Search

The increasing complexity of modern aircraft maintenance and strict safety regulations of the sector underscore an emerging trend of implementing project management practices in maintenance, repair, and operations facilities (Junqueira, 2020; Freitas, 2020). This case study examines a German aircraft maintenance facility employing hybrid project management methodologies. It reveals how the lack of communication between parallel-running projects, combined with inadequate sustained risk management, results in unoptimized resource allocation, unforeseen disruptions, and considerable delays, thereby hindering project success. This research employs a case study approach, utilizing qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews and a six-week observation period. Analyzed through thematic coding and compared against an established theoretical project management framework, the findings underscore the significant impact of insufficient inter-project communication and risk management. The study highlights the necessity for a project management office (PMO) to harmonize parallel project executions, enhance inter-project communication, and ensure continuous risk management. Providing unique insights into the operations of a German maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility, this research offers practical guidance for similar environments, contributing to the otherwise limited literature on project management in aircraft maintenance facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why are certain organization design arrangements enacted in a project-based organization? Building on extant literature, this article addresses this fundamental question by explicating three distinct explanations of the raison d’etre of salient organization design arrangements: Functional, Legitimacy, and Agency. Conceiving these explanations as coexisting, interacting logics of organizing, the article argues to draw upon the powerful concept of logic multiplicity to pave the way for integrating diverse theoretical perspectives. Thus, the article contributes to the organization design stream of research in project studies by developing a typology of organization design logics and proposing a way forward for pursuing pluralistic theorizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective project management is crucial for organizations to achieve strategic objectives and maintain competitiveness in today's market. The project management office (PMO) has emerged as a key enabler in enhancing project management effectiveness through centralized oversight, support, and standardization. However, evaluating the effectiveness of PMOs and identifying areas for improvement remain challenging. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of project management effectiveness and the role of PMOs in achieving organizational success by establishing a maturity rating system. The research objectives include identifying critical success factors relevant to sustainable PMO effectiveness, reviewing existing literature on project management maturity models, analyzing data through literature review and questionnaires, developing a rating system based on identified success factors, and contributing to the existing literature on PMOs. The literature review and thematic analysis identified five critical themes—organizational culture, governance, competence, project controls, and engagement—each with corresponding success factors. Questionnaires were used to assess the maturity levels and relative importance of these factors, where the AHP analysis determined the weighted importance of each success factor and category. The results highlight the critical success factors for PMOs: collaboration, effective leadership, alignment with organizational goals, knowledge management, project planning, risk management, stakeholder satisfaction, and communication. By establishing a standardized and objective approach to evaluating sustainable PMO effectiveness, organizations can enhance their sustainable project management practices, improve project success rates, and address the challenges associated with evaluating PMO performance. Ultimately, adopting a systems approach enables PMOs to align strategies with organizational goals and foster a culture of continuous improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Business & Projects / Revista de Gestão e Projetos is the property of Revista de Gestao e Projetos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In today's dynamic environment, information technology (IT) stands as the cornerstone for organizational success and competitive advantage, with project management playing a crucial role in efficiently deploying IT resources. Recognized across diverse sectors like telecommunications, aerospace, and construction, Project Management Offices (PMOs) facilitate task organization and supervision, whether it is for IT product development, service improvement, system design, or implementing organizational changes. Despite extensive research on the positive impact of PMOs on organizational performance, a significant research gap exists due to the absence of a direct comparison between the influence of PMOs on IT and non-IT industries, indicating the necessity for further investigation in this domain. This study delves into the contribution of PMOs to organizational performance using the Competing Values Framework and evaluates five models and 17 performance metrics within the IT industry and across sectors. When comparing PMO performance, non-IT sectors precede interpersonal relationships, competency-based training, and workplace environment, whereas IT sectors emphasize the knowledge of PMO resource teams, efficient training, technology utilization, and collaboration for project success. Additionally, IT industries underline the role of technology in averting project management failures and prioritizing the punctual delivery of client requirements. These differences highlight the variations in PMO priorities between these industries, underscoring the significance of PMOs in enhancing organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present global environment, projects in the business and industries are becoming complex and highly competitive which requires organizational restructuring and improvising business models. Implementation of the Project Management Office (PMO) has appeared as a strategic response to critical business challenges. The project management office (PMO) is a centralized management structure that standardizes project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, tools, methodologies, and techniques. However, this fast-growing concept of PMO in the world of project management has its own challenges and several factors need to be considered while implementing a successful PMO. This case study explores the challenges of implementing PMO in the Health care construction project. A qualitative research methodology is adopted through semi-structured