The project manager and the project-network

Abstract This paper draws on a qualitative study to increase understanding of what project managers do, and how project managers understand and talk about what they do. It includes insights from in-depth analysis of interviews with a nominal group of project managers. However, rather than use competence frameworks to bring out the network of relationships between the project manager and the multiple political, environmental and technological factors in any project, concepts from Actor-Network Theory are used to interpret the stories told by experienced project managers about their work and their use of project management techniques against the fluid and transient nature of projects. The paper shows how project management processes act as allies, enabling the project manager to interest and enrol team members and stakeholders and to mobilise the support of sponsors and other powerful players.

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