Bent Flyvbjerg Biography

Megaprojects have been around since the days of the Pharaohs and the world’s infatuation with “the biggest” “the tallest” “the longest” is only getting stronger. But the need for more effective leadership strategy and planning is equally strong to meet today’s challenges – and it’s Bent Flyvbjerg’s mission to improve management of infrastructure and technology and change megaprojects. Flyvbjerg is the inaugural Chair of Major Programme Management at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. His seminal book “Megaprojects and Risk: An Anatomy of Ambition” (Cambridge University Press 2003) is widely considered essential reading for project managers sponsors and those involved in megaprojects. Flyvbjerg’s ideas on optimism bias (the tendency to take an overly positive view of planned actions) and strategic misrepresentation (deliberately misstating the likely outcomes of actions) have been incorporated into strategic planning of projects around the world. He continues to influence the development of project management both through his research and through teaching some of the leading program managers of today and tomorrow. A frequent advisor and consultant to government and business Flyvbjerg has helped formulate national policies for infrastructure environment transportation and science and supported organizations in improving success of projects. The most widely cited scholar in his field his research has been covered by influential media including Science The Economist The New York Times The Wall Street Journal The Financial Times BBC CNN Charlie Rose and many others. Flyvbjerg also focuses on the philosophy and methodology of social science and loaned his name to the so-called “Flyvbjerg Debate” which examines the role of social science in society in response to his book “Making Social Science Matter” (Cambridge University Press 2001). He developed the research methodology called “phronetic social science” and has employed the methodology in studies of rationality and power. Knighted in 2002 Flyvbjerg has received numerous honors and awards including two visiting Fulbright Scholarships which he used to conduct research at the University of California at Los Angeles Berkeley and Harvard University. Flyvbjerg received his PhD from Aarhus University Denmark and also holds two higher doctorates from Aalborg University in engineering and science.

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