Organizational enablers for project governance

Corporate culture and the way business is done (called governance) can be a significant factor in a company's success. Governance represents the "what" within the organization: what aspects of business performance fall under whose responsibilities. Another factor, called governmentality, focuses on the "how" of running a business -- that is, the policies and procedures a company uses to carry out its work. In Organizational Enablers for Project Governance, authors Ralf Müller, Jingting Shao, and Sofia Pemsel examine the ways in which governance and governmentality operate together in different kinds of companies to contribute to how successful a business is in terms of project work, efficiency, and profitability. The authors begin by explaining the difference between levels of project governance and who is responsible for carrying out each within an organization. They review the previous literature on the topics of governance and organizational enablers, then delve into the heart of their research: an in-depth study conducted over two years that profiled six companies of varying sizes (small, medium, and large) in two geographically distinct countries (Sweden and China). Through interviews, data collection, and a web-based questionnaire, the authors carried out four studies using different research methodologies to evaluate the systems of governance in companies of different sizes, in different places, and with different philosophies. What they found was that organizational enablers -- factors such as leadership and flexibility, among many others -- play a major role in how companies carry out their work and how they adapt and make changes over time. Although the research focuses on six specific corporations in a few representative industries, it can nonetheless be applied to any project-based company that seeks to resolve the tension between the permanent organization (the company itself) and the temporary organizations needed for project work (such as teams and other working groups). Using the authors' findings, any company can determine the most effective organizational enablers, from independence to teamwork to strong leadership, it can use to become more efficient and profitable.