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Applicaiton of Project Management in Higher Institutions
Applicaiton of Project Management in Higher Institutions
Chanelle Austin, Winifred Browne, Barbara Haas, Everett Kenyatta, Sarah Zulueta
Drexel University, USA
cba25@drexel.edu, wdh27@drexel.edu, bjh327@drexel.edu,
kenyattamba@gmail.com, zuluets@drexel.edu
Abstract
Project Management is prevalent in many industries but is seemingly overlooked in higher
education. At times project management is considered more of an art than an actual science
therefore not enough time or money is spent on implementing formal structures in organizations,
as a result projects often fail and lack direction in any industry. Formal project management
concepts are more prevalent in well-established industries such as construction and healthcare but
seem to be lacking in higher education. We will examine why project management is not as
prevalent in higher education, how higher education institutions can benefit from having formal
project management methodology or a central PMO and what leadership traits would be needed
for management to successfully implement a sustainable and effective PMO at a higher education
institution. A case study consisting of a series of interviews with top leaders at Drexel University
on the state of project management will illustrate the challenges that face higher education
institutions who strive to implement project management methodology under budget and resource
constraints. In addition, required leadership styles and further research in the area will be examined
to further prove the importance of implementing project management in higher education
institutions that will contribute to effective, efficient and timely delivery of product and services
to their customers – the faculty, staff and students.
Keywords: Project management, higher education, Project Management Office (PM)
Introduction
We chose to examine how formal project management methodology is lacking in higher education
compared to other industries, specifically healthcare and construction, and identify producible
benefits should a formal project management approach be taken in higher education and
specifically at Drexel University. Further examination into the theory that in order for a Project
Management Office (PMO) to thrive in the Higher Education industry, certain leadership styles
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 76
should be employed to make a PMO in Higher Education sustainable and successful. A case
studying involving a series of interviews with top leaders at Drexel University were conducted to
discuss the current and future state of project management at Drexel University and the benefits
that may result if formal project management methodology was applied in higher education
institutions such as Drexel University and how it compares to local and national institutions. As
stakeholders in higher education in various roles including administrators, employees and students,
the authors have a vested interest in the improvement of processes, procedures, and workflows
within the Higher Education Industry (HEI) space and have, therefore, chosen this topic to
research.
Research was conducted to support the hypothesis that project management methodology currently
has widespread and successful utilization in the construction and health care industries yet lacks
in higher education. A substantial amount of evidence was found to defend the construction
management and healthcare theories; however, there seems to be a shortage of data and research
mechanisms to prove our hypothesis relevant to the higher education field especially if unrelated
to IT departments within higher academia. The deficit of evidence conversely reinforces the
authors’ premises. Further evaluation through scholarly interviews was able to verify the lack of
project management within higher education and at Drexel University, in addition to determining
how applying project management and successful leadership traits will benefit the field and
institutions.
Literature review
The approach taken in this literature review is one that gives the reader a hypothesis formulated
methodology currently has widespread and successful utilization in the construction industry and
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 77
health care environments; and a second, unsupported premise that the use of formal, structured
project management is lacking in higher education. This second premise forms the crux of this
paper’s hypothesis; and, thus, will be further elaborated on and, if possible, validated. The authors
contend that the use of project management methodology in both the construction and healthcare
industries has improved project success in those industries and can provide the same result in
higher education.
Current research appears to be in line with the hypothesis especially the premise that project
construction projects almost as much as they did around IT. There is research that supports the
premise that project management is successfully employed in the healthcare industry. Current
component of construction projects. The recent focus on IT projects in healthcare is not surprising
as portions of the Affordable Care Act and all of the Hospital Information Technology for
Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act offer mandates and subsidies to increase the use of
electronic health records (Frost & Sullivan, 2012). Those pieces of legislation have undoubtedly
Conversely, there appears to be a dearth of research specifically addressing the lack of formal
chosen to discuss project management as it relates to the IT departments and IT functions within
the universities. This scarcity of academic research creates a challenge with regard to validating
the hypothesis, but the discovery of viewpoints that support a diversity of mindset in these
Project management, structurally, seems to have been tailor-made for construction—especially the
inherently ordered. Although Emes, Smith, and Marjanovic-Halburd (2012) conclude that the
complexity of the modern built environment requires a much less linear approach, they do
acknowledge the fact that construction’s traditional model is sequential. Similarly, Chou and Yang
(2012) express a concern that construction has become more complex, but, in a departure from
Emes, et al (2012), Chou and Yang (2012) imply that, despite the increasing complexity of
construction projects, and because of its structured approach, use of A Guide to the Project
It is here, in the context of structured, linear, project management-oriented thinking that we find
the rub. Neary and Saunders (2011) study of 12 universities in the United Kingdom that were all
in the process of building “innovative teaching and learning spaces” garnered very interesting
information with regard to tension, organizational politics, and divergent mindsets. The study
focused on the “academic involvement in the design and delivery of new teaching and learning
spaces in higher education…[and examined that involvement] in the design and decision-making
process of pedagogic space design” (Neary & Saunders, 2011). Their study uncovered a battle
that is academically exhilarating because it takes place at the intersection of construction, higher
education, and project management. One might say that there always exists a battle between these
parties—and that may be true—but, for the most part, that battle takes place between construction
and higher education executive leadership. The Neary & Saunders study examined the interaction
between construction, higher education faculty, and project management; and this study may go a
As one might imagine, faculty overwhelmingly conceptualized their learning spaces from a
pedagogical perspective. The academics thought about how these spaces might be designed to
engage students, to increase learning, to, like any other learning tool, have a positive effect on
outcomes. Neary and Saunders (2012) concluded that faculty could make a significant
contribution to the development of learning spaces, but felt constrained by the project management
processes. These constraints, however, are very much a part of the structured and linear nature of
Biron, Aubry, Bonneville-Roussy, and Vezina (2012) in their study on the implementation of a
project management office (PMO) in a healthcare setting, mention a stressful transition to the
PMO, but conclude that the PMO did, indeed, support project success. Aubrey, Hobbs, and
Thuillier (2008), in their research on organizations and organizational project management, add a
twist to the PMO-organization dynamic by stating that organizational tensions are among the
primary drivers behind the implementation of a project management office within an organization,
but appear to concur with Lavoie-Tremlay, Richer, et al (2012) regarding positive PMO-related
outcomes when they further conclude that the “PMO’s contribution to the organisational
performance can be seen as the result of multiple coexisting values within an organisation, as
analysed with the competing values framework...but at the same time, far from being problematic,
these different values participate to the dynamic life of the organisation” (Aubrey, et al, 2008).
Finally, the scarcity of research that definitively states that formal, structured project management
methodology is employed in HEIs does not lend to the validation of this paper’s hypothesis, but
that validation can, in fact, be inferred from the very absence of research mentioned above. That
inference can then be supported by the abundance of research that speaks to the conflicts between
the linear nature of project management methodology juxtaposed against the very abstract and
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 80
analytical nature of academia. Clearly, conflicts exist that may hinder the establishment of PMOs
in HEIs. Further research and comparisons of the construction, healthcare, and higher education
fields could aid in determining if the implementation (or lack of implementation) of PMOs leans
mindsets, leadership styles, cost-benefit perception, or some other forces play a larger role.
Leadership Qualities
It is important to understand why leadership qualities are important to project management. Even
though the terms managing and leading are used interchangeably there are distinct differences
(Schwalbe, 2013). It is often said leaders are focused on the big picture and long term goals while
managers are focused on day to day activities and achieving those goals (Schwalbe, 2013). In
project management, both roles are merged. The authors will examine the core competencies that
make up both good and poor leaders and why this element is necessary in project management. By
comparing the construction and healthcare industries where project management is prominent we
Kathy Schwalbe states in her book An Introduction to Healthcare Project Management that a recent
study conducted with over one hundred project managers listed the critical characteristics
necessary for a project manager to possess. While there is certainly overlap between general
leadership roles and project management roles, it vital to separate the two and mention without
these skills a project manager could not be effective in their role. Core competencies for a project
manager are described as: exhibiting professionalism, strong communication skills, being
visionary, encouraging teamwork, having strong cognitive ability, and displaying technical
competence according to (Santiago (nd) & Schwalbe 2013). The fundamental skill set required for
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 81
a project manager are: risk management, team and individual leadership, conflict resolution,
In a recent U.S. News and World Reports article it was stated that project management skills are
“the third most valued skill by employers, behind only leadership and business analysis” (Santiago,
nd). When you look at commercial businesses that currently use project management practices
several key leadership attributes emerge. It is these qualities that have led to successful project
management programs. According to the seven-year DiSC personal profile assessment conducted
by Tom Wagner in 2009, dominant construction leadership behaviors were shown to be:
decisiveness, competitive nature, organized, precise, goal oriented and objective. These
competencies are vital in order for the constructed edifice to be durable, sturdy and last for years.
Other noteworthy qualities are friendly, approachable, good listeners, open, creative and
Project Management is becoming more prominent in the healthcare industry because of its set
methodology and practices. In order to remain competitive more and more healthcare companies
are adopting formal project management processes (Schwalbe, 2013). Since the makeup of the
project team in a healthcare related project will be quite diverse, the project manager may need to
be “sensitive to this and share leadership role” (Schwalbe, 2013). Here the project manager will
need to rely heavily on their soft skills as many people in the healthcare field are more people
In contrast to the construction and health care industries, in higher education, leadership is one of
those “ambiguous”(Puzziferro, 2012) terms because of the ever changing scene of the higher
education setting. In many cases new approaches to learning may counter those old beliefs used in
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 82
education for decades. To an outsider, leadership skills in higher education appear to be more of
a micro level then a project manager who is more at a macro level. Skillsets of leaders in higher
education differ from those of a project manager. Higher education leaders must have an
higher education leader will need to be knowledgeable in varying technologies as they relate to
industries, is further argument for the need of project management skills in higher education.
Methodology
The methodology used for this paper was through a case study conducted at Drexel University
through interviews with top leaders at Drexel. The case study also includes surveys and research
used to determine how Drexel compares to other local and national higher education institutions
Project Management Offices (PMO). The interviews will discuss the current and future state of
project management at Drexel University as well as the impressions of University top leaders on
the subject including the effects on the lack of project management, benefits of project
management and the leadership styles that contribute to successful project management programs
Research Questions
The goal of the case study is to answer the overarching questions on why is project management
not as prevalent in higher education, how higher education institutions can benefit from having
formal project management methodology or a central PMO and what leadership traits would be
needed for management to successfully implement a sustainable and effective PMO at a higher
education institution.
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 83
Data Collection
Leaders from multiple areas at Drexel were included in the data collection. The leaders
interviewed represented the academic, information technology (IT) and finance areas. For this
project the interviewees are referenced as subjects in the case study. The subjects to interview were
selected on a combination of criteria based on their role, experience and sphere of influence. A
a) Is the subject part of the Senior Management (including VP level) at Drexel University or
subsidiaries?
b) Is the subject’s current role at University one that can influence the future of project
c) Is the subject currently charged with project management in their respective areas?
d) Does the subject have proven experience in implementing or leading efforts in project
If the subject met at least 3 out of the 4 criteria they were approached to participate in the case
study. If the subject accepted the interview then the interview questions were emailed prior to the
in person interviews to ensure they were prepped on the interview and understood the scope of the
project. The case study consisted of a total of six (6) subjects see Appendix E for subject names,
The interview questions were designed to determine if the overall hypothesis for our research is
supported. The current research discussed in the literature review also attributed to the
development of the interview questions. The literature review research was conducted using
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 84
internet and library industry resources. See Appendix A for the Interview Questions used for the
case study.
Data was also collected through additional survey questions and research that was completed at a
Pennsylvania Banner User Conference (PABUG) on November 25, 2013 where a session titled
“Who has time for Project Management?” was presented by one of the authors. The session
represented 31 area high education institutions in Pennsylvania. The short survey questions were
asked in a focus group style setting where the presenter acted as the moderator and facilitated the
discussions through the survey questions outlined in Appendix B. The represented institutions
The interview and survey results were coalesced into one document for review and the similarities
and differences among the subject’s responses to the same questions were identified. The required
leadership traits that were obtained through interviews were compared to research from industry.
Drexel University case study can be a model for other higher education institutions that are looking
to implement a PMO. The overall results and conclusions are described in detail in the summary.
The project involved examining the use of formal project management in different industries and
specifically how it is predominantly used in the construction and healthcare industries while
lacking in higher education. The research in the literature review section supports this notion while
the case study of Project Management at Drexel University further examines why there is a lack
of project management in higher education, the benefits of formal methodology and the leadership
qualities that management should possess to implement an effective PMO. Drexel University was
used in the case study to illustrate the similar challenges and perceptions that other HEI would
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 85
have with implementing formal project management structures at an institution that would be
The case study shows that top leaders at Drexel agreed there was a lack of project management at
the University and but it existed in pockets at the department level. All subjects agree that there is
a lack of project management within higher education and the majority believe that it is important
to integrate practices into higher education and at Drexel University. This is important to align
university initiatives across departments. The senior management that were interviewed all
discussed the challenges with implementing a central PMO but all were in favor and are each
The survey results at area PABUG that were collected showed only less than 10% of the HEI had
a PMO and the ones that did were all housed in the IT department. This seems consistent with
national averages that will be further explained in the summary section of our results.
