instance, in construction management, there seems to be many parties involved in the successful
completion of a project, starting with the real state owners at the top, going down to general contractors,

DOI: 10.4018/IJSDA.2019010105

Copyright © 2019, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.


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subcontractors involved, safety inspectors, department of buildings, and so on. Great coordination is
needed for this to be a success (Galli & Kaviani, 2017).
In 1950, project management earned recognition as an independent and distinct field that
was characterized by engineering management principles. Since the invention of modern project
management, the field evolved to enable management’s other projects from a variety of fields. System
engineering and project management are inseparable.
Project management, on the other hand, enables the execution of a series of actions that facilitate
the achievement of the primary goal. Application of system engineering to project management is,
therefore, not new. The goal of project management is to enable the planning and execution of the
activities required to successfully deliver a product/service that meets the needs of customers. While
there are many similarities between system engineering and project management, there are some
discrete features that make the two distinctively different. For example, the tools used to achieve
each are different.
System management applies to project management in a variety of ways. Sharon et al. (2013)
posit that the System Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) is a document that defines the processes
and methodologies that a project employs in the delivery of a new product or service. The SEMP
must be consistent and in alignment with the project management plan, which is the master document
for a project. It is important to understand other ways that system engineering applies to project
management, which is the focus of this paper.

1.2. Problem Statement

System engineering plays a critical role in project management. While project management involves
the supervision and control of activities that facilitate the achievement of the overall goals of a
project, system engineering focuses on the supervision and control of each independent activity that
contributes to the achievement of goals (Sharon et al., 2013). It is important to note, however, that
project management and system engineering are distinct and unique processes that utilize different
tools and approaches.
The project manager and system engineer play different roles during a project, although each is
designed to contribute towards the achievement of a common goal. The importance of careful planning,
as well as the cautionary execution of expertise by both, largely determines the success of a project.
A framework builder oversees keeping up the traceability of components of the framework
configuration, including the necessities, capacities, parts of the framework, and check forms. The
project manager, on the other hand, is responsible for identifying the required changes and instituting
the best schemes to meet these changes by customer needs. While there is a wealth of literature on
the specific roles of project managers and system engineers, there still lacks a clear delineation of the
interaction between the two in facilitating successful completion of the same project.
Also, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the application of system engineering to project
management and how this application enhances the success of a project. The purpose of this research
is to investigate how system engineering applies to project management.

1.3. Research Hypothesis

System engineering assists in the progression of project management by facilitating the identification
of customer needs and providing crucial tools such as SEMP to deliver a product or service. The
overlapping roles of system engineers and project managers make the two indivisible when it comes
to the successful delivery of a project.

1.4. Originality
There is a wealth of literature that shows the crucial role that system engineering plays in project
management. Additionally, there is substantial literature on the application of system engineering
to product management. However, there is a gap regarding how system engineering enables the

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smooth progression of project management. Also, the overlapping roles of system engineers and
project managers leave a thin line in delineating the exact roles of each. This research stems from the
knowledge gaps that exist within the related literature on project management and system engineering.
The purpose of this study is to contribute to existing literature regarding the effectiveness of
systems engineering to project management. Moreover, it seeks to compare systems engineering to
project management by focusing on their assessment tools. Data is derived from different studies
and combined in a well-mannered approach. This paper is based on original research conducted to
check the hypotheses.
The study has taken the viewpoints from different researchers and recommends new ways to
resolve already existing issues. The purpose of the study and hypotheses are described. In the paper,
the methodology is discussed along with its findings. Using a design-science-investigate strategy,
authorizing a valuable growth to reveal for both reasonable and hypothetical applications develops a
valid assessment model of systems engineering and project management. This paper initially provides
an outline of development models with attention to their evaluation instruments as an answer to the
examination question. An explanation is provided about the strategy utilized for the outline and
assessment of the evaluation instrument. The consequences of the meetings are also laid out in the
analysis. This is trailed by the initial discoveries and suggestions in the conclusion, which also plots
investigative limitations and future research ideas.
This paper contributes to the profession by adding to the slender body of literature on the subject
to applying systems engineering to project management. There are findings of this study that highlight
some of the benefits of utilizing systems engineering and project management, as well as the pitfalls
that can occur with project management without thinking of performance and sustainability. This
study uses real-world examples to highlight the value of taking the theories that we work with and
examining them in the context of the real world. The practice of systems engineering with project
management is inherently practical, so there is significant value in a study that not only examines
these subjects in theory, but also in practice.

