Changing Markets: Implications for the Planning Process in ETO Companies

Abstract : This article focuses on project planning within an ETO context using shipbuilding as an empirical case. The aim of the research is to understand how a change in market from offshore to cruise affect the planning processes. The article adopts qualitative methods to understand the involved actors strategies and choices to execute a new type of build. The research shows how long-terms association with one market, caused a certain flow of work. This allowed the involved actors to rely on routine activities, which made the actual process of planning fade into the background. A new market comes with new challenges and demands, which disrupted this workflow. The article analyses what caused the lack of focus on planning and its consequences. It argues for a danger of companies confusing structure with content, and calls attention to the importance of the context of planning. In this case, the context of market.