Comparing the power and influence of functional managers with that of project managers in matrix organisations : the challenge in duality of command

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dc.contributor.author Moodley, Dylon
dc.contributor.author Sutherland, Margaret Mary
dc.contributor.author Pretorius, Pieter
dc.date.accessioned 2016-05-12T13:12:37Z
dc.date.available 2016-05-12T13:12:37Z
dc.date.issued 2016
dc.description.abstract Since its inception four decades ago, there has been widespread adoption of the matrix organisational design, particularly in project-based organisations. However, several challenges remain, one of which is related to the ambiguity of authority as a result of the dual command structure. This study examines the perceptions of the types of power and influence mechanisms used by the functional manager and the project manager to influence project personnel, and the effect of these mechanisms on attitudinal outcomes. The research used a two-phase design. The first qualitative phase validated the constructs of power and influence. In Phase 2, quantitative data was obtained from 22 functional managers, 28 project managers and 92 project personnel in South Africa, Italy and Canada from one large project execution technology company. There appears to be a large perceptual gap between project managers, functional managers and project personnel. Managers perceive themselves to be using aspirational and personal influence mechanisms, whereas project personnel perceive the managers to be using positional, punitive mechanisms. Relationships were observed between the perceived type of influence being used by the managers and the project personnel’s satisfaction with their manager, overall job satisfaction, their performance and level of engagement. Functional and project managers are associated with very different attitudinal outcomes among project team members. en_ZA
dc.description.department Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) en_ZA
dc.description.librarian am2016 en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.sajems.org en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Moodley, D, Sutherland, M & Pretorius, P 2016, 'Comparing the power and influence of functional managers with that of project managers in matrix organisations : the challenge in duality of command', South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 103-117. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 1015-8812 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 2222-3436 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.17159/2222-3436/2016/v19n1a7
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52610
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher University of Pretoria, Department of Economics en_ZA
dc.rights © 2016 The Authors. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence. en_ZA
dc.subject Power en_ZA
dc.subject Matrix organisations en_ZA
dc.subject Project managers en_ZA
dc.subject Functional managers en_ZA
dc.title Comparing the power and influence of functional managers with that of project managers in matrix organisations : the challenge in duality of command en_ZA
dc.type Article en_ZA


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