Enabling projects for strategic implementation: Role of designated project manager in CEO-TMT interface during project front-end investment decisions

Xiaotian Yang, Bei He, Linzhuo Wang, Miao Yu*, Fangwei Zhu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This study explores how the designated project manager (DPM) deals with the CEO-top management team (TMT) interface to enable projects for strategic implementation. During the project front-end investment decision, their respective key capabilities in Awareness-Motivation-Capability phases are analyzed through a case study. The evidence showed that the DPM indeed plays a key role in the CEO-TMT interface in the process. He/she plays the role of a communicator in the interface in the motivation phase by the observing, networking, and information-searching capabilities, and plays the role of an integrator in the interface in the capability phase by the coordinating and reconfiguring capabilities. Beside, he/she helps the project owner play the role in developing project business cases aligned with strategic development. It enriches project governance theory, identifies the DPM's role in the project front-end decision-making process before project commencement, and enriches the upper echelons theory into project management fields.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)620-632
Number of pages13
JournalInternational Journal of Project Management
Volume39
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021 Aug

Keywords

  • CEO-TMT interface
  • Capability
  • Project front-end investment decision
  • Project governance
  • Project manager

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Business and International Management
  • Management of Technology and Innovation

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