1.5. Contribution to the IE/EM Profession and Research Field

This research will contribute to the fields of industrial engineering and engineering management.
System engineering, which falls under industrial engineering, is increasingly becoming an independent
discipline in management and the implementation of systems, irrespective of the industry in which
a business operates. On the other hand, project management has continued to permeate through all
business fields that need to develop new products and services to remain relevant to the industry.
The overlapping roles of system engineering and project management can, therefore, not be ignored.
The findings provide various stakeholders, including system engineers, project managers,
and other experts in industrial engineering and engineering management, with crucial information
regarding the application of system engineering to project management. The findings help various
stakeholders to maximize the roles of system engineering and project management in ensuring
successful implementation of business projects.
The research will focus on providing evidence-based answers to the primary questions experts
in system engineering and project management ask, such as how to maximize the expertise of system
engineers to achieve the goals of project management. Additionally, the findings will provide a platform
for building further research relating to project management and system engineering.
This paper is organized as follows: section two presents a high-level literature review of the
current literature in these fields of research. Section three presents the research methodology utilized
to execute the research study while section four presents the findings and discussion of the study and
analysis. Finally, section five outlines the implications of these findings for the practitioner, suggestions
for future research, limitations of the research, and general conclusions of the research study.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature is clear on the relationship between system engineering and project management. Arnold
(2013) outlines the main concepts of project management as the initialization of business cases and
evaluation of key performance indicators, the breakdown of an organization, the cost of work, the
evaluation of the project management plan, the selection of appropriate staff, delineation of the plan,
and the selection of the best project management approach, tools, and frameworks. Arnold (2013) also
outlines the main concepts of system engineering as analysis of problems and mission concept, the
definition of requirements, the delineation of performance measures, the identification of alternative
solutions to a problem, the architecture of the solutions, the outlining the system engineering plan, and
the selection and tailoring of the lifecycle. An evaluation of the main concepts of system engineering
and project management indicates a significant overlap between the two (Galli, 2017).
The concept of business case and evaluation of key performance indicators (concepts of project
management) facilitates the analysis of requirements and possible solutions (concepts of system
engineering). Also, Taylor et al. (2015) suggest the product breakdown structure (PBS) should be
mirrored in the work breakdown structure (WBS) and cost breakdown structure (CBS). The PBS is
system engineering, while WBS and CBS are concepts of project management. Exploration of the
entire system falls within the scope of project management, and it contributes to the exploration of
the mission, a concept of system engineering. Similarly, exploration of the whole enables the project
manager to make related trades regarding time, cost, and the time to complete a project.
The responsibilities across a project are defined by RASCI – Responsible, Accountable, Support,
Consulted, and Informed system engineering. Therefore, responsibilities of project managers and
system engineers in the same project are defined by RASCI system engineering. The roles of project
management and system engineering are overlapping, which increases the risk of complications
for service delivery. Sharon et al. (2013) suggest that the roles should be outlined to avoid such
complications. Despite the differences in the outline of roles, it is evident that each plays an
instrumental part in ensuring that the project is completed successfully and on time.
Sharon et al. (2013) state that not only does system engineering management use the traditional
project management tools, but it also involves continuous zigzagging between system engineering
and project management that both fall between product domains. Santiago (2013) also writes that
system engineering and project management are tightly intertwined domains. According to her
research (Sharon et al., 2013), system engineering management applies common project management
approaches such as WBS, organization of projects, and the system engineering management plan.
Successful system engineering calls for not only technical skills provided by system engineers, but
also critical skills of project management offered by project managers (Galli, 2017).
Successful project management, on the other hand, largely relies on the application of science
and technical skills, as well as the use of technology, application of technical planning skills, and
management that can only come from system engineers (Jong & Park, 2017; Sharon et al., 2013).
The iterative and zigzagging process of system management offers technical product support, as well
as managerial product support, during product development. System engineering also incorporates
planning, derivation, refinement, and simulation of product models and management plans, while
ensuring the product models and project plan remain traceable and coherent throughout (Bajracharya,
2014; Sharon et al., 2013). While Sharon et al. (2013,) comprehensively evaluate how system
engineering interacts with project management; the article omits the important discussion on how
system engineering applies to project management.
Santiago (2013) outlines overlapping areas of system and project management within a project.
These areas include task definition, risk management, and customer interaction. System engineering
provides technical support around system architecture, technical coordination, and integration
of systems, while project management provides managerial skills around planning a project, the
allocation of resources, and the financial contact management (Santiago, 2013). This indicates the
importance and application of system engineering to project management and how different support

