A notion exists that organisations with higher levels of project management maturity execute projects more effectively and efficiently and so have a higher probability of achieving project success. This paper reports on a single case study that measured the project management maturity of four project management knowledge areas, and also investigated the impact of project management maturity on perceived project success in a mining operation. The study found that project management maturity plays a pivotal role in achieving project management deliverables. However, project management maturity alone is not sufficient to guarantee project success.

This paper identifies the essential support functions of project management offices (PMO) for various organisational project management maturity (OPMM) levels. A case study of a South African petrochemical company compares a PMO within the company with a small projects department that is not supported by a PMO. OPMM development drivers and essential PMO support functions are identified for both structures. It is proposed that the requirements of essential PMO support functions depend on the OPMM level, but are also affected by business needs. The highest OPMM level is not required for every organisation, as the optimum OPMM level depends on the specific business’ requirements.

Project sponsors play significant roles at the stage gates of project life cycle models (PLCMs). However, research on the roles that sponsors play at stage gates, and the attributes required of the sponsor, are sparse. This study investigated the roles played by government and municipal sponsors at the PLCM stage gates of a water utility, and identified the attributes that the sponsor should have as well as the challenges they face. A case study approach was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders. The findings could assist the senior management of water utilities, national government departments, and municipalities when appointing suitable project sponsors.

This paper explores whether organisations in a developing country have become more mature over time in their project management practices, and compares the current state to findings from a similar study conducted in 2010. It thus contributes to the scant literature on project management maturity in developing countries. Six hundred responses to a project management maturity questionnaire were used to investigate the perceived project management success of 9 389 projects. The results indicated that the perceived average project management maturity dropped from the 2010 value of 2.88 to 2.64 in 2020. Despite this, most of the projects surveyed were still perceived as successful. Keywords: Project management maturity, project management success, developing countries

A project manager’s competency depends on the project’s complexity and includes a unique set of personal attributes and the ability to apply appropriate leadership styles. This paper reports on a Delphi study that includes the views of 30 experts – employed by a utility that executes projects with different levels of complexity. The results confirm that project manager competence is influenced by leadership styles that are appropriate for specific project lifecycle stages and levels of project complexity, as well as specific personal attributes. The study thus provides guidance regarding the project manager competence that is required for specific situations.

An increased interest in project management over the last decade resulted in a greater adoption of international standards, increased academic research, and in training on project management concepts. However, studies continue to show lower than satisfactory project success rates. The aim of this paper is to determine the current levels of project success in Africa, as well as the extent that project manager competency influences project success. Six hundred survey responses, reporting on 9 389 projects executed in various Southern African countries, were analyzed statistically. The results indicate a success rate of 70% and suggest that organizations with more competent project managers produce more successful projects. The article bridges the current gap between theoretical insights into this topic and the managerial reality in Africa today. It also stresses the need for investment in training and development of project managers in Africa.

Background: Digital transformation (DT) is an increasingly relevant concept for businesses remain competitive. As DT projects are disruptive to an organisation and are significantly different from traditional information technology projects, it is important to understand the value that specific DT projects will bring to an organisation before they are implemented, that DT project portfolios can be optimally managed. Aim: This study aims to determine the key goals and benefits of DT projects, as well as the selection criteria for DT projects in South African businesses. The study also explores the most influential technologies for driving the implementation of DT projects. Setting: South Africa is an emerging economy. The study was performed in the initial phases of nationwide lockdown owing to COVID-19. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 leaders from South African businesses of varying sizes, but all in significant local markets. Content analysis using CAQDAS was used to analyse the primary data, using both inductive and deductive coding methods. Results: South African businesses use a combination of financial and non-financial project selection criteria across four main goals and benefit categories: customer experience, operational efficiency, business culture, and traditional project evaluation. The fifth proposed goal (new business models) was not used to evaluate DT projects. The most influential technologies that drive the selection of DT projects were data-related, such as data storage, data processing, machine learning, and data-driven decision-making. Conclusion: Companies in South Africa can use traditional project evaluation criteria together with several new criteria to determine the value of DT projects more holistically. This study also suggests several key practical takeaways for businesses that are aspiring to implement their own DT projects.

