An investigation of the impact of perceived urgency on project performance

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a study that investigated the impact of perceived urgency on the performance of projects. Thirty two new product development projects in 12 British companies were investigated. Data were collected via onsite administration of questionnaires to project team leaders and members, as well as from interviews with each project leader. In all, 96 questionnaires were completed and 32 interviews conducted. Most of the projects were in the development phase of the project cycle and a few had just entered the manufacturing phase. The results indicated that for projects with greater perceived urgency higher project performance was significantly related to the use of technologies that were more familiar to the firm and its R&D staff. Conversely, for projects with less perceived urgency higher project performance was associated with the use of technologies that were less familiar than those used in the firm's other products. In addition, it was found that, for less urgent projects, a significant negative relationship was found between the project leader's technical skill and performance, while a positive relationship that approached significance was found between the leader's human relations skill and performance. For more urgent projects, a negative relationship that approached significance was found between the leader's human relations skill and performance. Implications of these results for R&D managers and for future research are discussed.