This article highlights the characteristics of articles on project success published between 1986 and 2004 in the Project Management Journal (PMJ) and the International Journal of Project Management (IJPM). The analysis covers references, concepts like project management success, project success, success criteria, and success factors; features of the samples, data collection, and analysis techniques used; and professional disciplines. The results show that research on project success is characterized by diversity except in epistemological and methodological perspectives. The article suggests a shift to project, portfolio, and program success and concludes with a discussion on the traditional state of the research, criticizes its assumptions, and offers alternative metaphors and recommendations for future research.

No abstract

This article discusses international development (ID) projects and project management problems within ID in Africa and suggests they may fall into one or more of four main traps: the one-size-fits-all technical trap, the accountability-for-results trap, the lack-of-project-management-capacity trap, and the cultural trap. It then proposes an agenda for action to help ID move away from the prevailing one-size-fits-all project management approach; to refocus project management for ID on managing objectives for long-term development results; to increase aid agencies' supervision efforts notably in failing countries; and to tailor project management to African cultures. Finally, this article suggests an agenda for research, presenting a number of ways in which project management literature could support design and implementation of ID projects in Africa.

No abstract

No abstract

has become one of the hottest topics in management, with practitioners and researchers demonstrating keen interest in the field (Ika, 2009). Thus, project management is emerging as a true scientific discipline in its own right, with its own academic journals, conferences, language, associations, periodicals, and its claim to a particular scientific status (Packendorff, 1995; Shenhar & Dvir, 2007). Yet, in a paradoxical way, despite such scientific activity, an ever-increasing number of bodies of knowledge and their periodic updates, the tireless efforts of practitioners, delays, cost overruns, underperformance in terms of quality, user satisfaction, and achievement of strategic or business objectives, as well as disappointment on the parts of project stakeholders, all seem to have become the rule and not the exception in the contemporary reality of projects (Cicmil & Hodgson, 2006a; Ika, 2009; Shenhar & Dvir, 2007). Consequently, "from a research perspective, there is a great opportunity to close this gap (between practice and research)," and as such, the project management field is promising and rich with challenges (Shenhar & Dvir, 2007, parentheses added, p. 93). Ironically, such promise closely matches the rising criticism of the research in the field (Söderlund, 2004a). In this respect, some authors have singled out certain scant or fragmented theoretical background and, not surprisingly, one of the responses to this criticism has been to investigate the theoretical underpinnings of the project management field (

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to analyze the empirical relationship between project management (PM) efforts (the extent to which national project coordinators (NPCs) -the project managers in the aid industry sector -make use of available PM tools), project success, and success criteria. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected by way of questionnaires delivered by mail to 600 recipients in 26 different countries in Africa. Findings -The research results suggest that project success is insensitive to the level of project planning efforts but a significant correlation does exist between the use of monitoring and evaluation tools and project "profile," a success criterion which is an early pointer of project long-term impact.Research limitations/implications -This paper contributes to PM research by exploring the relationship between the use of PM tools and project success in the non-traditional PM -although project oriented -aid industry sector. The paper highlights self-perceptions of NPCs and should not be interpreted in other ways. Practical implications -This paper highlights the importance of PM tools in practice. Further, it suggests that NPCs (who are in fact only involved in project execution) put a lot of effort into monitoring and evaluation. In so doing, they strive to ensure project performance and accountability throughout project lifecycle, and this contributes to project "profile." Originality/value -This is the first study that offers insights into the relationship between PM efforts and project success in the aid industry sector. The paper calls for further research on PM practices in the aid industry sector where projects remain important instruments for aid delivery.

No abstract