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offered through SE and PM processes contributes to successful implementation of a project. Xue

et al. (2016) hypothesizes that the highly competitive industrial environment makes it difficult for
most companies to meet the demands of new and growing markets for the timely delivery of services
and products, production of high-quality products, low-cost manufacturing, and shorter design time
(Galli, 2018; Al-Kadeem et al., 2017b).
Managing these challenges to keep up with constant competition calls for maximizing available
expertise and effective management of the product development lifecycle (Xue et al., 2016). While
most companies segregate project management from system engineering, evidence indicates that
the incorporation of these offers a working solution to the challenges that companies face. Each
can maintain autonomy through the development of a product, as it is the uniqueness of each that
provides support for the development of products that meet consumer needs. However, Xue et al.
(2016) notes that despite the uniqueness of SE and PM, the common goal of customer satisfaction
promotes cooperation between the system engineers and project managers.
Baron (2014) explained that while a large segment of industries utilize product lifecycle
management tools, these tools do not guarantee success, as too many projects fail. Experts have
continued to analyze failures with the aim of determining causes, and as Baron’s study observed, the
failures are largely caused by lack of proper managerial techniques. Baron’s study also acknowledge
that while organizational processes are specifically mentioned in standards of system engineering,
project managers rely more on their managerial skills, hence missing out on the technical skills offered
by system engineers. Reliance on project management standards by project managers sets forth reliance
on practices that fail to acknowledge the importance of the SE domain in project management.
Baron (2014) suggests overcoming challenges that cause project failure; it is imperative for
project managers to acknowledge the importance of system engineering standards within the context
of project management. Improving the competitiveness of a company when developing new products
and services, as well as the success and good performance of those products/services in achieving
the intended business objective, relies on the incorporation of system engineering standards into
project management standards.
According to Ayala-Cruz (2016), 18% of all projects fail because of lack of proper management
techniques. The same article observes that only 20% of all projects succeed with the expected costs,
timelines, and quality. The rest of projects succeed, but with deficiencies regarding cost, lateness, and
quality of the results. These deficiencies can be resolved by incorporating system engineering with
project management during early stages of project development, hence averting the risk of failure.
This is because the incorporation of SE standards with PM standards enables project managers to
utilize technical expertise of system engineers, combined with the managerial expertise of project
managers (Galli, 2017).
Xue et al. (2014b) also highlight the importance of integrating system engineering with project
management, positing that the increasingly complex nature of systems can only be addressed by
incorporating SE standards in project management. Xue et al. (2014a) further argue that there is a
lack of evidence on how SE can be successfully integrated into project management to enhance the
success of projects. According to this article, one main concept of SE is risk reduction, which is
crucial during project management, as a project is always at the risk of failure due to limitations of
time and resources. Other articles, including Santiago (2013) and Kerzner (2013), also acknowledge
that the integration of system engineering into project management helps to reduce the risk of failure,
as SE provides much-needed technical support to complement the managerial support of project
management.
These articles signify the importance of system engineering in project management. The standards
of SE are not readily accepted or implemented during project management, and this heightens the
risk of failure. While the literature is clear about the importance of integration, it fails to mention
explicitly and to explain how system engineering can be applied in practice. To further explain the
application of system engineering to project management, this research will utilize a qualitative
research methodology.

