Exploring Impacts of Project Overload on Creativity: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach

Abstract: Project overload is an unpleasant phenomenon which is happening for employees inside those organizations trying to make the most efficient use of their resources. AE project inside VolvoCE (VCE) is an Advanced Engineering project eager to be innovative suffering from project overload. This research aims to help VCE to move towards creative organizational climate. To do this, the author used the Agent-based modeling (ABM) approach to examine the current reality of VCE and AE projects, where the opportunities and challenges for reducing the risk of project overload and moving towards innovation were identified. The results of this research allowed the researcher to define the gaps inside AE project and create a list of some recommendations. From these results: project overload can damage the employees’ focus and bring psychological stress reactions; Creative actions are less likely to be the result of a team with high level of project. On the other hand, motivation on proper challenging goal is more likely to help individual to alleviate the negative aspects of low level of project overload.