This course deals with the basic problems of managing a project, defined as a temporary organization built for the purpose of achieving a specific objective. Both operational and conceptual issues will be considered. Operational issues include definition, planning, implementation, control, and evaluation of the project. Conceptual issues include project management vs. hierarchical management, matrix organization, project authority, motivation, and morale. Cases will be used to illustrate problems in project management and how to resolve them.
MGT 610:Strategic Perspectives on Project Management
This course provides a theoretical perspective on project management for a better understanding of project implementation in modern organizations. The course is based on the premise that success in project leadership depends on a proper managerial style and attitude, and not on specific tools for planning and controlling. The course focuses on developing the manager’s conceptual thinking and on building "the project manager’s mind." The course helps managers see the entire project landscape and the long-term issues that are critical to project success. It will also address the organizational aspects of initiating and running the program.
MGT 663:Discovering and Exploiting Entrepreneurial Opportunities
In this course, students will evaluate and create their own prospective business strategies. They will develop an understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation in starting and growing a business venture. Students will be given an opportunity to actually start their own business or create a business in their company by learning how to take advantage of the new order of business opportunities of the information age. This course’s main objective is to show students how to identify these opportunities, be able to formulate and evaluate both qualitatively and quantitatively whether the opportunity is worth pursuing, and, of course, how it may be pursued. Actual case studies and experiences will be intertwined with the course content.
This course is focused on the globalization paradigm and its effects on the management of innovation. It is an interdisciplinary course, which analyzes the different managerial areas of strategy, organization, technology, and market as integrated with the innovation process in a global context. The underlying theories and models are explored to understand how the innovation process is affected by local, national, and global influences; what cultural and organizational drivers are at work; and how to manage commercialization of new products on a life-cycle basis, in a diverse and ever-changing global market. Case studies will be used to support the theoretical constructs and reinforce learning.
MGT 736:Seminars: Advanced Topics in Information, Technology and Telecommunications Management
Specialized topics at the leading edges of research and theory in information management/technology management will be intensively explored. Each research seminar will focus on a different set of topics.
School: Howe School of Technology Management
Research & Education
Research
Project Management: Success factors of project management, multiple project planning under resource constraints, leadership behaviors of project managers, project team culture and value strategies to maximize project value.
Innovation Management: Early termination of R&D projects, champions and their role in innovation processes, R&D project portfolio planning.
Global Innovation Management: Organizational structures and strategies enabling innovations in multinational settings.
Entrepreneurship: Growth in the early development stages of new ventures, opportunity recognition and exploitation in founder teams and network impact of private investor networks.
Education
Ph.D., 1996, University of Karlsruhe, Business Administration
Masters, 1991, University of Karlsruhe, Industrial Engineering
Experience & Service
General Information
Dr. Thomas Lechler is an Associate Professor at the Howe School, Stevens Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the early development stages of new ventures and the success factors of project management to understand the dynamics and interactions between decisions, structures, and behaviors on innovation success. He has built up an international research sample of 832 projects. He has published articles in leading international and German journals including Small Business Economics, Research Policy and others and authored two books in the fields of project management and entrepreneurship and reviews regularly for several technology and innovation management journals. He holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany.
