There is a growing awareness within project‐based sectors of the relationship between performance and managers' competencies. This article reports on research that investigated the competency profile of ‘superior’ project managers working within the construction industry, one of the most complex and dynamic project‐based industrial sectors. The study combined an assessment of both their behavioural competencies and job‐task competencies. The results reveal that while their job‐task competencies are highly specific to the industry in which they work, the behavioural competencies of superior project managers are mostly generic in nature and apply to a range of other management positions. This research shows how it is practically possible to identify the competency profile of superior managers and utilise this framework for managing the performance of this key management group.
A number of confusions within the area of performance assessment with regard to the use of terminology, and differing interpretations, regarding competence assessment are discussed. A significant difference between the US and UK approaches to performance assessment is identified as being the issue of behaviours. A hierarchy of terms and their specific meanings is proposed as a first step in addressing the identified confusions. A particular aspect of this hierarchy is its relevance to assessment based on behaviours and attitudes rather than simply on the results of functional analysis concerning a particular job. This has implications for the future direction of performance assessment in the UK, particularly with regard to identifying the differences between average and superior performance.
Traditional success criteria for construction projects centre on the achievement of cost, programme and quality targets. In this paper, it is argued that these simple measures are too crude to be used for gauging managers' performance in the context of today's construction project environment, as many variables outside of the manager's control can impact on outturn performance and the demands on project managers are far broader than in the past. It is argued that the industry needs to define more appropriate performance criteria for measuring project managers' performance and encouraging their professional development. These must redefine traditional success parameters to consider the knowledge, skills and behavioural inputs which contribute to superior performance. These can then be used to engender a more appropriate set of management behaviours that lead to improved project outcomes. This study has developed such a framework by examining the views of members of project teams and other organizational stakeholders through a series of focus groups. Factor analysis was used to refine a range of nine performance criteria against which managers' performance can be evaluated. These have the potential to be used as a basis for developing more appropriate reward management approaches and as a starting point for developing competency-based performance management tools in the future.Contractors' Construction Project Managers, Performance Criteria, Performance Management, Competence Analysis, Factor Analysis,
Research on managerial competence has been narrowly focused and confusing in its terminology. In particular, a disparity has emerged between the definitions and assessments of competence developed in the USA and the approaches adopted in the UK. In this paper it is argued that each perspective is incomplete and therefore lacking as a comprehensive frame for understanding both managerial competence and the management of performance. Furthermore, they have failed to deal with issues of the dynamic environment and the widely different contexts for managerial performance, particularly with regard to identifiable cultural differences. This paper aims to paint a more complete picture of “competence” by subjecting it to conceptual analysis. An examination of its contemporary use identifies both conceptual and practical flaws. Accordingly, an alternative approach is posited which places emphasis on those issues critical to achieving desired enhancements in management performance.
PurposeThe paper seeks to show that implementing change initiatives in organizations is extremely problematic, particularly in relation to human resource management (HRM) initiatives. The challenges inherent in implementing new HRM systems and procedures is arguably more acute in project‐based organizations where temporary teams and geographically dispersed employees render the coherent implementation of new systems and procedures problematic. This paper presents the findings of case study research in which the implementation of a new performance management system for improving individual project manager performance is evaluated. A framework is developed for guiding the implementation of similar change initiatives in other project‐based organizations.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal case study methodology was adopted for the study. This enabled the ways in which resistance to change was manifested, and to be explored, and the actions necessary to circumvent barriers to its use discerned. The final framework is derived from a review of change strategies in other industries and sectors as well as from the case study findings.FindingsThe paper finds that barriers to implementing new performance solutions stemmed from a lack of senior management commitment and support, ingrained working practices and an absence of appropriate training interventions. These are relatively straightforward to overcome as part of a robust implementation framework.Research limitations/implicationsThe assertions made within the paper are based on a single case study. Further work is required to validate the findings within other organizations.Practical implicationsThe posited approach in this paper provides a practical implementation methodology, which may be transferable to other project‐led organizations. The framework provides a point of departure for organisations looking for practicable ways of mitigating organizational resistance to performance initiatives, particularly project‐oriented businesses, which face additional challenges in terms of delivering coherent change programmes.Originality/valueIn the paper the practical implementation methodology proposed provides a point of departure for companies considering strategies for successfully implementing performance management tools in the future.
The importance of evaluating behaviors as an underpinning component of the project management body of knowledge is widely recognized. This paper reports on research that evaluated the behaviors of two functionally disparate sets of project managers operating within the construction industry. The first comprised those with overall responsibility for the on-site production function (the management contractor), while the second comprised client project managers overseeing project activities on behalf of the procuring organization (client's project managers). The behavioral competencies of both groups were evaluated using the established McBer methodology (cf. Spencer & Spencer, 1993), in which managerial characteristics are measured using behavioral event interviews. A total of 40 superior performing project managers were behaviorally profiled. The findings reveal 11 behaviors that are generic in nature and underpin effectiveness in the project management role, with one additional competency apparently determined by the particular job role context of the project manager. Comparisons are also drawn with the generic management competency profile, which suggests the existence of a range of behaviors specific to the project management discipline. The identification of both generic and job-specific competencies for the project management role has potentially far-reaching implications for the way in which project managers are developed in the future.
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