A continuum of organizations formed to carry out projects: Temporary and stationary organization forms

Abstract

Projects are carried out by temporary organizations. These organizations can function independently or in cooperation with stationary organizations. To enable efficient project and program management, these differences in organization structure have to be considered. This paper therefore contrasts organizations formed to carry out activities at project sites based on forms of employment, work processes and resource networks used. Findings indicate that temporary organizations that are dominated by stationary “parent” organizations often rely on its abilities to secure access to crucial resources and to identify suitable work processes. “Pure” or virtually “pure” temporary organizations instead rely on their employees’ skills and contacts to develop suitable routines and gain access to resources.