Project Context and its Effect on Individual Competencies and Project Team Performance

摘要

This paper presents a study of how a project context affects the competencies and performance of innovation project teams. Project context is understood'as a work context in project environment. It is a set of conditions that guides team members to act. It is described in terms of organizational culture, organizational climate, team and manager characteristics, etc. If a project context is appropriate and well matched with the employees， it leads to a higher individual and team performance. The paper aims to discuss the theoretical and methodological issues of studying the effect of project context factors on team performance in innovation projects. It provides a conceptual model of project context and its relationship to individual' competencies. The methodology to study the proposed relationship is also discussed. Competencies are considered as individual characteristics (including skills and knowledge) that are manifested in employee behavior and causally related to and can predict high level of individual performance. Individual competencies provide a basis for high level of team performance. The understanding of relationships between individual competencies and project context factors provides an important means to improve the management practices. The study not only provides methods for optimal matching between work context and individual competencies but also provides tools for the improvement of team performance by facilitating the required competencies in specific work context. A framework of a conceptual model is proposed which attempts to predict the performance and the competencies that will develop in the specific work contexts. Applications of the research results will have significant impact on business practices and help to develop a comprehensive view of organization management practices and their effect on team performance. Applications include decision making about forming project teams that are more likely to achieve high levels of performance as well as improving management practices and workplace environment.