Literature Review of Complex and Virtual Project Management Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction

Project management is a complex and heterogeneous activity, and the success of the entire enterprise depends on the company’s ability to accomplish objectives effectively. It is essential to apply relevant knowledge, experience, methods, and tools to manage employees, achieve the defined sets of goals, distribute resources reasonably, and control complex and virtual projects. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered business processes, and companies have to adapt to changes, switching their teams and projects to a remote work model. In this regard, project management becomes vital for organizations to achieve top performance. This paper aims to provide a literature review of the management of complex and virtual projects, critically evaluating research findings on this topic. Furthermore, virtual project complexities, as well as approaches, tools, and skills for successful leadership, will be discussed.

Critical Analysis

Managing and Controlling Complex and Virtual Projects

To begin with, it is essential to explore how managers can control and lead projects to their successful end state. The overview of previous studies has revealed that several scholarly works support the assumption that performance measurement and team communication impact the outcomes of complex and virtual projects, emphasizing the importance of these two factors (Kennedy, McComb, and Vozdolska, 2011; San Cristóbal et al., 2019; Głodziński, 2019). Therefore, managers can focus on the enhancement of performance measurement and communication strategies to achieve the desired results. In particular, Głodziński (2019, p. 23) established the need for effective “planning, monitoring, control, and support for decision making that is focused mainly on people behaviors, organization of work, existing or desirable regulations, efficient utilization of resources” for successful project management performance. Since complex projects are characterized by a variety of processes and stakeholders involved, managers must ensure appropriate training and the use of communication tools for team collaboration and involvement in work (Emiri and Ewa, 2021). In other words, it is vital to maintain clear communication and continuously improve employees’ expertise to help them face emerging challenges associated with remote work or changing markets.

Another essential aspect of leading complex and virtual projects is knowledge transfer. Cerezo-Narváez et al. (2021) explored a knowledge management model defining the need for obtaining, capturing, and sharing essential information throughout day-to-day business activities. Researchers established the importance of supporting virtual project teams by providing relevant visual data (Furst et al., 2004; Lyons et al., 2009). Similarly, Emiri and Ewa (2021) report the importance of data visualization for virtual project management. In doing so, companies can apply technological resources and establish staff responsibilities and roles efficiently.

Finally, previous studies explore two approaches to complex and virtual project management. Gorod, Hallo, and Nguyen (2018, p. 811) differentiate between “command-and-control management” and “network governance, a relatively new existing approach.” Eriksson, Larsson, and Pesämaa (2017) analyzed 138 construction projects, concluding that a flexible and adaptive approach to planning improves “time performance in complex projects” (p. 1512). In this regard, the command-and-control method demonstrates effectiveness but lacks flexibility, while the network governance is marked by adaptability but does not account for sufficient control (Eriksson, Larsson, and Pesämaa, 2017). Overall, a literature review of previous studies reveals that performance management, the use of communication tools, training, knowledge transfer, data visualization, and flexibility are pivotal for managing and controlling complex and virtual projects.

Project Complexities

A critical open question associated with the subject is what complexities characterize virtual projects. In general, scholars highlight such challenges as hindered performance evaluation due to managers’ separation from the team, difficulties in coordination and communication, as well as lack of corporate culture (Lyons et al., 2009; Norman and Pick, 2014). This aspect is critical to discuss in order to develop strategies to address common issues and improve company performance. In this regard, Lyons et al. (2009, p. 8) note that “a virtual leader does not have the same opportunities to be present to observe team member performance and monitor the team’s progress, as would a leader of a colocated team.” As a result, other characteristics such as trust and cooperation among team members can be affected.

An understanding of virtual project complexities is required to apply effective methods aiming to improve the progress of the whole organization. Norman and Pick (2014) explore the problem by conducting qualitative research that involves companies located in several countries. As a result, a number of challenges were defined impacting project success: organizational structure and culture, task complexity and allocation, geographic distance, and time difference (Norman and Pick, 2014). The importance of these factors is supported by other scholars; namely, Lyons et al. (2009) point out that interpersonal conflicts among team members result from cultural differences and a lack of clear communication. Furthermore, Lyons et al. (2009) emphasize the need for providing constructive feedback to enhance employees’ expertise and knowledge. Bo and Na (2010, p. 492) suggest a “partner choice model … built to adapt, and apply genetic algorithms” to achieve the optimal teammate combination. Such study findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the subject at hand.

