Project Networks – A Short Term and a Long Term View”, paper presented at the 21st Annual IMP Conference

Project networks are temporary inter-organizational networks that exist only for the duration of the pro-ject at hand. Despite this clear short term orientation, project networks tend to be partially recon-structed from one project to the next implying that there is a need for a long term view, as generally applied to other types of inter-organizational networks (alliances, joint ventures, delivery chains, etc.). This work-in-progress paper discusses project networks by complementing the short term view domi-nant in project management literature with a long term view, utilizing a theoretical background consist-ing mainly of the IMP group’s network approach. A brief empirical illustration is provided in the context of the Finnish construction industry. Based on the theoretical discussion and empirical illustration, propositions regarding project networks are formulated. Based on theory and empirical data, it ap-pears that project networks suffer from short term optimization and excessive focus on the executing and controlling processes of the project, leading to problems in the preceding project initiation process and problems in developing long term inter-organizational relationships between project network ac-tors