Ermal Hetemi

I am Ermal Hetemi, Senior Lecturer in Project Organizing and Innovation within the Department of Management at the School of Business, Linnaeus University. My expertise revolves around project-based organizing and innovation, particularly in the realms of infrastructure and innovation contexts.

My academic journey commenced in engineering, culminating in the completion of my PhD, which focused on delving into the intricacies of large-scale project organizing. This blend of engineering and management insights characterizes my research and advisory work. I've consistently explored innovative methodologies for project and organization studies, establishing myself as a qualitative researcher.

My international engagement is extensive, having studied and worked in esteemed institutions across multiple countries, including the University of Eastern Michigan in the USA, Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) in Spain, KTH Royal University in Sweden, and the University of Pristina in Kosovo. During my tenure at KTH Royal Institute of Technology's Department of Industrial Management, I specialized in developing and instructing project and program management curricula focused on innovation within an infrastructure context.

My engagement within the academic community is substantial. I serve on the international Editorial Board for the prestigious International Journal of Project Management, a publication that recently achieved Level 2 status in the Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals. I also contribute as a reviewer to other influential journals, such as Long Range Planning, Knowledge Management Research and Practice, the Project Management Journal, and the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business.
I am also actively involved in industry and policy initiatives. I've led and participated in various projects that have led to co-authored book chapters and white papers. A notable example is my involvement in the High-Capacity Transport (HCT) transformational project within the Swedish innovation policy framework, which spans the Transportation Sector and Forest Industry and involves collaborations with business organizations and governmental autonomous agencies.

Teaching

Research

My research interests are centred on impactful, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research around project-based organizing and organizing for innovation (mostly revolving around forming Innovation Ecosystems). I've explored various settings, such as rail, infrastructure, and technology development, in my empirical work. My research spans multiple implementation scales, from medium-sized projects to extensive large-scale infrastructure initiatives. The complex challenges inherent in designing, engineering, and constructing infrastructure lie at the intersection of policy decisions, organizational realms, professional practices, and user experiences.

Recognizing the intricate nature of these challenges, I advocate for solutions that delve into the social and cross-disciplinary dimensions of the problems. My approach involves integrating engineering problem-solving philosophies with research designs from social sciences. This enables me to gain insights into complex phenomena like innovation, capabilities, transitions, and leadership within engineering and infrastructure implementation within urban and built environments.

As a Principal Investigator, I've led projects supported by the Swedish Government (HCT) and other Swedish institute-related research grants. I strongly advocate for engaged scholarship, which involves collaborating with industry and policy practitioners to address our world societal challenges. Throughout my career, I've partnered with notable entities such as CLOSER, Madrid-Barcelona Railway, FYRA project, NCC, Trafikverket (in Sweden), ProRail (in the Netherlands), and foremost Adif- the Administrator and Manager of Railways (in Spain).

My notable industry and policy-related contributions include my collaboration on a policy contribution for the HCT Swedish national initiative, focusing on the transition towards sustainable modes of high-capacity transport. As part of the impactful HCT project initiative, I chaired the Program work package session with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority experts.

I've achieved recognition for my contributions, including the Best Reviewer Award at the 2023 European Academy of Management (EURAM) conference in Dublin, Ireland. Also, I've received Donald S. Barrie Best Paper Award from PMI Foundation, Project Management Institute Global Conference, in Orlando, Florida [October 2015], and the Editor's Choice Best Paper honourable mention from the Journal of Management in Engineering (ASCE), [June 2020].