Summary
Six interviews were conducted with five employees from Drexel University and one employee of
Drexel eLearning (DeL) to discuss their impressions on the current and future state of project
management within higher education and Drexel University. Prior to and aside from higher
education, our interviewees’ project management background varies from health care,
occupational licensing and the railroad industries. With this broad range of experience, most of
our subjects agree that project management principles and challenges are the same across all
Our subjects believe that the “for-profit”, construction management, engineering, healthcare and
software implementation industries, to name a few, have been successful in project management
as these industries must thrive to meet a competitive advantage and increase profits (K. Matuch,
personal communication, December 5, 2013). The subjects also believe that industries such as
higher education, government and the arts have been unsuccessful in project management due to
turn over, resource constraints, competing interests, operating cost, a lack of need for efficiency or
results and specifically within higher education, the governance that is involved receives faculty
opposition (M. Scherumann, personal communication, December 2, 2013). Faculty tends to feel
constrained by project management processes and resist the Work Breakdown Structure (A.
Sussman, personal communication, December 2013). Another reason that higher education lack
formal project management is that there is a perception that traditional project management
approaches are more rigid and slow things down; stakeholders are forced to evaluate whether it’s
worth investing the time and resources (J. Bielec, personal communication, December 2013).
Higher education focuses on theory and education, rather than implementation, and the lack of
project management support can stem from the opposition of governance from upper management
which is not absorbed well by faculty. Historically, faculty are more focus on research and
teaching and find project governance would require a refocus from their main passions and
priorities of research and teaching (M. Scherumann, 2013), yet this conflicts with the structure of
managing projects. Project Management may be viewed as “too corporate” of a way to make
decisions, yet this is changing within higher education due to the need to be more effective (H.
Bowman, 2013). Normally, higher education Presidents and/or upper management come from an
academic background yet this is not the case at Drexel University. As HEI budgets are stretched,
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 87
donations remain flat, government funding decreases, and competition arises from massive open
online courses and other online, lower cost education options, it becomes increasingly imperative
When asked to identify institutions that currently house PMO offices, only two subjects were
able to note institutions that housed PMOs not specific to IT. Appendix D lists the IT department
Management Staff. This data is comparable to Drexel University as its IRT department, whom
have 80 employees and only 2-3 employees partial dedicated to PMO activities in the department.
Incorporating project management and PMOs can reduce redundancy, prioritize projects, provide
professional development and open lines of communication with sponsors, stakeholders and the
utilize project management skills to make evident to stakeholders the complexities and
interdependency of projects that are required to plan and execute a scalable solution (K. Matuch,
2013). The CFO at Drexel University believes that formal project management in higher education
will allow for improved resource allocation, establish greater controls over project execution and
outcomes, and drive greater discipline around all aspects of project management and decision
making.
According to the subjects, aside from project prioritization, Drexel University would specifically
benefit by implementing putting more resources toward formal project management as they will
grant the ability to ensure innovation and alignment to University strategies, while also providing
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 88
stakeholders (H. Bowman, personal communication December 2013). At a strategic level, a PMO
will provide the ability to clearly view the costs and benefits of all improvement projects occurring
and report their impact to senior leaders and board trustees (H. Bowman, 2013).
Project Management exists at Drexel University on an individual project basis and not on a
strategic level (H. Bowman, 2013). According to Weyler, Drexel’s continuous growth and
expansion is evidence that project management exists, but she believes that project management
is primarily practiced in silos; therefore, minimally collaborative across the organization. PAR
(Performance Alignment Review) is an initiative being run by Provost Office to ensure there is no
redundancy of programs. It is similar to what a PMO office would do but on the academic side.
According to Sussman, PMOs have a harder time justifying their position more than Project
Managers. Nonetheless, Drexel is in the early stages of developing a PMO office in which its
purpose and catalyst for expansion is to ensure the effectiveness of the University’s resources and
understand both the needs and challenges at the University (H. Bowman, 2013). To assist in this
evaluation, Helen Bowman lead an assessment focused on the strategy, finance, operations, and
technology of the core administrative functions with a contracted organization which led to over
at the University to ensure the execution of these results and future continuous improvement
initiatives (Bowman, 2013). Having a specific area focused on leading such initiatives while
utilizing as many internal resources will provide a sense of shared governance for university
strategies (Weyler, M., personal communication, December, 2013). It is intended to support the
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 89
university at an organizational level aligning projects and programs to the success of our strategic
Conclusions
The lack of a formal PMO results in having subject matter experts to take on dual roles, as a project
manager and a team resource. This lack of full resources can causes less than desired project
results; leaving the project team and expected outcome short (M. Weyler, 2013). In project
management, leadership and management styles must be merged in order to support desired project
results. As project management has been proven successful in the construction management and
healthcare industries, key leadership styles in both fields were researched and discussed to
determine which characteristics will benefit the execution of project management within higher
academia.
