Projectification within a developing country : the case of South Africa

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Projectification is becoming a topic of interest within the project management community. Various authors discuss and debate the concept of projectification but little information is available about the level of projectification. PURPOSE OF STUDY : This article addresses this gap from an emerging economy’s perspective, i.e. South Africa. The research is part of an international study and allows for a systematic comparison between countries and industry sectors. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : This study is based on an international study that originated in Germany. A quantitative approach was used to determine the level of projectification in South Africa and 303 participants completed the questionnaire. The results indicate a 10 percent growth in the share of project work over the next decade. RESULTS/FINDINGS s: The level of projectification, from a South African perspective, is comparable with that of three international studies (Germany, Iceland, Norway), with a projectification average of close to 40 percent, which is the same as Germany’s 41.3 percent. The results of this research contribute to the larger body of knowledge on projectification but, more importantly, provide a benchmark for other emerging economies. MANAGERIAL IMPLICATION : Projectification is measured in terms of share of project work in relation to the total work performed by an organisation. The results from this study are comparable with those of previous studies in developed economies. The results indicate that there is no real difference between the level of project work in an emerging economy like South Africa and that of developed economies.