The private life of project managers - the social struggle

Paper

Whitty, S. Jonathan. 2011. "The private life of project managers - the social struggle." PMOz 2011 Incorporating the PMI Australia National Conference: Project Management at the Speed of Light. Sydney, Australia Sydney, Australia.
Paper/Presentation Title

The private life of project managers - the social struggle

Presentation TypePaper
Authors
AuthorWhitty, S. Jonathan
Journal or Proceedings TitleProceedings of the 8th Annual Project Management Australia Conference (PMOz 2011)
ERA Conference ID44002
Number of Pages6
Year2011
Place of PublicationSydney, Australia
Web Address (URL) of Paperhttp://www.pmoz.situ.com.au/weblease/tpcommon/src/tp1FullPage.cfm?idPageCopy=15100&idClient=893
Conference/EventPMOz 2011 Incorporating the PMI Australia National Conference: Project Management at the Speed of Light
Project Management conference
Event Details
Project Management conference
PMOZ
Rank
B
B
B
B
B
B
Event Details
PMOz 2011 Incorporating the PMI Australia National Conference: Project Management at the Speed of Light
Event Location
Sydney, Australia
Abstract

The Private Life of Project Managers is a conceptual paper that takes a Darwinian approach to the concepts, practices, and behaviours of project managers. It contends that evolutionary science can help understand why project managers do what they do, and why they sometimes engage in convoluted, intricate, and occasionally devious or contradictory activities.

This conference paper examines some of the day-to-day habits of the modern project manager and of their group behaviour, and how these lead to their survival and advancement in the complex corporate world rather than making a direct positive impact on the project.

The intention of the paper is to make the case for a new way of thinking about project managers and their projects which embraces their human fallibilities and the often unpredictable nature of their project work.

Keywordsproject management; evolution; professionalism
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020350710. Organisational behaviour
350709. Organisation and management theory
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Byline AffiliationsSchool of Management and Marketing
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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