The Frontiers of Project Management Research

Chapter 12: Competencies in the Project–Oriented Organization

Chapter 13: The Role of Trust in Project Management

Chapter 14: Developing Superior Project Teams—A Study of the Characteristics of High Performance in Project Teams

Chapter 15: Businesses in the World of Projects

Chapter 16: Criteria for Effective Leadership in Technology-Oriented Project Teams

Chapter 17: Processes for Operational Control in the Project-Based Organization

Chapter 18: Project Companies and the Multi-Project Paradigm—A New Management Approach

Chapter 19: Selling Project Management to Senior Executives—What's the Hook?

Introduction

Firms and other organizations that successfully manage their projects are almost always characterized by exhibiting superior human resource capabilities, leadership, team building, and "people-oriented" practices. Section III contains a set of papers from researchers who have explored a variety of the unique practices of these effective project-focused enterprises.

• Roland Gareis offers an update on his research looking at the behaviors and project management practices of successful companies. His work provides important guidelines for novice project-focused firms seeking to understand the scope of practices in which more experienced and effective project organizations routinely engage. Chapter 12—Competencies in the Project-Oriented Organization.

• Francis Hartman presents his model that integrates the dimensions of trust between project contractors and their key stakeholders. Trust is shown to be the lynchpin that cements the ties between project-focused firms and clients. Properly addressed and handled, the creation and maintenance of a trust-based relationship is a key element for long-term company success. Chapter 13—The Role of TRUST in Project Management.

• Edward Hoffman, Claire Kinlaw, and Dennis Kinlaw show their research into the characteristics of high performing project teams. Using six National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) centers as survey sites, the authors polled 397 members of eleven projects to identify the key features that characterize effective project teams. Chapter 14—Developing Superior Project Teams: A Study of the Characteristics of High Performance in Project Teams.

• Rolf Lundin continues to explore the phenomenon of the temporary organization, best exemplified by project-focused firms and their unique characteristics. His essay captures the constantly shifting nature of modern organizations and some of the reasons why project-based work is fundamentally suited to these new environmental demands and opportunities. Chapter 15—Business in the World of Projects.

• Hans Thamhain looks at the characteristics of effective leadership of teams in technology-oriented firms. Based on his years of research and training, he offers some valuable insights into the current state of understanding of team behavior and leadership as it pertains to the challenges inherent in project management. Chapter 16—Criteria for Effective Leadership in Technology-Oriented Project Teams.

• J. Rodney Turner and Anne Keegan report on the results of their research and conceptual analysis of control structures and mechanisms in project-based organizations. In describing process models for operations management, they offer different control approaches based on an organization's key features: project size and number of customers. Chapter 17—Processes for Operational Control in the Project-Based Organization.

• Marko Arenius, Karlos Artto, Mika Lahti, and Jukka Meklin write on some important aspects of modern project management, citing several challenges to effective management, including managing multiple projects, recognizing the nature of "extended project success", and the nature of structural complexity as it affects project management. Their paper provides a framework for understanding some of these important dimensions and their impact on creating a "learning organization." Chapter 18—Project Companies and the Multi-Project Paradigm: A New Management Approach.

• Janice Thomas, Connie Delisle, Kam Jugdev, and Pamela Buckle address one of the key questions that is frequently cited as the most vexing among project managers in organizations; that is, the best method to "sell" project management to top management. Their paper takes an in-depth look at the process whereby uninformed top management can begin to recognize the unique benefits to be derived from moving to project-based work. Chapter 19—Selling Project Management to Senior Executives: What's the Hook?