Market positions as perceived by project-based organisations in the typical project business segment

Literature on project marketing mainly focuses on those project-based organisations that are able to supply complex systems primarily for government agencies. Thus, current project marketing literature emphasises the central role of the milieu in which both the constructivistic approach and the associated creative offer are of outstanding importance. Although this segment represents a considerable section of the entire project business, it might be considered to be atypical. Most project-based organisations generally operate in a different segment which is referred to as typical. Consequently, the project marketing approaches propagated for complex system suppliers could not be utilised in the typical project business segment. This paper aims to highlight determinants of the market position perceived by project-based organisations in the typical project business segment. Determinants were firstly drawn from project management literature, then a qualitative empirical research was undertaken to provide empirical evidence for the determinants. The research outcomes may provide the basis for applying project marketing more purposefully in typical project-based organisations in accordance with their likely market position.