The Role of Subproject Task-Specific Attributes in Managing Enterprise-Wide Projects

Abstract

Realizing that different types of projects require different styles of management is becoming part of the mainstream theory and practice in project management. This paper addresses the question of whether the same notion is also applicable to the subproject level, and how. We suggest that a project’s building blocks exhibit unique characteristics with respect to two major dimensions: Challenge (or difficulty) and vitality (or importance). Specifically, we add to the critical path and critical chain project management concepts a critical component—a unit at the sub-project level that is exceptionally risky to a project’s success. We lay out the conceptual framework in which critical component is embedded and demonstrate the theoretical and managerial aspects of contingency at the subproject level by analyzing three case studies.