In construction management, leadership traits tend to fall under being decisive, open, competitive,
goal oriented, unbiased, focused and an active listener. In healthcare, soft skills, negotiation and
communication are important to maintain productivity and not offend those in leadership positions.
These skills are required of management, regardless of the type of organization (Wagner, 2009).
Within higher education, leadership skills focus more on compliance, technical competence and
regulations. As the field lacks formal project management methodology and is constantly
changing, our interviewees have identified that traits identical to those of construction management
and healthcare are important for Project Managers to possess in addition to effective integrity,
initiative, collaboration, problem solving and competence. Higher education offers a unique
experience in building collaboration as there sometimes seems to be a divide between faculty and
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 90
staff, differing priorities between departments, and, at least at Drexel, the impression of a lack of
shared governance. Effective Project Management delivers the results needed to achieve a strategy
in a unified way while alleviating overload of subject matter experts or high performers and
granting unified project management processes and tools for success (M. Weyler, 2013) across the
entire university.
Concluding the interviews, when asked to provide their best piece of advice for someone taking
patience in order to engage and effectively persuade buy-in was encouraged (A. Sussman, 2013).
There is more to higher education than the department one works for. Making a conscious effort
to work across functions building the trust and respect of colleagues throughout the University to
the success and implementation of further project management and a PMO within Drexel
University.
References
Aubry, M., Hobbs, B., & Thuillier, D. (2009). The contribution of the project management office
Chou, J., & Yang, J. (2012). Project management knowledge and effects on construction project
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pmj.21293
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 91
Emes, M. R., Smith, A., & Marjanovic-Halburd, L. (2012). Systems for construction: Lessons
Frost & Sullivan. (n.d.). Accepting the Inevitable, U.S. Hospitals Significantly Ramp up Use of
http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?docid=244644384
Lavoie-Tremblay, M., Richer, Marie-Claire,N., PhD., Marchionni, Caroline,N., M.Sc, Cyr, G.,
PhD., Biron, Alain D,N., PhD., Aubry, M., PhD., Vézina, Michel, DSc, MSc, CA.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1314776130?accountid=10559
Martin J., (April 25, 2013) Traits of Ineffective Leaders. Retrieved from
http://www.joannamartin.tv/lifestyle/7-traits-of-ineffective-leaders/
Neary, M., & Saunders, G. (2011). Leadership and learning landscapes: The struggle for the idea
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2011.00494.x
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 92
Puzziferro, M. (2012, March 20). The Future of Higher Education: The Role of Leadership.The
puzziferro/leadership-advice_b_1367791.html
Santiago A., (nd). Healthcare Project Manager Career Skills. Retrieved on November 23, 2013
from: http://healthcareers.about.com/od/administrativeandsupport/p/Healthcare-Project-
Manager-Career-Skills.htm
http://kathyschwalbe.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/healthcare-pm-chapter-1.pdf
http://southcentral.construction.com/opinions/LeadershipDev/archive/2009/08.asp
1. Aside from higher education, what fields have you worked in as a PM? How does
project management differ in this field/the se fields compared to
higher education?
2. Which industries would you say have been successful in project management? Why?
3. What industries would you say have been unsuccessful in project management? Why?
2. What core project management competencies do you believe are important for a PM to
posses working in the higher education field?
3. What are some of the techniques that you/project managers use to manage individuals
and teams to produce high-performance project out comes and positive business results?
1. Do you think there is a lack of project management within Higher Education? Why?
OR
3. Which institutions are you aware of that currently house a PMO office?
4. How would you compare the use of project management between [institution] and Drexel
University?
Drexel University:
2. What are some business goals/cases at Drexel University that could benefit from the use
of project management?
OR
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 94
Closing:
1. What would be your best piece of advice for someone taking on a project management
leadership role within higher education?
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 95
Survey Questions:
institution?
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 96
St Josephs College NY 30 1
Eastern Washington U. WA 80 3
Fresno State CA 80 2
University of Maine ME 80 3
Maryhurst University OR 11 1
University of La Verne CA 28 1
Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, 5(2), 75-99 Sept 2013 98
UW Madison WI 600 8
Wellesley College MA 55 0