Liu, M; Zhu, Y; Wei, J; Le, Y and Zhang, X (2022) Impact of institutional pressures on external program manager involvement: Evidence from large projects in China. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 148(9): 04022079, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
External program manager involvement can provide professional and systematic management services to owners. It can help to manage and coordinate different subprojects and ensure the achievement of the overall strategic goals of large projects. The promotion of external program manager involvement is not only efficiency-driven, but the institutional environment also has a significant impact. This study developed a theoretical model to explain how external program manager involvement is influenced by external institutional forces (coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures) and internal top management support. Based on a questionnaire survey, this study tested the research model through partial least-squares structural equation modeling. The empirical results revealed that coercive pressures have no significant impact on external program manager involvement; owners' top management support acts as a complete mediator between the mimetic pressures and external program manager involvement; normative pressures have the greatest impact on top management support and external program manager involvement, and top management support plays a key but partially mediating role. A direct contribution of this study is to reveal how different types of isomorphic pressures can be better exercised to facilitate the involvement of external program managers. Going further, by incorporating both external institutional pressures and internal top management support into the research model, this study provides insight into how organizations are influenced by external institutions to apply tools or approaches internally.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | external program manager involvement; institutional theory; isomorphic pressures; program management; top management support |
| Index terms: | program, questionnaire, China, institutional pressure, structural equation modelling, efficiency, evidence, mediator, institutional theory, top management, management service, manager, owner, promotion, survey |
| Subjects: | software systems, statistical analysis, sociology, Geography, practitioner, evaluation and assessment methods, dispute resolution, professional development, data collection methods, performance management, management |
| Topics: | Information Management, Geographical Context, Business Strategy, Organizational Design, Roles and Professions, Human Resources, Digital Applications, Quality Management, Legal Issues, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here