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3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research will adopt a qualitative approach. This research methodology will fit the purpose of
the research, as the study intends to seek the opinions of system engineers and project managers on
how system engineers can be applied to project management. The qualitative methodology involves
the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data by observing the behavior of people and seeking
their opinions on a topic (Liamputtong, 2013). The subjects of qualitative research provide meanings,
definitions, characteristics, and metaphors. The qualitative methodology will, therefore, help in
sourcing information to answer the research question.
The research study will adhere to the phenomenology type of qualitative methodology.
The phenomenology kind involves investigating how different individuals experience a similar
phenomenon, hence enabling the researcher to establish factors that lead to differences in experiences.
The research sought to establish the application of system engineering to project management by
gathering the opinions of system engineers and project managers. The potential participants for the
research study were contacted through official emails and phone calls, whereby they confirmed their
willingness to participate. After affirmation, the questions were separately given to members who
affirmed their interest to partake (Grady, 2016; Kandari et al., 2012).
A total of 15 of 17 potential participants signed the consent forms. The total number of participants
in the study was 15, which included nine system engineers and six project managers. Inclusion and
exclusion criteria were used to filter out potential participants. The primary inclusion criterion was
that system engineers and project managers must have been in practice for at least five years. There
was no inclusion of participants by gender or place of work. The exclusion criterion was the level
of experience in practice as either a project manager or system engineer. To avoid ethical issues,
the researcher sought approval from the Review Board, which approved the study. The privacy and
confidentiality of participants’ information were protected from access by third parties in a bid to
further avoid ethical issues.
The data collection techniques employed included interviews, questionnaires, focus groups,
oral histories, and the review of documents and records. Interviews were conducted in person, and
they were unstructured. An interview is a one-on-one conversation between the researcher and
the participants (Labedz & Gray, 2013; Liamputtong, 2013). The interviewer sets the mood for
the interview and asks the participant some preset questions to which the researcher records the
answers on paper in the exact words as answered by the participant. The interview questions are
then presented to the researcher or data analyst for analysis. A questionnaire is a data collection tool
that records the opinions of participants (Liamputtong, 2013). The questionnaire contains a set of
questions presented to participants, who then answer accordingly. Questionnaires are resubmitted to
the researcher for analysis.
Focus groups are like interviews or surveys, but they are conducted among a group of people
who are allowed to discuss the topic and pen down their opinions (Liamputtong, 2013). The answers
are then presented to the researcher.
Oral history was also used to gather data about the application of system engineering to project
management. Oral history is more like literature, but it is told through word of mouth rather than
written down. Oral histories are given by experts who have been in practice for an extended period
of time (Liamputtong, 2013). In addition to oral histories, the study reviewed documents and records
related to the application of system engineering to project management (Eigbe et al., 2015).
After the collection of data, all information gathered from participants was compiled for analysis.
The study utilized contextual/thematic data analysis. Distinct themes were identified, and data
was analyzed and categorized by these themes. The following themes were identified: the role of
system engineers in project management, the purpose of system engineering in project management,
interacting roles of project managers and system engineers, and application of system engineering to
project management. The data gathered was categorized using these themes, which were analyzed
through data analysis (Galli, 2018; González & Salvador, 2014).

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4. FINDINGS

The findings revealed that system engineering is a vital component of project management, although
project management largely ignores it. One system engineer admitted that although they take part
in many projects, their roles are not well recognized due to the interacting roles of project managers
and system engineers. There is disappointment form the absence of reconciliation of specific help
with the administrative aptitudes that are offered by venture supervisors (Locatelli et al., 2014). For
example, the architecture of the system, which is largely the responsibility of system engineers, can
influence the outcome of a project, particularly when project managers do not understand the dynamics
of system architecture. This might cause conflict during project management, thus heightening the
risk of failure (Luzeaux & Wippler, 2013).
The study also found that the purpose of system engineering is to offer needed technical skills,
which when coupled with managerial skills of project managers, enhance the success of a project.
The technical skills are important in facilitating decision analysis, technical planning, technical
data management, risk management, and configuration management (Xue et al., 2016). Failure to
incorporate technical skills into the management of projects increases the risk of failure according
to Xue et al. (2016). The study also revealed that interaction roles of project managers and system
engineers, although confusing if not outlined clearly before the commencement of a project, play a
crucial role in enhancing the success.
According to Locatelli et al. (2014), the connecting parts call for transparency and duty, shared
understanding, basic dialect, and perception of the shared objectives between ventures directors and
framework engineers. A RASCI table can help clarify the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders
in a project, hence averting the risk of confusion. Mutual understanding between project managers
and system engineers improves the outcomes of the project, as system engineering and project
management has differing focus, goals, and competencies and perspectives, despite a similar final
objective. Mutual understanding helps system engineers and project managers to remain considerate
of each other’s roles (Eigbe et al., 2015).
A common language does not only refer to the use of common communication language, but it
also refers to using a common language in the documentation. A common language averts the risk of
miscommunication, which has the potential to affect outcomes of the project negatively. The system
engineer and project manager should agree on the most suitable language before the commencement
of the project (Eigbe et al., 2015). The study revealed that system engineering applies to many aspects
of project management, including the definition of the project concept, design and delivery, as well
as operations, support, and disposal of a project.
This application is not limited to a singular project, as its broad applicability allows the transfer
of system engineering standards and procedures to a variety of business enterprises (Eigbe et al.,
2015). For example, system engineering facilitates management of the configuration of the system
used, while project management helps in identifying and managing the risks associated with system
configuration (Galli, 2018; Klenke, 2016).
The study also revealed that system engineering applies to project management in the design of
decisions, verification and validation, the transition of operations, maintenance, disposal, achievement
of quality, and timely delivery of services (Luzeaux & Wippler, 2013). These activities support
project management activities, such as the management of assets, the transition to operations, the
integration of programs, resource management, gate reviews, and the handover after completion of
a project (Galli, 2018; Klenke, 2016).

