Work

The Pragmatic Comportment Compass: Rethinking projectification in public sector projects

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This study explores the relationship between public sector project managers and their organizations' formal project management processes. Utilizing Heidegger's concept of ‘practical comportment,’ we develop the ‘Pragmatic Comportment Compass,’ which identifies four primary modes of this relationship: to use, manipulate, circumvent, and suffer. Based on qualitative data from a focus group of nine experienced project managers in the Australian state government, our findings reveal a tendency to prioritize the public good over strict protocol adherence. This results in adaptive strategies that respond effectively to complex public service realities, ensuring project progress. Our findings challenge the conventional definition of projectification, proposing an alternative that emphasizes the importance of discretion and strategic flexibility. We align this alternative with the principles of street-level bureaucracy and contingency theory , highlighting the necessity for situational responsiveness and resilience in navigating the bureaucratic and procedural obstacles inherent in public sector projects.

Source: Project Leadership and Society

DOI: 10.1016/j.plas.2024.100152

Authors: Kevan M. Rowe, Stephen Jonathan Whitty, Anita Louise Wheeldon

Institution: University of Southern Queensland

Language: English

Topic: Public Policy and Administration Research

Subfield: Public Administration

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,890