This study investigates how top management involvement and project management professionalization affect firm innovativeness. We focus on hospitals as representative of professional service organizations characterized by pluralistic individual and organizational interests. A multiyear analysis of project management survey and objective performance data of 90 hospitals indicates that top management involvement in innovation projects reduces hospital innovativeness, and project management professionalization increases hospital innovativeness. However, increasing project management professionalization simultaneously strengthens top management involvement’s effectiveness. The results contribute to our understanding of potential interactions and different effects of project management efforts at different organizational levels in professional service organizations.
AaronsG. A.SommerfeldD. H.Walrath-GreeneC. M. (2009). Evidence-based practice implementation: The impact of public versus private sector organization type on organizational support, provider attitudes, and adoption of evidence-based practice. Implementation Science, 4(1), 83. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-4-83
2.
AdlerP. S.KwonS.-W. (2013). The mutation of professionalism as a contested diffusion process: Clinical guidelines as carriers of institutional change in medicine. Journal of Management Studies, 50(5), 930–962. doi:10.1111/joms.12003
3.
AikenL. S.WestS. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
4.
Amoako-GyampahK.MeredithJ.LoydK. W. (2018). Using a social capital lens to identify the mechanisms of top management commitment: A case study of a technology project. Project Management Journal, 49(1), 79–95. doi:10.1177/875697281804900106
5.
AubryM.HobbsB. (2011). A fresh look at the contribution of project management to organizational performance. Project Management Journal, 42(1), 3–16. doi:10.1002/pmj.20213
6.
AubryM.Lavoie-TremblayM. (2018). Rethinking organizational design for managing multiple projects. International Journal of Project Management, 36(1), 12–26. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.05.012
7.
AubryM.RicherM.-C.Lavoie-TremblayM. (2014). Governance performance in complex environment: The case of a major transformation in a university hospital. International Journal of Project Management, 32(8), 1333–1345. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.07.008
8.
AubryM.RicherM.-C.Lavoie-TremblayM.CyrG. (2011). Pluralism in PMO performance: The case of a PMO dedicated to a major organizational transformation. Project Management Journal, 42(6), 60–77. doi:10.1002/pmj.20269
9.
BehrensJ.ErnstH. (2014). What keeps managers away from a losing course of action? Go/stop decisions in new product development. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(2), 361–374. doi:10.1111/jpim.12100
10.
BesnerC.HobbsB. (2012). An empirical identification of project management toolsets and a comparison among project types. Project Management Journal, 43(5), 24–46. doi:10.1002/pmj.21292
11.
Blindenbach-DriessenF.Van Den EndeJ. (2010). Innovation management practices compared: The example of project-based firms. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27(5), 705–724. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5885.2010.00746.x
12.
BlomgrenM.WaksC. (2015). Coping with contradictions: Hybrid professionals managing institutional complexity. Journal of Professions and Organization, 2(1), 78–102. doi:10.1093/jpo/jou010
13.
BohW. F.RenY.KieslerS.BussjaegerR. (2007). Expertise and collaboration in the geographically dispersed organization. Organization Science, 18(4), 595–612. doi:10.1287/orsc.1070.0263
14.
BonnerJ. M.RuekertR. W.WalkerO. C.Jr. (2002). Upper management control of new product development projects and project performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 19(3), 233–245. doi:10.1016/S0737-6782(02)00139-X
15.
BüchnerV. A.SchreyöggJ.SchultzC. (2014). The impact of the board’s strategy-setting role on board-management relations and hospital performance. Health Care Management Review, 39(4), 305–317. doi:10.1097/HMR.0b013e31829fca10
16.
ChiocchioF.RabbatF.LebelP. (2015). Multi-level efficacy evidence of a combined interprofessional collaboration and project management training program for healthcare project teams. Project Management Journal, 46(4), 20–34. doi:10.1002/pmj.21507
17.
CleggS.KillenC. P.BiesenthalC.SankaranS. (2018). Practices, projects and portfolios: Current research trends and new directions. International Journal of Project Management, 36(5), 762–772. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2018.03.008
18.
