Divergência entre prática e recomendações para modelos de atuação do PMO : o caso de uma empresa de grande porte do setor industrial

Neste trabalho, o objetivo é identificar, a partir da análise de um estudo de caso, quais são as principais divergências encontradas quando se compara o que a teoria preconiza como o escopo e a abordagem dos Project Management Offices - PMOs e o que acontece na prática, no que diz respeito à real atuação destas estruturas. O tema pode ser considerado relevante devido ao fato de fornecer uma melhor compreensão sobre como as estruturas de PMO realmente atuam, principalmente no que diz respeito ao escopo, isto é, se o PMO é um Programa-Projeto, um PMO Departamental ou um PMO Corporativo e relativamente a sua amplitude, ou seja, se sua atuação é operacional, tática ou estratégica. Para este estudo foi utilizada a metodologia qualitativa, por meio da abordagem de estudo de caso. Foi selecionada uma empresa de grande porte do setor de manufatura não estruturada por projeto para avaliação. A empresa do estudo de caso possui uma estrutura organizacional complexa que possibilita um estudo abrangente. A atuação dos PMOs do estudo de caso foi discutida à luz da revisão de literatura e levando-se em conta, também, as informações colhidas a partir da observação participante. Os resultados deste trabalho permitem concluir que o pressuposto defendido, que é a existência de divergências entre o que a teoria preconiza como escopo e abordagem do PMO e a real atuação dos PMOs, foi confirmado através do estudo de caso; além disso, não existe relação de causalidade clara entre o escopo de atuação dos PMOs e sua posição hierárquica dentro da empresa; e não existe uma atuação padrão destas estruturas, quando comparadas às funções que elas exercem. Por fim, são apresentadas recomendações relativas ao estudo de caso realizado, ou seja, é importante realizar um estudo multicasos entre ao menos uma empresa não estruturada por projeto e outra estruturada por projeto e comparar a atuação dos seus PMOs para melhor compreensão do tema, incluir mais stakeholders no grupo de entrevistados dentro do estudo de caso, realizar um survey com várias empresas de vários segmentos dentro do território nacional e um possível estudo onde seja verificado se tipologias diferentes de estruturas organizacionais podem afetar a atuação práticas dos PMOs.

Organizational design and incentive provision

We model the trade-off between the balance and the strength of incentives implicit in the choice between hierarchical and matrix or- ganizational structures. We show that managerial biases determine which structure is optimal: hierarchical forms are preferred when biases are low, while matrix structures are preferred when biases are high. Moreover, the results show that there is always a level of bias for which matrix design can achieve the expected profit obtained by shareholders if they could directly control the firm. We also show that the main trade-off, i.e., hierarchical versus matrix structure is preserved under asymmetric levels of bias among managers and when low-level workers perceive activities with complementary efforts.

Biased managers, organizational design, and incentive provision

We model the tradeoff between the balance and the strength of incentives implicit in the choice between hierarchical and matrix organizational structures. We show that managerial biases determine which structure is optimal: hierarchical forms are preferred when biases are low, while matrix structures are preferred when biases are high.

Organizational design as an enabler for innovation: evidence from a German Mechanical Engineering Company

Over the past two decades there has been a profusion of empirical studies of organizational design and its relationship to efficiency, productivity and flexibility of an organization. In parallel, there has been a wide range of studies about innovation management in different kind of industries and firms. However, with some exceptions, the organizational and innovation management bodies of literature tend to examine the issues of organizational design and innovation management individually, mainly in the context of large firms operating at the technological frontier. There seems to be a scarcity of empirical studies that bring together organizational design and innovation and examine them empirically and over time in the context of small and medium sized enterprises. This dissertation seeks to provide a small contribution in that direction. This dissertation examines the dynamic relationship between organizational design and innovation. This relationship is examined on the basis of a single-case design in a medium sized mechanical engineering company in Germany. The covered time period ranges from 1958 until 2009, although the actual focus falls on the recent past. This dissertation draws on first-hand qualitative empirical evidence gathered through extensive field work. The main findings are: 1. There is always a bundle of organizational dimensions which impacts innovation. These main organizational design dimensions are: (1) Strategy & Leadership, (2) Resources & Capabilities, (3) Structure, (4) Culture, (5) Networks & Partnerships, (6) Processes and (7) Knowledge Management. However, the importance of the different organizational design dimensions changes over time. While for example for the production of simple, standardized parts, a simple organizational design was appropriate, the company needed to have a more advanced organizational design in order to be able to produce customized, complex parts with high quality. Hence the technological maturity of a company is related to its organizational maturity. 2. The introduction of innovations of the analyzed company were highly dependent on organizational conditions which enabled their introduction. The results of the long term case study show, that some innovations would not have been introduced successfully if the organizational elements like for example training and qualification, the build of network and partnerships or the acquisition of appropriate resources and capabilities, were not in place. Hence it can be concluded, that organizational design is an enabling factor for innovation. These findings contribute to advance our understanding of the complex relationship between organizational design and innovation. This highlights the growing importance of a comprehensive, innovation stimulating organizational design of companies. The results suggest to managers that innovation is not only dependent on a single organizational factor but on the appropriate, comprehensive design of the organization. Hence manager should consider to review regularly the design of their organizations in order to maintain a innovation stimulating environment.