Recognizing Project Management as an Abstract Science

20 Pages Posted: 4 Jun 2015

See all articles by Jeffrey Ray

Jeffrey Ray

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); Swiss Management Center (SMC) University

Date Written: May 12, 2012

Abstract

Researchers indicate a shift in scholarly focus from a systems perspective, to one of leadership and organizational behavior. To address increasing project failure rates, leadership theories are being implemented to improve project performance by improving organizational cultures. The practice of Project Management, however, does not offer a framework for developing theories to improve project success rates, and then tracking them to prove their validity. This paper suggests that project management is really an abstract science and practitioners should act like scientists and develop project success theories. It concludes by assessing central research paradigms tailored for project management.

Keywords: Project Management, success, theories, leadership, abstract science

JEL Classification: B40

Suggested Citation

Ray, Jeffrey, Recognizing Project Management as an Abstract Science (May 12, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2100369 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2100369

Jeffrey Ray (Contact Author)

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.umbc.edu/se/

Swiss Management Center (SMC) University ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.swissmc.ch

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