interviews with four PMO Managers who were part of the transition from External PMO to In-house PMO and played a pivotal role in its implementation. The case study highlights the challenges of implementing In-house PMO such as opposition from key stakeholders, Inadequate planning in a transition from external to in-house PMO, lack of PMO expertise within the organization, Communication gap among team members, non-cooperative behavior from external PMO members and conflicting priorities. In a nutshell, the primary reason for the devastating consequences was the improper planning of change management in a transition phase. It was further suggested that the change should be gradual, iterative, and incremental. The analysis of this study will be helpful for organizations aiming to develop a PMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigating the complexities of integrating Agile methodologies within traditional Project Management Offices (PMOs) presents a significant challenge, often marked by misalignments. This issue is particularly pronounced across various industrial sectors, where the relentless pace of technological advancement exacerbates the struggle for seamless integration. The primary objective is to bridge the existing gap and illuminate the effectiveness of traditional PMOs in the context of Agile project management. Using a mixed-method approach, this research aims to unravel the multifaceted nature of Agile Project Management Offices (APMOs). Through comprehensive literature reviews, the study seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges encountered and the opportunities available for traditional PMOs transitioning to Agile methodologies. At the heart of this research is the development of a tailored Three-Phases Model designed to facilitate the transformation of traditional PMOs into Agile PMOs. This model offers practical insights and strategies, aiming to enhance the capability of traditional PMOs to manage Agile projects effectively. Ultimately, this research strives to contribute to the enhancement of project management practices and promote organizational agility by addressing the specific challenges of integrating Agile methodologies within traditional PMOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crucial role of a Project Management Office (PMO) in the construction engineering field is essential for ensuring project success. This research paper examines the conceptualization of PMOs for engineering and construction enterprises, underscoring the necessity for specialized structures to oversee projects in a coordinated and centralized manner. The study explores various PMO models and functions proposed by different authors, addressing the challenge of determining specific functions for implementation in a given context. It aims to propose a set of functions for a supportive PMO in an engineering and construction company, including the development and implementation of a PM methodology, provision of tools for project management support, and enhancement of PM competencies. Furthermore, the paper discusses the different types and roles of PMOs, emphasizing their evolutionary nature and operation at multiple organizational levels based on maturity. It emphasizes the substantial impact a PMO can have on an organization and the critical need for broad support for its operations across the organization, not limited to management levels. In addition, the study offers a comprehensive guide to PMOs, defining the project management office and its various types, encompassing project, program, and portfolio management offices. It delineates the roles and responsibilities of a PMO, stressing the importance of standardizing and enforcing project management standards across an organization. Overall, the research aims to illuminate the value that PMOs bring to an organization, particularly in the context of engineering and construction enterprises, and to provide insights into the significance of a value-centric PMO, its primary roles and responsibilities, and its contribution to successful project outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project Management Office Center of Excellence (PMOCoE) is one of the widely used strategies to promote project management as a core competency all over the organization. PMOCoE involves establishing a multidisciplinary team that unites various stakeholder representatives to facilitate the integration of project management disciplines into organizational practices, activities, and processes. For PMOCoE to drive the desired outcomes, it must promote organizational learning to become a "learning organization". This paper presents the fundamentals of PMOCoE, including general requirements, expected outcomes, and the pathways to improved organizational performance. In this research paper, the data was collected through conducting interviews with projectized entities based in UAE like Dubai Police and the Road and the Transportation Authority in Dubai City. This qualitative data helps to reach the best understanding of the literature review and analysis of some local cases in the UAE. The cases investigated show that the PMOCoE has been used successfully in the UAE. RTA and Dubai police are some of the organizations that have used this concept to improve their overall performance and achieve business growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's dynamic environment, information technology (IT) stands as the cornerstone for organizational success and competitive advantage, with project management playing a crucial role in efficiently deploying IT resources. Recognized across diverse sectors like telecommunications, aerospace, and construction, Project Management Offices (PMOs) facilitate task organization and supervision, whether it is for IT product development, service improvement, system design, or implementing organizational changes. Despite extensive research on the positive impact of PMOs on organizational performance, a significant research gap exists due to the absence of a direct comparison between the influence of PMOs on IT and non-IT industries, indicating the necessity for further investigation in this domain. This study delves into the contribution of PMOs to organizational performance using the Competing Values Framework and evaluates five models and 17 performance metrics within the IT industry and across sectors. When comparing PMO performance, non-IT sectors precede interpersonal relationships, competency-based training, and workplace environment, whereas IT sectors emphasize the knowledge of PMO resource teams, efficient training, technology utilization, and collaboration for project success. Additionally, IT industries underline the role of technology in averting project management failures and prioritizing the punctual delivery of client requirements. These differences highlight the variations in PMO priorities between these industries, underscoring the significance of PMOs in enhancing organizational performance.

