Project management: uses, structures, systems and influences

Parts of the project management literature theorise that there have been changes in the use of project management. The changes they describe include an increase in the applicable work areas for projects, an increase in the use of project team structures, a broadening of the conceptual base of project management and a new strategic role for projects in organisations. Theories also suggest that, as the use of project management changes, organisations develop project management-related structures and systems. This study investigates the extent to which the theoretical developments described in the literature exist in practice and, where they do exist, investigates their character. The study also Investigates the extent to which the project management practices vary depending upon factors linked to the wider organisation environment. The subjects were 63 employees from 22 organisations. Purposive, heterogeneous sampling was used to ensure diversity in the business sectors and characteristics of the organisations chosen and in the jobs and project involvement of the subjects. All participants completed an interview-administered questionnaire, developed to collect data of attitudes, opinions and experiences relating to the uses of project management and project management-related structures and systems. The survey results show that the increased use of project management is primarily characterised by the development of project team working and less so by an enhanced strategic role for projects or a greater adoption of formal project management methods. Whilst there is evidence of widespread agreement that project management is an applicable tool for managing all types of business change, current uses of project management still focus on traditional areas, such as meeting time, cost and quality objectives, rather than newer areas, such as facilitating innovation and creativity. The investigation of project management-related structures shows many situations in which structures to support project management, such as structures for the strategic co-ordination of multi-projects and for the centralised support of project work, are absent. This absence confirms previous studies that highlight the problems of establishing business structures to support the development of project management in organisations. The results relating to project management systems confirm previous work that highlights the importance of stakeholders and activities both upstream and downstream of the project life cycle. But the survey did highlight possible mismatches between theory and practice, for example in terms of the evolution of project management systems, which suggest possible theory modification. The comparison of different opinions, attitudes, behaviours and experiences, particularly between subjects working in organisations with a traditional focus on project work and subjects in organisations with no such focus, provides information about the potential character of best practice. This information will be useful to organisation as they increase their focus on projects and, hence, look to make more use of project management.