A Bibliometric View on the Use of Contingency Theory in Project Management Research

Abstract

Contingency theory has influenced organization theory since the 1950s. Project management research has only recently started to consider context factors. In this area, applications of contingency theory still represent a fragmented field with a nonuniform use of terminology. Fully utilizing the contingency theory approach requires a systematic foundation. This article presents an overview of contingency theory in both permanent and temporary organizations. In a bibliometric study based on 1,622 articles from four academic project management journals, we identify dominating authors, prevalent keywords, and different focal areas in project contingency theory as well as the most researched project types.

Keywords

projects project management temporary organization contingency theory contingency factors bibliometric study

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alexander

J. W.

, & Randolph

W. A.

(1985). The fit between technology and structure as a predictor of performance in nursing subunits. Academy of Management Journal, 28(4), 844–859.

Alsene

(1999). Internal changes and project management structures within enterprises. International Journal of Project Management, 17(6), 367–376.

Appelbaum

S. H.

(1997). Socio-technical systems theory: An intervention strategy for organizational development. Management Decision, 35(6), 452–463.

Archer

N. P.

, & Ghasemzadeh

(1999). An integrated framework for project portfolio selection. International Journal of Project Management, 17(4), 207–216.

Argote

(1982). Input uncertainty and organizational coordination in hospital emergency units. Administrative Science Quarterly, 27(3), 420–434.

Artto

, Martinsuo

, Gemünden

H. G.

, & Murtoaro

(2009). Foundations of program management: A bibliometric view. International Journal of Project Management, 27(1), 1–18.

Artto

K. A.

, & Wikström

(2005). What is project business? International Journal of Project Management, 23(5), 343–353.

Atkinson

(1999). Project management: Cost, time and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, it's time to accept other success criteria. International Journal of Project Management, 17(6), 329–405.

Aubry

, Hobbs

, & Thuillier

(2008). Organisational project management: An historical approach to the study of PMOs. International Journal of Project Management, 26(1), 38–43.

10.

Baccarini

(1996). The concept of project complexity: A review. International Journal of Project Management, 14(4), 201–204.

11.

Balachandra

, & Friar

J. H.

(1997). Factors for success in R&D project and new product innovation: A contextual framework1. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 44(3), 276–287.

12.

Belout

(1998). Effects of human resource management on project effectiveness and success. International Journal of Project Management, 16(1), 21–26.

13.

Betts

, & Lansley

(1995). International Journal of Project Management: A review of the first ten years. International Journal of Project Management, 13(4), 207–217.

14.

Blondel

V. D.

, Guillaume

J.-L.

, Lambiotte

, & Lefebvre

(2008). Fast unfolding of communities in large networks. Journal of Statistical Mechanics, No. 10, P10008.

15.

Boddy

, & Paton

(2004). Responding to competing narratives: Lessons for project managers. International Journal of Project Management, 22(3), 225–233.

16.

Bredillet

C. N.

(2007). Exploring research in project management: Nine schools of project management research (Part 1). Project Management Journal, 38(2), 3–4.

17.

Bresnen

(2007). Deconstructing partnering in project-based organisation: Seven pillars, seven paradoxes and seven deadly sins. International Journal of Project Management, 25(4), 365–374.

18.

Brown

S. L.

, & Eisenhardt

K. M.

(1997). The art of continuous change: Linking complexity theory and time-paced evolution in relentlessly shifting organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(1), 1–34.

19.

Burns

, & Stalker

G. M.

(1961). The management of innovation. London, England: Tavistock.

20.

Canonico

, & Söderlund

(2010). Getting control of multi-project organizations: Combining contingent control mechanisms. International Journal of Project Management, 28(8), 796–806.

21.

Cavaleri

, & Reed

(2008). Leading dynamically complex projects. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 1(1), 71–87.

22.

Chandler

A. D.

Jr. (1962). Strategy and structure: Chapters in the history of the American industrial enterprise. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

23.

Cheung

C. C.

, & Chuah

K. B.

(1999). Conflict management styles in Hongkong industries. International Journal of Project Management, 17(6), 393–399.

