Leading Complex Projects to Successful End State: Literature Review

This literature review delves into the multifaceted nature of project complexity, exploring the challenges and strategies involved in leading projects to successful outcomes. It examines the impact of budget constraints, scheduling issues, and performance concerns on project success, highlighting the role of uncertainty and unfamiliar dependencies. The review emphasizes the evolving role of project managers in navigating these complexities, focusing on the need for foundational skills, leadership knowledge, and effective communication. It discusses approaches, tools, and skills, such as planning, stakeholder management, risk mitigation, and fostering collaborative environments, to achieve project goals. The review also addresses the importance of adaptability, virtual team management, and the development of project manager qualities to ensure successful project completion, providing valuable insights for students and professionals alike.

Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature Review-Leading complex projects to successful end state
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1LITERATURE REVIEW
Table of Contents
Literature Review-Leading complex projects to successful end state.............................................2
Project complexity.......................................................................................................................2
Managing project complexity......................................................................................................2
Approaches, tools and skills needed to deliver a successful project...........................................4
References........................................................................................................................................6

2LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature Review-Leading complex projects to successful end state
Project complexity
Hill and Bartol (2016) stated that most of the projects are difficult and complex due to
budget constraints, schedule as well as performance issues. The complex projects are unique as
they are characterized by degree of uncertainty. Serrat (2017) argued that the complex projects
have high level of uncertainty as well as unfamiliar dependencies. A comprehensive literature
study will review on changing roles of the project management to manage the complex projects
which is theoretical foundation of this paper. The business process is complex due to
interdependent in addition to consistent than ever former than. Across the project lifecycle, the
teams are being interconnected as well as integrated based on the project success. The project
focused work is considered as time sensitive. When a project is complex, then roles as well as
responsibilities are also complex. The complex projects are unpredictable, while the project
complexity is at higher risk and complicated. The factors which are considered as project
complexity are out of control such as technology, financial as well as social issues. Matinheikki
et al. (2016) mentioned that the complexity is result of new technology which is changing faster
than pace of project work. The scope of this project work is setting the management along with
external factors which can influence the objectives plus strategies. According to Camilleri
(2016), budget and time are contributing factors to the project complexity. In most of the cases,
the organization which treats the cost as priority can lead to unnecessary project complexities.
Managing project complexity
The project manager is required to focus on development of a project in order to step the
complexities that 21st century project will demand. Maduka et al. (2018) discussed that the

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project managers are required to focus on the foundational skills and increase their leadership
knowledge to manage the project complexity. The purpose of project complexity management is
identifying the project activities which facilitate development of the inter-organizational
networks among the organization in front end of the project. Davies and Brady (2016) illustrated
that complex project management is developed to outline as well as define project management
paradigm and attributes needed to operate efficiently. The project management standards provide
higher level of view of each project competency and elements which are contributed to each
competency and actions.
Bjorvatn and Wald (2018) determined that managing a complex project is required
planning as well as proper estimation before starting to work in the project in terms of resources
and man-powers. Matinheikki et al. (2016) argued that a project plan is required to mention
project requirements plus define project goals. It is critical to prepare the project plan at project
starting and sharing project related information with the stakeholders those are involved in the
project. The project members should have clear idea related to project deliverables plus project
deadlines. Hill and Bartol (2016) discussed that the risk mitigation plan is required to help and
manage the project efficiently. It is required to identify each of the project risks those are
involved into the project, impacts plus consequences which are outlined properly into the project
plan.
Maduka et al. (2018) stated that effective project management is critical for managing a
complex project. It is required for the project manager to adopt the system plus approach which
is required to take decisions regarding the project plan. The project manager should create new
methods to suit with the project team and use of leadership and communication skills for
successful completion of project work. Hill and Bartol (2016) argued that the project can get

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success based on the factors such as project planning, management of stakeholders,
organizational structure, monitoring, and expertise of the project team, communication plus
leadership style which is required to get project success. In order to manage the project
complexity, it is recommended that committed leadership is benefited to manage complex
projects. Various types of project plan are required different types of the project managers based
on the project requirements. Davies and Brady (2016) discussed that qualities of the project
manager play a key role in the complex project. Project Manager is required to implement
approaches and skills to achieve project outcomes. Therefore, in order to get project success, the
project manager plays a key role. At the start of the project, careful project planning is required
otherwise the project is failed due to crucial interrelationships those are not taken into
considerations of the project manager.
Approaches, tools and skills needed to deliver a successful project
In order to manage the complexity of a project, it is required for the project manager to
achieve communication and leadership skills. Hill and Bartol (2016) discussed that poor
communication is the challenge into the complex project management. A successful complex
project hinges on the communication in real time basis. Effective communication skill is required
for real time visibility. Bjorvatn and Wald (2018) argued that managing of virtual project team is
complex as compared to traditional project work. According to Hill and Bartol (2016), active
listening, feedback and collaboration are communicational tools which are required to manage
complex project and deliver a successful project with the virtual complexities. The receiver
confirms message which is received throughout feedback as well as questions. Listening helps
the project team members to benefit parties for checking understanding. It aids to get people to
open up and resolve the conflicts occurred due to misunderstandings.

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According to Matinheikki et al. (2016), into the collaborative environment, the team
members can support as well as encourage others rather than focused on the project tasks and
responsibilities of the team members. Global competition as well as advances into the technology
can enhance growing trend of the virtual teams to execute the business strategies. Serrat (2017)
discussed that understanding competencies required for the virtual leadership is required to
project success. This literature study has implications for the organizational virtual team project
leaders. They desire to share the information and assets to help others, cooperate and work
together to reach the project goals (Bjorvatn and Wald 2018). A collaborative environment
provides constructive atmosphere to receive feedback which is critical communication skill for
the project managers. Feedback is positive and negative indicated accessibility of sender or
receiver.
In order to make a project successful, it is required to adaptable. The project plan is
evolved and project managers are evolved with it. Hill and Bartol (2016) stated that it is required
that the project manager can convey project vision, project goals and problems and producing
project reports. The project manager has leadership skills to build a team and make decisions. In
order to reach a successful conclusion of a project, the team is required to work well together for
meeting with the project purpose (Maduka et al. 2018). With the team of individuals, the project
manager is required to form a positive team dynamics. Leading a project team is required to
involve learning about the individual skills of the project team members and personality to get
best out of the project team. Matinheikki et al. (2016) mentioned that the project manager also
required motivating the team members for working together in the project so that they can meet
with the project goals in addition to project objectives.

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References
Bjorvatn, T. and Wald, A., 2018. Project complexity and team-level absorptive capacity as
drivers of project management performance. International Journal of Project
Management, 36(6), pp.876-888.
Camilleri, E., 2016. Project success: critical factors and behaviours. Routledge.
Davies, A. and Brady, T., 2016. Explicating the dynamics of project capabilities. International
Journal of Project Management, 34(2), pp.314-327.
Hill, N.S. and Bartol, K.M., 2016. Empowering leadership and effective collaboration in
geographically dispersed teams. Personnel Psychology, 69(1), pp.159-198.
Maduka, N.S., Edwards, H., Greenwood, D., Osborne, A. and Babatunde, S.O., 2018. Analysis
of competencies for effective virtual team leadership in building successful
organisations. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 25(2), pp.696-712.
Matinheikki, J., Artto, K., Peltokorpi, A. and Rajala, R., 2016. Managing inter-organizational
networks for value creation in the front-end of projects. International Journal of Project
Management, 34(7), pp.1226-1241.
Serrat, O., 2017. Building a learning organization. In Knowledge solutions (pp. 57-67). Springer,
Singapore.