How do project managers' competencies impact project success? A systematic literature review

Despite the existence of systematic literature reviews focused on examining the factors contributing to project success, there remains a scarcity of reviews addressing the relationship between the project managers' competencies and project success. To fill this gap in the literature, this review aimed to evaluate peer-reviewed articles, published between 2010 and 2022, and analyze the impact of project managers' competencies on project success. The Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest electronic databases were first consulted in September 2021, with an update in August and October 2022. A total of 232 titles were analyzed. Ten articles met the criteria and were fully reviewed. A content analysis and a citation network were carried out to analyze the included articles. The analysis revealed that the existing literature has primarily explored the influence of competencies from the personal and social dimensions, such as leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence, on project success. Conversely, competencies from other dimensions have received less attention in the literature. In addition, this review contributes to the literature by providing a holistic categorization of competencies associated with project success and examining and organizing project success criteria into three dimensions.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Neal, Griffin and Hart safety behavior scale

Objectives. The safety behavior scale (SBS), developed by Neal, Griffin and Hart, is one of the most widely used conceptualizations in the field of occupational safety. Previous studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of this scale in different populations. However, few validation studies have been conducted in the Latin American context. To fill these gaps in the literature, this study aimed to assess the validity, reliability and measurement invariance of this instrument in the context of the Latin American mining industry. Methods. Data were collected from 398 workers from Ecuadorian mining companies. The questionnaire was translated into Spanish following a back-translation process. The latent factorial structure of the SBS was explored by estimating a series of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory equation modeling (ESEM) models. Results. The analyses showed that the two correlated first-order factor CFA representation was the most appropriate model for the data. Measurement invariance by age, type of contract and firm size was also confirmed. Conclusions. The SBS is a valid and reliable measure of safety behavior. In addition, this study determined the applicability of this instrument in the Latin American context, which enhances opportunities for future research in the region.

Quality of Life in Older Adults: Evidence from Mexico and Ecuador

Older adults are a growing population group in Latin America, hence the importance of deepening studies, proposals, and policies to guarantee their well-being. This article analyzes the perception of quality of life in older adults from Mexico and Ecuador and its association with several socioeconomic variables. The study design was cross-sectional. The sample comprised 450 older adults, 238 from Mexico and 212 from Ecuador. The WHOQOL-OLD Quality of Life Questionnaire and a set of sociodemographic variables were used. The results showed a higher perception of quality of life in the Mexican sample regarding most of the dimensions, except for sensory skills and social participation. An association was also found between sensory skills and sports practice, as well as between social participation and education level. The study achieves a binational approach to the reality of older adults in Latin America and confirms that there are differences in each sample that are due to the particularities of each reality. This research contributes to deepening the reality of the elderly, especially in Ecuador, where the quality-of-life studies in all age segments must be strengthened.

The impact of empowerment and technology on safety behavior: evidence from mining companies

Major technological advances that are being introduced in the global mining industry have an impact on work and employee attitudes toward safety. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of empowerment and technology on safety behavior. The research design was cross-sectional, and the sample was composed of 403 employees in mining companies. To measure safety behavior we used Neal, Griffin and Hart scales, and psychological empowerment was measured using the Spreitzer scale. The results indicated high levels of empowerment on safety behavior and medium levels of technology's promotion and prevention factors in the employees surveyed. Also, the study revealed that the meaning dimension of empowerment and the promotion technology factor positively affect safety behavior. A further contribution of the study is in the design of a scale to measure the impact of technology on safety behavior, as there are no known scales for this.

[Drama therapy for the prevention of workplace violence]

OBJECTIVE

To achieve, through a training and preventive intervention, a significant change in the emotional experience of a group of health care professionals at risk of exposure to workplace violence.

METHOD

143 Catalonian health professionals participated in a training course on occupational risk prevention that incorporated theatrical staging techniques and psychotherapeutic strategies, focused on the interpretation of emotional experiences associated with violence in the workplace. They participated voluntarily in the program and were selectedaccording to type of healthcare delivered and professional diversity. A pre- and post-course questionnaire was administered.

RESULTS

Ninety-two percent of respondents claimed to have witnessed, and 85% had personally experienced, a violent episode in the previous five years. The comparison of mean scores before and after the training intervention revealed anincrease in the positive assessment of the effectiveness of one's own performance and communication skills (p< 0.001), and induced emotional experiences in line with a greater peace of mind (p< 0.005) and less anxiety (p< 0.005) with respect to the violent incident.

CONCLUSIONS

Staging experiential stressful situations can be a useful learning tool for managing emotions, which increases the perceived degree of one's ability to manage communication, teamwork and professional stress itself.