Abstract

Scale is commonly deployed as a descriptor in the extant project management literature without an associated discussion of what this means. Following a literature review and synthesis of 172 papers we identify three findings. First, most papers addressed the foundational concept of scale obliquely, suggesting a conceptual gap. Second, where scale is mentioned, it is mostly in association with large-scale projects and megaprojects. There are few papers discussing small- to medium-scale projects. Third, the limited categorization of scale is linked to limited discussion of its managerial implications. We then synthesize this research to establish a project scale framework and position future research avenues.
Original languageEnglish
JournalProject Management Journal
Early online date30 May 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 30 May 2024

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank attendees of the 2023 Academy of Management (AoM) conference and the 2023 European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) conference for their generous and constructive feedback, which has provided significant assistance in helping us to greatly improve this manuscript. We would also like to thank Professor Graham Winch (University of Manchester) and Dr. Juliano Denicol (University College London) for their detailed guiding comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and authorship of this article: This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the United Kingdom via a South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) Funding Award [Grant Number: #2229577].

FundersFunder number
Economic and Social Research Council2229577

Keywords

  • large-scale projects
  • literature review
  • megaprojects
  • research agenda
  • scale
  • scaling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Management of Technology and Innovation
  • Business and International Management
  • Strategy and Management

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