A Process of Organizational Change: From
Bureaucracy to Project Management Orientation
ROBERT J. GRAHAM, PHD, PMP, R. J. GRAHAM AND ASSOCIATES
Once upon a time … there was an organization that was attempting to change from a functional to a project management organization. The organization flourished in the bureaucratic mode with limited competition and stable products and services. However, it found itself in the intensive world of deregulated financial services. As more and more projects were developed to respond to the new environment, the company executives discovered that their project management practices were reflections of their bureaucratic past rather than of their project management future.
Attempts to teach managers the basics of project management were not successful. The newly-trained people found that the practices necessary for successful project management were not supported by the departments in the organization. From this experience, company executives came to realize that the organization needed to be changed in order to respond effectively to the new business environment. The process they followed in order to achieve that change is presented here as an example of the steps needed to install sound project management practices into a functional organization.
Research on organizational change indicates that most people in organizations will not change their behavior unless they see a clear need for such a change. Some people come to realize the need for change because their culture is not consistent with their business strategy. However, just realizing this does not
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: The AMA Handbook of Project Management.
Edition: 3rd.
Contributors: Paul C. Dinsmore - Editor, Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin - Editor.
Publisher: American Management Association.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 2011.
Page number: 335.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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