24.

Child

(1975). Managerial and organizational factors associated with company performance. Part 2: A contingency analysis. Journal of Management Studies, 12(1-2), 12–27.

25.

Child

, & Mansfield

(1972). Technology, size, and organization structure. Sociology, 6(3), 369–393.

26.

Chiocchio

, Beaulieu

, Boudrias

J.-S.

, Rousseau

, Aubé

, & Morin

E. M.

(2010). The Project Involvement Index, psychological distress, and psychological well-being: Comparing workers from projectized and non-projectized organizations, International Journal of Project Management, 28(3), 201–211.

27.

Clark

K. B.

, & Fujimoto

(1991). Product development performance: Strategy, organization, and management in the world auto industry. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

28.

Cui

, & Olsson

N. O.

(2009). Project flexibility in practice: An empirical study of reduction lists in large governmental projects. International Journal of Project Management, 27(5), 447–455.

29.

Davidow

W. H.

, & Malone

M. S.

(1992). The virtual corporation. New York, NY: Harper Business.

30.

De Bakker

F. G. A.

, Groenewegen

, & Den Hond

(2005). A bibliometric analysis of 30 years of research and theory on corporate social responsibility and corporate social performance. Business & Society, 44(3), 283–317.

31.

De Belis

(2009). Bibliometrics and citation analysis: From the science citation index to cybermetrics. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press.

32.

Delery

J. E.

, & Doty

D. H.

(1996). Modes of theorizing in strategic human resource management: Tests of universalistic, contingency, and configurational performance predictions. Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 802–835.

33.

Donaldson

(1985). In defence of organization theory: A reply to the critics. Cambridge, England, and New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

34.

Donaldson

(1987). Strategy and structural adjustment to regain fit and performance: In defence of contingency theory. Journal of Management Studies, 24(1), 1–24.

35.

Donaldson

(2001). The contingency theory of organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

36.

Duncan

R. B.

(1979). What is the right organization structure? Organizational Dynamics, 7(3), 59–79.

37.

Dvir

, Lipovetsky

, Shenhar

, & Tishler

(1998). In search of project classification: A non-universal approach to project success factors. Research Policy, 27(9), 915–935.

38.

Eisenhardt

K. M.

, & Tabrizi

B. N.

(1995). Accelerating adaptive processes: Product innovation in the global computer industry. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(1), 84–110.

39.

Ekstedt

, Lundin

R. A.

, & Söderholm

(1999). Neo-industrial organising: Renewal by action and knowledge formation in a project-intensive economy. Milton, England: Routledge.

40.

Fiedler

F. E.

(1967). A theory of leadership effectiveness. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

41.

Fredrickson

J.W.

(1984). The comprehensiveness of strategic decision processes: Extension, observations, future directions. Academy of Management Journal, 27(3), 445–466.

42.

Garrety

, Robertson

P. L.

, & Badham

R. J.

(2004). Integrating communities of practice in technology development projects. International Journal of Project Management, 22(5), 351–358.

43.

Geraldi

J. G.

(2008). The balance between order and chaos in multi-project firms: A conceptual model. International Journal of Project Management, 26(4), 348–356.

44.

Gersick

C. J. G.

(1988). Time and transition in work teams: Toward a new model of group development. Academy of Management Journal, 31(1), 9–41.

45.

Graham

(1999). Managing the project management process in Aerospace and Construction: A comparative approach. International Journal of Project Management, 17(1), 39–45.

46.

Hage

, & Dewar

(1973). Elite values versus organizational structure in predicting innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 18(3), 279–289.

47.

Hanisch

, & Wald

(2011). A project management research framework integrating multiple theoretical perspectives and influencing factors. Project Management Journal, 43(3), 4–22.

48.

Hickson

, Hinings

, Clegg

S. R.

, Child

, Aldrich

, Karpik

, & Donaldson

(1988). Offence and defence: A symposium with Hinings, Clegg, Child, Aldrich, Karpik, and Donaldson. Organization Studies, 9(1), 1–32.

