Stephen A. Leybourne

The Changing Bias of Project Management Research: A Consideration of the Literatures and an Application of Extant Theory

This paper addresses two important current trends in project management research: the first relating to the changing emphasis of project-based research output, and the second relating to the development of a theory of project management. The first aspect is driven by evidence of a move from process-based research toward the interactions between people and projects. The second involves the alignment of certain aspects of the management of projects with more established theoretical domains. This paper applies a theoretical lens to some elements of the management of project-based work, in order to embed it within more robust theoretical imperatives.

Improvisation and agile project management: a comparative consideration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine two aspects of the increasing body of research in the field of project management, namely improvisational working and agile project management (APM).Design/methodology/approach – This is a comparative paper, considering the extant literature on improvisational working within projects and APM. The paper is essentially conceptual, and concludes with a comparative table of constructs, and their segregation into components and outputs. The growth in the recognition of improvisation as a useful addition to the armoury of the project manager stems from the shift that is taking place within the body of project knowledge generally, in that historically the greater proportion of the project management literature has been the epitome of planning in the prescriptive mode, but that a shift has taken place over the last decade or so towards a more behavioural, and as a result of this, a less structured and more improvisational focus. The second area of scrutiny within ...

Managing Change by Abandoning Planning and Embracing Improvisation

The management of change projects is accommodating a rise in improvisational working practices. A number of lessons are offered that assist in the stimulation of effective improvisational practices when implanting strategic change within organisations. Specific problems surround the tensions created when simultaneously controlling project team members whilst allowing them organisational space and the opportunity to work improvisationally. Reasons for the rise in improvisational working are also highlighted, together with the ways that a sample of organisations deals with the outcomes. A matrix is offered, which segregates case study organisations according to their cultural homogeneity and success in developing employee trust and motivation.

Managing improvisation within change management: Lessons from UK financial services

Organisational improvisation is increasingly seen as a useful management skill, particularly in dynamic or turbulent business sectors, and there is growing evidence of its benefit in the management and implementation of change. The data here are collected within one such situation; the project management of change in the UK financial services sector. An interesting finding is the extent of improvisation taking place, notwithstanding the basic project management paradigm of ‘plan, then execute’. Compelling evidence also emerges that those organisations providing the temporal space and organisational culture to support improvisation within a given framework are more successful at implanting organisational change.

Improvisation within management: oxymoron, paradox, or legitimate way of achieving?

This paper considers the evolving literature on Organisational Improvisation, considering a number of different perspectives relating to its use and acceptance within a typology of modern management styles. Cunha et al.s (1999) work is identified as a starting point, and particular attention is given to the gradual integration of improvisational working styles into the lexicon of management theory. The nature of improvisation, and its contradictory stance when considered against the understood notions of managerial control, is examined. Attention is then directed at the use and acceptance of improvisational working practices in the domain of that contemporary flexible organisation. The evidence presented here supports the oxymoronic and paradoxical nature of organisational improvisation, and offers the view that it is a valid and useful addition to the lexicon of management skills in the turbulent and fast-changing environment that persists in the first decade of the 21st century.

Advancing Project Management: Authenticating the Shift From Process to “Nuanced” Project‐Based Management in the Ambidextrous Organization

In this article, we recognize the ambidextrous nature of organizations, and use this concept to analyze the changing nature of the understood project management paradigm. Specifically, the ambidextrous nature of the modern organization explores and leverages both exploitation of existing processes, frameworks, and structures, and the exploration of new ways of achieving tasks and activities, embracing improvisational and nonroutine activity, as well as the more rigid and documented process-based activity embedded in organizational procedures. Initially, we examine the emergence of new and novel developments within both the processual and the behavioral domains within project-based management. A discussion follows that focuses on the relevance and importance of those developments from both areas and the likelihood of their influencing or contributing to a new and improved project management paradigm. Management by projects is an interesting developing field, and one that is growing in influence. The analysis we undertake points toward the emergence of a new project management paradigm, which reflects a distinct shift from the understood project management life cycle, toward a model where planning and execution merge into a more “organic” archetype, requiring skills and techniques that are advancing the required skill set of the competent project manager.

A Study of Postinvestment Monitoring Practices in Life Science Venture Capital Firms

Life science and biomedical technology start ups are a major focus for the establishment of innovation and knowledge-based economies. This article describes themes and practices in the monitoring of private company investments by life science-oriented venture capital firms and the possible relevance to this of project management concepts and techniques. A qualitative approach was adopted, using semistructured interviews with a small number of life science-oriented venture capital firms in the northeastern United States “biotech” corridor. The results are summarized as alternative “rational-explicit” and “complex behavioral” models of monitoring that are described and also compared to process groups found in project management literature.

Rethinking project reliability using the ambidexterity and mindfulness perspectives

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to bring together two seemingly disparate bodies of literature – ambidexterity (the ability both to exploit and explore) and mindfulness – to take a fresh perspective on the management of uncertainty. The authors differentiate between “rule-based” and “mindfulness-based” reliability and explore project risk responses in environments characterised by varying degrees of uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach Five case organisations across a range of industries are used to illustrate how uncertainty may be prepared for and suitable responses activated. This also adds to the understanding of the nature of ambidexterity, which has previously been characterised primarily at the organisational level with relatively few studies looking at managerial actions and “switches” between modes. The data consist of initial survey responses to indicate the level of mindfulness under conditions of normality, followed by interviews studying particular incidents and the nature of the responses. Findings Key practices are identified that support high reliability in complex projects, with four managerial modes (“Traditional”, “Just-in-time”, “Infusion”, and “Entrepreneurial”) that emerged from the data. Practical implications The findings offer managers a practical framework to choose between different modes of reliable performance by considering the uncertainty of the environment and whether the primary driver of the work is efficiency or effectiveness. This allows managers to reflect on their own organisations and practices and identify whether their current approach is suitable. Originality/value This work offers new insight into risk responses in complex environments and shows how the mindfulness and ambidexterity literatures may be used as beneficial lenses to increase understanding. Blending these two schools also offers opportunities for future research.

Rockin' All Over The World: organisational improvisation lessons from the music-based practitioner

This paper explores the relationships and interactions between organisational improvisational activity and differing modes of improvisational expertise utilised by musicians from a range of musical genres. The evolving literature on organisational improvisation has been considered, together with parallel or reinforcing lessons drawn from the orchestral, jazz, and rock musical genres. It is evident that when we consider leadership and management, that more flexible and less rigid structures are being considered in a world of networked organisational structures. Successful managers and leaders draw on improvisational decisions and interventions that are grounded in experience and prior knowledge. Indeed, a degree of creative or constructive deviance is shown to be useful in achieving in the progressive modern organisation. Improvisational organisations have to be specially competent in the management of the unknown and unknowable rather than becoming blocked by such circumstances, and this paper draws out a number of lessons from a range of musical and organisational sources can assist the management practitioner.

Advancing project management: authenticating the shift from process to ‘nuanced’ project-based management in the ambidextrous organization

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