Doing things right and doing the right things Time and timing in projects

Abstract

This paper discusses the relationship between time and project management in the context of clock-time's rule of doing things right according to deadlines, and doing the right things at the right moment, irrespective of clock-time. It is argued that clock-time (chronos time) is the ruling factor in efficiency and timely moments (kairos time) are crucial in questions of effectiveness. This distinction is accentuated by the importance in managing project organisations to do the right things in that such organisations are less institutionalised than more permanent (going concern) organisations and have to deal with unplanned situations more frequently as compared with permanent organisations.