49.

Hobbs

, Aubry

, & Thuillier

(2008). The project management office as an organisational innovation. International Journal of Project Management, 26(5), 547–555.

50.

Hossain

(2009). Social networks on dynamic and complex project coordination. International Journal of Project Management, 27(5), 433–434.

51.

Howell

, Windahl

, & Seidel

(2010). A project contingency framework based on uncertainty and its consequences. International Journal of Project Management, 28(3), 256–264.

52.

Huang

J. C.

, & Newell

(2003). Knowledge integration processes and dynamics within the context of cross-functional projects. International Journal of Project Management, 21(3), 167–176.

53.

Jensen

, Johansson

, & Löfström

(2006). Project relationships—A model for analyzing interactional uncertainty. International Journal of Project Management, 24(1), 4–12.

54.

Kaulio

M. A.

(2008). Project leadership in multi-project settings: Findings from a critical incident study. International Journal of Project Management, 26(4), 338–347.

55.

Keegan

A. E.

, & Den Hartog

D. N.

(2004). Transformational leadership in a project-based environment: A comparative study of the leadership styles of project managers and line managers, International Journal of Project Management, 22(8), 609–617.

56.

Kerzner

(2006). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

57.

Kirsilä

, Hellström

, & Wikström

(2007). Integration as a project management concept: A study of the commissioning process in industrial deliveries. International Journal of Project Management, 25(7), 714–721.

58.

Kloppenborg

T. J.

, & Opfer

W. A.

(2002). The current state of project management research: Trends, interpretations, and predictions. Project Management Journal, 33(2), 5–18.

59.

Kuster

, Huber

, Lippmann

, Schmid

, Schneider

, Witschi

, & Wüst

(2006). Handbuch projekt-management. Berlin, Germany: Springer.

60.

Lane

P. J.

, Koka

B. R.

, & Pathak

(2006). The reification of absorptive capacity: A critical review and rejuvenation of the construct. Academy of Management Review, 31(4), 833–863.

61.

Lawrence

P. R.

, & Lorsch

J. W.

(1967). Organization and environment: Managing differentiation and integration. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

62.

Lehner

J. M.

(2009). The staging model: The contribution of classical theatre directors to project management in development contexts. International Journal of Project Management, 27(3), 195–205.

63.

Lenfle

(2008). Exploration and project management. International Journal of Project Management, 26(5), 469–478.

64.

Levene

R. J.

, & Braganza

(1996). Controlling the work scope in organisational transformation: A programme management approach. International Journal of Project Management, 14(6), 331–339.

65.

Lindkvist

(2008). Project organization: Exploring its adaptation properties, International Journal of Project Management, 26(1), 13–20.

66.

Lindkvist

, Söderlund

, & Tell

(1998). Managing product development projects: On the significance of fountains and deadlines. Organization Studies, 19(6), 931–951.

67.

Lundin

R. A.

, & Söderholm

(1995). A theory of the temporary organization. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 11(4), 437–455.

68.

McFarlan

F. W.

(1981). Portfolio approach to information systems. Harvard Business Review, 59(5), 142–150.

69.

Meyer

A. D.

, Tsui

A. S.

, & Hinings

C. R.

(1993). Configurational approaches to organizational analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 36(6), 1175–1195.

70.

Miles

R. E.

, & Snow

C. C.

(1978). Organizational strategy, structure, and process. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

71.

Mintzberg

(1979). The structuring of organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

72.

Modig

(2007). A continuum of organizations formed to carry out projects: Temporary and stationary organization forms. International Journal of Project Management, 25(8), 807–814.

73.

Morgan

(1986). Images of organizations. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

74.

Morris

P. W. G.

(1994). The management of projects. London, England: Thomas Telford.

75.

Morris

P. W. G.

, Crawford

L. H.

, Hodgson

, Shepherd

M. M.

, & Thomas

J. L.

(2006). Exploring the role of formal bodies of knowledge in defining a profession—The case of project management. International Journal of Project Management, 24(8), 710–721.

