Synthetic (integrative) project management: an idea whose time has come

Purpose – To propose a complementary approach to traditional project management competency training, and approach that is based on a different worldview. Design/methodology/approach – The research for this paper was based primarily on literature searches as well as conducting interviews with a number of project managers. Findings – The current approach has limitations. Generally, it is good for doing projects in a stable environment. Research limitations/implications – The new model for project management could be tested and compared to the traditional model. Practical implications – The practical implication/consequence is an improvement in the project performance. Specifically, the new approach requires the project managers to mange the interaction of the parts of the project rather than managing each part separately. Originality/value – The problem with project performance is paradigmatic, i.e. using a wrong mindset.