CollinsD.ButlerN. (2019). Success and failure in professional projects: The nature, contours and limits of consulting professionalism. British Journal of Management, 0(0), 1–13. doi:10.1111/1467-8551.12331
19.
CooperR. G. (2008). Perspective: The Stage-Gate® idea-to-launch process—Update, what’s new, and NexGen systems. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25(3), 213–232. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5885.2008.00296.x
20.
DaidoneS.D’AmicoF. (2009). Technical efficiency, specialization and ownership form: Evidences from a pooling of Italian hospitals. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 32(3), 203–216. doi:10.1007/s11123-009-0137-7
21.
de BrentaniU.KleinschmidtE. J. (2015). The impact of company resources and capabilities on global new product program performance. Project Management Journal, 46(1), 12–29. doi:10.1002/pmj.21470
22.
de BrentaniU.KleinschmidtE. J.SalomoS. (2010). Success in global new product development: Impact of strategy and the behavioral environment of the firm. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27(2), 143–160. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5885.2010.00707.x
23.
DenisJ.-L.LamotheL.LangleyA. (2001). The dynamics of collective leadership and strategic change in pluralistic organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 44(4), 809–837. doi:10.2307/3069417
24.
DenisJ.-L.LangleyA.RouleauL. (2007). Strategizing in pluralistic contexts: Rethinking theoretical frames. Human Relations, 60(1), 179–215. doi:10.1177/0018726707075288
25.
DiefendorffJ. M.GosserandR. H. (2003). Understanding the emotional labor process: A control theory perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24(8), 945–959. doi:10.1002/job.230
26.
EkrotB.KockA.GemündenH. G. (2016). Retaining project management competence—Antecedents and consequences. International Journal of Project Management, 34(2), 145–157. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2015.10.010
27.
EkrotB.RankJ.KockA.GemündenH. G. (2018). Retaining and satisfying project managers—Antecedents and outcomes of project managers’ perceived organizational support. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(12), 1950–1971. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1255903
28.
ErnstH. (2001). Erfolgsfaktoren neuer produkte: Grundlagen für eine valide empirische forschung. Wiesbaden, Germany: Deutscher Universitätsverlag. doi:10.1007/978-3-322-86902-9
29.
FarsiM.FilippiniM. (2008). Effects of ownership, subsidization and teaching activities on hospital costs in Switzerland. Health Economics, 17(3), 335–350. doi:10.1002/hec.1268
30.
FelekogluB.MoultrieJ. (2014). Top management involvement in new product development: A review and synthesis. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(1), 159–175. doi:10.1111/jpim.12086
31.
FerlieE.FitzgeraldL.WoodM.HawkinsC. (2005). The nonspread of innovations: The mediating role of professionals. Academy of Management Journal, 48(1), 117–134. doi:10.5465/amj.2005.15993150
32.
GemündenH. G.LehnerP.KockA. (2018). The project-oriented organization and its contribution to innovation. International Journal of Project Management, 36(1), 147–160. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.07.009
33.
GemündenH. G.SalomoS.HölzleK. (2007). Role models for radical innovations in times of open innovation. Creativity and Innovation Management, 16(4), 408–421. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8691.2007.00451.x
34.
GreenhalghT.RobertG.MacfarlaneF.BateP.KyriakidouO. (2004). Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: Systematic review and recommendations. The Milbank Quarterly, 82(4), 581–629. doi:10.1111/j.0887-378X.2004.00325.x
35.
GutiérrezE.MagnussonM. (2014). Dealing with legitimacy: A key challenge for project portfolio management decision makers. International Journal of Project Management, 32(1), 30–39. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.01.002
36.
HayesA. F.CaiL. (2007). Using heteroskedasticity-consistent standard error estimators in OLS regression: An introduction and software implementation. Behavior Research Methods, 39(4), 709–722. doi:10.3758/BF03192961
37.
