Abstract
Biotechnology is an emerging and increasingly important sector in the current context. As the number of biotech projects grows, so does the need to establish processes to improve project management effectiveness and project success, including assessing their impacts (positive and negative) on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). This broader approach opens the door to developing a new project management (PM) paradigm designated by sustainable project management (SPM). However, there is a need for more empirical studies to understand how sustainability can be integrated into project management. This research is based on the proposition that PM maturity could lead to incorporating sustainability in PM. No research studies are reported in the literature exploring this interrelationship between maturity and sustainable project management; such is this study’s purpose and originality. The study applies Kerzner’s Level 3 PM maturity model on a sample of 96 biotech companies in Portugal through a questionnaire that addressed project managers and team members. The findings suggest that the process of integrating sustainability into PM should follow these steps: (1) perform an early PM maturity diagnosis to identify the company’s most and least dominated areas; (2) identify the strengths and weaknesses that impact the integration of sustainability into project management practices; (3) develop a customized and adjusted action plan to integrate sustainability in PM. The study’s main contribution relies on understanding how sustainability can be integrated into project management, explaining the role of maturity assessment in this process. In addition, it characterizes the biotech industry projects concerning the linkage between PM maturity and sustainability and provides recommendations that may contribute to the companies’ development towards sustainable project management.
Highlights
IntroductionA generally recognized definition of biotechnology is the “application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods, and services” [1]
Of 18 the project management (PM) benefits, they were still organized as a functional structure
It is paramount that PM evolves to high maturity levels and embeds sustainability considerations into PM practices
Summary
A generally recognized definition of biotechnology is the “application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods, and services” [1]. Biotechnology mainly targets medicine, developing new treatment options for rare and complex diseases and genetic tests to better identify inherited diseases [2]. Biotechnology is growing fast, driven by ongoing events, such as the COVID19 pandemic, and by stronger financial backing [3]. Other fields of biotechnology include agriculture, forestry and fishery food, environmental science, and alternative energy, such as biofuels and bioenergy [4]. Other fields of biotechnology include agriculture, forestry and fishery food, environmental science, and alternative energy, such as biofuels and bioenergy [4]. 4.0/).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
