Abstract

If assumptions can be made in an attempt to further understand and teach Project Management, then the basic assumption must be that project management is a form of action. With this in mind, we should state that the purpose of all action in the political, economic, and social sphere–namely, that actions are undertaken to make things better or stop them from getting worse. Secondly, it follows that actions are not neutral; indeed, actions are always in someone’s favour. Thirdly, and this could be considered an intermediary conclusion, it is imperative that project management includes a non-technical dimension so as to carry out its functions, and achieve its objectives in a way that relates to the operational world in which the project is embedded. This suggests project management in its entirety is best conceived as not only multidimensional but constituted by the political, social, economic and ethical. At the same time, it is conceded that there might be occasions in which these dimensions are not in conflict with each other, or assume great significance in the management of the projects. This however, does not diminish the urgent need to understand that, for project management, these dimensions are unavoidable. The objective, then, is to conceptualise the totality of significant influences and considerations upon any given project so as to allow for a comprehensive, sophisticated and nuanced concept of project management as purposeful action. The focus will be teaching project management in a university that teaches military cadets.