Theories for classification vs. classification as theory: Implications of classification and typology for the development of project management theories

Abstract Although ordering and classification schemes play a crucial role in the project management field, classification as a topic of study has been undervalued in the literature. Accordingly, there is a semantic confusion and lack of uniformity about the definitions and theoretical implications of two commonly used terms in project management: classification and typology . We argue that this issue hinders project management field from developing middle-range theories and flourishing theoretically compared to other fields of research. In this paper, we clarify the definitions and theoretical implications of project classification and typology so they can be fully used in theory development. We argue that typology – although it involves classification – is different than simple classification schemes. We also explain how theories for classification can be used to delimit project types in homogeneous project categories and develop middle-range theories; however, a typology itself is a unique form of theory that can capture the complex nature of projects. By clarifying these concepts, this paper points to promising directions for future development of theories in project management.