Open AccessIs Project Management Still an Accidental Profession? A Qualitative Study of Career Trajectory
Author(s) -
Tracey M. Richardson,
Matthew P. Earnhardt,
James W Marion
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
sage open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.357
H-Index - 32
ISSN - 2158-2440
DOI - 10.1177/2158244015572098
Subject(s) - qualitative research , certification , career development , accidental , project management , professional development , project manager , public relations , management , sociology , political science , pedagogy , social science , physics , acoustics , economics
In this study, the authors used qualitative techniques to look forreoccurring themes related to 87 project managers’ responses to interview questionsassociated with entry into the field of project management and career progression. Thestudy found that despite the efforts of higher education, professional associations, andtheir professional development and certifications, the project management remains adestination by accident. Professional project managers do not intend to be projectmanagers but “fall into” the profession. This study provides a conceptual framework forproject manager career trajectory that has implications for project management trainingand mentoring and contributes to the growing literature on the accidentalprofession