The modern project management environment is becoming more and more volatile under the influence of exogenous and endogenous factors. The key factor in this context is motivation, which has the potential to increase its application in project management. The aim of the article is to analyze the motivation strategies that can be implemented by the project management office to increase the success of projects. The importance of motivation in the context of project management is considered, with an emphasis on how motivational strategies can affect the productivity and effectiveness of teams. The importance of the project management office in the development of team motivation to achieve success in project management in conditions of increased volatility of the business environment is emphasized. According to McKinsey, 37% of situations leading to the failure of a project are due to changes in its goals, which directly or indirectly affects motivation. Various methods of motivation used by the project management office, including intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and their impact on the behavior of employees are considered. Attention is paid to the psychological aspects of motivation, the role of cultural and individual differences. Particular attention is paid to the use of metrics for quantitative project management, which provides a more structured and objective approach to evaluating and improving various aspects of the project, including motivation. An analysis of the importance of creating a favorable environment for motivation and the use of a strategic approach to the implementation of motivational strategies is carried out. The proposed research can be useful for professional analysts and researchers, companies, non-profit organizations and authorities who seek to strengthen the motivation component of the project management office. Prospects for further research include the development of a KPI system taking into account the main organizational goals and, on the basis of their construction, a motivation system by the project management office.

The article studies peculiarities of project activity organization in educational organizations of higher education. The relevance of the study is determined by higher education organizations’ interest in introducing and developing project activity and using concepts related to it. The concept of project is used by higher education organizations not in its direct meaning, but to reflect students’ practical activity. The article describes peculiarities of university-based project office functioning and their tasks. Justifications for involving third-party organizations such as outsourcing to implement functions of the upper management level of project management office have been given. The authors resort to scientific literature and other official sources that confirm correctness and validity of their arguments.

Effective project management is crucial for organizations to achieve strategic objectives and maintain competitiveness in today’s market. The project management office (PMO) has emerged as a key enabler in enhancing project management effectiveness through centralized oversight, support, and standardization. However, evaluating the effectiveness of PMOs and identifying areas for improvement remain challenging. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of project management effectiveness and the role of PMOs in achieving organizational success by establishing a maturity rating system. The research objectives include identifying critical success factors relevant to sustainable PMO effectiveness, reviewing existing literature on project management maturity models, analyzing data through literature review and questionnaires, developing a rating system based on identified success factors, and contributing to the existing literature on PMOs. The literature review and thematic analysis identified five critical themes—organizational culture, governance, competence, project controls, and engagement—each with corresponding success factors. Questionnaires were used to assess the maturity levels and relative importance of these factors, where the AHP analysis determined the weighted importance of each success factor and category. The results highlight the critical success factors for PMOs: collaboration, effective leadership, alignment with organizational goals, knowledge management, project planning, risk management, stakeholder satisfaction, and communication. By establishing a standardized and objective approach to evaluating sustainable PMO effectiveness, organizations can enhance their sustainable project management practices, improve project success rates, and address the challenges associated with evaluating PMO performance. Ultimately, adopting a systems approach enables PMOs to align strategies with organizational goals and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Copyright of Journal of Business & Projects / Revista de Gestão e Projetos is the property of Revista de Gestao e Projetos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studies & Work of the Collegium of Management & Finance / Studia i Prace Kolegium Zarzadzania i Finansów is the property of SGH Warsaw School of Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Software project teams (SPTs) are critical stakeholders. Their contribution in successful delivery of software projects is unquestionable. However, the empirical evidence of their importance seems to exist on paper only, as software project managers (SPMs) and scholars in the project management field ignore their individual needs, and as a result, SPTs remain the most neglected stakeholder group in the software industry. In endeavoring to address the neglect of SPTs by SPMs, the authors of this study developed a model aimed at assisting SPMs to pay due consideration to the needs of this important stakeholder group. At the heart of the model’s functionality is the Project Management Office (PMO), which intends to enforce and standardize the gathering and addressing of software project team needs and interests by SPMs. The aim of the research study is to investigate how the functions of the PMO can be applied to operationalize the enforcement and standardization of the overall function of the model. Since the study is practical-oriented, the pragmatic interpretive approach was considered a suitable methodology. Through the interpretative methodology, several appropriate functions of the PMO, such as «Project management methodology, standards, and tooling», «Monitoring and controlling project performance», «Human resource management» and «Development of project management competencies» as established from project management literature were utilized to achieve the study’s purpose. Even though the interpretation process was guided by literature, the inference was also influenced, to a certain extent, by the researcher opinion as «interested observer». Therefore, the approach presents a limitation to the study. Future studies should include the validation of the feasibility of the study’s claim in a real-world project setup.