4.1. Discussion
Understanding the application of system engineering helps to derive its importance in project
management. While system engineering and project management are independent and autonomous
processes, they play a crucial role in facilitating the success of a project. The literature revealed that

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system engineering applications and project management tools help in the success rate of a project.
According to Xue et al. (2016), approximately 18% of all projects fail from time limitations, poor
quality of the outcome, and high cost of the project. Application of system engineering tools to project
management has been proven to promote success.
Kerzner (2013) posits that while the focus and perspective of system engineering and project
management are different, the requirement to achieve a common goal calls for collaboration and
integration of SE and PM. According to Xue et al. (2017), SE is applied to project management
in the analysis of the problem and the delineation of the mission, definition of the requirement,
architecture of the solutions, and selection and tailoring of the life cycle. The joining of these SE
exercises advances the likelihood of accomplishing an undertaking. The specific help from framework
designing is critical for the achievement of results of task administration (Laporte et al., 2014).
Technical support that SE provides to project management includes technical planning for a project,
decision analysis, management of project requirements, risks associated with running a project, and
technical data (Othman et al., 2017).
The application of system engineering to project management has a variety of implications to IE/
EM/PM. One is that system engineering has the potential to reduce the risk of failure during project
implementation. Project outcomes may not meet the expectations of stakeholders for a variety of
reasons, including a lack of resources and poor quality processes. As a result, a project misses out on
a technical support, such as data management, risk management, technical planning, and management
of requirements, which heightens the risk of project failure.
The application of system engineering to project management also makes the project management
process easy by reducing costs that are associated with failure and extended delivery times.
Additionally, system engineering provides project management with operations, support, disposal,
design and delivery, and conceptual framework within which project management achieves it goals
and objectives. The field of EI/EM seeks to gain from the application of system engineering to
project management for system engineers to understand the best approaches and tools to collaborate
effectively with project managers.
The field of IE/EM/PM also gains from the application of system engineering to project
management in that it encourages mutual understanding, development of a common language, and
clarity of responsibilities between project managers and system engineers (Xue et al., 2014a). Mutual
understanding and clarity of responsibilities reduces the risk of misunderstanding and confusion,
which would improve project outcomes.
In addition to the implications that system engineering to project management has on IE/EM/
PM, the application has been applied within the fields in a variety of ways. One of the applications
in the IE/EM/PM field is to enhance the use of system engineering in project management to further
outcomes of project management. Additionally, the application has expanded the fields of IE/EM/PM,
as expertise now have a broader platform to practice effectively. System engineering is also applied
in project management to support operations and disposal processes.

5. CONCLUSION

5.1. Future Research

Future research should explore a few different arenas. For example, future research could investigate
these factors and their relationship in the context of other industries and managerial settings. In these
settings or contexts, it would be interesting to study the strength of these variables and the relationship,
as well as the factors that impact these factors and their relationship. Another avenue of research could
be to explore them from different perspectives, such as from an organizational, strategic, or cultural
point of view. This would shed further light into the how this relationship is perceived across many
different views and further understand the degree of impact that factors such as culture, strategy,
human resources, operations have on the key variables and their relationship.

