The supporting role of the project management office in the transfer of knowledge between projects - a study of five cases

Abstract

Project management offices (PMOs) play both mediating (facilitating) and moderating (supporting) roles in knowledge transfer (KT) between projects. The mediating role of the PMO has been addressed elsewhere while this article investigates the supporting role of the PMO in the transfer of tacit and explicit knowledge. The article thus contributes to the scant literature on the supporting role of PMOs in KT. Cases of five PMOs were investigated through 15 semi-structured interviews and three KT enablers were identified namely: 1) creation of awareness and importance of KT; 2) establishment of trust amongst project personnel; 3) creation of an organisational KT culture. Their embedment into organisational routines ensures a sustainable and seamless KT process through the PMO's supporting role. This improves the transfer of knowledge with different levels of articulability and the usability of the transferred knowledge and can provide a competitive edge for PBOs.