Project organizing in network contexts

This chapter discusses the utility of different network perspectives for the study of project organizing in general and the study of so-called project network organizations (PNOs) in particular. PNOs are sets of longer-term strategically coordinated relationships between individuals and organizations that collaborate on a project-by-project basis. PNOs have become an important organizational form across different project-based sectors, including creative industries, construction, research, and international development. Following an overview of major properties of PNOs - core project teams, flexible partner pools and strategic coordination, three network perspectives are introduced and applied to examine these three properties: networks as relational structures, networks as governance forms, and networks as organizational systems. Each perspective adds value to our understanding of how PNOs operate, while also having limitations that require a multi-paradigmatic analysis.