The Paradoxical Profession: Project Management and the Contradictory Nature of Sustainable Project Objectives

Professions are undergoing a significant change in how they integrate environmental and social objectives into their core values. This article examines the situation which those working project management profession expected to work under contradictory sustainability constraints. In this article, we investigate tensions managers experience when addressing sustainable objectives. Results show that arise over (temporality of objectives, organizational barriers, lack control), addressed only anchored an economic one form business case for sustainability. We also find matching traditional with ones is not possible, practitioners enact set reactions characterized as greenwashing, it can’t be person, no space my job, other actors involved, or pushing back, depending on specific context. Adopting paradox theory lens, provide alternative approach The practical contribution lies suggesting need strategies embrace paradoxical situations some suggestions illustrate this.