Purpose Executive sponsors play a significant role in the success of megaprojects which, in turn, affect national economies and millions of people. However, the literature on the requisite attributes of project sponsors on megaprojects is still sparse. The purpose of the paper is to provide guidelines to company boards and executives who are tasked to appoint suitable executive sponsors to megaprojects. Thus, the paper contributes to the sparse literature on megaproject sponsors. Design/methodology/approach A total of 26 senior managers, with experience in megaprojects ranging from 8 to 15 years – and who were involved in 6 recent megaprojects with a combined value of US$13.75bn – were interviewed on the attributes of megaproject sponsors. Transcriptions of semi-structured, open-ended interviews were analysed with computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). Findings The study identified the most essential attribute as appropriate seniority, being empowered and accountable, with appropriate seniority, being empowered and accountable, with apposite credibility and with both personal and positional power. The study also uncovered 13 attributes – all components of “competence” – which have not previously been explicitly identified in literature as elements of sponsor “competence”. Originality/value In the current study guidelines are provided for the selection and appointment of appropriate megaproject sponsors.

Purpose This article describes advances in the study of knowledge transfer (KT) in project-based organizations (PBOs). Project management offices (PMOs) have both a moderation role and a mediation role to play in KT between projects. In order to improve KT between projects, this paper explores the mediation role of the PMO in the transfer of knowledge with different levels of articulability. The aim is to improve the usability of transferred knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The case study method was used to investigate KT in five-divisional PMOs within a multinational engineering and project management PBO. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted and the results were analysed using ATLAS.Ti (a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software). Findings The findings show that it is the way in which the PMO structures knowledge management (KM) infrastructure and processes, which determines the success of its mediation role in the transfer of tacit and explicit knowledge between projects. The articulability of knowledge influences the PMO's mediation role and the PMO's mediation role in turn improves the usability of knowledge, thereby creating a conducive environment for a competitive advantage. Originality/value This study offers a framework to assist scholars and practitioners to understand the mediation role of the PMO in the transfer of knowledge with different levels of articulability within the projects environment. Such understanding can improve the usability of transferred knowledge, thereby creating a competitive edge for a PBO. The study shows that the PMO can be used as an instrument for KT between projects, a theme that was not found in literature. The paper thus offers new empirical information.

The knowledge transfer role of a project management office in a matrixstructured telecommunication organisation was investigated by means of focus groups and interviews, and the results were analysed with ATLAS.ti software. The results confirmed the key role that the project management office plays in knowledge transfer. Corporate culture was found to have a greater effect on knowledge transfer than the type of organisational structure. Conflicts and other challenges typical of matrix structures did not necessarily hinder knowledge transfer, and even contributed to it. The knowledge transfer roles of the project management office were primarily perceived as a moderator of the transfer of technical information and a mediator of project and business knowledge.

Megaprojects are failing at a rate that affects national economies as well as millions of people. The role of the executive project sponsor is merely one of the decisive factors in the success of these projects, but it is still much neglected in project management literature. This paper investigates attributes required by executive sponsors of megaprojects. The paper reports on the perceptions of 26 executives who played key roles in six recently completed megaprojects. The findings include essential attributes that an executive sponsor should have in order to improve the probability of a megaproject's success. The single most significant attribute is seniority and power.

Effective knowledge transfer is essential in obtaining a competitive advantage. In a project environment, knowledge transfer occurs across different boundaries and involves different stakeholders - a topic much neglected in the literature. This paper explores the processes at play when knowledge is transferred across different boundaries, and then focuses on the role played by the document management system in a project management office. Results from focus group workshops and interviews indicate that the project management office plays a vital role in ensuring effective knowledge transfer, and that the roles differ at different boundaries. In the mining case study, the document management system plays a key role in knowledge transfer.