External or Internal Focus?—A Comparison of IT Executive and IT Project Manager Roles

Abstract

This study investigates the emphasis placed on different managerial roles by information technology (IT) executives and IT project managers. Six managerial roles from Mintzberg's classic role model were applied in this research: leader, resource allocator, spokesman, entrepreneur, liaison, and monitor. Two surveys were conducted in Norway in 2000/2001 to investigate the management roles. In the first survey, which focused on IT executives, the respondents emphasized the entrepreneur role significantly more than other managerial roles. In the second survey, which focused on IT project managers, the respondents emphasized the leader role significantly more than other managerial roles. A comparison of IT executives and IT project managers found significant differences in four out of six managerial roles. IT executives emphasize the monitor role significantly more than IT project managers, while IT project managers emphasize the leader, resource allocator, and entrepreneur roles significantly more than IT executives. The empirical results found evidence that IT executives are more externally oriented than IT project managers. The study encourages both IT executives and IT project managers to be more externally oriented to meet future challenges.