The Identification Of IT Project Manager Competencies: A Grounded Theory Approach

A good project manager needs to demonstrate a range of competencies during the course of an IT project. The eventual success of a project may be at risk if certain competences are either not present or not applied appropriately. Utilising the grounded theory methodology and behavioural event interviews this research seeks to identify the key competencies of a project manager when dealing with critical project situations. Interviews with 10 IT project managers with varying levels of experience uncovered a number of competencies, some of which have not be reported elsewhere or are potentially more complex than might have been previously considered. Being able to manage multiple modes of communication emerged as an important part of the project managers’ role and those that communicated the most, appeared to manage their projects in a more positive manner overall. Knowing when to involve higher authorities in order to get cooperation from others also emerged as an important issue. Finally, it was observed that inexperienced project managers were just as likely to demonstrate competencies as those with extensive experience.