Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Gail Ferreira

Abstract

Information technology organizations lose significant competitive value when business leaders fail to use project management maturity (PMM) processes that enhance market delivery, reduce costs, and increase profitability. Using a multiple-case study, the researcher explored strategies that project leaders have used to improve PMM processes and expanded upon Kerzner's PMM model, which comprises 5 PMM levels essential for achieving repeatable project success. The researcher selected 20 project leader participants in the Southeastern region of the United States using a purposeful snowball sampling technique. In depth interviews were combined with archival and document exploration using a multiple-case study design where different types of project offices were cross compared as the unit of analysis including governmental, corporate, nonprofit, and not-for-profit organizations. Thematic analysis and cross-case analysis revealed 6 major strategies to improve PMM processes: project leader development, customer focus, standard methodology development, interactive communication, establishing a project office organizational structure, and practicing continuous process improvement. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide small businesses and marginally-resourced organizations, such as churches and charitable organizations, with a beneficial value that contributes to positive economic activity in the local communities they support. The results are important because they extend constrained resources and organizational buying power for deliverables required by the recipient of the altruistic act.

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