The evolution of the project management competence concept – A systematic literature review

Abstract

This research aims to get closer to the definition of project management (PM) competence and understand its models by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR). The focus of this study is on the individual level PM competence of the project manager and the project team members. The paper introduces the competence models of the most important project management standards, which provide a guideline for professionals and serve as a base for the different PM qualifications. The literature review reveals which PM competence groups and elements have become the focus of attention in certain periods, which new competences have been uncovered, how the concept models have changed (in their professional content and regarding their structure), and how these results could be built into the upcoming standards and how they could shape the concept of project management competence in the future and serve as a basis for new research.