Software project teams (SPTs) are critical stakeholders. Their contribution in successful delivery of software projects is unquestionable. However, the empirical evidence of their importance seems to exist on paper only, as software project managers (SPMs) and scholars in the project management field ignore their individual needs, and as a result, SPTs remain the most neglected stakeholder group in the software industry. In endeavoring to address the neglect of SPTs by SPMs, the authors of this study developed a model aimed at assisting SPMs to pay due consideration to the needs of this important stakeholder group. At the heart of the model's functionality is the Project Management Office (PMO), which intends to enforce and standardize the gathering and addressing of software project team needs and interests by SPMs. The aim of the research study is to investigate how the functions of the PMO can be applied to operationalize the enforcement and standardization of the overall function of the model. Since the study is practical-oriented, the pragmatic interpretive approach was considered a suitable methodology. Through the interpretative methodology, several appropriate functions of the PMO, such as «Project management methodology, standards, and tooling», «Monitoring and controlling project performance», «Human resource management» and «Development of project management competencies» as established from project management literature were utilized to achieve the study's purpose. Even though the interpretation process was guided by literature, the inference was also influenced, to a certain extent, by the researcher opinion as «interested observer». Therefore, the approach presents a limitation to the study. Future studies should include the validation of the feasibility of the study's claim in a real-world project setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research puts the spotlight on the implementation of project management standards, project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) 10 knowledge areas, in Iranian construction project-based organizations considering the significant role of the project management offices (PMOs) and to the extent to which that leads to project success. The objectives of this research are; to examine the influence of project management standards on project success, and to investigate the impact of PMO as a mediator between project management standards and project success in construction project-based organizations in Iran. Having the knowledge and research gap unfolded, a conceptual framework proposed to bridge the gap and three hypotheses were developed based on the study objectives. A survey, targeting Iranian project managers and construction practitioners working in grade 1 construction companies, was conducted and multivariate analysis techniques were adopted to analyze the data. After the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the SEM analysis was used to test the hypothesized relationships. In general, the developed conceptual framework was confirmed, and the analysis enhanced the understanding of the current status of project management standard implementation and construction industry practitioners' perception of the factors contributing to project success.

Managing stakeholders is relevant for project management, as they affect project results. Likewise, the support of a Project Management Office (PMO) improves these results. This study analyzes the positive influence of stakeholder management on project results, specifically on the likelihood of concluding projects within the predicted time and cost, together with the moderating effect of PMOs. A conceptual model was validated through logistic regression, with data collected through a survey responded by 216 experienced professionals studying in graduate programs on project management. Findings indicate stakeholder management improves project results in terms of time and cost and confirm PMO enhances the influence of stakeholder management on these results. As its contribution, the study reinforces stakeholder management and PMO as key elements for successful project management. Sampling was sufficient for research replicability but restricted to professionals of project management living in Peru. Thus, future studies could target a broader population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Business Law Journal / Administração de Empresas em Revista is the property of Administracao de Empresas em Revista and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Project, program, portfolio, and project management offices (PMO) management standards, guides, and methodologies are indispensable for professionals and companies as they reflect the best practices in the area. • However, the number and diversity of extant documents are significant and growing, making their identification, study, and selection difficult. • To help overcome this issue, we propose a framework that integrates and organizes a wide range of standards, guides, and methodologies for project, program, portfolio, and PMO management. • We carried out a literature review of the available documents published by several international entities, including the leading professional associations. • The proposed framework provides a structured perspective for researchers and practitioners on the standards, guides, and methodologies according to their purpose, scope, and detail. Project, program, portfolio, and Project Management Office (PMO) management standards, guides, and methodologies are indispensable for professionals and companies as they reflect the best practices in the area. However, the number and diversity of extant documents are significant and growing, making their identification, study, and selection difficult. To help overcome this issue, this article presents a framework that integrates and organizes a wide range of concepts, standards, guides, and methodologies for project, program, portfolio, and PMO management. We carried out a literature review of the available documents published by several international entities, including the leading professional associations. The documents were then compiled, analyzed, and organized comprehensively. Theoretically, the proposed framework provides a structured perspective on the standards, guides, and methodologies according to their purpose, scope, and detail. It is also a valuable tool for assisting practitioners in identifying references for managing their projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. Moreover, it provides teachers, students, and training entities with a basis for studying standards, guides, and methodologies and designing training courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the functioning of the Project Management Office (PMO) under the authority of the Administrative Secretary of the National Chamber of