The Thesis Case of Filippo Zanco
Clerprem has always been synonymous with innovation and investment in young talent.
A concrete example of this philosophy is the thesis project developed by Filippo Zanco, a Management Engineering student at the University of Padua, who collaborated with Clerprem to design a hybrid project management methodology applied to the company’s internal processes.
Immagies from “Lo sviluppo di una metodologia ibrida di Project Management: Il caso Clerprem”
Author: Ch.mo Prof. Stefano Biazzo e Filippo Zanco
Project Management: A Strategic Challenge
Project management represents one of the most complex and stimulating challenges for modern enterprises, especially in dynamic sectors such as automotive and railway.
Within this context, Clerprem and Filippo worked together to develop a new approach to project management, transforming a strategic need into an effective operational model.
An Innovative Approach to Project Management
Filippo Zanco’s thesis, entitled “The Development of a Hybrid Project Management Methodology: The Clerprem Case,”provides a valuable contribution to the improvement of Clerprem’s internal operations.
The project combines the strengths of the main management approaches:
Stage-Gate: structured planning with defined milestones and control points.
Agile Project Management: flexibility, iteration, and continuous improvement.
Agile-Stage-Gate: a balanced hybrid methodology integrating structure and adaptability.
A Structured, Multi-Phase Project
The thesis project originated from the need to make the management of internal orders more efficient — projects that often last between two and five years and involve a high level of complexity.
The work was developed in several phases:
Initial Analysis: an in-depth study of traditional (waterfall), agile, and hybrid project management models.
Current State Assessment: evaluation of Clerprem’s existing Stage-Gate models within its Business Units, identifying strengths and critical issues.
New Model Design: development of a hybrid framework combining Gantt chart structure with the flexibility of agile project management.
This innovative model has proven effective in improving project control and adaptability across Clerprem’s automotive and railway business areas.
Designing the Future: Tools and Technologies
Once the model was defined, a project management software system was implemented using Microsoft Project for the Web, integrating the functionalities needed to overcome the issues identified during analysis.
This tool enhances coordination, resource management, and scheduling across multiple departments, offering:
Improved management of internal deliverables.
Greater visibility of operational activities.
A macro-level view of the project portfolio.
The model was tested on a pilot project for the client ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways), confirming its effectiveness in optimizing resources and maintaining a customer-centric approach
A Successful Collaboration
This thesis project is not only an academic milestone for Filippo Zanco, but also a tangible example of how Clerprem invests in young professionals to develop innovations that create real impact.
Collaboration with universities remains a cornerstone of Clerprem’s corporate strategy — fostering knowledge exchange and driving progress both within the company and across the industrial sector as a whole.
