Search

Purpose: The project approach is often used to implement projects in enterprises. Traditional project management becomes insufficient due to the changing environment and the need for flexible functioning of the organization. Hence, agility in management gains recognition. The article presents the results of the study, the purpose of which was to determine whether the assumptions of agile management are known and used in project management and to identify factors that sustain the involvement of project team members. Design/methodology/approach: The presented empirical research was carried out using the quantitative and qualitative methods. Techniques of expert interviews were used, and in the case of quantitative research - a questionnaire. The use of two research techniques was aimed at obtaining a broad view of the project management methods used, with particular emphasis on the conditions of the working environment of agile project teams. Enterprises from the small and medium-sized enterprise sector were invited to the study, the main variable in the selection of entities for the research sample was the location by region, i.e. the northern subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship, and cooperation with the Częstochowa University of Technology for the commercialization of knowledge in the region. The latter condition made it possible to include enterprises that implement projects. Findings: Research has shown knowledge of the assumptions of agile management among small and medium-sized enterprises, but less than half of the surveyed experts use this methodology in managing project teams. According to experts, the main condition for implementing agile management is a "good", i.e. primarily a self-organizing project team. Its members are required to have appropriate skills and competences, such as self-discipline or independence in making decisions. The research also identified work conditions that keep members of agile project teams engaged. They are strongly related to the intrinsic motivation of employees. On this basis, it can be concluded that the agile approach in shaping work conditions is stimulating to stimulate the expected behavior of employees. Originality/value: The article draws attention to the rarely discussed issue of implementing project management in small and medium-sized enterprises. The conditions for implementing agility in project team management were emphasized, among which the most important is the right selection of employees. They should have appropriate skills and competences, as well as an internal motivation system, which agile management methodologies will stimulate the activity and involvement of project team members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]