Projects and Complexity

This book introduces a new way of looking at projects and fostering the culture needed to achieve sustainable results. It brings together experts from the academic, military, and business worlds to explore project management in the context of complexity theory and organizations. The book provides a clear understanding of the roots of project management in complexity theory and the human sciences. Exploring seven principles of complexity theory and applying them to project management, it examines project needs and features in terms of success parameters, team and stakeholders’ perspectives, the project manager’s perspective, and the perspectives of theory and practice.

Helpful to those tasked with managing complex environments, Projects and Complexity introduces a new way of looking at projects and fostering the culture needed to achieve sustainable results. It brings together experts from the academic, military, and business worlds to explore project management in the context of complexity theory and organizations. These experts explore a systemic and organic approach to projects that widens the scope of a project manager’s role as well as the tools and capabilities required.

The book provides readers with an understanding of the roots of project management in complexity theory and the human sciences. It explores seven principles of complexity theory and applies them to project management; examining project needs and features in terms of success parameters, team and stakeholders’ perspectives, the project manager’s perspective, and the perspectives of theory and practice.

• Explores a new humanistic paradigm in thinking about projects and project management



• Illustrates the culture and philosophy of projects from a range of perspectives



• Outlines an interdisciplinary approach to Project Management that integrates scientific and humanistic disciplines

The contributors examine cutting-edge organizational models from management research and military leadership and map them to project management. They integrate insights from various disciplines to introduce tools that are relatively unknown to project managers and leaders. The book describes a paradigm that is complementary to traditional project management and also provides you with the philosophical, general management, and complexity theory findings needed to lead successful projects in complex environments.