Abstract
University researchers often need to plan for perfect research and innovation projects with other organizations to secure external funding. However, the unfolding process of the funded research and innovation projects is often far less than perfect. In this paper, we try to challenge the perfect project management thinking and explore the imperfect project managing processes from the perspectives of university researchers. Tensions in the project process exist both between the perfect management and imperfect managing and in university researchers striving for new knowledge exploration and learning while maintaining the exploration within predetermined project boundaries. In order to better understand how university researchers manage the tensions in an imperfect project managing process, we conducted ethnographic fieldwork in a Horizon 2020 research and innovation project. Inspired by Lefebvre's spatial triad, we identified that university researchers enact boundary setting practices and pivoting learning practices in balancing the tensions across the conceived, perceived, and lived social space of the research and innovation project. We discuss and highlight the importance of accounting for projects' embeddedness and temporariness in moving away from perfect management thinking and towards imperfect management thinking.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings of the Eighty-second Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management |
Editors | Sonja Taneja |
Number of pages | 1 |
Place of Publication | Briarcliff Manor, NY |
Publisher | Academy of Management |
Publication date | 2022 |
Pages | 1705 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Event | The Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2022: Creating a Better World Together - Seattle, United States Duration: 5 Aug 2022 → 9 Aug 2022 Conference number: 82 https://2022.aom.org/ |
Conference
Conference | The Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2022 |
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Number | 82 |
Country/Territory | United States |
City | Seattle |
Period | 05/08/2022 → 09/08/2022 |
Internet address |
Series | Academy of Management Proceedings |
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ISSN | 0065-0668 |