Perceived project complexity: a survey among practitioners of project management
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
ISSN: 1753-8378
Article publication date: 31 July 2020
Issue publication date: 6 April 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Project complexity has been comprehensively investigated over the last two decades, resulting in many descriptive frameworks and models. The common layout is a multidimensional construct. While the perception of the complexity of projects is essential for a managerial approach, only scant research has been conducted into how practitioners perceive project complexity. The purpose of the paper is to fill this gap.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a quantitative study based on a large survey among managers of projects with more than 1,000 participants. The questionnaire is designed based on a review of research literature on project complexity.
Findings
The findings indicate that practitioners' mental models are concentrated on only a few dimensions of the many found in descriptive models. Further, the findings indicate that the mental models are much influenced by the project role of the perceiver and less so by the type of project and sector.
Originality/value
This paper discusses the differentiation of concepts of perceived project complexity and provides a framework for a survey of the topic. The contribution of the paper is an increased understanding of practitioners' perceptions of project complexity as a concept very different from the descriptive frameworks that have been the focal point for research in project complexity thus far. The project complexity might be in the eye of the beholder; however, the findings indicate that the eyes are very much influenced by the project role of the beholder.
Keywords
Citation
Mikkelsen, M.F. (2021), "Perceived project complexity: a survey among practitioners of project management", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 680-698. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-03-2020-0095
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited