Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti
Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti
Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti
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Theoretical background<br />
(Grabher, 2004; Miles, 1964; Turner & Müller, 2003). As Goodman <strong>and</strong><br />
Goodman (1976: 496) articulate, temporary organizations are "<strong>for</strong>med with<br />
a sense of making a difference”.<br />
In comparison with the traditional, task-oriented project management<br />
approach, the temporary organization perspective emphasizes the<br />
organizational <strong>and</strong> behavioral rather than the technical aspects of projects<br />
(Andersen, 2006; 2008; Lundin & Söderholm, 1995; Vaagaasar &<br />
Andersen, 2007). The perspective views projects as “organizations in<br />
organizations” (Andersen, Dysvik, & Vaagaasar, 2009; Shenhar & Dvir,<br />
1996), examining the project’s interaction with the wider organizational<br />
context. The temporary organization perspective acknowledges that there<br />
may be many ways to achieve the goals, <strong>and</strong> that project participants are in<br />
an active role in making sense of the task at h<strong>and</strong> in complex social<br />
interaction (Packendorff, 1995). Table 1 summarizes the main differences<br />
between the traditional task-oriented perspective <strong>and</strong> the temporary<br />
organization perspective to project management.<br />
Table 1 Comparison of task-oriented <strong>and</strong> temporary organization perspectives on project<br />
management<br />
(modified from Packendorff (1995) <strong>and</strong> Andersen (2008))<br />
Underlying<br />
project metaphor<br />
Aim of the<br />
project<br />
Role of project<br />
management<br />
Task or vehicle-oriented<br />
perspective<br />
Project as a vehicle or a tool<br />
Accomplishment of the<br />
externally given project task<br />
within budget <strong>and</strong> schedule <strong>and</strong><br />
according to the predetermined<br />
specifications<br />
Planning, monitoring <strong>and</strong><br />
controlling the project according<br />
to the predetermined<br />
specifications<br />
Scope of attention Project-centric; ideally projects<br />
as detached from their<br />
environment<br />
Aim of research<br />
on projects<br />
Prescriptive, normative theory,<br />
grounded in ideal models of<br />
planning <strong>and</strong> control<br />
Temporary organization<br />
perspective<br />
Project as a temporary<br />
organization<br />
Delivery of change <strong>for</strong> the<br />
permanent organization(s)<br />
through organized, collective<br />
action<br />
Managing the complex<br />
interactions within a project, <strong>and</strong><br />
managing the project’s relations<br />
with its environment<br />
Projects as embedded in the<br />
surrounding context<br />
Descriptive theory, grounded in<br />
empirical studies on human<br />
interaction in projects<br />
In this study, the temporary organization perspective to projects <strong>and</strong><br />
programs is adopted. Various factors support this choice. Firstly, the<br />
perspective has been described as particularly suitable <strong>for</strong> examining<br />
projects <strong>and</strong> programs that aim at organizational change (Andersen, 2006,<br />
2008; Vaagaasar & Andersen, 2007). Secondly, the temporary organization<br />
perspective directs attention to the emergence of an organization (Dobers &<br />
Söderholm, 2009; Gareis, 2000). This dissertation specifically targets the<br />
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