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5.2. General Implications

Based on the acquired skill and management strategies from the research, there is a need to make use of
systems engineering and project management in conducting business projects and project management.
This can be achieved by ensuring the systems engineering and project management approach that
utilizes distinct skills to create a team that sees the company’s or project’s ultimate goals. In this
case, there is a need to invest substantially in systems engineering and project management before
thinking of the mode of technology to use in the project or management. More specifically, these
results highlight the importance of a top-down and bottom-up approach to leadership and strategic
planning, especially when it comes to elements of systems engineering and project management,
operations management, and process improvement. The results of this study highlight the criticality
of integrating systems engineering and project management into the leadership styles and tools that
leaders use to manage their performance.
The findings from this study also highlight the importance of systems engineering and project
management throughout all aspects of an organization. Obviously, systems engineering and project
management is one element in an organization’s business model, but this study shows that the
systems engineering and project management element directly impacts many other elements of an
organization. Management and leadership of any organization need to have the training and skill sets
to not only manage their systems engineering and project management, but to also effectively manage
their overall organizational performance. This study has shown that many of the current-state issues
that are seen within an organization’s systems engineering and project management stem from the
leadership’s lack of effectively leading and managing their employees and operational issues. If the
leadership has the tools and knowledge to effectively manage their systems engineering and project
management, instead of focusing on the bottom line (i.e., profits and costs), then the performance of
an organization will improve and, as a result, the profits and costs will also improve.
Most importantly, this study highlights that business leaders tend to focus mainly on the
financial elements of their business while ignoring or minimizing the systems engineering and
project management element; this might work in the short-term, but the research shows that it is not
a good long-term strategy. Over the long-term, leadership must have a multi-faceted approach where
they manage all elements of the business, including: systems engineering and project management,
operations, HR, financials, performance, and strategy from one overarching understanding that all
of these elements are critical and they are all related. By understanding this view, a business leader
will be better equipped to lead a successful company in both the short- and long-term.

5.3. Managerial and Team Implications

There are a few implications from the results of this study. The main implication is that the results of
this study serve to fill a research void in which these two variables have not been previously measured
or assessed in the scope of their relationship and factors that impact them. It is very important to
maximize the relationship of these concepts and the factors between them because they directly impact
the performance and reliability of project performance and team performance and effectiveness. In
turn, this can impact the performance and effectiveness of the organization.
Another implication is that this study can serve as a blueprint to project and organizational
performance and effectiveness. By understanding the factors and relationship of these concepts, project
and organizational leaders can be more prepared to guide and lead their project and organizations.
They can develop more comprehensive mentoring or managerial/leadership constructs, which can
help their teams and departments/organizations to identify their weak points. Then, they can take the
needed steps or actions to improve their project and organizational performance and effectiveness. This
same logic can be applied to a team-level implication; by understanding the factors and relationship
of these concepts, teams can have a better ability to identify their current gaps in performance or
effectiveness against standard and industry accepted concepts. In turn, teams can understand these

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gaps and the root causes behind them, which will enable them to take the needed actions to improve
their performance to attain the goals of the project or department.
A final implication of this study is that a more comprehensive training program for project and
organizations performance and effectiveness can be developed, which can be used by project teams,
project leadership, and organizational leadership. The training program can use the results of this
study to develop content and training structure that enables project teams, project leadership, and
organizational leadership to be trained on how to effectively assess a team, project, or organization’s
performance against standard and industry accepted models and concepts. From this assessment,
they can be trained on what they need to do in order to develop and to implement the needed steps
that will bridge these gaps and improve team and organizational performance and effectiveness. The
training can also be used to educate the project and organizational leadership on how to effectively
lead and manage these teams and projects, as well as how to adjust their styles of leadership to help
the teams and projects to maximize their performance. The training can also consist of educating
the teams and leaders on the importance of team and organizational performance and effectiveness
in their environment. They can learn that the effectiveness of their team(s) and projects are directly
related to the performance and reliability of project performance, as well as team performance and
effectiveness, which can impact the performance and effectiveness of the organization.

