Managing through the future perfect tense: a project odyssey

Abstract

The paper investigates empirically a key concept of Schlitz's phenomenology - the "future perfect" - in a complex organizational context: that of large-scale project management. In a grounded analysis we resolved to track how the future perfect developed in the life of one large, complex project whose uniqueness meant that it was unable to be strategically planned in advance. We tracked the use of future perfect thinking through analysis of data collected both in leadership meetings of the directing agency, "PALT"- Project Alliance Leadership Team - as well as in individual interviews that we conducted in and around the project, and through analysis of media coverage. The paper tells a story of a major Sydney Olympics piece of infrastructure, and some of the vicissitudes of its construction. Overall, the project was a success, but some problems arose along the way to its completion, which future projects that might adopt this form should consider.