Main competencies to manage complex defence projects

Leandro Bolzan de Rezende, PhD; Paul Blackwell, PhD; Juliano Denicol, PhD; Siegrid Guillaumon, PhD

Project Leadership and Society (Dec 2021)

Main competencies to manage complex defence projects

Leandro Bolzan de Rezende, PhD,
Paul Blackwell, PhD,
Juliano Denicol, PhD,
Siegrid Guillaumon, PhD

Affiliations

Leandro Bolzan de Rezende, PhD: Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, 76 Sackville St, Manchester, M1 3NJ, UK; Corresponding author.
Paul Blackwell, PhD: Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, 76 Sackville St, Manchester, M1 3NJ, UK; School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK; University of Brasilia, Department of Administration, University of Brasilia, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, 70910-900, Brazil; Lancaster University, Department of Management Science, Lancaster, LA1 4YX, UK
Juliano Denicol, PhD: School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
Siegrid Guillaumon, PhD: University of Brasilia, Department of Administration, University of Brasilia, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, 70910-900, Brazil

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2
p. 100014

Abstract

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This research adds a comprehensive way of assessing competencies, contrasting with the usual reductionist approach that uses off-the-shelf instruments. The study reveals 27 competencies to manage complex projects based upon a comprehensive analysis of 22 interviews with senior practitioners associated with the most strategic projects from the Brazilian Army. These competencies were divided into 10 groups, namely influencing, communication, team working, cognitive, management, contextual skills, professionalism, project management knowledge, and personal skills and attributes. Surprisingly, both emotional skills and social competencies were not prominent. The results contribute to advance our knowledge by revealing that practitioners involved in complex defence projects value more technical and individual competencies. This study analyses competencies across several complex projects in the defence sector, providing insights to practitioners and expanding the academic debate focused on other industries and single cases. Organisations might use the competencies to recruit, select, and develop human resources involved in complex defence initiatives.

Published in Project Leadership and Society

ISSN: 2666-7215 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Social Sciences: Industries. Land use. Labor: Management. Industrial management
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/project-leadership-and-society/

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