Project Management5 January 2025

Bridging Change and Project Management: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Projects are fundamentally about change, aiming to transition from an existing state to a desired future state. Change manifests in various forms, from delivering unique products like hospitals, implementing ERP systems, or developing new market products, to solving grand challenges. A specific category of projects, often termed business or change projects, deliberately target organizational transformations like changes in structure, culture, or processes. Despite the central role of change in projects, project management studies have paid limited attention to managing change resulting from a project. There is a notable gap in understanding how theoretical frameworks from change management literature can be integrated with project management practices. This literature review addresses the question: "How is the management of change addressed in project studies?". It aims to synthesize existing research, identify gaps, and propose avenues for future research by reviewing articles from leading project management journals.

Methodology of the Literature Review

This study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) to synthesize existing research and suggest future research directions. The SLR was conducted in three stages, following Tranfield et al. (2003):

Planning the Review: The research problem was identified, and the research question was formulated. Keywords such as “change management,” “organizational change,” “change project,” and “change program” were used to search article titles, abstracts, and keywords. Three leading project management journals were selected: International Journal of Project Management (IJPM), International Journal of Managing Projects in Business (IJMPB), and Project Management Journal (PMJ). Inclusion criteria encompassed conceptual and empirical research papers, while editorial papers and literature reviews were excluded.
Conducting the Review: A search string using the selected keywords was applied to the Scopus database to identify relevant articles within the publication year ranges: IJPM (1983–2023), IJMPB (2008–2023), and PMJ (1998–2023). The initial search yielded 126 articles, which were then screened by reviewing titles, abstracts, and, if needed, full texts. Articles focusing on internal project change management or those where change management was not the primary focus were excluded. The initial screening reduced the sample to 59 articles, which were independently reviewed by all authors using qualitative content analysis. This process further reduced the sample to 43 articles.
Reporting and Dissemination: The reporting phase included a descriptive analysis of the sample articles by year and source of publication and a thematic analysis to identify key emerging themes. The data synthesis adopted a narrative review format.

The final sample included 29 articles from IJPM, 6 from IJMPB, and 8 from PMJ.

III. Main Themes in the Literature

The analysis of the 43 selected articles revealed six key themes:

A. Relationship Between Change Management and Project Management: This theme explores the conceptual foundations, boundaries, and integration of change and project management. It highlights the emergence of change projects as a distinct class of projects that cannot be effectively managed with traditional project management approaches. There is a lack of clarity in the literature regarding the boundaries and relationships between these two disciplines. Disciplinary differences exist, with practitioners holding disparate views on how to manage change. Efforts have been made to identify critical success factors and provide structural clarity for managing changes. Integration practices are a focus of research to combine project and change management processes. The roles and competencies required in change projects are also discussed.
Conceptual foundations and boundaries: Many papers discuss the conceptual overlap and differences of change management (CM) and project management (PM), finding a lack of clarity regarding the boundaries of these two disciplines.
Change projects as a distinct class: Change projects are identified as a new class of projects requiring more than traditional PM approaches.
Disciplinary differences and integration efforts: The literature shows a lack of consensus on how CM and PM should work together, with different views on how to manage organizational change.
Integration practices and approaches: Research has examined ways to integrate project and change management processes to better manage change.
Roles and competencies in change projects: The discussion recognizes that managing change requires different skill sets.
B. Change Process and Factors Affecting the Change Process: This theme identifies factors that affect the success of change projects, including political and cultural complexities, power relationships, organizational identity, and the relationship between temporary and permanent project organizations. The selection of change agents and middle and top management support are crucial determinants of success. Leadership style and communication strategies are also significant factors. The sensemaking perspective emphasizes understanding how people interpret their experiences during change. Control mechanisms in the context of organizational change are another area of discussion. Technology's role in supporting or driving organizational change is also considered.
Selection of change agents and management support: The choice of change agents and the prioritization of top management are seen as important for project success.
Role of organizational identity: The literature examines how organizational members' perception of identity influences change implementation.
Leadership styles: Leadership style is recognized as an important success factor in change projects, with charismatic leadership noted as being particularly effective.
Importance of communication: Communication is crucial for ensuring employee buy-in and overcoming resistance.
Political and cultural complexity: The influence of power relations, strategic practices, and different views on conflict during change projects are noted.
Sensemaking perspective: Research suggests that understanding how project participants interpret their experiences during change can improve project management practices.
Control mechanisms: The use of control mechanisms in organizational change projects and programs is analyzed.
Role of technology: The influence of technology on organizational change is discussed.
C. Change Management as a Success Factor: This theme views change management as a critical success factor for any type of project. It has primarily been discussed in the context of IT/IS projects. Studies highlight that organizational change is necessary for realizing the benefits of IS/IT projects. The importance of change management is also noted in non-IT/IS projects, such as post-merger integration.
Change management in IT/IS projects: Research has focused on how change management supports the implementation of IT/IS projects.
Change management in non-IT/IS projects: The significance of change management has been noted in contexts like post-merger integration.
D. Change Resistance: Change resistance is a major topic, with recent perspectives highlighting resistance as a potential enabler for successful change. The traditional view, however, focuses on overcoming resistance. Risk management is also discussed as a perspective to manage resistance.
Change resistance as an enabler: Resistance is viewed not just as a barrier but also as having a positive impact on change.
Overcoming resistance to change: The literature also addresses the traditional view of overcoming resistance to change.
Risk management perspective on resistance: Risk management strategies to manage resistance are also discussed.
E. Interface with Permanent Organizations: This theme focuses on the relationship between temporary project organizations and their permanent parent organizations, often within the context of program management. It examines the contextual embeddedness of change programs and the different logics through which temporary and permanent organizations evaluate value creation. Integration and boundary management are key aspects of this interface. The role of change agents in facilitating cooperation between temporary and permanent organizations is also discussed.
Contextual embeddedness of change programs: The literature emphasizes the importance of considering the contextual embeddedness of change programs.
Value creation in temporary and permanent organizations: The differing perspectives on value creation between these two types of organizations are discussed.
Integration and boundary management: The literature discusses the integration of change programs with parent organizations and the management of boundaries.
The role of change agents: Change agents are seen as playing an important role in facilitating cooperation between temporary and permanent organizations.
F. Change in Project-Based Firms and Industries/Fields: This theme studies organizational change within project-based organizations, providing empirical evidence of how change management and project management processes are applied. Specific topics include PMO transformation, CMMI implementation, projects as content and process of change, and industry-level changes.
Organizational change in project-based organizations: The application of change management in project-based organizations is examined.
CMMI implementation: The literature has analyzed the change processes that occur during the implementation of CMMI.
Projects as the content and process of change: Studies look at projects as both the content and the process of change.
Industry-level changes: Research has also examined change at the industry level, such as in construction and healthcare.

