TOPIC PROPOSAL

In recent years, start-up and small businesses, particularly within the field of information technology (IT),
have gained importance due to their impact on both national and international economics (Lawler III, 1997;
Longnecker, Petty, Palich, & Hoy, 2013; Turner, Ledwith, & Kelly, 2009). Despite having fewer resources and
specialized skills than large enterprises, these small companies undertake a full range of both large and small
projects (Furumo, Pearson, Martin, & Hraman, 2006; Lalwer III, 1997; Turner et al., 2009). In addition, because of
the highly technical nature of their industry, companies focusing in IT frequently head complex projects (Albrecht &
Sprang, 2014; Papke-Shields, Beise, & Quan, 2010;). Traditionally, formal project management methods have been
touted as invaluable tools in monitoring and controlling such complicated endeavors (Kerzner, 2009; Furumo et al.,
2006; Ratnasingam, 2007; Schwalbe, 2010; Papke-Shields, Beise, & Quan, 2010). This data implies that small IT
companies are uniquely positioned to benefit from project management tools.
Despite this apparent opportunity, existing research suggests that small companies are less likely to have
specialized project managers or follow project management approaches than their larger counterparts (Turner et al.,
2009). Additionally, the majority of small businesses that do employ project management frameworks have found
only a handful of practices to be effective (Furumo et al., 2006). Given that the ideal project management maturity
level varies according to the nature of an organization (Albrecht & Sprang, 2014), it has been suggested that a new,
simpler project management methodology needs to be established for use in small and medium sized organizations
(Turner et al., 2009). Counterpoints have been offered, suggesting that formal project management practices show
universal benefits and that organizational size does not constitute a substantial difference in terms of project
performance (Furumo et al., 2006; Papke-Shields et al., 2010).
The purpose of this project is to continue such investigations into project management applications for
small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to further the debate regarding the need for project
management practices specific to small companies by analyzing the extent to which project management tools and
practices are currently used in IT SMEs. Analysis of the collected research will reveal factors that have hindered the
adoption of project management techniques and aid efforts to determine which project management tools, if any, are
necessary components for a simplified project management methodology for small businesses. This research will
also expand the existing body of knowledge regarding project management usage in SMEs by narrowing the
research focus to small IT companies.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT…………………………………………………………………… ii
DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………… iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………… iv
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………… v
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………… vi
LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………… vii
LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………… viii
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………
Statement of Problem………………………………………………
Statement of Purpose……………………………………………….
Research Questions…………………………………………………..
Significance of the Study……………………………………………
Definition of Terms…………………………………………………
Limitations………………………………………………………….
Assumptions………………………………………………….……
Theoretical Framework………………………………………………

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II. LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………………
Nature and Significance of IT SMEs………………………………
Role of Project Management in SMEs………………………………
The Impact of IT Project Complexity………………………………..
Project Management Maturity in IT SMEs………………………….
Project Management Tool Usage in IT SMEs………………………
The Need for a Practical Methodology………………………………

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III. METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………
Subjects and Setting………………………………………………….
Data Collection Technique………………………….……………….

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Hypothesis……………………………………………………………
Statistical Analysis…………………………………………………
Limitations of Study…………………………………………………

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IV. RESULTS………………………………………………………………………
Analysis of Data……………………………………………………
Impact of Size………………………………………………………
Impact of Age……………………………………………………….
Impact of Complexity…………….…………………………………
Tables, Figures, Diagrams ………………………………………….

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V. DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..
Summary…………………………………………………………………………
Recommendations………………………………………………………………
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LIST OF REFERENCES………………………………………………………… 33
APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………… 34

REFERENCES

Albrecht, J. C., & Spang, K. (2014). Linking the benefits of project management maturity to project complexity.
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 7(2), 285-301.
Furumo, K., Pearson, J. M., Martin, N. L., & Harman, K. (2006). Do Project Management Tools and Outcomes
Differ in Organizations of Varying Size and Sector?. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge
& Management, 123-36.
Kerzner, H. (2009). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (10th ed.).
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Koskela, L. J., & Howell, G. (2002). The underlying theory of project management is obsolete. In Proceedings of
the PMI Research Conference (pp. 293-302). PMI.
Lawler III, E. E. (1997). Rethinking Organization Size. Organizational Dynamics, 26(2), 24-35.

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Longnecker, J., Petty, P., Palich, L. & Hoy, F. (2013). Small Business Management. Stamford, CT: Cengage
Learning.
Martin, N. L., Pearson, J. M., & Furumo, K. (2007). IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT: SIZE, PRACTICES AND
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE1,2. The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 47(4), 52-

60. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/232575973?accountid=8289.
    Papke-Shields, K. E., Beise, C., & Quan, J. (2010). Do project managers practice what they preach, and does it
    matter to project success?. International Journal of Project Management, 28(7), 650-662.
    Project Management Institute. (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®
    Guide)(4th ed). Newtown Square, PA, Project Management Institute.
    Ratnasingam. P. (2007). The Role of Project Management in a Small Business IT Firm: A Case Study.
    Schwalbe, K. (2010). Information Technology Project Management, 6e. Boston, MA: Course Technology.
    Spalek, S. (2014). Does investment in project management pay off? Industrial Management + Data Systems, 114(5),
    832-856.
    Turner, J.R., Ledwith, A. and Kelly, J.F. (2009), “Project management in small to medium-sized enterprises: a
    comparison between firms by size and industry”, International Journal of 957 Managing Projects in
    Business, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 282-96.
    Turner, J.R., Ledwith, A. and Kelly, J.F. (2010), “Project management in small to medium-sized enterprises:
    matching processes to the nature of the firm”, International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 28 No. 8,
    pp. 744-55.