Representatives between 2016 and 2019. During this period, the Presidency of the Chamber saw its role strengthened in the strategic planning of the government program, in the coordination of management action, in the monitoring of the fulfillment of the government's priority goals, and in accountability to the citizenry. The text examines in-depth the experience of the Planning and Control Management Unit (UPCG), a project management office (PMO) created in 2017 that allowed maintaining the strategic coherence of the government program and focusing it on the achievement of results during the government period. It also identifies opportunities for improvement in the development of the functions exercised and provides lessons for other countries and legislative institutions interested in strengthening these capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project management office (PMO) is considered a growing concept that establishes and retains an organization's project management standards. In the last few decades, very much attention was given to stakeholder's satisfaction in all areas of production. In developing countries, such as UAE, construction projects suffer from the same obstacles as the satisfaction of stakeholders in projects of construction is neglected or not properly accomplished. Most of the organizations in the UAE are still implementing the traditional practices although the majority the public sectors employ this strategy in the management of projects. Hence, developing a conceptual framework for the role of (PMO) toward property's stakeholder's satisfaction in UAE's property development forms the main objective of this paper, hoping to identify areas that require more focus or would have greater contributions to achieving satisfaction from construction projects. This work is completely devoted to enhancing t infrastructural development projects in developing countries, utilizing residential property in construction in Abu Dhabi, UAE as a case study. The results of this study would be beneficial for construction contractors to Government establishments beside organisations intending to guarantee the integration the of needs of customers into their processes of production. Furthermore, this research aims to define the specific quality characteristics that have effects on stakeholder's satisfaction in operating residential property in construction in what is known as the developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of project quality and project management on the satisfaction of stakeholders in the construction sector in the UAE. Using the Partial least square structural equation modelling approach to evaluate the data collected from 278 respondents, the results suggest that the quality of the project has a substantial impact on the satisfaction of stakeholders. In addition, both the quality of the project and the project management office are associated with the satisfaction of the stakeholders. The findings of the research contribute to the theoretical literature in the project management office of the construction industry and provide recommendations with managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organization's performance in a project is determined by its ability to implement project management knowledge and practices. This ability reflects the organization's level of project management maturity (PMM). PMM is premised on the belief that the higher the PMM level, the higher the ability to successfully deliver a project. With this in mind, the current paper aims to determine the type of organizational aspects and practices that could influence the success of PMM implementation in organizations. For this purpose, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed on 23 articles published between 2011 and 2021 that studied PMM. The findings showed that most articles stressed organizational culture and integration with strategic organizational initiatives. Among all the studied industries, the information technology industry stood out. Content analysis was used for analyzing data, which were thematized using ATLAS.ti. Ten sub-themes emerged, with six sub-themes under organizational aspects and four sub-themes under organizational practices. These sub-themes, which were intertwined with the implementation and growth of PMM in organizations, positively impact project delivery performance. Based on this, several future research opportunities were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project Management Office (PMO) design and use have been mainly based on praxis; nowadays, there is a demand for more scientific support. Additionally, the scientific work on the subject has been focused on business scenarios. This article develops a conceptual model of the main functions of the PMO in educational scenarios and a validated instrument at the content level that makes them measurable. The methodology consists of four stages (identify, describe, deepen, disseminate), which incorporate the general protocol of a systematic review, the critical incident method, inter-judge agreement, and content validation with experts. The initial sample obtained by the search algorithm, implemented in Scopus and Web of Science, consisted of 26 papers in educational contexts. Of these, fourteen passed the inclusion/exclusion criteria. These papers were analyzed, described, and characterized, which allowed the compilation of 167 critical incidents (specific functions of PMOs in educational settings), which were the input for the deployment of the consensus among judges. This article discovers and describes seven dimensions that synthesize the main functions of PMO in educational settings and 47 items that reflect their empirical manifestations and meet properties of clarity and relevance. The model and the instrument clarify what PMO functions are, what they represent and how they can be measured in educational settings. They are valuable for teaching, auditing, planning, intervention/control, and research on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to analyse the relationship between the establishment of a Project Management Office (PMO) and strategic alignment within a public organization. This study presents the experience of implementing the PMO in the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Green and Digital Economy (M.I.C.E.V.N). With a view to strategic development, modernization of operational processes and efficiency of its management, the (M.I.C.E.V.N) has set up a PMO to accompany it in the alignment and implementation of these strategic projects. Through this experience we analyse and discuss the constraints and difficulties associated with the implementation of the PMO. Our results present how the PMO can facilitate the strategic alignment, raising constraints related to human capital, setting deadlines, driving change and allocating budgets.

