Winning APM Research Fund applicants announced

Digital transformation, agile, and inclusion and diversity are among the topics that will be covered by upcoming research funded by Association for Project Management (APM).

APM has announced the winning applications for its annual research fund, confirming research that will be conducted in its business year April 2023–March 2024.

The process saw an open call for applications from among the academic community around the world. Applications were discussed among APM’s Communications and Public Affairs directorate, and also with APM’s Research Advisory Group, before a final decision was made.

The winning applications are:

• £50,000 funding – Digital Transformation in Public and Private Sector Project Management by Dr Nicholas Dacre, Dr David Baxter, Dr Hao Dong, Dr Al Mhdawi; University of Southampton. This research aims to investigate the impact of digital transformation on the project management profession, specifically in relation to the methods and skills required in the emerging AI economy for effective project delivery.
• £5,000 funding – Successful Integration of Agile Project Management in the Context of Sustainability by Dr Ruben Burga and Professor Chris Spraakman; University of Guelph and Mohawk College. This research is focused on identifying the necessary human factors for successful integration of agile project management in the context of sustainability. Agile projects in particular were chosen as the focus due to their prevalence in the IT sector and the increasing use of AI in these projects, in the context of sustainability due to its growing importance in current environmental, societal, and governance concerns.
• APM is currently in discussions with the third finalist of the research fund, whose proposal focuses on exploring neurodiversity in project management.

Gabriela Ramirez Rivas, APM’s Research and Impact Advisor, said: “These topics are very relevant at the moment and will be important for the future the project profession. The findings will provide answers to important questions that directly affect projects and the people who deliver them.”

You can find out more about APM’s Research Fund here.