Points of Agreement, Debate, and Gaps in Research

A. Areas of Agreement: There is agreement on the necessity of integrating change management and project management, the role of change management in project success, and the importance of addressing change resistance.
B. Areas of Debate: Debates include the boundaries and relationships between project and change management, the approach to change resistance (positive vs. negative), and who should lead organizational change projects.
C. Gaps in Research: Gaps exist in the limited integration of organizational theories in project change research, the lack of research on traditional projects beyond IT/IS, a limited understanding of the temporary-permanent organization interface, and insufficient research on interorganizational and field-level changes.

Development in the Field Over Time

The field has evolved from an initial focus on IT/IS projects to recognizing change projects as a distinct class. There has been increased attention to the integration of project and change management, growing interest in stakeholder engagement and value creation, and a shift from overcoming resistance to leveraging it productively.

Initial Focus on IT/IS Projects: The early focus of change management in projects was predominantly on IT/IS projects, where projects were often seen as processes of organizational change.
Emergence of Change Projects as a distinct class: A key development was the identification of change projects as a unique class of projects that require a blend of traditional project management and change management approaches.
Increased attention to the integration of project and change management: As the field evolved, there was an increased emphasis on the need to integrate the two disciplines to manage change projects effectively.
Growing interest in stakeholder engagement and value creation: More recent research has highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement and value creation in project-based change.
Shift from overcoming resistance to leveraging it productively: The literature shows a shift from viewing resistance as something to be overcome to seeing it as a potential positive force that can contribute to project performance.

Critical Insights and Contextual Alignment

The research is fragmented with limited practical application of change management in project settings, indicating a siloed development of project and change management disciplines. There is a need for more context-specific approaches to managing change in projects.

Fragmentation of Research: The analysis of connections between articles reveals limited links between them, indicating a fragmented research landscape.
Limited practical application of change management: Despite research on the importance of change management, its practical application in projects seems to be limited.
Siloed Development of Disciplines: The two disciplines of project and change management have developed in their own silos without productive discussions or cross-disciplinary fertilization.
Need for Context-Specific Approaches: The study underscores the need for tailored approaches to change management based on industry-specific contexts, such as healthcare and construction.