JonasD.KockA.GemündenH. G. (2013). Predicting project portfolio success by measuring management quality—A longitudinal study. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 60(2), 215–226. doi:10.1109/TEM.2012.2200041
38.
KesterL.HultinkE. J.GriffinA. (2014). An empirical investigation of the antecedents and outcomes of NPD portfolio success. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(6), 1199–1213. doi:10.1111/jpim.12183
39.
KimberlyJ. R.EvaniskoM. J. (1981). Organizational innovation: The influence of individual, organizational, and contextual factors on hospital adoption of technological and administrative innovations. Academy of Management Journal, 24(4), 689–713. doi:10.5465/256170
40.
KleinschmidtE. J.de BrentaniU.SalomoS. (2007). Performance of global new product development programs: A resource-based view. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 24(5), 419–441. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5885.2007.00261.x
41.
KockA.HeisingW.GemündenH. G. (2015). How ideation portfolio management influences front-end success. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 32(4), 539–555. doi:10.1111/jpim.12217
42.
KopmannJ.KockA.KillenC. P.GemündenH. G. (2015). Business case control in project portfolios—An empirical investigation of performance consequences and moderating effects. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 62(4), 529–543. doi:10.1109/TEM.2015.2454437
43.
KopmannJ.KockA.KillenC. P.GemündenH. G. (2017). The role of project portfolio management in fostering both deliberate and emergent strategy. International Journal of Project Management, 35(4), 557–570. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.02.011
44.
KrohJ.LuetjenH.GlobocnikD.SchultzC. (2018). Use and efficacy of information technology in innovation processes: The specific role of servitization. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 35(5), 720–741. doi:10.1111/jpim.12445
45.
LabitzkeG.SvobodaS.SchultzC. (2014). The role of dedicated innovation functions for innovation process control and performance—An empirical study among hospitals. Creativity and Innovation Management, 23(3), 235–251. doi:10.1111/caim.12068
46.
LappeM.SpangK. (2014). Investments in project management are profitable: A case study-based analysis of the relationship between the costs and benefits of project management. International Journal of Project Management, 32(4), 603–612. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.10.005
47.
MartinsuoM.LehtonenP. (2007). Role of single-project management in achieving portfolio management efficiency. International Journal of Project Management, 25(1), 56–65. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.04.002
48.
MeskendahlS. (2010). The influence of business strategy on project portfolio management and its success—A conceptual framework. International Journal of Project Management, 28(8), 807–817. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2010.06.007
49.
MeyerW. G. (2014). The effect of optimism bias on the decision to terminate failing projects. Project Management Journal, 45(4), 7–20. doi:10.1002/pmj.21435
50.
MidlerC. (1995). “Projectification” of the firm: The Renault case. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 11(4), 363–375. doi:10.1016/0956-5221(95)00035-T
51.
MilosevicD.PatanakulP. (2005). Standardized project management may increase development projects success. International Journal of Project Management, 23(3), 181–192. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2004.11.002
52.
MitchellR.ParkerV.GilesM.WhiteN. (2010). Review: Toward realizing the potential of diversity in composition of interprofessional health care teams. Medical Care Research and Review, 67(1), 3–26. doi:10.1177/1077558709338478
53.
MüllerR.MartinsuoM.BlomquistT. (2008). Project portfolio control and portfolio management performance in different contexts. Project Management Journal, 39(3), 28–42. doi:10.1002/pmj.20053
54.
NembhardI. M.AlexanderJ. A.HoffT. J.RamanujamR. (2009). Why does the quality of health care continue to lag? Insights from management research. Academy of Management Perspectives, 23(1), 24–42. doi:10.5465/AMP.2009.37008001
55.
NembhardI. M.TuckerA. L. (2011). Deliberate learning to improve performance in dynamic service settings: Evidence from hospital intensive care units. Organization Science, 22(4), 907–922. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0570
56.
OuchiW. G. (1978). The transmission of control through organizational hierarchy. Academy of Management Journal, 21(2), 173–192. doi:10.2307/255753
57.
