Experience as a factor in the selection and performance of project managers

Abstract

The study reported focuses first on the relationship between a project manager's background characteristics and certain characteristics of the projects he is asked to manage. The impact of this decision process is then examined by relating project manager experience and project characteristics to measures of project performance. The findings indicate that organizations select their oldest and most experienced project managers to direct large, high-priority projects. Performance is then superior without relation to the project manager's total experience, but in relation to the high priority given larger projects. With the exception of a measure of “growth in responsibility,” none of the measures of the project manager's experience were found to bear any direct relationship to project performance.