5.4. Implications and Applications to Fields of Project

Management and Engineering Management
It is a proven fact that the systems engineering and project management are of core importance in
projects, but at the same time, one thing is usually mistaken, such as that the engineers and technical
professions are out of the bound. In the past, the definition of an engineer was the one who solves
problems by using technical knowledge and mathematical tools. However, the contemporary need
of the market has suggested the change in the definition of an engineer to someone who provides the
economically viable solution to a problem with technical knowledge and mathematical tools. The
systems engineering and project management are important in even the engineering decisions. All
of the variables of the systems engineering and project management are important to know for an
engineer while working in the project environment. If the manufacturing of the product, the foundation
of your project, is not economically viable then you can never expect to have rising profit graphs in
your meetings. To achieve viable decisions in projects, choices need to be employed right from project
initiation for appropriate measures to be incorporated to prevent errors that might arise at different
stages of the project. Engineers should know about business management, particularly maturity
models, so that technical knowledge will make decisions viable and guarantee investors future success.
It is important to note that management concepts are scientific, which is why different management
school of thinking exists. Engineering is scientifically based on the cause and effect relationship. There
exists a strong correlation between management and engineering, and the concepts can be combined
to improve management, as well as engineering. Engineering for the past years has disregarded
the role in which management plays particularly in regard to both concepts and how they relate to
project success. It is for this reason that engineering has borrowed a lot from management to improve
most of its projects. The research involves explaining the models that can be adapted to identify the
elements within a project that are many times described in the context of business. However, this
research will explain all of these methods in the engineering perspective to understand the importance
of knowing these methods. Moreover, the application of the techniques in the operations that are of
pure engineering filed will also be discussed, such as purchasing material, equipment, budgeting, etc.
The research will help the engineers and project managers to screen different projects regarding their
viability usefully, and they will know how to use various methods of decision-making in engineering
problems.
The research is based on the analysis of scholarly works on systems engineering and project
management. The study reflects an in-depth analysis of various aspects of systems engineering and

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project management. This analysis purposed to identify the best practices of systems engineering and
project management that may form a reference basis for future research in this field. This analysis is
also purposed to provide accurate information to interested persons and institutions that would like to
benefit from the research on systems engineering and project management. Given the circumstances
that are in a constant state of change, this research comes at an appropriate time to incorporate ideas
from other scholars as a reference basis for institutions on how to manage a performance through
this relationship. The research advocates for the application of a conventional principle of systems
engineering and project management. The research is carried out with a focus on written literature,
which will be used to come up with recommendations on the best ways of managing projects and
improving the existing management standards.
Systems engineering and project management has been a pivotal point of the IE/EM profession
and the entire research field. It is evident that all systems engineering and project management
concepts that are developed and managed in any given project are all realized through the utilization
of the best concepts that lean thinking may be unable to resolve. The best way to create a different
environment in the IE/EM profession has been through the application of systems engineering and
project management. It is necessary to comprehend that at each level, the structural orientation of
a given scope may enable the given players in the IE/EM to come up with the required scopes of
interest. The basic ideas that are developed in the right way help in the realization of a more efficient
way of retrieving the required results at large. The only way to create a given strategy is about the
application of the significant concentrations that are needed at all levels of interest. In that platform,
it is necessary to create a more strategic way of formulating the required performance that is aimed
at generating the needed results all the same. The given scopes are used in the implementation of the
different systems engineering and project management development. The following contributions
have been noted in the IE/EM profession.
This research project will contribute significantly to the fields of industrial engineering and
engineering management. Project management has continued to permeate through all business fields
that need to develop new products and services to remain relevant within the industry. Therefore, the
overlapping roles of systems engineering and project management cannot be ignored. The findings
of the research project will provide various stakeholders, including system engineers, project
managers, and other experts in industrial engineering and engineering management, with crucial
information regarding the application of maturity to project management. The findings will help the
various stakeholders to maximize on the roles of system engineering, as well as on the role of project
management, in ensuring the successful implementation of projects in business.
There is a fairly sizable body of literature on project management and a lot of literature again
about systems engineering and project management. There are many companies that actually utilize
systems engineering and project management and apply it to their operations and management, yet
there is a paucity of direct study on this subject. This particular study, therefore, cuts into some new
ground in exploring how systems engineering can impact the project management development. The
underlying logic of systems thinking is a good fit with the objectives of new product development,
namely to bring products to market profitably. When one thinks about these requirements, one points
to lowering the cost of developing viable products and increasing the viability of the products that
are developed. This study should begin to explore how this works in a small company that wishes to
bring a new product to life, but it is operating without a lot of established processes, as the product
in question is only the second product that the company produces.

