Successful Project Sponsor Behaviors During Project Initiation: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

While there are likely specific tasks carried out by a project sponsor that are associated with the successful completion of a project, very little research exists that attempts to identify and/or validate such tasks. The current study examines empirically behaviors associated with the role of a project sponsor during the initiating stage of a project. In addition to identifying and validating these behaviors, we also test their effects on established project outcomes. Results provide an important step toward understanding effective sponsor behavior.