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The proof of purpose lies in the project: How organizational purpose translates into projects

Doreen Gehl & Henrik Kock

International Journal of Project Management2026https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2026.102842article
AJG 2ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

• Organizational purpose translates into a distinct project purpose • Project purpose fosters project effectiveness and project manager’s job dedication • Portfolio formalization and employee voice strengthen purpose translation • Purpose translation is stronger for strategically important projects Organizational purpose has attracted growing scholarly attention but remains largely underexplored in the project management literature. Organizational purpose guides organizational decisions and actions beyond profit maximization, emphasizing social and environmental value. As firms increasingly operate in project-based structures to implement their strategies and shape their future, it is essential to understand how organizational purpose translates into projects and shapes project outcomes. Following the conceptualization of projects as both organizational activities and embedded temporary organizations, we assess how organizational purpose translates into project purpose and relates to project-level outcomes. Building on the societal theory of the firm, we test our hypotheses using a cross-industry sample of 336 projects nested in 95 portfolios. Our findings indicate that project purpose is associated with (but not isomorphic to) organizational purpose and positively mediates the association between organizational purpose and both project effectiveness and project managers’ job dedication. The translation of organizational purpose into project purpose is amplified by the formalization of portfolio management processes, employee voice behavior, and project characteristics reflecting its strategic relevance and visibility. Our study introduces the concept of organizational purpose into project management research and outlines its role at the project level, opening project management mechanisms to social and moral considerations.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2026.102842

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{doreen2026,
  title        = {{The proof of purpose lies in the project: How organizational purpose translates into projects}},
  author       = {Doreen Gehl & Henrik Kock},
  journal      = {International Journal of Project Management},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2026.102842},
}

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The proof of purpose lies in the project: How organizational purpose translates into projects

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.