Governing major transformation portfolios in practice: illustrations from the UK central government
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
ISSN: 1753-8378
Article publication date: 11 January 2019
Issue publication date: 8 October 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine major transformation portfolio governing practices. Previous research focuses on the structure of project portfolio governance and is relatively silent on micro-practices of governing. This paper intends to respond to this gap.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative case study draws upon practice approaches and the theoretical lens of organisational routines. The empirical inquiry is conducted across six major transformation portfolios in two UK central government departments. The data are collected through conducting semi-structured interviews and gathering documentary reports and analysed by adopting an abductive approach.
Findings
The findings highlight that two governing practices that have not been previously discussed in the literature: structuring the policy relationship and structuring the business relationship. These practices can be associated with the complex ownership system of the UK central government. The findings also show that in complex ownership systems owners may have different governing and supporting orientations. The micro-dynamics of these governing practices illustrate that the ecology of governing practices is complex, both in terms of the co-existence of complementary and competitive relationships between practices, and in terms of bundles of practices enacting different control regimes.
Research limitations/implications
This qualitative case study supports further inquiry into major transformation portfolio governing and complex ownership systems.
Originality/value
The paper adopts a governance-as-practice approach and examines governing major transformation portfolios.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is supported by the Association for Project Management (APM) research fund. This research is part of Project X: an initiative by the IPA bringing together academia, industry, government and consultancies to generate insights into government’s major projects and programmes that can inform and guide continuous improvement. The author would like to thank all participants who contributed to the study. The author would also like to thank the reviewers, editors and participants of the EURAM 2018 conference for their comments on the earlier version of this paper.
Citation
Kortantamer, D. (2019), "Governing major transformation portfolios in practice: illustrations from the UK central government", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 755-784. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-09-2018-0174
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited