Management Science methods and methodologies for Project Management: What they model, how they model and why they model

Nowadays there is an enormous variety of methods, techniques and methodologies within the broad field of Management Science, all having very diverse characteristics and stemming from various paradigms based on different philosophical assumptions, and, to a lesser or greater extent, drawing on particular bodies of theory. Whilst this plenitude can enhance practice, it also poses problems for project managers who often tend to restrict themselves to one paradigm or even one methodology. The aim of this paper is to assist project managers in understanding both the implicit and explicit assumptions underlying management methods and their principal aims and purposes. Thus, project managers will be able to make a choice as to which methodology is more appropriate for a particular situation.