The Challenges in the Implementation of Project Management Office (PMO): “A Case Study of Health Care Construction Project”

Abstract

In the present global environment, projects in the business and industries are becoming complex and highly competitive which requires organizational restructuring and improvising business models. Implementation of the Project Management Office (PMO) has appeared as a strategic response to critical business challenges. The project management office (PMO) is a centralized management structure that standardizes project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, tools, methodologies, and techniques. However, this fast-growing concept of PMO in the world of project management has its own challenges and several factors need to be considered while implementing a successful PMO.

This case study explores the challenges of implementing PMO in the Health care construction project. A qualitative research methodology is adopted through semi-structured interviews with four PMO Managers who were part of the transition from External PMO to In-house PMO and played a pivotal role in its implementation. The case study highlights the challenges of implementing In-house PMO such as opposition from key stakeholders, Inadequate planning in transition from external to in house PMO, lack of PMO expertise within the organization, Communication gap among team members, non-co-operative behavior from external PMO members and conflicting priorities. In a nutshell, the primary reason for the devastating consequences was the improper planning of change management in transition phase. It was further suggested that the change should be gradual, iterative, and incremental. The analysis of this study will be helpful for organizations aiming to develop a PMO.