Development of a new competence and behaviour model for skills in working with people for project managers

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation , 2006 , 258 Pages

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

The growing penetration of projects as a way of organising work in many organisations has created a shortcoming between what companies expect in terms of project delivery and the way in which their project managers execute projects. The constantly changing demands have created a need for project managers to manage the people in their projects more effectively to meet these expectations. A review of the general and project management literature has revealed that a shortcoming exists and the nature of this shortcoming. What used to be appropriate skills in working with people are no longer adequate now that working practices are changing in response to increases in pressures to achieve better results. This thesis has developed a competence and behaviour model for skills in working with people for project managers that provides the means to fill the shortcoming.

The exploration to develop this model has taken place mainly through interviews with project managers from the community of practice in United Kingdom organisations, supplemented by the participatory research observations of the researcher as a practising project management professional. The research focus was on the impact humans make in the activities of project management, within a socially constructed world. The research considered competences and behaviours of skills in working with people for project managers and, therefore, had to deal with the meaning that people put on their observations. As a consequence, their descriptions have been collected, analysed and interpreted by applying a constructivist interpretivist approach within a phenomenological research paradigm. The results from this study are of interest to both academics and the community of practice in project management. The new competence and behaviour model of skills in working with people for project managers can be incorporated in future editions of bodies of knowledge such as those promoted by the PMI, APM or IPMA, and other people competence models in the area of general management.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.
• 1.1 Context of this Research
• 1.2 The Purpose of the Research and its Aims and Objectives
• 1.3 The Research Process
• 1.4 The Research Scope
• CHAPTER 2: FRAMEWORK FOR THESIS
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Definitions of Competence, Competency, Competencies, Attitudes and Behaviours
• 2.3 Does a Change in Attitude lead to a Change in Behaviour?
• 2.4 Overview of APM BOK (2000, 2006) Competence Model 1
• 2.5 Other Frameworks
• 2.6 Review of Links: APM (2000, 2006), IPMA (1999), PMI (2004) and Crawford (2000)
• CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEWS.
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 The Nature of a General and Project Management Literature Review
• 3.3 Management Books and Journals Pre-1990
• 3.4 Project Management Books and Journals Pre-1990
• 3.5 Other Related Research Contributions
• 3.6 Conclusions
• CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN.
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 The Research Paradigms of Positivism and Phenomenology
• 4.3 The Ontological and Epistemological Positions of the Researcher
• 4.4 Research Questions
• 4.5 Research Design
• 4.6 Research Methods
• 4.7 Conclusions
• CHAPTER 5: INTERVIEWS
• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 Critical Review of Data from Interviews
• 5.3 Conclusions from Interviews and Competence and Behaviour Model 3
• CHAPTER 6: FOCUS GROUP
• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 Critical Review of Data from Focus Group Meeting
• 6.3 Focus Group Conclusions and Triangulation of Data (Model 4)
• CHAPTER 7: CONFIRMATION OF COMPETENCE AND BEHAVIOUR MODEL 5
• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Results of Critical Review of Model 4 with Community of Practice
• 7.3 Conclusions from Critical Review Meeting (Model 5)

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis investigates the growing gap between the expectations of project delivery in organizations and the actual execution of projects by project managers. The research aims to address this gap by developing a competence and behavior model for skills in working with people specifically for project managers.

• The impact of human factors in project management activities within a socially constructed world.
• The evolution of project management practices and their influence on required skills.
• The development of a new competence and behavior model for skills in working with people for project managers.
• The application of a constructivist interpretivist approach within a phenomenological research paradigm.
• The potential for incorporating the new model into existing bodies of knowledge in project management and general management.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction - This chapter establishes the context for the research, outlining the increasing prominence of projects as a way of organizing work. It highlights the evolving demands placed upon project managers and the need for a more effective approach to managing people in projects. The research aims and objectives are presented, along with the research process and scope.
• Chapter 2: Framework for Thesis - This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the study. It delves into definitions of competence, competency, competencies, attitudes, and behaviors, examining the relationship between attitude and behavior change. The chapter analyzes the APM Body of Knowledge (BOK) competence model and explores other relevant frameworks. It concludes with a review of links between existing frameworks, including those from APM, IPMA, PMI, and Crawford.
• Chapter 3: Literature Reviews - This chapter undertakes a comprehensive review of the literature related to general and project management. It covers a range of publications, including management books and journals from before 1990, project management books and journals from before 1990, and other relevant research contributions. The chapter concludes with an overview of key findings and identifies areas for further exploration.
• Chapter 4: Methodology and Research Design - This chapter focuses on the research methodology and design employed in the study. It discusses the research paradigms of positivism and phenomenology, outlining the ontological and epistemological positions adopted by the researcher. The chapter further details the research questions, design, methods, and concludes with a summary of key methodological decisions.
• Chapter 5: Interviews - This chapter presents the findings from interviews conducted with project managers. It critically reviews the collected data and analyzes its implications for the development of the competence and behavior model.
• Chapter 6: Focus Group - This chapter explores the results of a focus group meeting with project managers. It provides a critical review of the data gathered and examines its contribution to the development of the competence and behavior model. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the triangulation of data from various sources.
• Chapter 7: Confirmation of Competence and Behaviour Model 5 - This chapter presents the results of a critical review of the model developed in previous chapters with a community of practice. It analyzes the feedback received and the adjustments made to the model.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The core focus of this thesis lies in the area of project management, specifically concerning the development of competence and behavior models for skills in working with people. The research explores the interplay between human factors, social construction, and project management practices. Key concepts include competence, competency, behavior, attitude, and the application of a constructivist interpretivist approach within a phenomenological research paradigm. The study draws upon frameworks from organizations like APM, IPMA, and PMI, and examines the potential for integrating the developed model into existing bodies of knowledge.

• College: The Open University (Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom)
• Author: Dr Eddie Fisher (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 258
• Catalog Number: V86849
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638059183
• ISBN (Book): 9783638949880
• Language: English
• Tags: Development