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- A multi generational approach to project management: implications for engineering education in a smart worldPublication . Silva, Cláudia; Magano, José; Figueiredo, Cláudia; Vitoria, Andreia; Nogueira, TeresaIn a fast pace evolving smart world, underlined by technology change and market globalisation, project management is of paramount importance for companies to deliver competitive goods and services. To be effective, project teams should master processes, personal, technical and business competencies. The teaching of project management could be adapted in order to reduce the gap that seems to exist between the engineer graduate profile and the requirements that challenge professional engineers today, namely equipping new engineers with sound soft skills. Generation Z, currently studying in HEIs, has characteristics, needs and expectations that should be considered when discussing potential changes in project management education. This paper explores these topics. The literature review establishes the characteristics of generation Z, project management teaching trends, and draws implications for the teaching of project management within the scope of engineering education. A sample of 147 Generation Z undergraduate students filled a self-report questionnaire considering personality, resilience and emotional intelligence to assess their awareness about the traits that are relevant for project management. Through their self-assessment results, the participating students are aware of some of their characteristics, namely orientation towards results, high resilience and low neuroticism. Due to the high resilience indicators and low levels of neuroticism, Generation Z can be an important asset within a multigenerational project team. Also, some inconsistencies were identified as the participants displayed high levels of agreeableness and low levels of openness to experience. These results are discussed, linking personality traits of Generation Z with some important soft skills in project management, including teamwork and communication skills. Finally, recommendations and approaches for teaching project management in engineering education programs are presented.
- Generation Z: Fitting Project Management Soft Skills Competencies—A Mixed-Method ApproachPublication . Magano, José; Silva, Cláudia; Figueiredo, Cláudia; Vitória, Andreia; Nogueira, Teresa; Dinis, M. A. P.Generation Z is arriving in the workforce. Do these youngsters have the skills and traits to fit project teams? This study reviews the literature concerning project management competencies and the traits that are associated with Generation Z. To deepen the understanding of its members (Gen Zers) traits, we explore the self-awareness of their profile, strengths and weaknesses with an empirical study. We used a mixed-method approach, implementing a survey on a sample of 211 college students about to enter the labor market. Comparing our survey results with the literature, we identified differences that reveal some of the lack of awareness of Gen Zers about their traits. Further analysis also revealed a significant correlation between the most highlighted Generation Z traits and essential project management soft skills, pointing to Generation Z as a promissory asset in the project management field. However, other essential project management (PM) soft skills were not grounded in personality traits. Our findings, namely the lack of awareness and association results, suggest the need for further research on educational approaches and re-thinking and targeting education and training policies that could strengthen Generation Z soft skills. Our results also suggest reflections about whether the Gen Zers traits fit the PM competencies sought by organizations.