76.

Morris

P. W. G.

, & Hough

G. H.

(1987). The anatomy of major projects: A study of the reality of project management. New York, NY: Wiley.

77.

Müller

(2003). Determinants for external communications of IT project managers. International Journal of Project Management, 21(5), 345–354.

78.

Nerur

S. P.

, Rasheed

A. A.

, & Natarajan

(2008). The intellectual structure of the strategic management field: An author co-citation analysis. Strategic Management Journal, 29(3), 319–336.

79.

Newcombe

(1996). Empowering the construction project team. International Journal of Project Management, 14(2), 75–80.

80.

Ouchi

W. G.

(1981). Theory Z: How American business can meet the Japanese challenge. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley

81.

Packendorff

(1995). Inquiring into the temporary organization: New directions for project management research. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 11(4), 319–333.

82.

Pant

D. P.

, Allinson

C. W.

, & Hayes

(1996). Transferring the western model of project organisation to a bureaucratic culture: The case of Nepal. International Journal of Project Management, 14(1), 53–57.

83.

Partington

(1996). The project management of organizational change. International Journal of Project Management, 14(1), 13–21.

84.

Pellegrinelli

, Partington

, Hemingway

, Mohdzain

, & Shah

(2007). The importance of context in programme management: An empirical review of programme practices. International Journal of Project Management, 25(1), 41–55.

85.

Pennings

J. M.

(1998). Structural contingency theory. In Drenth

P. J. D.

, Thierry

, & de Wolff

C. J.

(Eds.), Organizational psychology (Vol. 4, 2nd ed., pp. 39–60). Hove, England: Psychology Press.

86.

Perrow

(1967). A framework for the comparative analysis of organizations. American Sociological Review, 32(2), 194–208.

87.

Pfeffer

(1982). Organizations and organization theory. Boston, MA: Pitman.

88.

Phua

F. T.

(2007). Does senior executives perception of environmental uncertainty affect the strategic functions of construction firms? International Journal of Project Management, 25(8), 753–761.

89.

Podsakoff

P. M.

, MacKenzie

S. B.

, Podsakoff

N. P.

, & Bachrach

D. G.

(2008). Scholarly influence in the field of management: A bibliometric analysis of the determinants of university and author impact in the management literature in the past quarter century. Journal of Management 34(4), 641–720.

90.

Pugh

D. S.

, & Hickson

D. J.

(1972). To the editor: Causal inference and the Aston studies. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(2), 273–276.

91.

Rämö

(2002). Doing things right and doing the right things. International Journal of Project Management, 20(7), 569–574.

92.

Ramos-Rodríguez

A.-R.

, & Ruíz-Navarro

(2004). Changes in the intellectual structure of strategic management research: A bibliometric study of the Strategic Management Journal, 1980–2000. Strategic Management Journal, 25(10), 981–1004.

93.

Saad

, Cicmil

, & Greenwood

(2002). Technology transfer projects in developing countries—Furthering the project management perspectives. International Journal of Project Management, 20(8), 617–625.

94.

Sauser

B. J.

, Reilly

R. R.

, & Shenhar

A. J.

(2009). Why projects fail? How contingency theory can provide new insights: A comparative analysis of NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter loss. International Journal of Project Management, 27(7), 665–679.

95.

Schoonhoven

C. B.

(1981). Problems with contingency theory: Testing assumptions hidden within the language of contingency “theory.” Administrative Science Quarterly, 26(3), 349–377.

96.

Schreyögg

(1980). Contingency and choice in organization theory. Organization Studies, 1(4), 305–326.

97.

Scott

(1991). Social network analysis: A handbook: Theory and analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

98.

Shenhar

A. J.

(2001a). Contingent management in temporary, dynamic organizations: The comparative analysis of projects. Journal of High Technology Management Research, 12(2), 239–271.

99.

Shenhar

A. J.

(2001b). One size does not fit all projects: Exploring classical contingency domains. Management Science, 47(3), 394–414.

