مشکلات در مدیریت توسعه داخلی پروژه ها در محیط های چند پروژه

This article identifies problems in managing multiple internal development projects. The research methodology employed organisation-specific interviews, surveys and workshops on two case project portfolios. Project portfolio management studies provide one view on existing knowledge in this area. The study results in six relevant problem areas: (1) Inadequate project level activities, (2) Lacking resources, competencies and methods, (3) Lacking commitment, unclear roles and responsibilities, (4) Inadequate portfolio level activities (5) Inadequate information management and (6) Inadequate management of project-oriented organisation. The article suggests further analysis and development of managerial practices on these areas.

Today's business environment is complex and requires faster decisions, better allocation of scarce resources, and a clearer focus. An organisation consisting of a constantly changing mix of large and small projects presents senior management with new challenges in resource planning, prioritisation and monitoring. Adherence to time, scope and cost requirements in single projects may provide a company with increased income and value for the near future. However, to complement this view, the project portfolio management introduces doing the right projects, creating a link from the projects to the organisation's strategy and, simultaneously, adopting the long-term view. The literature on project portfolio management mostly focuses on investment projects, management of technology and innovation, or R&D management. Cooper et al. [1] have identified the problems encountered in inadequate portfolio management and respective solutions which limit to new product development projects. Combe [2] has, in turn, identified problems related to cross-organisational project management. However, in general, studies relating to the identification of problems in managing multiple projects are few. Furthermore, studies concerning the management of internal development portfolios seem rare. This paper makes an attempt to bring more insight into problems in managing entire portfolios of internal development projects.

The literature on problems in managing entire multi-project environments with internal development projects is almost non-existent. This paper made an attempt to bring forth some relevant areas in managing portfolios in internal development projects and, consequently, to clarify the important areas for respective managerial activities. The analysis of the problems with two case portfolios introduced six relevant problem areas. Comparing those empirically derived problem areas to the problems introduced in the literature encourages us to suggest that the six problem areas resulting from our empirical study would be considered as a relevant starting point for further studies and development of managerial applications: 1. Inadequate project level activities. 2. Lacking resources, competencies and methods. 3. Lacking commitment, unclear roles and responsibilities. 4. Inadequate portfolio level activities. 5. In adequate information management. 6. Inadequate management of project-oriented business. The project portfolio management literature recognises similar issues that these areas cover. Furthermore, the literature introduces information overflow and decision making basing on power as two additional issues that are not emphasised in our empirical findings. Our empirical analysis introduced such managerial problem areas that represent a wider scope than what has been seen relevant in existing project portfolio management literature. However, this study limits its empirical findings to only two internal development portfolios in a matrix organisation. The problems found in the two case portfolios were quite similar. This encourages suggestions for further studies that would investigate if similar problems would occur in other organisations, or in other types of portfolios. Future research could identify solution areas and suggest specific solutions for the managerial problems highlighted in this study.