A Multifaceted Performance Excellence Framework for Project-Based Organizations

Project-based working has become increasingly prevalent in many industries and sectors. However, it present a particular challenge in terms of managing and assessing the performance of those involved, as outcomes are often the product of complex patterns of involvement from a wide range of stakeholders. This paper reports on research which has attempted to overcome this difficulty through the development of a multifaceted performance excellence framework for project managers. The framework is based around three interrelated components of managerial performance excellence: role-focused performance excellence criteria, job-focused task-task competences and person-focused attribute-based competencies. This hybrid approach to performance management provides an evaluative framework adaptable for a variety of applications, including recruitment, development and training, succession planning and deployment. It offers an innovative alternative to normative competence based approaches, which arguably do little to engender performance excellence within dynamic project-based sectors.