Project management theories

According to Koskela and Howell (2002), prior literature has generally indicated that there is no obvious model of project management. However, Richardson (2014) contrasted with these findings and argued that it is likely to point out the most important theoretical structure of project management as applied in practice and as presented in the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK). The development of the theories of project administration is assisted by the various principles of project management (Richardson 2014). The basis of these ideas can be traced back to the understanding of the role of management that is based on three theories. The first theory is management-as-planning which is composed of the creation, revision and execution of strategies (Koskela and Howell 2002). The second theory as presented by Koskela and Howell (2002) is the dispatching model that observes that the proposed tasks can be executed through notification to the executor on the start of the job. In the same fashion, the third model is the thermostat model that is the cybernetic model of administration controls (Koskela and Howell 2002). It consists of elements such as the standard of performance and measurement of performance of the output. The underlying foundation of the theories of project administration has been evaluated through four sources of evidence that include empirical validity, competing theories, alternative methods based on competing theories, and the plausibility and consistency of the theory itself (Koskela and Howell 2002). Richardson (2014) however contrasted with these findings and noted that the basic theoretical structure of project administration is deficient.
Curlee and Gordon (2010) poised that the theories of project administration are divided into two classes; theory of project and the theory of management. The assumptions of this theory are that the tasks are independent, except for sequential relations, there are uncertainties, and that tasks are discrete and bounded (Curlee and Gordon 2010). This theory operates on the concept that the project incorporates a transformation of inputs into outputs. The second class is the theory of management which is further classified into three parts, theory of planning, the theory of execution and theory of control (Curlee and Gordon 2010). Each theory has its set of assumptions, principles, and concepts. Equally important, Curlee and Gordon (2010) asserted that this basis of classification is obsolete, and a paradigmatic change of the subject of project management is required to substitute for a more robust theoretical foundation.