Adecco: Project management masterclass (B)
The B case starts in June 2019 – at the project deadline – and looks back at the challenges and actions taken during the previous 18 months. The outgoing provider did not make it easy for Adecco, and the new provider had a different style of working, which Adecco’s IT organization found hard to get used to. Keeping the project on track and the momentum going was the main challenge for the project manager. He had to keep around 250 internal Adecco resources engaged and motivated during this period and keep them focused on completing all tasks on time. In addition to this, he had to control his €46 million budget and ensure that the countries did not experience any unplanned outages during the migration. After reading and discussing the A and B cases, participants will discover that the project manager applied some unconventional methods on top of the “standard” project management steps, something that is seldom seen in IT projects of a similar size and scope. The realization that this is not a typical IT project after all makes this case series all the more interesting for project management lectures and class discussion.
• To demonstrate the importance of leading with purpose when an organization has to execute a large transformation project.
• To illustrate what actions can be taken to keep the momentum going for a long-term project and how to create a winning team spirit.
• To highlight the different options that can be applied to secure a successful outcome of a complex international project.
Adecco, Business Management Services, Human Resources
2016 - 2019
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Fax +44 (0)1234 751125
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
Babson College
Babson Park, Wellesley MA 02457, USA
Tel +1 781 239 5884
Fax +1 781 239 5885
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in Academy of Management Annals 25 April 2023, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2021.0066
Case reference: IMD-7-2403 ©2023
Case reference: IMD-7-2401 ©2022