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Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization

The management of projects has been area of intense study for many years, yet few researchers have ventured outside parameters of the mainstream concerns. This research aims to move outside the parameters of mainstream project management research, in order to explore other perspectives, with the pur...

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Main Author: Steyn, Keegan
Other Authors: Sewchurran, Kosheek
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: GSB: Faculty 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Steyn, Keegan
author2 Sewchurran, Kosheek
author_browse Sewchurran, Kosheek
Steyn, Keegan
author_facet Sewchurran, Kosheek
Steyn, Keegan
author_sort Steyn, Keegan
collection Thesis
description The management of projects has been area of intense study for many years, yet few researchers have ventured outside parameters of the mainstream concerns. This research aims to move outside the parameters of mainstream project management research, in order to explore other perspectives, with the purpose of illuminating new concerns and agendas. An abductive research strategy within a single case study was utilized to obtain rich data and new insights. This research seeks to uncover the social forces that influence the adoption of mainstream project and programme management standards and structures. The literature revealed that mainstream project management has idealogical foundations rooted within a 'Cartesian-Taylorist' paradigm and these have affected the development of programme management. The empirical findings indicated that a superficial understanding existed regarding the motivation for the adoption of project management standards and structures, within the case company. In addition, it was noted that the adoption of these project management standards and structures was perceived to provide more control and legitimacy. A consequence of these practices, within the case organization, is that it created a strong resource dependence on external consultants. The theoretical explanations illuminated that the desire for control, reducing uncertainty and the need for competitiveness serve as social forces towards the adoption of mainstream project and programme management standards and structures. Furthermore, the research explored the consequences of this phenomenon, within the case organisation.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:09.814Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher GSB: Faculty
publisherStr GSB: Faculty
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/19892 Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization Steyn, Keegan Sewchurran, Kosheek Management Practice The management of projects has been area of intense study for many years, yet few researchers have ventured outside parameters of the mainstream concerns. This research aims to move outside the parameters of mainstream project management research, in order to explore other perspectives, with the purpose of illuminating new concerns and agendas. An abductive research strategy within a single case study was utilized to obtain rich data and new insights. This research seeks to uncover the social forces that influence the adoption of mainstream project and programme management standards and structures. The literature revealed that mainstream project management has idealogical foundations rooted within a 'Cartesian-Taylorist' paradigm and these have affected the development of programme management. The empirical findings indicated that a superficial understanding existed regarding the motivation for the adoption of project management standards and structures, within the case company. In addition, it was noted that the adoption of these project management standards and structures was perceived to provide more control and legitimacy. A consequence of these practices, within the case organization, is that it created a strong resource dependence on external consultants. The theoretical explanations illuminated that the desire for control, reducing uncertainty and the need for competitiveness serve as social forces towards the adoption of mainstream project and programme management standards and structures. Furthermore, the research explored the consequences of this phenomenon, within the case organisation. 2016-06-02T08:45:24Z 2016-06-02T08:45:24Z 2015 Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19892 eng application/pdf GSB: Faculty Unknown University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Management Practice
Steyn, Keegan
Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
title_full Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
title_fullStr Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
title_full_unstemmed Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
title_short Organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization: a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
title_sort organisational ventriloquism in a project centered organization a qualitative inquiry into the effects of ritualized mimeticisomorphism within a project centered organization
topic Management Practice
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19892
work_keys_str_mv AT steynkeegan organisationalventriloquisminaprojectcenteredorganizationaqualitativeinquiryintotheeffectsofritualizedmimeticisomorphismwithinaprojectcenteredorganization