The art of project management

Background

The study of The art of project management started in 2003 when the research and development venture With power and will – research on NGOs ANDT-prevention was launched and the research team had the possibility to continuously cooperate with involved in a wide variety of NGOs. The study is based on the experiences of around a hundred project managers regarding being a project manager within the framework of the Government's support to NGOs ANDT-prevention.

Aim

The overall aim of the study is to shed light on which the project managers within the venture are, to contribute to learning on the art of project management as well as highlight the added value of preventive work carried out by NGOs. Key questions are:

• What are the project managers’ perceptions of important skills, need of knowledge and support in project management strategies? 
• What are the lessons from project management actions, for instance how collaboration works with public partners? 
• What are the conditions required for the NGOs to conduct successful alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco prevention? 
• What added value and obstacles are there when ANDT-prevention is carried out by an NGO?

Method

The research team has since 2003 documented 375 projects funding containing 190 unique projects. In parallel, data has been gathered through a questionnaire distributed to project managers. Every two years the project leaders within the existing project portfolio, that is all projects granted funding that year, has been asked to answer a questionnaire. A total of 168 questionnaires have been answered by 112 unique persons at a total of five occasions (in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011). The project management questionnaire has evolved over time but has always had a focus on experiences and conditions of being a project manager of an NGO. Question areas have for example been about the project manager's background, work situation, the need for expertise and support as well as their view of collaboration. Since the questionnaire consisted of both multiple choice and open questions the material has been analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Results and publication

Continuous reporting is made annually to the Public health authority and the participating NGOs. The study has resulted in a theme section with a leader and three scientific articles published in a themed issue of Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift.

 Eriksson, C. (2014).  Idéburna organisationers ANDT-förebyggande arbete. Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, 91(1), 3-4.

Fredriksson, I., Geidne, S., Green, S., Pettersson, C., Larsson, M., & Eriksson, C. (2014).  Jordmån för ett framgångsrikt ANDT-förebyggande arbete inom den idéburna sektorn. Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, 91(1), 30-44.

Geidne, S., Fredriksson, I., Green, S., Pettersson, C., Larsson, M., & Eriksson, C. (2014).  Projektledare inom den idéburna sektorns ANDT-förebyggande arbete. Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, 91(1), 5-17.

Green, S., Pettersson, C., Geidne, S., Fredriksson, I., Larsson, M., & Eriksson, C. (2014).  Mervärden och hinder med idéburna organisationers ANDT-förebyggande arbete. Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, 91(1), 18-29.