DEVELOPING A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE IN BEHAVIOURAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT: HOW AND WHY PEOPLE AND PROJECTS BEHAVE AS THEY DO

This book explores the emerging concept of project behaviour—how people, teams, organizations, and projects themselves behave within project environments. It addresses a critical gap in project management literature by consolidating fragmented insights into a coherent body of knowledge.Project behaviour encompasses two key perspectives: behaviour in projects, which focuses on human actors, teams and organizational dynamics, and behaviour of projects, which views projects as complex systems and agents of change. As behavioural factors gain recognition for their impact on project performance, this volume offers a timely framework to structure and advance this evolving domain. Drawing on diverse research traditions, it clarifies and defines project behaviour, promoting its identity as a distinct stream within project studies.The book synthesizes previously scattered work, updates outdated organizational behaviour applications, and proposes foundational elements for a Body of Knowledge on behaviour in and of projects. Ideal for researchers, practitioners, and educators, it provides tools to better understand the human and systemic dimensions of projects, enabling more effective strategies, improved collaboration, and successful outcomes across varied project contexts.