Project management offices (PMOs) are frequently referred to as necessary, or even indispensable, for carrying out projects in multi-project settings, which often occur in public authorities’ Information Technology (IT) projects; particularly in times of today’s sweeping digitalization. Hence, this research studied Swedish public authorities and their IT departments’ use of PMOs; a survey was directed to IT project managers. Findings showed that even though PMOs are commonly described as significant, those that applied PMOs were fewer than those that did not. This research searched for correlations between the existence of PMOs and 88 variables that resulted in relatively few, mostly weak correlations. A hypothesis test did not show significant association between PMOs’ usage and project models’ usage. The research contributions are principally that PMOs do not appear to be that significant after all for Swedish public authorities, and to have reasonable expectations on PMOs. For practice, the implications foremost concern the importance of understanding conceivable pros and cons.

Despite their critical role in project success, software project teams (SPTs) remain the most neglected key stakeholder group by software project managers (SPMs) and researchers in the project management field. The needs and interests of SPTs have not received due attention from SPMs. As an attempt to address the neglect of SPTs by SPMs, the authors of this study developed a model aimed at assisting SPMs to pay necessary attention to the needs of their project teams. Key to the function of the model is the project management office (PMO), which is aimed at enforcing and standardising the collection and addressing of SPT members' views and concerns. The PMO as a custodian of project management practices in an organisation, is responsible for standardising and enforcing project management practices across the enterprise. The purpose of this research study is to explore how the functions of the PMO can be used to operationalise the enforcement, institutionalisation and standardisation of the overall function of the model. Given the practical orientation of this study, pragmatic and interpretive research paradigms were deemed appropriate for application. Using interpretation, various suitable PMO functions as determined from project management literature were used to meet this study's objective. Future studies should include the validation of the practicality of this paper's assertion in a real-life project environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates decision-making processes used by South Australian Project Management Offices to select and engage professional consulting services. A range of published literature was examined to determine the extent to which decision-making processes and inputs have been documented to date; the review found that while the literature discusses a variety of client-consultant interactions, it is typically viewed from a post-selection context, and provides a little evidence-based examination of the decision-making factors that precede such engagements. Research into this topic was conducted by interviewing eight project management professionals from different industry backgrounds and employment arrangements. The factors and relationships described were used to develop and promulgate a decision-making framework. Client organisations are anticipated to find this framework useful when establishing the most appropriate resourcing arrangements of their projects, or in making more generalised decisions around their use of consultant services. Consultants are also anticipated to find value from this framework as it will provide a useful reference-point of client engagement motivators and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article aims to investigate how project governance, project portfolio management and best practices are related in a company in the Brazilian electricity sector, considering the gaps identified in the management of its projects and the results of them. Methodology/Approach: In order to subsidize this study, in theoretical terms, the study is supported by a systematic survey of the literature and, in empirical terms, it conducts an investigation with 18 key employees of the organization through the application of a questionnaire, with a view to confronting the perception of respondents with the relevant concepts found in the literature. Findings: In the empirical research, on the other hand, made it possible to investigate the perception of respondents from different groups in relation to the organization's adherence to the proposed themes. Research Limitation/implication: The studies were not carried out outside the environment of the selected company, nor are extrapolations made to other organizational realities, although it recognizes that this study can contribute to influencing companies in the same or different segment to deepen into the above theme. Originality/Value of paper: The proposed research is applicable in all organizations or sectors that are strategically project oriented.