5.5. Contribution and Relevance

Though extant literature has been devoted to studying these variables, attention has not been paid to
different systems engineering and project management and the relationships that these models have.
Review of the literature showed that there is a limited amount of research that explored the variables
and their relationships. Therefore, this study sought to further analyze systems engineering and project

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management and the relationship these concepts have. This study sought to fill a void in the research
that was identified earlier on this study. Previously, this void has left some risk and uncertainty when
studying the variables and these relationships, but this study sought to alleviate that.
The results of this research study contribute to several different bodies of knowledge, including:
systems engineering and project management, project management, leadership, team dynamics,
capability levels, and risk. By performing this study, the results help to enhance and to evolve these
bodies of knowledge, since this study not only builds on existing research, but it also attempted
to expand and to fill a gap in the research. By more thoroughly understanding these variables and
their relationships, we can understand the advantages and disadvantages of the variables and their
relationships, which should help to improve the effectiveness of these variables.
This study also introduces new ideas and avenues for future research in each of these bodies of
knowledge. Not only did this study seek to explore different variables and their relationships, but it
also sought to understand the relationships and to identify new ways of thinking about the factors
under study. The results of this study were also valuable from a practitioner perspective, since the
understanding of these variables and relationships helped to introduce ideas and strategies that a
practitioner can deploy to be more effective in their profession. The results from this study help a
practitioner to understand the relationships and variables, as well as the implications that are related
to these variables and relationships.

5.6. Limitations
The study and results are somewhat limited because of a few research limitations. The main limitation
was the fact that the study had a limited sample size, and it only studied key factors from this limited
sample size. The limitation of sample size introduces some potential bias and validity behind the
findings and conclusions identified in the study, all of which could be alleviated by executing the study
with a larger sample. Another limitation was that this study only examined the key factors and their
relationship in terms of a project environment. Therefore, the conclusions and analysis are specific
to project environments, and the findings cannot necessarily be extrapolated to other arenas, such
as supply chain management, operations management, or strategic management. This is a limitation
since the conclusions and analysis are specific, which makes it difficult to argue that the findings
from this study could be deployed and used in other industries or managerial settings.

5.7. General Conclusions

System engineering plays an instrumental role in project management. While there are challenges,
such as lack of clear delineation of roles between system engineers and project managers, system
engineering’s contribution to the success rates of projects cannot be overlooked. In recent years, more
system engineers collaborated with project managers to provide technical expertise to successfully and
effectively run a project. With the clear delineation of roles, system engineering enables management of
configurations, selection of lifecycles, definition of the requirements, and the architecture of solutions,
among other important activities within project management. Despite the importance of system
engineering to project management, it has been difficult to incorporate the two into a single project.
One main challenge is the clashing of roles. Conversely, there are several solutions that can
improve the project (Al-Kadeem et al., 2017a; Cohen et al., 2014). The literature is clear on how
system engineering is applicable to project management and the importance of the application.
However, a critical review of literature revealed a gap in knowledge regarding the factors that limit
maximum utilization of SE applications in project management. This study would recommend future
research focusing on the factors that limit integration of SE applications into project management.
The findings of such research would be crucial in resolving the various barriers that system engineers
and project managers face during project management.
Additionally, the study’s limitations included that it adopted a qualitative research approach with
quality that was relying heavily on the researcher’s expertise and skills in conducting a research study.

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Another limitation that constantly affected the research was the time period within which the study
was conducted, despite the researcher’s efforts to work within the schedule that had been developed
before the commencement of the project. The qualitative study requires a substantial amount of time
for collection of data. The open-ended nature of the qualitative study also gives the participants
more control over data collected. Thus, the researcher was unable to verify responses objectively, as
this may amount to researcher bias. In addition, it was challenging to prove the causality between
the research phenomena. This is because a qualitative research approach is complex; explaining the
differences in quality and quantity of obtained information and making non-consistent conclusions
is a daunting and time-consuming task.

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Brian J. Galli holds a doctoral degree in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. He also holds a
Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Binghamton University and Master of Science in Engineering
Management from Missouri University of Science & Technology. He works as an Assistant Professor of Management
Engineering at Long Island University – Post. He also owns Apex Strategies, Ltd, a company that that specializes
in continuous improvement consulting and training. He has over 9 years of experience in applying continuous
improvement tools in many arenas.

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