Linking projects to business strategy through project portfolio management

Abstract

In many organisations, a chasm exists between the development of strategy and its successful implementation. Failure to cross this chasm may ultimately result in strategy failure and the loss of competitive advantage, profits, and employment. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is theorised as a management methodology that links a portfolio of projects to the business strategy. However, current literature lacks empirical evidence of the levels of employment, functionality, and success of the Project Portfolio Management approach in South Africa. A survey of respondents in 32 technology organisations was used to analyze the reasons for the following: strategy implementation and project delivery failure in South African technology organisations; the South African situation regarding the chasm that exists in many organisations between strategy development and successful strategy implementation; and the extent to which - and with what success - Project Portfolio Management is employed in South African technology organisations.