100.

Shenhar

A. J.

, & Dvir

(1996). Toward a typological theory of project management. Research Policy, 25(4), 607–632.

101.

Shenhar

A. J.

, & Dvir

(2007). Reinventing project management: The diamond approach to successful growth and innovation. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

102.

Sia

S. K.

, & Neo

B. S.

(1996). The impacts of business process re-engineering on organizational controls. International Journal of Project Management, 14(6), 341–348.

103.

Smyth

H. J.

, & Morris

P. W. G.

(2007). An epistemological evaluation of research into projects and their management: Methodological issues. International Journal of Project Management, 25(4), 423–436.

104.

Söderlund

(2004a). Building theories of project management: Past research, questions for the future. International Journal of Project Management, 22(3), 183–191.

105.

Söderlund

(2004b). On the broadening scope of the research on projects: A review and a model for analysis. International Journal of Project Management, 22(8), 655–667.

106.

Söderlund

(2010). Knowledge entrainment and project management: The case of large-scale transformation projects. International Journal of Project Management, 28(2), 130–141.

107.

Söderlund

, & Tell

(2009). The P-form organization and the dynamics of project competence: Project epochs in Asea/ABB, 1950–2000. International Journal of Project Management, 27(2), 101–112.

108.

Taylor

F. W.

(1903). Shop management. ASME Transactions, 28, 1337–1480.

109.

Taylor

F.W.

(1911). The principles of scientific management. London, England: Harper & Brothers.

110.

Thompson

J. D.

(1967). Organizations in action. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

111.

Turner

J. R.

, & Müller

(2005). The project manager's leadership style as a success factor on projects: A literature review. Project Management Journal, 36(2), 49–61.

112.

van der Merwe

A. P.

(1997). Multi-project management-organizational structure and control. International Journal of Project Management, 15(4), 223–233.

113.

van der Velde

R. R.

, & van Donk

D. P.

(2002). Understanding bi-project management: Engineering complex industrial construction projects. International Journal of Project Management, 20(7), 525–533.

114.

van Donk

D. P.

, & Molloy

(2008). From organising as projects to projects as organisations. International Journal of Project Management, 26(2), 129–137.

115.

Wasserman

, & Faust

(2007). Social network analysis: Methods and applications. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

116.

Wateridge

(1998). How can IS/IT projects be measured for success? International Journal of Project Management, 16(1), 59–63.

117.

Weber

(1922). Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft [Economy and society]. Tübingen, Germany: Mohr. Retrieved from http://www.archive.org/download/wirtschaftundges00webeuoft/wirtschaftundges00webeuoft.pdf

118.

Williams

(2008). Comparing evolutionary and contingency theory approaches to organizational structure. In Burton

R. M.

, Eriksen

, Håkonsson

D. D.

, Knudsen

, & Snow

C. C.

(Eds.), Designing organizations: 21st century approaches (Vol. 7, pp. 41–56). New York, NY: Springer.

119.

Williams

(2005). Assessing and moving on from the dominant project management discourse in the light of project overruns. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 52(4), 497–508.

120.

Williams

T. M.

(1999). The need for new paradigms for complex projects. International Journal of Project Management, 17(5), 269–273.

121.

Winter

, Smith

, Morris

P. W. G.

, & Cicmil

(2006). Directions for future research in project management: The main findings of a UK government-funded research network. International Journal of Project Management, 24(8), 638–649.

122.

Winter

, & Szeczepanek

(2007). Reframing project management: New thinking, new practice. Farnham, England: Gower.

123.

Woodward

(1958). Management and technology. London, England: Her Majesty's Stationary Office.

124.

Woodward

(1965). Industrial organization: Theory and practice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

125.

Yap

C. M.

, & Souder

W. E.

(1994). Factors influencing new product success and failure in small entrepreneurial high-technology electronics firms. Product Innovation Management, 11(5), 418–432.

126.

Zwikael

, & Globerson

(2006). From critical success factors to critical success processes. International Journal of Production Research, 44(17), 3433–3449.