Leadership and Project Management in an Expert Organization
Leppisaari, Joona (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023062124270
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023062124270
Tiivistelmä
Leadership and management activities are both essential for a successful organization. Nevertheless, both fields have been criticized for the lack of empirical evidence, being practitioner-developed fields, having one-dimensional theories, and the lack of practical implications of the theories. This study examined leadership and management by exploring the concepts and needs in the context of a small expert organization. Specifically, this study focused on identifying a suitable project management framework and practical leadership requirements for expert organizations in today’s world.
The beneficiary of the research was an expert organization (the “Company”) which operates in the field of environmental technology. The literature review presents dominant approaches and theories to leadership and project management from theoretical and historical perspectives. A preliminary case research was first conducted for the task development within the Company; then, a main case research was implemented based on a philosophically Pragmatist approach, where a mixed method design was utilized for data collection through the use of surveys.
The results found that the concepts of leadership and management were viewed in a similar way. Respondents described leadership mostly as ideologically rational, simple, technical, and management focused. Management-related activities were associated with leadership, such as planning, prioritizing, organizing, and directing. The most frequently cited features of a leader were human-centric skills and prosocial skills. Further, leaders were expected to manage, present, communicate goals, and to be a role models. In the context of project management, respondents expressed that the aim should be to decrease chaos, develop structure in the Company, and include leadership. Management alone did not suffice. Based on the study results, two frameworks were created to provide guidelines for developing leadership and tailoring project management methodologies. The frameworks were not designed to be exhaustive; as such, it is recommended that the Company continues to develop and iterate these guidelines in order to improve overall planning and deepen leadership-related knowledge, behaviors, and skills for the betterment of projects, employees, and the organization.
The beneficiary of the research was an expert organization (the “Company”) which operates in the field of environmental technology. The literature review presents dominant approaches and theories to leadership and project management from theoretical and historical perspectives. A preliminary case research was first conducted for the task development within the Company; then, a main case research was implemented based on a philosophically Pragmatist approach, where a mixed method design was utilized for data collection through the use of surveys.
The results found that the concepts of leadership and management were viewed in a similar way. Respondents described leadership mostly as ideologically rational, simple, technical, and management focused. Management-related activities were associated with leadership, such as planning, prioritizing, organizing, and directing. The most frequently cited features of a leader were human-centric skills and prosocial skills. Further, leaders were expected to manage, present, communicate goals, and to be a role models. In the context of project management, respondents expressed that the aim should be to decrease chaos, develop structure in the Company, and include leadership. Management alone did not suffice. Based on the study results, two frameworks were created to provide guidelines for developing leadership and tailoring project management methodologies. The frameworks were not designed to be exhaustive; as such, it is recommended that the Company continues to develop and iterate these guidelines in order to improve overall planning and deepen leadership-related knowledge, behaviors, and skills for the betterment of projects, employees, and the organization.