Perceptions of Factors that Contribute to Employee Retention of IT Project Managers

• Main Author: Wiebell, Julie Ann
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2019
• Subjects: case study; IT project manager; project management; retention; Databases and Information Systems
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7263; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8542&context=dissertations

The low retention rate of information technology (IT) project managers from a region in the southeastern United States has increased an organization's operational costs and decreased the organization's global competitiveness. The conceptual foundation for this study was the resource-based theory of competitive advantage. This multiple case study explored IT project managers' perceptions of the factors that contributed to their retention. Participants in the study included 10 IT project managers with at least 5 years of experience who were also members of a chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). Semistructured interviews were conducted via teleconference to collect data that were subjected to a thematic analysis. Three key themes emerged from the analysis: an understanding of project management, challenging work, and certification support. The results of the study might provide those individuals in charge of hiring IT project managers with criteria that define what these IT project managers require as well what benefits can be offered and what methods can be applied in retaining these IT Project Managers. Findings from the study have implications for positive social change by contributing to the project management body of knowledge, positioning companies competitively, and effectively engaging IT project managers.