A pragmatic sociological examination of projectification
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
ISSN: 1753-8378
Article publication date: 4 December 2018
Issue publication date: 13 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Boltanski and Thevenot’s Economies of Worth framework and the project world introduced by Boltanski and Chiapello are well known in the fields of sociology and organization theory, but have been largely ignored in the project management literature. The purpose of this paper is to introduce them into the literature on projects and projectification.
Design/methodology/approach
The framework and the project world are described in detail and compared with two streams of writings that are well known in the field of project management: Making Projects Critical and the project as a complex self-organizing emergent network.
Findings
The paper shows that the framework and the project world are relevant to research in project management and the understanding of the projectification of society.
Research limitations/implications
The framework and the concepts presented could be used in both conceptual and empirical research in project management, particularly the analysis of projects in which disputes occur among stakeholders. Several paths that future developments could follow are identified.
Practical implications
The framework can be used to better understand disputes and identify how they can be resolved or compromises can be found.
Social implications
The analysis by Boltanski and Chiapello showed that the evolution of management practice is linked to changes in society and in the dominant ideology.
Originality/value
The paper introduces a very valuable framework into the project literature.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “World views on projects and society”.
Citation
Barondeau, R. and Hobbs, B. (2019), "A pragmatic sociological examination of projectification", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 282-297. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-03-2018-0038
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited