A comparison of leadership roles in internal IT projects versus outsourcing projects

Abstract

PurposeThis study investigates the emphasis placed on different managerial roles by IT project managers. Six managerial roles were applied in this research: personnel leader, resource allocator, spokesman, entrepreneur, liaison and monitor. With changing business environments, the locus of value creation is no longer within the boundaries of a single firm, but occurs instead at the nexus of relationships between parties. With the growing importance of pooling knowledge resources, knowledge management will have to transcend organizational boundaries in exchanges such as IT outsourcing relationships. We would, therefore, expect to find differences in our two surveys.Design/methodology/approachTwo surveys were conducted in Norway to investigate these management roles.FindingsIn the first survey, which focused on project management roles in internal IT projects, the respondents emphasized the personnel leader role significantly more than other managerial roles. In the second survey, which focused on project management roles in IT outsourcing projects, the respondents emphasized the spokesman role. The empirical results provide evidence that project managers in internal IT projects are more internally oriented than project managers in outsourcing projects.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should also take into account culture and structure dimensions as well as the specific industry of the IT project.Practical implicationsThis research concludes that project managers of both internal IT projects and outsourcing projects should be more externally oriented to meet future challenges.Originality/valueThe contingent approach to leadership roles is applied in this research paper.