文档介绍：Research Policy 33 (2004) 1529–1546
Projects and firms as plements: organisational
learning in the Munich software ecology
Oliver Ibert∗
Socio-Economics of Space, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 166, 53115 Bonn, Germany
Received 1 November 2003; accepted 1 August 2004
Available online 19 November 2004
Abstract
In current theorising, projects and firms are understood as “anisations”. Although the learning function can be
regarded as constituent for anisational forms, the specific learning mechanisms are connected with opposing features
(. long-term, trustful collaboration versus short cyclical, disruptive collaboration). Referring to the first results of qualitative
research conducted on the Munich software cluster, this paper aims to explore the functional interplay between projects and
firms with regard anisational learning. The main thesis is that processes of improvement, failure eradication and knowledge
accumulation are more likely to take place in firms whereas processes of structural change are more likely to anised in
a project. plementing one another these functions, however, also generate inconsistencies like contravening learning
incentives or contingency traps. Therefore, projects and firms may be regarded as “plements”.
© 2004 Elsevier . All rights reserved.
Keywords: Project; Project ecology; Project-based firm; Organisational learning; Software development
1. Introduction starts. The current importance of projects challenges
some widespread assumptions of economic and or-
In management theory and economic sociology, a ganisational theory. The firm is implicitly understood
strand of research has been established that centres on as quasi-constitutional entity for anisation of
the notion of the “project”. The main distinguishing working processes. Thus, projects being more flexible
feature of projects is their nature as “temporary or- and market responsive than firms occur as a distinc-
ganisations”(Lundin and Soderholm