Project management competence – definitions, models, standards and practical implications

Abstract

The complex nature of project management competence has resulted in different definitions for the same concept in the academic literature. By placing a greater emphasis on the improvement of their project management performance, organisations try to stay competitive and relevant in today’s increasingly complex business environment, where the required project management skills set is constantly changing. In order to be able to improve project managers’ performance it is essential to understand, as such, the concept of project management competence. The present paper has a multifaceted aim. It: a) Provides a comparative review of the definitions of project management competence as given in the literature and in professional standards; b) provides a comparative analysis of the project management competence models published in literature focusing on the fundamental differences; c) provides a comparative analysis of professional project management competence standards based on the identified two main dimensions of project management competence; d) introduces a two-dimensional model which contributes to the better understanding of project management competence; e) highlights the practical implications as derived from the broader concept of project management competence. The proposed two-dimensional model contributes to the better understanding of the holistic nature of this phenomenon, which, in turn, makes possible a more focused competency development of project management professionals.