Research that Makes a Difference - Publishing for Impact

Organizer(s) and Lecturer(s): VKR Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, Head of Centre Jens Schmidt

Date(s) of the course: 21, 22, 23 January 2026.

Time: 09:00 - 16:00

Room: ITU Scroll Bar.

Course description:

Participants will be introduced to how to do research that makes a difference, specifically tension points, pivotal papers, citation classics, and types of impact. Academic impact is most important, needless to say, but three other types of impact will also be considered, namely policy, practice, and public impact. Participants will be asked to explain why specific instances of pivotal research became pivotal and achieved the kind of impact it did. Participants will also be asked to design a plan for how their next piece of research may become pivotal and have the type of impact that they would like for it to have.

Participants from all research fields are welcome.

Preparation:

Participants are expected to prepare for the course by:

1. Reading the publications on the reading list ([1] … [6]),
2. Select a pivotal paper/citation classic from the list below ([7] … [13]), read it carefully, and be prepared to explain in class why you think it became pivotal/a classic.

Reading list:

[1] B. Flyvbjerg. Making Social Science Matter. Why Social Inquiry Fails and How it Can Succeed Again. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

[2] B. Flyvbjerg (2012). Why Mass Media and how to work with them: phronesis and megaprojects. In B. Flyvbjerg, T. Landman, and S. Schram, editors. Real Social Science: Applied Phronesis (pp. 95-121). Cambridge University Press.

[3] B. Flyvbjerg, T. Landman, and S. Schram. Tension points: Learning to make social science matter. Critical Policy Studies, 2016.

[4] B. Flyvbjerg and J. R. Turner. Do classics exist in megaproject management? International Journal of Project Management, 36(2):334–341, 2018.

[5] E. Garfield. What is a citation classic? https://garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics.html, Undated.

[6] E. Garfield. Current Comments, chapter Current Contents, pages 5–7. Number 1 in Essays of an Information Scientist. Vol:3 1977-78 https://garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v3p001y1977-78.pdf. January 1977

Examples of citations classics:

[7] B. W. Boehm. A spiral model of software development and enhancement. IEEE Computer, 21(5):61–72, 1988.

[8] B. W. Boehm. Software risk management: principles and practices. IEEE Software, 8(1):32–41, January 1991.

[9] B. Flyvbjerg, M. S. Holm, and S. Bugh. Underestimating costs in public works projects: Error or lie? Journal of the American Planning Association, 68(2):279–295, Summer 2002.

[10] B. Flyvbjerg. Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative Enquiry, 12(2):219–245, April 2006.

[11] B. Flyvbjerg, A. Budzier, J. S. Lee, M. Keil, D. Lunn, and D. W. Bester. The empirical reality of it project cost overruns: Discovering a power-law distribution. Journal of Management Information Systems, 39(3):607–639, 2022. (This is not yet a citation classic/pivotal, and may never become one. If you choose this paper, please answer the following question: What would you argue are the pros and cons that the paper might become a citation classic?)    

[12] J. Packendorff. Inquiring into the temporary organization: new directions for project management research. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, 11(4):319–333, 1995.

[13] J. K. Pinto and D. P. Slevin. Critical factors in successful project implementation. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, EM-34(1), 1987.

Prerequisites:

PhD enrolment or equivalent.

Assessment:

Participants will present their research- and publication plans (one A4 page) for a body of research, or for a single publication on day 3 of the course. Participants’ presentation of their plan will be assessed for (pass/fail). In case of fail, participants may resubmit.

Credits:

1.5 ECTS

Number of hours the student is expected to use on the course:
Participation: 22 hrs
Preparation: 25 hrs

How to sign up:

Please send an email to Johanna Christine Larby Lithén (jchl@itu.dk) including your CV, and documentation for PhD enrolment or equivalent.