2002 Student Paper Award Winner: Project Management Maturity Models: The Silver Bullets of Competitive Advantage?

Abstract

Project management maturity models are important assessment tools for the profession. Maturity models identify organizational strengths and weaknesses as well as provide benchmarking information. They capture explicit, codified practice (know-what), but do not include the intangible assets of project management (know-how). Some have made the claim that project management maturity models (MMs) can lead to a competitive advantage for firms. This paper uses four resource-based frameworks to assess whether or not maturity models lead to a sustained competitive advantage. In the context of the strategy domain, the authors conclude that MMs can result in a temporary competitive advantage but not a sustained competitive advantage. Clearly, a sustained competitive advantage is rooted in a combination of know-what and know-how.

Keywords

resource-based view project management maturity models competitive advantage strategy

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ala

(1997). Keys to success in today's business environment. Business Forum, 22(1), 24–28.

Amit

, & Schoemaker

P.J.H.

(1993). Strategic assets and organizational rent. Strategic Management Journal, 14(1), 33–46.

Association of Project Management. (2000). What is Prince2? Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://www.prince2.org.uk/introduction.htm

Australian Institute of Project Management. (2000). National competency standards for project management. Retreived 15 May 2001 from http://www.prince2.org.uk/introduction.htm

Barney

J.B.

(1986). Types of competition and the theory of strategy: Toward an integrative framework. Academy of Management Review, 11(4), 791–800.

Barney

J.B.

(1989). Asset stocks and sustained competitive advantage: A comment. Management Science, 35(12), 1511–1514.

Barney

J.B.

(1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.

Barney

J.B.

(1998). On becoming a strategic partner: The role of human resources in gaining competitive advantage. Human Resource Management, 37(1), 31–46.

Barney

J.B.

(2002). Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.

10.

Barney

J.B.

, & Zajac

E.J.

(1994). Competitive organizational behavior: Toward an organizationally based theory of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal, 15(1), 5–9.

11.

Belassi

, & Tukel

O.I.

(1996). A new framework for determining critical success/failure factors in projects. International Journal of Project Management, 14(3), 141–152.

12.

Birnberg

(2001). Association for project managers: Project manager certification. Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://www.constructioneducation.com/apm_project_manager_certification_program.htm

13.

Bounds

(1998). The last word on project management. Institute of Industrial Engineers Solutions, 30(11), 41–43.

14.

Brush

C.G.

, Greene

P.G.

, Hart

M.M.

, & Haller

H.S.

(2001). From initial idea to unique advantage: The entrepreneurial challenge of constructing a resource base. The Academy of Management Executive, 15(1), 64–78.

15.

Cabanis

(1998). Show me the money: A panel of experts dissects popular notions of measuring project management maturity. PM Network, 12(9), 53–60.

16.

Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute. (2002). Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute: Capability maturity models. Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/

17.

Chandler

A.D.

(1962). The concept of corporate strategy. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 52–59). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

18.

Collis

D.J.

(1994). Research note: How valuable are organizational capabilities? Strategic Management Journal, 15(1), 143–152.

19.

Collis

D.J.

, & Montgomery

C.A.

(1995). Competing on resources: Strategy in the 1990s. Harvard Business Review, 73(4), 118–128.

20.

Compass Fact Based Consulting. (2001). Making a case for the capability maturity model. Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://cmpcom.newcomweb.demon.com/home_whitepapers.htm

21.

Cooke-Davies

(2002). Establishing the link between project management practices and project success. Paper presented at the Frontiers of Project Management Research and Application Conference, Seattle, WA.

22.

Dinsmore

P.C.

(1998). How grown-up is your organization? PM Network, 12(6), 24–26.

23.

Dorling

(1993). SPICE: Software process improvement and capability determination. Software Quality Journal, 2(4), 209–224.

24.

Duncan

W.J.

, Ginter

P.M.

, & Swayne

L.E.

(1998). Competitive advantage and internal organizational assessment. The Academy of Management Executive, 12(3), 6–16.

25.

Dymond

K.M.

(1995). A guide to the CMM: Understanding the capability maturity model for software. Annapolis, MD: Process Transition International Inc.

26.

Floyd

S.W.

, & Lane

P.J.

(2000). Strategizing throughout the organization: Management role conflict in strategic renewal. Academy of Management, 25(1), 154–177.

27.

Floyd

S.W.

, & Woolridge

(1992a). Managing strategic consensus: The foundation of effective implementation. The Executive, 6(4), 27–42.

28.

Floyd

S.W.

, & Woolridge

(1992b). Middle management involvement in strategy and its association with strategic type: A research note. Strategic Management Journal, 13(Special Issue), 153–167.

29.

Floyd

S.W.

, & Woolridge

(1994). Dinosaurs or dynamos? Recognizing middle management's strategic role. The Academy of Management Executive, 8(4), 47–59.

30.

Floyd

S.W.

, & Woolridge

(1997). Middle management's strategic influence and organizational performance. The Journal of Management Studies, 34(3), 465–485.

31.

Foss

N.J.

(Ed.). (1997). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

32.

Grant

R.M.

(1991). The resource-based theory of competitive advantage: Implications for strategy formulation. California Management Review, 33(3), 114–135.

33.

Hamel

(1995). Reinventing the company. Executive Excellence, 12(10), 9–13.

34.

Hartman

F.T.

, & Skulmoski

(1998). Project management maturity. Project Management, 4(1), 74–78.

35.

Ibbs

C.W.

, & Kwak

Y.H.

(1997). Measuring project management's return on investment. PM Network, 11(11), 36–38.

36.

Ibbs

C.W.