VII. Conclusion

This systematic literature review has provided a comprehensive synthesis of how change management is addressed in project studies. It has highlighted six key themes, identified areas of agreement and debate, and pointed out critical research gaps. There is a clear need for more research on integrating change management and project management, understanding change resistance, and exploring the interface between temporary and permanent organizations. Future research directions include exploring the applicability of project management processes in change projects, the role of change management in traditional projects, and the influence of stakeholder dynamics on change resistance. This study also has significant managerial implications, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of change projects, the importance of addressing change resistance, and the need for effective coordination between temporary and permanent organizations. The limitations of this review include the focus on three project management journals and the lack of coverage of broader change management literature.

This expanded literature review provides a detailed synthesis of the current understanding of change management in the context of project studies.

(Jääskä et al., 2025)

Reference:

Jääskä, E., Aaltonen, K., Hellens, L., & Kujala, J. (2025). Bridging change and project management: A review and future research directions. In Project Leadership and Society (Vol. 6). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plas.2024.100172

FAQ: Change Management in Project Studies

What is the core issue regarding change management in project management studies?

The primary concern is that while projects are inherently designed to implement change, project management studies tend to focus heavily on the design and delivery of project deliverables, largely overlooking the active management of the change process needed to realize a project's desired future state. There’s a gap between how change is theoretically understood in change management literature and how it’s approached in the project management context. This leads to a fragmented understanding and makes it difficult for practitioners to effectively apply change management practices based on scientific evidence in projects.

What are "change projects," and why are they considered a separate class of projects?

Change projects, also known as business projects or change programs, are a specific type of project that intentionally aims to move an organization from its current state to a desired future state. These projects focus on implementing significant organizational transformations, like changes in structure, culture, or business processes. They are distinct because they can't be effectively managed using traditional planning and control-oriented project management methods alone; they require contributions from other disciplines like change management. They often involve a flexible approach that recognizes the evolving scope of the project and require understanding of political, cultural, and human aspects beyond traditional project management.

How do project management and change management disciplines relate, and why is it a point of discussion?

Project management and change management are based on distinct bodies of knowledge, and professionals in these fields often have differing views on managing change. A lack of consensus exists on how these disciplines should effectively collaborate to deliver organizational change projects. There are fundamental differences in how practitioners view the practice of organizational change. Much of the research focuses on integrating the two disciplines for better management outcomes. However, the theoretical overlap of the disciplines is underdeveloped, and there is a need for bridging the conceptual gap between them.

What are some key factors that impact the success of change projects and their process?

Several factors significantly impact the success of change projects. These include: the selection of respected and relatable change agents, strong top management support, leadership style (especially charismatic leadership for IT projects), effective communication strategies, and an understanding of political and cultural complexities within an organization. Furthermore, recognizing how people make sense of change (sensemaking) and the role of control mechanisms, along with understanding the technological frames, all contribute to the success or failure of these projects. The role of organizational identity and the potential for identity discontinuity during change is also crucial.

How does change management serve as a success factor in projects?

Change management is recognized as an essential success factor, particularly in IT/IS projects where the implementation of technology often entails significant organizational change. Projects that actively incorporate change management steps, benefits management, and post-merger integration approaches have a higher likelihood of success. Effective change management helps to navigate the organizational and human dimensions of projects to realize the planned benefits. The literature shows a focus on IT-based change, and there is an opportunity to explore the impacts of change management in more traditional projects.

What is "change resistance" and how is it viewed in the context of projects?

Change resistance refers to the opposition encountered during organizational change initiatives. It is not always a negative force. While traditional views focus on overcoming resistance, some research acknowledges its potential positive impact, viewing it as a source of productive insights or as a signal of an aspect of change that needs attention. Some researchers explore change resistance from a risk management perspective and offer strategies for managing it. Understanding how internal and external stakeholders may resist change and the nature of their resistance is key for project success.

How do change projects interact with permanent organizations, and what are the challenges involved?

Change programs often aim to transform the parent organization, which introduces challenges. These programs are often characterized by overlapping roles, where actors serve in both the temporary and permanent structures. Effective integration and boundary management are key to balancing the objectives of the change project with the needs of the parent organization. There can be conflicts in perspectives on value creation between the project and the permanent organization. Successfully managing this interface requires skilled integration managers, strong communication, and an awareness of the unique challenges of each environment. Tensions that arise between temporary and permanent structures should be viewed not only as a starting point but as a research focus.

How does change manifest in project-based firms and industries, and what are the key lessons learned?

Research into change in project-based firms shows that organizational change is an evolutionary process that enhances project and business performance. PMO transformations and CMMI implementation are examples of organizational changes that require a change management perspective. Leadership commitment, clear communication, and the integration of change into new capabilities are crucial for success. These studies reveal that managing change in project-based environments needs to consider that projects can be viewed both as content of change (what is being changed) and processes of change (how change is managed). There is a need for a better understanding of the societal impacts of mega projects. Finally, projects with societal change implications also need more attention