Can research be project managed?

Abstract

Due to increasing pressures on their available resources, research institutions are generally speaking in dire need of the more efficient goal achievement apparently afforded by the project management process, if applied appropriately. This article reports on an investigation in a large research organization in South Africa, to determine how closer conformance can be achieved of research projects with the typical characteristics of 'conventional' projects so as to enhance the application of project management techniques to research work. Firstly an overview of 'conventional' project management theory is given to establish a point of departure. Thereafter a number of factors that were identified in the study. which generally inhibits project management application in functionally structured organizations, are discussed. This is followed by a discussion of certain peculiarities of research work that may cause the failure of a proper project management approach. By comparing the above with the determinants of successful project management, five groundrules are then formulated for applying project management to research environments. These groundrules are the necessary prerequisites for the framework for a generalized approach to the application of project management to research environments, which is presented in conclusion.