Adaptive project management practices, team collaboration and project resilience a case of UWEP projects, Amuria district

Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of team collaboration in the relationship between adaptive project management practices and project resilience among Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Projects (UWEP) in Amuria district. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between adaptive project management practices (APMP) and Project resilience, APMP and Team collaboration, Team collaboration and project resilience, and the mediating role of team collaboration in the APMP-Project resilience link. The study used a cross sectional research design and a quantitative approach. Using the guidelines of Kregcie and Morgan (1970), a sample of 122 projects was derived from a population of 179 UWEP projects. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents and a response rate of 68.9% was realized at the level of unit of analysis. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 22. The tool passed the test for validity and reliability. Following the guidelines of baron and Kenny (1986), the findings revealed that all the conditions required for mediation to occur were fulfilled confirming partial mediation. Based on the findings, the study concluded that team collaboration plays a vital mediating role, transforming adaptive project management efforts into enhanced project resilience, and therefore both elements must be intentionally cultivated for comprehensive project robustness. Therefore, the study recommended that UWEP project managers should integrate approaches that encourage adaptive management and at the same time develop team collaboration to achieve optimal project resilience through the creation of holistic capacity-building initiatives that instill adaptive planning skills and collaborative leadership abilities in project staff, the creation of project frameworks that require stakeholder participation and consultative decision-making, and the allocation of resources to help support both the flexible operation models and team integration efforts.