Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti

Conclusion
Finally, in line with recent studies in the field of project and program
management, the findings suggest that researchers of temporary
organizations need to pay attention to the context of projects and programs.
The study has described a number of contextual factors that potentially
have a central role in determining the success of an emerging change
program, related to the characteristics of the program, its parent
organization, and the individuals involved.
6.2 Managerial implications
For managers facing the challenge of implementing significant change in
the program form, the current study offers a number of lessons. First of all,
the study has several implications to program management practitioners.
The findings may benefit the growing number of organizations adopting
program management in the hope of providing structure for change efforts
that are necessary to achieve the defined strategic goals. In terms of guiding
the early program phase, traditional project management has not had that
much to offer. Project management tools such as Gantt charts and Work
Breakdown Structures may not be of much use for the managers in charge
of initiating large change programs. The present study has illustrated
various activities that are required for building a sustainable basis for
program implementation. Whereas practitioner-oriented project
management standards, tools, and literature have traditionally emphasized
the internal life of projects, the present study draws attention to managing
the boundaries of temporary organizations. The study suggests that when
establishing large organizational change programs, it is essential to manage
the program’s connections with its organizational context to ensure a
sufficient connection between the leaders and the recipients of change.
The results of the study equip managers with a more thorough
understanding of the dynamics related to initiating large-scale
organizational change. By digging into the concept of readiness for change
the study offers a list of factors that should be present when the
implementation of a large-scale change program begins. Most of the
commonly described success factors of organizational change are closely
related to the interaction at the program-parent organization boundary.
The described boundary activities portray the practical means that
managers of change programs may use in their pursuit of a solid base for
change program implementation.
Applying the norms and procedures of the parent organization may
provide legitimacy and sustainability for the change program. Yet, at times
the program may need to be consciously guarded from the environmental
influences. The program requires autonomy, independence and its own
212