Sammendrag
This paper contributes to the project management literature by means of an investigation into the causes of changes to project success criteria. A combination of open questionnaires and interviews are used in this study. The questionnaire results are based on information obtained from 145 informants who are working on projects in different sectors, including and not restricted those of: construction, IS, software, public sector, consulting, production, and aviation. The interview results are based on information obtained from 16 informants selected from the respondents of the questionnaires. Around 85% of the respondents who have replied to the questionnaires indicated that project success criteria undergo change during the execution phase. These changes cause a loss of project focus and generate unwanted outcomes such as delays, unsatisfied users, and financial losses. The study shows that changes to success criteria occur because of three reasons. The first reason is attributed to a poor managerial attitude toward project success; after being defined and accepted, success criteria are subsequently neglected. In simple terms, success criteria are not used for actively managing or supporting the project. Changes of this category occur due to a failure to establish and adhere to proper execution strategies according to these success criteria. The second category of change occurs because of a lack of measurability or alignment of success criteria during the initiation phase. The final category of change occurs because of shifting boundary conditions that lie outside the control of the project management process. The results of this research are intended to help academics and practitioners identify the necessary competencies to develop and manage project success criteria in a more effective manner. This paper suggests and profiles these competencies in the conclusion.
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