Improving and embedding project management practice in organisations — A qualitative study

•We developed a framework to help organisations embed useful PM improvement initiatives.•A framework of key factors from literature is largely confirmed by empirical study.•30 semi-structured interviews undertaken with Portuguese PM professionals•15 key PM improvement initiatives and 26 key embedding factors identified•Four improving themes and six embedding themes identified

This paper describes the results of a qualitative study to develop a framework to help organisations to embed useful project management improvement initiatives (PMIIs), which specifically aimed to identify key PMIIs and key embedding factors, based upon the circumstances encountered in different organisations. While the literature on PM provides some advice about PMIIs, understanding how to facilitate their embedment appears to be limited. However, research reported in the innovation literature provides a useful preliminary set of salient factors. A first attempt at framework conceptualisation based on a literature review was used as a starting point for exploratory empirical research. A series of thirty semi-structured interviews with PM professionals sought to identify additional PMIIs and embedding factors and check its salience. Analysis of the interviews data led to a framework comprising key 15 PMIIs and 26 key embedding factors, grouped into four improving themes and six embedding themes.