Taxonomy of Organizational Capabilities to Achieve Sustainable Project Management in MSMEs: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This study identifies the organizational capabilities essential for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to implement sustainable project management (SPM), based on a systematic literature review using PRISMA. Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV), capabilities are conceptualized as valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resources that enable MSMEs to embed sustainability into project management. The dynamic capability (DC) framework then guided the categorization of these capabilities according to their roles in sensing sustainability requirements, seizing opportunities through sustainability-focused projects, and reconfiguring processes to achieve long-term sustainability. From 54 articles retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science, a three-level taxonomy was developed, comprising 45 first-level, 16 second-level, and three third-level capabilities. These capabilities are associated with outcomes such as environmentally friendly products; integration of environmental, social, and economic sustainability; and greater project management maturity with a sustainability vision, demonstrating how organizational capabilities enhance both sustainability impacts and project performance.