Doctoral thesis of Philosophy: A psychodynamic approach to implementing contract management in a complex organization

The world is becoming increasingly focused on an imperative to reduce the cost of services. Managers at this cutting edge of practical organizational development are trying many ways to achieve this. The major focus of this research uses a systems psychodynamic approach to investigate the role taken up by part-time contract managers in an Australian university. These part-time roles frequently fail in the longer term. This approach provides an understanding of the unconscious group dynamics that may cause the role to fail. The study considers contract managers with a wide range of skills and experience. It also looks at the organization’s understanding of the contract management role.