Key Drivers of Effectiveness in Managing a Group of Multiple Projects

Because of resource limitations, project managers in many organizations are tasked to lead more than one project at a time. In this research, these project managers are referred to as multiple-project managers and such a management condition is referred to as management of a group of multiple projects (MGMP). This study is among the first to investigate effectiveness in MGMP, a multiple project management form that has been utilized widely in industry but not broadly researched. The objective is to empirically identify the significant predictors of MGMP effectiveness in terms of two criteria: project performance and the learning of project managers. This study is a continuation of previous research, which was conducted using a case study methodology to explore the definition of MGMP effectiveness, factors affecting MGMP effectiveness, and criteria for measuring such effectiveness. Based on a survey of 169 multiple-project managers, the findings from the research reported in this paper suggest multiple factors as significant predictors of MGMP effectiveness. First, the competencies of multiple-project managers in terms of multitasking and multiteam management were found to contribute to both dimensions of effectiveness. Second, project manager assignment and sufficient resource allocation contribute to improved project performance. Finally, management of the interdependence between projects contributes to project manager learning.