Project management and system dynamics modelling: Time to connect with innovation and sustainability

Abstract

Abstract This paper argues that there is a requirement to connect project management (PM) with innovation and sustainability to address new societal needs. Societal demands have facilitated further complexity and uncertainty within the PM discipline and have led to both theoretical and practical evolutions. Key evolutions are identified, which suggests that PM is becoming more holistic and interdisciplinary in nature so it can successfully deal with this complexity and uncertainty. Furthermore, holistic thinking naturally connects with systemic thinking, which justifies the selection of system dynamics (SD) to support PM decision‐making. An extensive critical review of SD modelling with respect to identified evolutions within the PM discipline is undertaken. The contribution of this paper connects innovation and sustainability to the PM discipline by the initial development of a causal loop diagram (CLD).