Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Doug J. Gilbert
Abstract
Project failures can be costly to businesses, but on average, program managers’ (PMs’) success rates for managing information technology (IT) projects is less than 35%. Organizational cultures struggle to adapt to agile project management (APM) that provides stakeholder flexibility for dynamic environments. Grounded by project management theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies project managers use to reduce IT project failures. The participants consisted of nine project managers in the northeastern United States with APM experience managing successful IT projects. Data were collected from virtual semi-structured interviews and journal notes. Ten open-ended interview questions explored PM's successes and challenges in managing projects within the workplace. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. . Respondents spoke of three high-level themes of communications, cultural dependencies, and effective planning. Key recommendations to PMs and business managers are to adopt APM elements within stakeholder culture, training, and processes. The implications for positive social change include the potential to create jobs for business growth and stimulate the local economy.
Recommended Citation
Kirkland, Tim, "Using Agile Strategies to Improve Project Success Rates" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13498.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13498