, & Kwak

Y.H.

(1998). Benchmarking project management organizations. PM Network, 12(2), 49–53.

37.

Ibbs

C.W.

, & Kwak

Y.H.

(2000). Assessing project management maturity. Project Management Journal, 31(1), 32–43.

38.

International Project Management Association. (2000). IPMA Certification. Retrieved 15 May 2000, http://www.ipma.ch/site/certification.htm

39.

Itami

, & Roehl

(1987). Mobilizing Invisible Assets. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

40.

Jonker

(2000). Organizations as responsible contributors to society: Linking quality, sustainability and accountability. Total Quality Management, 11(4.6), S741–S748.

41.

Jugdev, K., & Thomas, J. (14–17 July 2002a). Blueprint for value creation: Developing and sustaining a project management competitive advantage through the resource based view. Paper presented at the Project Management Institute Research Conference 2002: Frontiers of Project Management Research and Application, Seattle, WA.

42.

Jugdev, K., & Thomas, J. (3–10 October 2002b). From operational process to strategic asset: The evolution of project management's value in organizations. Paper presented at the Project Management Institute 33rd Annual Symposium and Conference, San Antonio, TX.

43.

Kerzner

(2001). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

44.

Kujala

, & Artto

(2000). Criteria for project performance in business context. Project Management, 6(7), 46–53.

45.

Lambertson

(2001). Personal communication. Arlington, VA: ESI-International.

46.

LSM-International. (2001). Enterprise improvement platform (EIP1). Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://www.lsmzone.com/Default.htm

47.

Markides

C.C.

, & Williamson

P.J.

(1994). Related diversification, core competences, and corporate performance. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 327–344). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

48.

Mata

F.J.

, Fuerst

W.L.

, & Barney

J.B.

(1995). Information technology and sustained competitive advantage: A resource-based analysis. MIS Quarterly, 19(4), 487–507.

49.

Nonaka

(1994). A dynamic theory of organizational knowledge creation. Organization Science, 5(1), 14–37.

50.

Pennypacker

(2001). Project management maturity benchmark: A Center for Business Practices (CBP) research report (Published manuscript). Havertown, PA: Project Management Solutions Inc.

51.

Penrose

E.T.

(1959). The theory of the growth of the firm. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 27–39). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

52.

Peteraf

(1993). The cornerstones of competitive advantage: A resource-based view. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 187–203). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

53.

PMI Standards Committee. (2000). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

54.

Porter

M.E.

(1991). Towards a dynamic theory of strategy. Strategic Management Journal, 12(Winter Special Issue), 97–117.

55.

Porter

M.E.

(1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61–78.

56.

Prahalad

C.K.

, & Hamel

(1990). The core competence of the corporation. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 235–256). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

57.

Priem

R.L.

, & Butler

J.E.

(2001a). Is the resource-based “view” a useful perspective for strategic management research? Academy of Management Review, 26(1), 26–40.

58.

Priem

R.L.

, & Butler

J.E.

(2001b). Tautology in the resource-based view and the implications of externally determined resource value: Further comments. Academy of Management Review, 26(1), 57–66.

59.

Reed

, & DeFillippi

R.J.

(1990). Causal ambiguity, barriers to imitation and sustainable competitive advantage. Academy of Management Review, 15(1), 88–102.

60.

Rumelt

R.P.

(1984). Towards a strategic theory of the firm. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 131–145). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

61.

Rumelt

R.P.

, Schendel

D.E.

, & Teece

D.J.

(1994). Fundamental issues in strategy. In Rumelt

R.P.

, Schendel

D.E.

, & Teece

D.J.

(Eds.). Fundamental issues in strategy (pp. 9–47). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

62.

Schlichter

(1999). Surveying project management capabilities. PM Network, 13(4), 39–40.

63.

Schlichter

(2000). Personal communication with Kam Jugdev. Upper Darby, PA: Project Management Institute.

64.

Schulze

W.S.

(1994). Two resource-based theories of the firm: Definitions and implications. In Schrivistava

, Huff

, & Dutton

J.E.

(Eds.). Advances in Strategic Management, (Vol. 10, pp. 127–151). New York: JAI Press.

65.

Selznick

(1957). Leadership in administration: A sociological interpretation. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 21–26). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

66.

Skulmoski

(2001). Project maturity and competence interface. Cost Engineering, 43(6), 11–19.

67.

Standish Group. (2001). The CHAOS chronicles, Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://standishgroup.com/chaos_chronicles/index.php

68.

Sveiby

K.E.

(1997). The balanced score card (BSC) and the intangible assets monitor: A comparison. Retrieved 15 May 2002, from http://www.sveiby.com/articles/BSCandIAM.html

69.

Teece

D.J.

(1980). Economies of scope and the scope of the enterprise. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 103–116). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

70.

Thomas

, Pollock

, & Gorman

(1999). Global strategic analysis: Frameworks and approaches. The Academy of Management Executive, 13(1), 70–82.

71.

Thomas

, Delisle

, & Jugdev

(2002). Framing the moves that matter: Selling project management to senior executives: A research monograph (1st ed., Vol. 1). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

72.

Tippett

D.D.

, & Waits

D.A.

(1994). Project management and TQM: Why aren't project managers coming aboard? Industrial Management, 36(5), 12–20.

73.

Ulri

, & Ulri

(2000). Project management in North America: Stability of the concepts. Project Management Journal, 31(3), 33–43.

74.

Wernerfelt

(1984). A resource-based view of the firm. In Foss

(Ed.). Resources, firms, and strategies: A reader in the resource-based perspective (1st ed., Vol.1, pp. 117–130). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.