Project Management in Small to Medium‐Sized Enterprises: Fitting the Practices to the Needs of the Firm to Deliver Benefit

Abstract

Small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) undertake smaller projects than larger organizations and so need more informal people focused project management practices. We investigate the nature of SMEs that leads them to adopt practices of this nature and explore comparative benefits and costs. We interviewed 19 companies and conducted a web‐based survey. SMEs adopt project management practices to fit the size of the firm and the nature of projects undertaken. The practices adopted are more customer‐focused. SMEs perceive the benefit of project management outweighs the cost, but the perceived bureaucracy and overhead was the main barrier to its adoption.

Notes

3. They used the European definition of size of company (Table 1).

4. In the firms they interviewed the transition from micro to small tended to occur at 15–20 people, more consistent with the sizing used in North America (Table 1) but that the transition from small to medium sized occurred between 45 and 50 people, consistent with the European sizing.

5. Maturity levels are based on the CMMI approach, as adapted by Ibbs and Reginato (2002). For further information on CMMI see Paulk et al. (1995).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rodney Turner

Rodney Turner is Professor of Project Management, SKEMA Business School, Euralille, Pas de Calais, France.

Ann Ledwith

Ann Ledwith is the Director of Continuing & Professional Education at the University of Limerick, Ireland.