The dark side of projectification: a systematic literature review and research agenda on the negative aspects of project work and their consequences for individual project workers

Abstract

PurposeProject work usually has a positive connotation and is considered innovative and modern. However, many project workers suffer from chronic stress, work overload and burnout. This study aims to integrate the determinants of the negative aspects of project work and their implications for individuals involved in projects.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was used to analyze 290 papers from various disciplines to identify the most used theories, determinants of the negative aspects of project work and the consequences of these aspects for project participants' work-related and overall well-being.FindingsBased on the findings of the review, this paper develops a multi-level framework that includes determinants at the levels of society, organizations, projects and individuals and discusses opportunities for further research. The findings show that socio-psychological theories and occupational health theories are the dominant theories used in research. The most frequently studied individual outcomes are affective symptoms and work-related outcomes. Detrimental individual outcomes are mostly associated with psychosocial work factors.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive review of research on the negative aspects of project work and their implications for project workers. The multi-level framework can serve as a guide for future research and provides important insights for practitioners.

Influence of the project managers' expertise and experience in the success of projects: the moderating effect of emotional intelligence

“…In our study, we delved into the relationship between project managers' emotional intelligence and the success of their projects, particularly in the context of their technical skills such as expertise and experience. Previous research has hinted at the significance of soft skills, like emotional intelligence, in amplifying the impact of technical skills on project outcomes (Clarke, 2010;Iliescu et al, 2012;Rezvani et al, 2016;Stephens and Carmeli, 2016;Khosravi et al, 2020;Zhu et al, 2021;Aguilar Velasco and Wald, 2022;Sampaio et al, 2022;Rode et al, 2007;Lin et al, 2018). However, the comprehensive understanding of how these soft skills leverage technical expertise remains an area not fully explored (Meredith and Zwikael, 2020;Shenhar and Dvir, 2007;Millhollan and Kaarst-Brown, 2016).…”

“…While PMs are valued for their technical skills, including expertise in PM techniques and tools, as well as their experience in project management (Ahsan et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2013), it is important to understand how they can improve project performance. The inconclusive findings of the direct impact of PMs' technical skills on project success (Millhollan and Kaarst-Brown, 2016;Shenhar and Dvir, 2007) suggest that project managers need other soft skills, such as emotional intelligence (EI), to maximize their performance (Clarke, 2010;Rezvani et al, 2016;Stephens and Carmeli, 2016;Khosravi et al, 2020;Zhu et al, 2021;Aguilar Velasco and Wald, 2022;Sampaio et al, 2022).…”

“…However, this extant research has mainly observed how EI influences directly project performance, and in some instances considering possible mediators that would influence project success, such as type of conflict (Khosravi et al, 2020), trust (Rezvani et al, 2016(Rezvani et al, , 2018 and commitment (Zhu et al, 2021). Previous studies indicate that PMgs with developed EI can better understand and manage the emotions of others, manage conflicts more effectively, adapt their approach to meet clients' unique needs and expectations, and build trustful relationships (Aguilar Velasco and Wald, 2022;Sampaio et al, 2022). Conversely, less developed EI may compromise project success (Rode et al, 2007;Lin et al, 2018).…”

Building the Foundation for a Necessary Debate: Projectification of Society

“…Project professionals often do not take advantage of the benefits of such high job autonomy and instead prioritise work over their health [81].…”

“…Midler [38] described the significance of the organisation's projectification qualities as an essential path for effectively employing the companies' internationalisation approaches. Moreover, when examining the studies that focused on the implications projectification (as an organisational or managerial approach), most scholars showed the positive impact of projectification on organisations, while only a minority of them highlighted the adverse effect on organisations while also taking into consideration the vast advantages of projectification during their evaluation [5,81].…”