Project Governance

Derek H.T. Walker

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

ISSN: 1753-8378

Article publication date: 26 January 2010

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Citation

Walker, D.H.T. (2010), "Project Governance", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 175-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538371011014107

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


This book is one of an interesting series of a short specialised books published by Gower. It is very useful for project management (PM) practitioners, PM scholars and PM academics. I also believe that it would be of particular value to those in postgraduate studies that are studying PM as part of their courses in a business degree and somewhat of interest for those undergraduate students studying engineering degrees in which project procurement and performance measurement forms a core subject. It is mainly suitable for postgraduate level students.

The book's subject matter and content is rare because there are few books dedicated to PM governance. Various aspects covered in this book do appear elsewhere in the literature for example in a growing number of books on project strategy, the role of PMOs, etc. and in a chapter () dedicated to various aspects of project governance and associated aspects addressed from a project procurement perspective. The key feature of Müller's book, however, is that it is specifically dedicated to a much talked about topic, where there are an increasing number of academic papers written about it but there are few (if any) specific books that project managers can turn to. Its length (105 pages) is also an advantage as it easy light to carry, inexpensive in terms of text books and can form a useful addition to any interested reader's personal professional library. His definition of governance is a useful one to cite ():

Governance, as it applies to portfolios, programs, projects, and project management, coexists within a corporate governance framework. It comprises the value system, responsibilities, processes and policies that allow projects to achieve organizational objectives and fosters implementation that is in the best interests of all stakeholders, internal and external, and the corporation itself.

This definition helps to outline the content of the book.

The book comprises seven chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction that defines governance and provides brief though useful discussion on shareholder, stakeholder, transaction cost economics, and agency theory which frames the book well. It also usefully introduces “four governance paradigms” based upon a 4×4 matrix with shareholder and stakeholder orientation on the X axis and outcome and behaviour control focus on the Y axis. This is worth summarising here as it is an important focus that guides the content throughout this book.

This yields a very useful way of looking at project governance that moves beyond a single financial and/or tangible benefits perspective of the purpose of project management. It is also consistent with the re‐thinking PM research direction pathways outlined by than place a focus on the purpose of PM as stakeholder (rather than purely shareholder) value and benefits generation.

Chapter 2 discusses the objectives and institutions that influence the paradigms used for ensuring the type of governance that is applied. This provides vital and useful background understanding of the topic.

Chapter 3 then follows as a discussion of governance of PM and what forces shape the deployment of governance around questions such as forces that shape the quality of PM from what is done, what can be done and what should be done. This approach is effective in creating a governance framework for PM that discusses such as aspects as steering groups, PMO roles, types of review and how much PM is enough to ensure desired results/outcomes. This leads to Chapter 4 on the governance of programs and portfolios and discussion of roles and authorities of institutions that influence governance. This stresses the need for the governance structure to the organisation's governance paradigm. Chapter 5 concentrates on the governance of projects. This is very useful for both PM scholars and practitioners with discussion and explanation of the role of steering committees, stage gate review systems and governance of the project as an agency – all this is presented within the pragmatic view of how much governance is enough or over the top.

Chapter 6 moves into a discussion of linking governance of projects, programs and portfolios that places a wider view of governance as an organisational tool and enabler of creating value through projects. The last Chapter 7, provides a very short sense of how trends in governance are moving and potential and current implications for PM practice. A summary of the book concludes the chapter.

In general, I felt that this is a long awaited book. No doubt there were aspects that Müller would have liked to expand upon but was constrained in doing so to maintain the handy 100 page scope for this series of PM texts, however, it is certainly a pragmatic and useful text and for those who feel daunted by large tombs this is a very good way of publishing specialised PM topics that provide comprehensive references sections that readers can follow up on to gain a fuller insight into specific cited authorities.

References

Müller, R. (2009), Project Governance, Gower, Farnam.

Walker, D.H.T. and Nogeste, K. (2008), “Performance measures and project procurement”, in Walker, D.H.T. and Rowlinson, S. (Eds), Procurement Systems – A Cross Industry Project Management Perspective, Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, pp. 177210.

Winter, M., Smith, C., Morris, P.W.G. and Cicmil, S. (2006), “Directions for future research in project management: the main findings of a UK government‐funded research network”, International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 24 No. 8, pp. 63849.

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