An investigation of the relationship between project performance and characteristics of project leaders

Abstract This study examines the relationships between project performance and the cognitive style and career orientation of project leaders. The impact of differences in project type on the relationships are also investigated. The sample consisted of the leaders of 41 new product development projects in 13 British firms. Our results lend support to the notion that the performance of a project is affected by the cognitive style, career orientation, and background characteristics of the project leader and further, that these relationships are moderated by the type of work undertaken by the project team. Implications of the results for R&D managers are also discussed.

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