A multi-centre clinical trial involves the implementation of the same clinical protocol at several independent investigational centres. Multi-centre clinical trials may be preferable to single-centre trials, but their implementation and management is more complex. EU-funded collaborative projects involve several participating organizations and countries and their consortia are typically multidisciplinary. Their coordination requires a joint effort from several actors, and an appropriate managerial structure and procedures need to be defined and established. The management of the Framework Programme 7 (FP7) PREVIEW project, whose core consisted of a clinical trial with 8 intervention centres/sites is presented as case study. PREVIEW was coordinated by the University of Copenhagen. The project management was implemented by a combination of decentralised project management, at the department level, jointly by the Project Coordinator (PC) and Project Manager (PM), and centralised, by a dedicated EU Liaison Officer from the Project Management Office (PMO). The Quality Manager role was undertaken by the PC, with support from selected consortium members. The Exploitation Manager role was assumed by the leader of the dissemination and exploitation work package. The Data Manager (DM) at the University of Copenhagen established and maintained a datahub for all data from the clinical trial. The General Assembly and Steering Committee were key decision bodies with regard to taking and implementing decisions. The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) was formed by reputed external experts providing guidance and advice. The project website was the main channel to reach the general public. A password protected private section was used as internal repository for the project. Regular meetings at all levels were key to ensure good communication and collaboration among the project team. Appropriate attention to data management was given from the start. The privacy of personal data was ensured in accordance with national and EU regulations. The PC was also the Sponsor of the multicentre clinical trial, and the PM served as the overall Clinical Trial Administrator. Each centre was led by a Principal Investigator (PI), running the trial together with the local daily responsible. The tasks and responsibilities for the clinical trial of the Coordinating Centre were shared between Copenhagen and Helsinki centres. The trial was overall led by the Clinical Trial Manager (CTM), who was the PI at the Helsinki centre. The local Independent Ethical Committees approved the protocol prior to the start of the intervention. One member of the SAB acted as Ethical Officer. The trial/study had an overall statistician. The Analyst role was shared among different people from the Copenhagen and Helsinki centres. The DM created and maintained database for the intervention and the Clinical Report Forms by using OpenClinica open source software. The staff in the intervention received training in Good Clinical Practices, the protocol and its procedures. The monitoring tasks were jointly undertaken by the Sponsor and the CTM. The documents from the Trial Master File were saved in the Internal Repository. A set of Standard Operation Procedures was defined. Meetings among all PIs, and within the Instructors' Network were key in the success of the intervention. This case study aims at serving as guidance to coordinating researchers, both during the proposal preparation and project implementation phases, as well as to provide visibility and insight into the multi-faceted role of the project managers and administrators of such projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of IT project management office within big companies with logistics organizations, describe situations before and after implementation, identify best practices for managers and indicate directions of further research. A case study method was used, with two companies selected and operating in central Poland. The procedure of data gathering included: participative observation, not structured interview and analysis of documents. The first company has implemented IT project management office as a tool necessary to improve existing ERP system and prepare organization for the future migration to the new, more advanced ERP software. Second company started the journey of defining and implementing IT project management office as a way to manage coexistence of two warehouse management software’s solutions. Two warehouse management software’s were to be compared in terms of flexibility and time of response to changes of dynamic retail environment. This paper studied just two companies and it is not intended to be representative of outcomes at all companies implementing IT project management office within the logistics organizations. Further studies are required for a more generalized picture of IT project management office implementations in companies localizes in Poland. This paper strengthens the link between practitioner and academic literature by providing empirical evidence of the presence of IT project management office within companies declaring necessity of development in logistics areas. In the paper best practices concerning management of changes and projects in IT are presented and no-tions that could be used for further research are indicated.

This article contributes to the understanding of project management offices (PMOs) from the current momentum towards large-scale agile frameworks (LSAFs) as the dominating approach to organizing development projects. LSAFs embrace many typical PMO responsibilities; however, this study highlights that PMOs receive new and tentatively critical responsibilities when moving from a stakeholder position (ISO 21500) to (re-)institutionalizing as a core element in the project governance of enterprises. Essential PMO roles can be topmanagement alignment and reporting, cross-project coordination, funding and staffing, controlling, and external management of "political" and organizational matters. The research limitations relate to the use of Denmark as the key setting and the targeting of mostly larger companies and larger projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]