Organizational Enablers For Project Governance

While corporate culture plays a significant role in the success of any corporation, governance and “governmentality” not only determine how business should be conducted, but also define the policies and procedures organizations follow to achieve business functions and goals. In their book, Organizational Enablers for Project Governance, Ralf Müller, Jingting Shao, and Sofia Pemsel examine the interaction of governance and governmentality in various types of companies and demonstrate how these factors drive business success and influence project work, efficiency, and profitability. The data for the studies was collected through interviews with six companies in Sweden and China and a global web-based questionnaire that garnered 208 responses. Using this data the authors conducted four studies, employing various research methodologies, to investigate the different systems of governance and their relationships to organizational success. Based on these results, the authors discovered that organizational enablers (including key factors such as leadership, governance, and influence of project managers) have a critical impact on how organizations operate, adapt to market fluctuations and forces, and make essential changes over time.

Project Management Institute has introduced Implementing Organizational Project Management: A Practice Guide to assist organizations in developing and defining effective project management methodologies. In a 2012 PMI market research project, more than half of the respondents identified a lack of published guidance on development of customized methodologies. This practice guide outlines practical knowledge and steps to define and develop a methodology in alignment with the foundational standards and framework that were first provided in PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide).

This research-based book takes an organization-wide perspective to describe the governance and governmentality for projects in organizations. Governance of projects defines and directs the ways managers of projects, programs, and project portfolios carry out their work. Governmentality is the way the managers of these managers present themselves to those they lead. Governance and Governmentality for Projects starts with introducing existing theories, models and paradigms for governance and governmentality. It then develops a chronological framework of the ways governance and governmentality for projects is enabled in organizations, how it subsequently unfolds in organizations of different types and sectors, and the consequences of different governance approaches for project results, trust, control, and ethical issues in projects. Special emphasis is given to the link between corporate governance and the governance of project, programs and project portfolios. Three real-life case studies exemplify the research findings described in the book. Through its structure this book describes the development of governance and governmentality in the realm of projects from its organizational origins, via observable practices, to expected consequences of different implementations. Aimed at academics, post-graduate students in business and management, reflective practitioners, standards or policy developers, those in governance roles and others in need of a detailed knowledge of the spectrum of project related governance in organizations, this book will help develop a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the subject, their interaction, and implications for implementation. This allows for understanding and developing of both generic and idiosyncratic governance structures, such as those needed in project-based organizations.

This concise text introduces an integrated view of all project management-related activities in an organization, called Organizational Project Management (OPM). Practical cases from several organizations, as well as popular theories such as the Resource-Based Theory and Institutional Theory provide for an insightful yet realistic understanding of OPM as an integrative tool for organizations to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

Understanding governance as it applies to portfolios, programs, and projects is growing in importance to organizations, because appropriate governance is a factor in the success or failure of strategic initiatives and portfolios, as well as an organization’s programs and projects. Implementing an effective governance framework can be challenging due to factors such as increasing business complexities, regulatory requirements, globalization, and rapid changes in technology and business environments. Many organizations do not have a consistent approach to portfolio, program, and project governance. PMI’s Governance of Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: A Practice Guide, developed by leading experts in the field, provides guidance to organizations and practitioners on how to implement or enhance governance on portfolios, programs, and projects. This practice guide provides definitions for governance in an effort to distinguish the different levels of governance and to identify their common elements.

This research-based book takes an organization-wide perspective to describe the governance and governmentality for projects in organizations. Governance of projects defines and directs the ways managers of projects, programs, and project portfolios carry out their work. Governmentality is the way the managers of these managers present themselves to those they lead. Governance and Governmentality for Projects starts with introducing existing theories, models and paradigms for governance and governmentality. It then develops a chronological framework of the ways governance and governmentality for projects is enabled in organizations, how it subsequently unfolds in organizations of different types and sectors, and the consequences of different governance approaches for project results, trust, control, and ethical issues in projects. Special emphasis is given to the link between corporate governance and the governance of project, programs and project portfolios. Three real-life case studies exemplify the research findings described in the book. Through its structure this book describes the development of governance and governmentality in the realm of projects from its organizational origins, via observable practices, to expected consequences of different implementations. Aimed at academics, post-graduate students in business and management, reflective practitioners, standards or policy developers, those in governance roles and others in need of a detailed knowledge of the spectrum of project related governance in organizations, this book will help develop a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the subject, their interaction, and implications for implementation. This allows for understanding and developing of both generic and idiosyncratic governance structures, such as those needed in project-based organizations.

This practice-oriented handbook presents practitioners and students with a comprehensive overview of the essential knowledge and current best practices in project management. It includes the most up-to-date thinking in the discipline, describing recent developments in a way that practitioners can immediately use in their work. The Handbook of Project Management was the first “APM Body of Knowledge Approved” title for the Association for Project Management. Over the course of six editions, The Handbook of Project Management has become the definitive desk reference for project management practitioners. The team of expert contributors, selected to introduce the reader to the knowledge and skills required to manage projects, includes many of the most experienced and highly regarded international writers and practitioners. The book is divided into six parts: Projects; Performance; Process; People; Portfolio; and Perspectives. Including over 25 completely new chapters, this sixth edition provides a fully up-to-date encyclopaedia for the discipline and profession of project management. The book will be of use to all project management practitioners, from those starting out in the profession to people with advanced experience. It is also highly relevant to students, with earlier editions being used as a set or recommended text on Masters’ courses in project management.

PMI's latest foundational standard, The Standard for Organizational Project Management (OPM), expands upon the popular Implementing Organizational Project Management: A Practice Guide, published in 2014. This newly-created standard is a result of survey feedback that revealed acceptance of the approach and increasing interest in an expanded version. OPM is defined as the integration of people, knowledge, and processes, supported by tools across all functional domains of the organization. The approach further advances an organization's performance by developing and linking portfolio, program, and project management principles and practices with organizational enablers (e.g., structural, cultural, technological, and human resource practices) and business processes to support strategic objectives. OPM helps organizations deliver value through the following principles:•Aligning strategy•Consistent execution and delivery•Cross-functional collaboration•Adding value to the organization•Continuous training Although useful for any organization that is seeking to better meet its strategic objectives, this standard is particularly beneficial for organizations that do not have a unified project management approach.