PollackJ.AdlerD. (2014). Does project management affect business productivity? Evidence from Australian small to medium enterprises. Project Management Journal, 45(6), 17–24. doi:10.1002/pmj.21459
58.
RadaelliG.CurrieG.FrattiniF.LettieriE. (2017). The role of managers in enacting two-step institutional work for radical innovation in professional organizations. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 34(4), 450–470. doi:10.1111/jpim.12385
59.
RiceK.ZwarensteinM.ConnL. G.KenaszchukC.RussellA.ReevesS. (2010). An intervention to improve interprofessional collaboration and communications: A comparative qualitative study. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 24(4), 350–361. doi:10.3109/13561820903550713
60.
SalgeT. O.VeraA. (2009). Hospital innovativeness and organizational performance. Health Care Management Review, 34(1), 54–67. doi:10.1097/01.HMR.0000342978.84307.80
61.
SchoperY.-G.WaldA.IngasonH. T.FridgeirssonT. V. (2018). Projectification in Western economies: A comparative study of Germany, Norway and Iceland. International Journal of Project Management, 36(1), 71–82. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.07.008
62.
SchultzC.GlobocnikD.KockA.SalomoS. (2018). Application and performance impact of stage-gate systems—The role services in the firm’s business focus. R&D Management, 1–21. doi:10.1111/radm.12341
63.
SchultzC.SalomoS.de BrentaniU.KleinschmidtE. J. (2013). How formal control influences decision-making clarity and innovation performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 30(3), 430–447. doi:10.1111/jpim.12009
64.
SchultzC.SchreyoeggJ.von ReitzensteinC. (2013). The moderating role of internal and external resources on the performance effect of multitasking: Evidence from the R&D performance of surgeons. Research Policy, 42(8), 1356–1365. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2013.04.008
65.
ShenharA. J.TishlerA.DvirD.LipovetskyS.LechlerT. (2002). Refining the search for project success factors: A multivariate, typological approach. R&D Management, 32(2), 111–126. doi:10.1111/1467-9310.00244
66.
SuhonenM.PaasivaaraL. (2011). Shared human capital in project management: A systematic review of the literature. Project Management Journal, 42(2), 4–16. doi:10.1002/pmj.20211
67.
TatikondaM. V.Montoya-WeissM. M. (2001). Integrating operations and marketing perspectives of product innovation: The influence of organizational process factors and capabilities on development performance. Management Science, 47(1), 151–172. doi:10.1287/mnsc.47.1.151.10669
68.
TellerJ.UngerB. N.KockA.GemündenH. G. (2012). Formalization of project portfolio management: The moderating role of project portfolio complexity. International Journal of Project Management, 30(5), 596–607. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.01.020
69.
TiemannO.SchreyöggJ. (2009). Effects of ownership on hospital efficiency in Germany. Business Research, 2(2), 115–145. doi:10.1007/BF03342707
70.
TuckerA. L.NembhardI. M.EdmondsonA. C. (2007). Implementing new practices: An empirical study of organizational learning in hospital intensive care units. Management Science, 53(6), 894–907. doi:10.1287/mnsc.1060.0692
71.
TurnerK. L.MakhijaM. V. (2006). The role of organizational controls in managing knowledge. Academy of Management Review, 31(1), 197–217. doi:10.5465/amr.2006.19379631
72.
UngerB. N.KockA.GemündenH. G.JonasD. (2012). Enforcing strategic fit of project portfolios by project termination: An empirical study on senior management involvement. International Journal of Project Management, 30(6), 675–685. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.12.002
73.
VarabyovaY.BlankartC. R.GreerA. L.SchreyöggJ. (2017). The determinants of medical technology adoption in different decisional systems: A systematic literature review. Health Policy, 121(3), 230–242. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.01.005
74.
Zippel-SchultzB.SchultzC. (2011). Mediated and moderated effects of business and project planning on innovation projects in hospitals. Creativity and Innovation Management, 20(4), 296–310. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8691.2011.00612.x
