Behavioral Aspects of Project Management Paper - Essay Example

Behavioral Aspects of Project Management Paper Every formal organization has its own "informal" culture, which comprises the attitudes, understanding and accepted behaviors shared by the employees. Wagner and Hollenbeck (2005) defined organizational culture as:a pattern or basic assumption - invented, discovered, or developed [by a firm's members] to cope with problems of external adaptation and internal integration - that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems. (p.436)Organizational culture gives members organizational identity, facilitates collective commitment and promotes organizational stability.

By cultivating a shared sense of identity and commitment, culture promotes lasting integration and cooperation among members of the organization. Establishing mutual norms and assumptions of behavior in organization, culture therefore influences the selection, priorities and ultimate success of projects. Manifested in its key elements, such as ceremonies, rituals, stories and symbols, culture can encourage certain projects, running the project on time and within budget, close team cooperation and commitment to project goals.

For example, the company can hold an annual ceremony to recognize and reward the most successful team of the year or the best team that completed the project strictly on schedule and within budget. Such ceremonies then become a part of the organization's culture, which in turn influences the future projects' selection and success. Organizational culture could create conditions leading to a described scenario by not encouraging employees' commitment and team motivation. One of the major components of team commitment is organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs).

"OCBs are acts that promote the organization's interest, but are not formally a part of any person's documented job requirements. They include behaviors such as volunteering for assignments,staying late to finish a task, or voicing opinion on critical organizational issues" (Wagner and Hollenbeck, 2005, p. 144). With high level of OCB, team could have more easily overcome problems associated with the project in the very beginning, working accordingly to the schedule even without the new project manager in place, thus avoiding costly budget overruns and schedule disruptions.

Team motivation can be reached by promoting cooperative group rewards, which means that the team is rewarded as a group for its successful performance. The reward is then equally distributed among employees. Insufficient team motivation led to the situation when key team members impede the project completion, while others are afraid of not being compensated for their additional work. ReferencesWagner, J.A., Hollenbeck, J.R. (2005). Organizational Behavior: Securing Competitive Advantage. Taunton, Massachusetts: Thomson South-Western.