ABSTRACT

Th is chapter pursues two objectives. First, it summarizes a project in which the authors participated, from the design stage to the fi nal debriefi ng. Th e authors are, thus, both researchers and actors in the project. Th e project was a 2007 polar expedition by sea kayak along a section of the coast of Greenland. Th e expedition brought together four individuals who shared two kayaks and traveled in total autonomy over a distance of 150 km. Greenland, one of the world’s largest islands, is located northeast of Canada, spanning 60° to 88° latitude north from its southernmost tip to its northern extremity. Th is chapter refers to the undertaking as a “polar expedition project” with “exploration and discovery” objectives. It emphasizes that this project represents one among many possible forms of polar expeditions (Lièvre, Récopé, & Rix, 2003). Th e expedition was a success, in the sense that the team not only returned with a high degree of satis faction, but also experienced satisfaction throughout the project’s realization. Although the project was a success, it encountered critical events along the way. Th e project summary draws on concepts developed by Bruno Latour (2005). Th ese concepts are the basis for the descriptions of forms

of socio-technical integration observed in the course of the project, which ultimately led the authors to tackle the question of how collective action was made possible. Th e summary constitutes the chapter’s fi rst objective. Th e second is to use the specifi c experience of the project to extrapolate conclusions for project management more broadly, including conclusions on team formation and the relationship between preparation and action, as well as to derive cognitive insights into knowledge management. Th e analysis of a specifi c experience can contribute to broader knowledge. By the same token, the study of expedition projects can contribute to project management research.