Project Success: A Cultural Framework

Abstract

This paper presents results of a qualitative study of the adoption of Project Management (PM) practices in an Information Technology (IT) division of a large manufacturing company. Structured interviews were used to gather data from a cross section of IT divisional leaders in the company to test and confirm a project management system developed from a literature review of project success factors that have contributed to projects' being on time, on budget, and of high quality. Data analysis using organization development (OD) grounded theory (Strauss and Corbin, 1990) identified common themes and cultural values that exist among the eight participants. Results of this study include the development of cultural framework to improve organization project performance (project success model) based on organization system design methods constructed from sociotechnical system theory (Taylor & Felton, 1993) and open system theory (Emery and Purser, 1996). In addition, the study confirmed the proposed open system design for the successful adoption of project management practices comprised of a project manager, project teams, performance measurement systems, and supporting management practices. An important conclusion from this research was that IT organizations that adopt the confirmed project success model must develop a project management culture based on shared cultural values of the organization's members that support adoption of project management. An implication of this study to the fields of organization development and project management is the confirmation of a project management system that IT organizations, OD practitioners, and project managers can employ to support the adoption of project management practices at both the organizational and project levels.