Communication and Co-operation on Projects Between the Project Owner As Principal and the Project Manager as Agent
By: TURNER, J. Rodney; MULLER, Ralf
.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: Oxford : Elsevier , June 2004European Management Journal 22, 3, p. 327-336Abstract: Research shows the best project performance is obtained when there is high collaboration between client and project manager, and medium levels of structure, when the project manager and project owner work together in partnership, and the manager is empowered. Unfortunately, this is not how it happens on many projects. There is mistrust, even conflict, between owner and manager, and the owner sets tight constrains within which the manager must work. Project owners mouth partnership and empowerment, but implement conflict and tigh control. In this paper, we offer the principal agency relationship between client and project manager as one reason for this. However, we offer communication between the client and project manager as a way of reducing this problem. We suggest what communiction the client needs from the project manager needs from the client to minimize the impact of the principal-agency relationship. We report the results of an international study into communication needs on projects. We establish that the communication needs of project participants are best served by a mixture of formal and informal communication, and and of written and verbal communication. We also establish that communication and emotion are closely linked on projects
Research shows the best project performance is obtained when there is high collaboration between client and project manager, and medium levels of structure, when the project manager and project owner work together in partnership, and the manager is empowered. Unfortunately, this is not how it happens on many projects. There is mistrust, even conflict, between owner and manager, and the owner sets tight constrains within which the manager must work. Project owners mouth partnership and empowerment, but implement conflict and tigh control. In this paper, we offer the principal agency relationship between client and project manager as one reason for this. However, we offer communication between the client and project manager as a way of reducing this problem. We suggest what communiction the client needs from the project manager needs from the client to minimize the impact of the principal-agency relationship. We report the results of an international study into communication needs on projects. We establish that the communication needs of project participants are best served by a mixture of formal and informal communication, and and of written and verbal communication. We also establish that communication and emotion are closely linked on projects
Click on an image to view it in the image viewer
There are no comments for this item.