Experience
Professional Development:
Attended WEBCT training workshop (Feb 2002)
Attended CIESE Teaching Workshop (Jan 2005)
Attended WEBCT training workshop (Apr 2005)
Professional Society Memberships (current):
GPM (German Association of Project Management)
Academy of Management
Non-Academic Experience
1996-2003 Founder and CEO of Vivatech GmbH, Germany
2003-today Board member and owner of Vivatech GmbH, Germany
Academic Experience
Appointments at Academic/Research Institutions
2002 to present Associate Professor Stevens Institute of Technology
2000 to 2002 Visiting Associate Professor Stevens Institute of Technology
2000 to 2000 Hochschulassistent (Assistant Professor), Berlin University of Technology
1999 to 2000 Hochschulassistent (Assistant Professor), University of Karlsruhe
1997 to 1998 Hochschulassistent (Assistant Professor), Dresden University of Technology
1996 to 1997 Hochschulassistent (Assistant Professor), University of Karlsruhe
1991 to 1996 Wissenschaftlicher Angestellter (Lecturer and Research Assistant), University of Karlsruhe
Visiting Appointments at Academic/Research Institutions
2003 Visiting Professor, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Berne (May to July)
2003 Visiting Professor, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing (May to June)
Career Highlights
Founder and co. CEO of VIVATECH GmbH (1997)
Received DM 1.8 mio. Venture Capital as CEO for VIVATECH GmbH (1999)
Served on curriculum oversight committee for Project Management Curriculum (from 2002)
Developed a new course Mgt610 Strategic Perspectives on Project Management (2001)
Developed a web course Mgt610 Strategic Perspectives on Project Management (2002)
Developed a new course Mgt674 Global Innovation Management (2003)
Developed a new course Mgt663 Entrepreneurship (2003)
Developed a new PhD seminar Mgt 716 Research Seminar (2004)
Developed executive training course in project management (2004)
Institutional Service
SIT Committee on Committees 2005-2007
Howe School – Research Committee, 2003-2005
Project Management Academic Committee, since 2000
Course Coordinator for MGT550 with major curriculum revision 2003-2004
Berlin Student Exchange Program since 2004
Achievements & Professional Societies
Honors & Awards
GPM (German Association of Project Management) Award for the best Dissertation (1997)
Rent 13 Conference London: Best Paper Award (1999)
Best Researcher Award, Wesley J. Howe School, 2004
Selected Publications
Journals
Lechler, T., Dvir, D.. (2007). "Project Organization and Project Success: An Alternative Taxonomy of Project Organization Structures", IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, in press.
Dvir, D., Lechler, T.. (Jan 2004). "Plans are nothing changing plans is everything: The impact of changes on project success", Research Policy, 33 (1), 1-15.
Lechler, T.. (2001). "Social Interaction: A Determinant of Entrepreneurial Team Venture Success", Small Business Economics, 16 263-278.
Gemünden, H. G. und Lechler, Th.. (1998). "Dynamisches Projektmanagement - Grenzen des formalen Regelwerks", Projektmanagement, 9 (2), 3-14.
Lechler, Th. und Gemünden, H. G.. (1998). "Kausalanalyse der Wirkungsstruktur der Erfolgsfaktoren des Projektmanagements - empirische Analyse eines konzeptionellen Bezugsrahmens", Die Betriebswirtschaft, 58 (4), 435-450.
Lechler, T.. "Die Diffusion von Virtual Reality auf industriellen Anwendermärkten", Marktforschung&Management, 42 (6), 224-230.
Lechler, T.. (1997). "Erfolgsfaktoren des Projekt Management", Marktforschung&Management., 42 (6), 224-230.
Gemünden, H. G., Lechler, T. und Zöldreti, A.. "A projektmenedzsment sikerfaktorai - az empirikus vizsgálatok kritikus számbavétele alapján", IPAR-GAZDASAG, 11 (12), 15-25.
Books
Teichert, T., Lechler, T.. (2006). "Innovation Failure in an International Joint Venture: Exploring the Need for a Global Innovation Strategy", Interkulturelle Kooperation - Wissenschaftliche Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialkybernetik vom 6. und 7. Oktober 2005 in Greifswald, Ricarda B. Bouncken, Duncker&Humblot.
Lechler, T., Artmann C.. (2002). Hyper-growth Ventures – Demanding New Entrepreneurial Growth Theory, in press.
Lechler, T., Gemuenden, H.G.. (2001). Gründerteams: Chancen und Risiken für den Unternehmenserfolg - Ergebnisse einer Befragung, dta, Bonn.
Lechler, T.. (2000). "When It Comes to Project Management, It's the People That Matter", Projects as Business Constituents and Guiding Motives, Rolf Lundin, Frances Hartman, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, Dortrecht, London.
Lechler, T.. (2000). "Empirical Evidence of People as Determinants of Project Success", Projects as Business Constituents and Guiding Motives, Lundin R. and F. Hartman, Kluwer Mass., USA. 217-227.
Gemünden, H. G., Högl, M., Lechler, Th. und Saad, A.. (1999). "Starting Conditions of Successful European R&D-Consortia", The Dynamics of Innovation. Strategical and Managerial Implications, K. Brockhoff, A. Chacra¬barti und J. Hauschildt, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer. ISBN 3-540-65659-6. 237-275.
Lechler, T.. (1999). "Was leistet das Promotorenmodell für das Projektmanagement?", Promotoren: Champions der Innovation, Hauschildt, Gemünden, Wiesbaden: Gabler. 181-209.
