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 />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing of projects by studying what people actually do in projects<br />
through the observation of practice. The projects-as-practice school<br />
articulates criticism of the rational <strong>and</strong> instrumental task-oriented<br />
perspective <strong>and</strong> calls <strong>for</strong> more studies on the daily realities of project-based<br />
work. Due to its focus on action rather than on optimization tools <strong>and</strong><br />
critical success factors, the temporary organization perspective is well<br />
aligned with this call <strong>for</strong> research on the actual practice of projects.<br />
Completing the criticism of the task-oriented perspective, accounts of<br />
critical project studies (e.g. Cicmil, 2006; Cicmil & Hodgson, 2006;<br />
Hodgson & Cicmil, 2008) have appeared in recent years, encouraging<br />
research on the multifaceted realities of the work in temporary<br />
organizations.<br />
Table 2 presents a summary of the perspectives discussed above <strong>and</strong><br />
research areas that contribute to the underst<strong>and</strong>ing of projects <strong>and</strong><br />
programs as temporary organizations. The contribution of each perspective<br />
to the current study is also presented.<br />
Table 2 Perspectives that contribute to the underst<strong>and</strong>ing of projects <strong>and</strong> programs as<br />
temporary organizations<br />
Temporary<br />
(management)<br />
systems<br />
Projects as<br />
temporary<br />
organizations<br />
Examples of studies<br />
Goodman & Goodman, 1976;<br />
Miles, 1964;<br />
Ekstedt et al., 1999; Lundin &<br />
Söderholm, 1995; Modig; 2007;<br />
Packendorff, 1995; Turner &<br />
Müller, 2003<br />
Project networks Larson & Wikström, 2007;<br />
Manning, 2010; Sydow & Staber,<br />
2002<br />
Critical project<br />
research <strong>and</strong><br />
project-as-practice<br />
school<br />
Critical project research: Cicmil,<br />
2006; Cicmil & Hodgson, 2006;<br />
Hodgson & Cicmil, 2008<br />
Project-as-practice school: Besner<br />
& Hobbs, 2008; Blomquist et al.,<br />
2006; Hällgren & Wilson, 2008;<br />
Contribution to the<br />
current study<br />
Provides the foundation <strong>for</strong><br />
characterizing temporary<br />
organizations<br />
Provides the theoretical basis<br />
<strong>for</strong> the study of change<br />
programs as temporary<br />
organizations<br />
Examines the embeddedness<br />
of multi-firm projects into the<br />
wider organizational contexts<br />
Present critique of the taskoriented<br />
perspective,<br />
appreciation of the actual<br />
practice <strong>and</strong> a call <strong>for</strong> more<br />
research on micro-level<br />
processes <strong>and</strong> relations<br />
The current study focuses on a specific type of temporary organizations;<br />
change programs. The temporary organization perspective naturally<br />
positions the research in an organization theory framework (Söderlund,<br />
2004b). The current study is in<strong>for</strong>med by research on organizational<br />
change, organizational boundaries <strong>and</strong> organizational integration. Be<strong>for</strong>e<br />
discussing these fields of research in more detail, the special characteristics<br />
of programs in contrast to projects are discussed in the next section.<br />
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