At the same time, more project complexities can be found throughout a variety of industries. The overview of the existing literature highlights that the project’s scale and organizational procedures and tools, market dynamics, as well as external uncertainties, affect the outcome of virtual project leadership (Lyons et al., 2009; Biazzo, Fabris, and Panizzolo, 2020; Norman and Pick, 2014). As can be seen, managers can focus on these findings to develop efficient strategies when working on projects within a virtual environment. More studies are required to explore various aspects of these challenges and establish ways to eliminate their negative impact on the company’s progress.

Approaches, Tools, and Skills for Project Leadership

It is crucial to implement effective approaches and tools as well as develop relevant skills to address the existing and emerging challenges for virtual and complex project management. Various approaches to project management are available for organizations to achieve the desired outcomes, such as classical management, Six Sigma, Agile, or others (Gorod, Hallo, and Nguyen, 2018; Eriksson, Larsson, and Pesämaa, 2017). As Norman and Pick (2014) state, the character and scale of virtual projects must be considered to ensure effective resource allocation. The implementation of a single project management system is vital to coordinate the use of tools, such as Weekdone Team Compass, Clarizen, Asana, Trello, and others (Gorod, Hallo, and Nguyen, 2018). A holistic approach is particularly required if the organization implements a large number of projects of the same type.

In this regard, managers must possess the certain skillset to lead complex projects successfully. Planning and organizational skills are critical for managing projects with virtual complexities (Kennedy, McComb, and Vozdolska, 2011; Głodziński, 2019; Cerezo-Narváez et al., 2021). Research shows that all the actions that the team must perform to achieve the given goal need to be carefully set out beforehand. Remote project management requires a thorough and transparent approach to setting priorities, and monitoring tasks, deadlines, and processes.

Conclusion

To conclude, a review of the existent literature has revealed that performance management, the use of communication tools, training, knowledge transfer, data visualization, and flexibility are pivotal for managing and controlling complex and virtual projects. Furthermore, several complexities are associated with virtual projects, including hindered performance evaluation, difficulties in coordination and communication, a lack of organizational structure and corporate culture, task complexity, geographic distance, time difference, challenging market dynamics, and external uncertainties. Therefore, virtual project management must be based on the use of effective approaches, skills, and tools that meet the company’s requirements.

Reference List

Biazzo, S., Fabris, A., and Panizzolo, R. (2020) ‘Virtual visual planning: A methodology to assess digital project management tools’, International Journal of Applied Research in Management and Economics, 3(4), pp. 1-10.

Bo, J., and Na, Z. (2010) ‘Research of partner choice for virtual enterprise in complex project of project logistics’, The 2nd Conference on Environmental Science and Information Application Technology, Wuhan, China, Web.

Cerezo-Narváez, A. et al. (2021). ‘Knowledge as an organizational asset for managing complex projects: The case of naval platforms’, Sustainability, 13(2), pp. 1-20.

Emiri, D., and Ewa, D. (2021) ‘Virtual project management in nigeria’s construction industry’, Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology (AJEST), 5(1), pp. 12-23. Web.

Eriksson, P. E., Larsson, J., and Pesämaa, O. (2017) ‘Managing complex projects in the infrastructure sector — A structural equation model for flexibility-focused project management’, International Journal of Project Management, 35(8), pp. 1512-1523.

Furst, S. A. et al. (2004) ‘Managing the life cycle of virtual teams’, Academy of Management Perspectives, 18(2), pp. 6-20.

Głodziński, E. (2019) ‘Performance measurement of complex project: framework and means supporting management of project-based organizations’, International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 7(2), pp. 21-34.

Gorod, A., Hallo, L., and Nguyen, T. (2018) ‘A systemic approach to complex project management: Integration of command‐and‐control and network governance’, Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 35(6), pp. 811-837.

Kennedy, D. M., McComb, S. A., and Vozdolska, R. R. (2011) ‘An investigation of project complexity’s influence on team communication using Monte Carlo simulation’, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 28(3), pp. 109-127.

Lyons, R. et al. (2009) ‘Managing virtual teams: strategies for team leaders’, Ergonomics in Design, 17(1), pp. 8-13.

Norman, F. G., and Pick, D. (2014) ‘Understanding virtual team interaction in large, complex resource projects’, Mastering Complex Projects Conference 2014, Barton, Australia, Web.

San Cristóbal, J. R. et al. (2019) ‘Complexity and project management: Challenges, opportunities, and future research’, Complexity, 2019, pp. 1-2.