Gemünden, H. G., Lockemann, P., Lechler, Th. und Saad, A.. (1998). "Erfolgreiche Start-bedingungen internationaler F&E-Kooperationen - Formulierung eines theoretischen Grundmodells. ", Innovationsforschung und Technologie-management - Gedenkschrift für Prof. Dr. Stephan Schrader, Franke, N., Wiesbaden: Gabler. 129-137.
Gemünden, H. G. und Lechler, Th.. (1997). "Schlüsselfaktoren des Projekterfolges - Eine Bestandsaufnahme der empirischen Forschungsergebnisse", Praxishandbuch „Human Ressource Management“ - Neue Formen betrieblicher Arbeitsorganisation und Mitarbeiterführung, P. Knauth und A. Wollert , Köln: Deutscher Wirtschaftsdienst. 1-30.
Lechler, T.. (1997). Erfolgsfaktoren des Projektmanagements, P. Lang, Frankfurt.
Conference Proceedings
Lechler, T., Thomas, J.. (2007). "Is there a substitute for Top Management Support? Conceptual and Empirical Implications of the Role of Senior Management Support in Project Success", In IRNOP 07 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, OR.
Lechler, T., Cohen, M.. (2007). "Configuration of Project Steering Committees and their Role in Project Implementation Insights from Initial Case Study Data", In PICMET 07 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, OR.
Lechler, T., Grace, E.. (2007). "Successful Management of Highly Innovative and Urgent Projects: Analyzing Project Management Practices To Reveal Strategic Directions", In PICMET 07 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, OR.
Lechler, T., Taylor, BJ, Klingenberg, B.. (2007). "The Telecom Carriers’ Dilemma: Innovation vs. Operations", In PICMET 07 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, OR. .
Lechler, T.. (2006). "Configurations of project-specific incentive and appraisal systems and their impact on project success in an US-German comparison", PMI Research Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Klingenberg, B., Lechler T.. (2006). "Global Innovation Strategy: Successfully Managing the Innovation Chain - A Case Study of a Global Semiconductor Manufacturer", In PICMET 06 Symposium Proceedings, full paper.
Lechler, T., Aronson, Z.. (2006). "The impact of culture on citizenship behavior and project success: An examination of the antecedents and consequences of project citizenship", Academy of Management. Atlanta, GE, USA.
Aronson,Z., Lechler,T.. (2006). "Culture validity: The co-existence and role of adaptive and un-adaptive cultures in project success", Academy of Management Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Aronson,Z., Lechler,T.. (2006). "Culture validity: The co-existence and role of adaptive and un-adaptive cultures in project success", Academy of Management Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Aronson,Z., Lechler,T.. (2005). "Project Morale: A multi-faceted construct and its link with project success", Academy of Management Conference, Hawaii.
Lechler, T., Ernst H.. (2004). "Antecedences of Decision Quality in Early NPD Project Termination", In PICMET 04 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Seoul, South Korea.
Lechler, T., Dvir D.. (2004). "The Impact of Project Organization Structures on Project Success", In PICMET 04 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Seoul, South Korea.
Lechler, T., Fürstenberg, M.. (2004). "Top Management – A Scarce Project Resource", In PICMET 04 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Seoul, South Korea.
Lechler, T.. (2003). "Project Leadership in Context: Balancing Transactional and Transformational Leadership", In PICMET 03 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, Oregon.
Lechler, T., Artmann, C.. (2001). High-Growth Start-ups – Demanding an Entrepreneurial Growth Theory. In PICMET Conference, Portland, Oregon.
Gemünden, H.G.; Lechler, T.. (1999). "The Impact of Partner-Fit on Progress and Success of European Multi-Partner Research Projects", In PICMET 1999 Symposium Proceedings.
Gemünden, H.G.; Lechler, T.. (1997). "Success Factors of Project Management: The Critical Few", In PICMET 1997 Symposium Proceedings: Innovation Management in the Technology-Driven world. Portland, Oregon.
Gemünden, H.G.; Lechler, T.. (1996). "Der bewußte Projektabbruch - ein verborgener Erfolgsfaktor", Projektmanagement-Forum `96 Strukturwandel mit Projektmanagement, GPM Internet Deutschland e.V., München.
Lechler, T.. (1992). "Einflußfaktoren des Projekterfolgs - Bericht aus einem laufenden Projekt", Projektmanagement-Forum `92 Dokumentation, GPM Internet Deutschland e.V., München.
