Abstract
This paper investigates the characteristics of matrix structures and their relationships with drivers of project success, such as communication, collaboration, and trust between project team members. Matrix characteristics that were expected to correlate positively with project success mostly did correlate with the success drivers. However, characteristics expected to impact negatively on project success did not show such significant correlations; some even correlated positively with success drivers. The success drivers investigated, in turn, correlated positively with perceived project success. A proposed model illustrates the effects of matrix characteristics on the drivers of success and their ultimate effect on project performance.
Highlights
Most firms operating in multi-project environments have to share common resources in order to deliver superior quality outputs fast and cost-effectively
Based on the results from the hypotheses tested, the model illustrated in Figure 1 had to be expanded to portray the findings and to include ‘overall team performance’ as a success driver
Overall team performance was added to the model, since the responses to this variable showed very significant correlations with both the positive and the negative characteristics
Summary
Most firms operating in multi-project environments have to share common resources in order to deliver superior quality outputs fast and cost-effectively. Turner [2] defines a matrix structure as an overlap between a functional hierarchy and a project hierarchy. Larson and Gobeli [3] define a matrix structure as “a ‘mixed’ organizational form in which a normal hierarchy is overlaid by some form of lateral authority, influence, or communication”. Numerous studies have been conducted on the implementation of matrix management and the advantages and problems relating to this type of company structure [4,3]. Ford and Randolph [4] suggested a number of paradoxes between the advantages and disadvantages of matrix structures. This essentially means that this organisational structure has many advantages, the disadvantages seem to play off against the advantages, leading to ‘paradoxes’
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