Evaluating the Influence of Internal Project Management Communities of Practice on Project Management Performance.

摘要

Organizations are recognizing the benefits of improved learning and knowledge sharing through informal groups of professionals called communities of practice (CoPs). Much has been written about CoPs in the areas of education and health care, but there is a significant gap in project management CoP research. The research problem in this study is the weak understanding of a CoP's influence on members' project management performance. Improving project management practices and success rates remain a goal for many firms. Hence, the purpose of this research was to determine whether internal project manager CoPs helped to improve (a) project management performance and (b) selected project success factors. The hypotheses tested included whether CoP membership was perceived to have value based on experience, tenure, and certification. CoP theory and the diffusion of innovation theory served as the theoretical framework. A mixed-method, instrumental case study approach was used in surveying and interviewing CoP members and managers of a mid-sized U.S. financial institution. A Spearman's rho correlation analysis of the survey responses (N = 91) was used to measure the relationships between CoP participation and project management performance, based on several variables. All correlations were statistically significant and positive. Implications for positive social change include improved project management skills of CoP members through knowledge sharing activities and the maturation of an organization's project management methodology as a result of diffusion of processes among its' employees.