Management styles in a project environment: evidence from software industry in Oman

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the management styles adopted by project managers in the software industry in Oman. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 208 project management professionals is drawn from the Omani software industry. Data analysis is based on factor analysis and analysis of variance techniques. Findings The results suggest that project managers in the Omani software industry mainly adopt three management styles: people oriented, task oriented and organization oriented. Furthermore, the management styles of project managers are affected by their experience and age, and the organizational structure. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature by examining management styles adopted by managers in a temporary organization environment from an under-researched context, Oman.