Entrepreneurship and project management relationships: So far so good? Dialogic conversation and Luhmannian perspective
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
ISSN: 1753-8378
Article publication date: 16 April 2018
Issue publication date: 24 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Both project investments and entrepreneurial ventures are considered powerful catalysts of economic prosperity and social progress. But these ventures and investments come with their inherent challenges and risks. Observing this situation, academics have paid close attention to the fields of entrepreneurship and project management (E&PM). Thus, for over 30 years, the two fields have witnessed remarkable developments among management and organization studies. The historical perspective reveals that these two multidisciplinary fields were built in parallel, on very distinct mindsets and cultures. The purpose of this paper is to offer a wider dialogic conversation between two distinct perspectives and related propositions: E&PM should stay separated; and E&PM should converge.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to guide the investigation of these propositions, the authors call for Luhmann and a systemic-discursive perspective of both fields discourses. Ultimately, the purpose is to contribute to the debate surrounding the following questions: are E&PM fields so far from each other, and thus, irreconcilable? And, if so, is it so good?
Findings
Finally, the authors will suggest that E&PM may stay far from each other as they do not share similar discourses and codes. This may be a good state of affairs, however, as distance generates a fruitful creative tension between them.
Originality/value
While many researchers focus on linking E&PM, arguing that they largely agree as to their underlying goal, the paper aims to offer a wider dialogical conversation between the two distinct perspectives and their related propositions: E&PM should stay separate; and E&PM should converge. In order to do so, this paper calls for a Luhmannian and a systemic-discursive perspective.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This article forms part of a special section “Exploring processual and critical avenues at the crossroad of entrepreneurship and project management”, guest edited by Olivier Germain and Monique Aubry.
Citation
Fonrouge, C., Bredillet, C. and Fouché, C. (2019), "Entrepreneurship and project management relationships: So far so good? Dialogic conversation and Luhmannian perspective", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 6-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-01-2018-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited