Benefits realisation management: Panacea or false dawn?

Benefits Realisation Management (BRM) is becoming an increasingly important aspect of project and programme management. However, commentators have observed that the practice of BRM is often flawed, and have made suggestions as to how practice might be improved. This paper is concerned with the reasons why the implementation of BRM might not be straightforward, by focusing on the underlying assumptions. It will approach the issue by drawing on the author's experience from the 1990s and 2000s in working in the management of government-funded regeneration programmes in the UK. In this field there was a rigid benefits management framework, although it precedes the development of BRM. The paper will argue that there are important underlying conceptual issues in benefits management which have practical implications and need to be recognised in the development of theory for BRM.

► Benefits Realisation Management (BRM) is a developing part of project management.
► Existing theory is largely based on the ‘modern paradigm’ of management science.
► Benefits management practice does not always accord with these theories.
► Alternatives to the ‘modern paradigm’ are needed for theory building.
► BRM is neither a panacea, nor a false dawn, but lies somewhere in between.