Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• mohammad forozandeh ¹
• Amirali Foukerdi ²
• majid salamati ³

¹ Assistant Prof., Department of Management, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Malik Ashtar University, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Prof., Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economic, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

³ Master of Project Management, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economic, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

Abstract

Navigating the complexities of modern financial markets requires a comprehensive understanding of the future of venture capital fund management. This involves innovative design and the adoption of new methodologies for managing knowledge-based projects. A promising strategy is the establishment of a Project Management Office (PMO). This article aims to develop a robust implementation framework for the PMO, enhancing the management of knowledge-based projects, improving the investment ecosystem, and fostering strategic partnerships with co-investors. The study assesses the current maturity within a fund, evaluating related processes and infrastructures from the stakeholders' viewpoints. Data were gathered through interviews with five experts and analyzed using the Organizational Project Management Maturity Model. The results indicate that creating an effective PMO framework necessitates a thorough situational analysis, maturity assessment, and identification of improvement starting points, structured into four key steps: team preparation, current state assessment, maturity level identification, and action planning to achieve organizational objectives.
Introduction
In contemporary finance, investment funds are tasked with establishing and managing diverse portfolios aimed at profit generation. Fund management involves a systematic approach, encompassing several phases from the initial evaluation of proposals to the execution of investment contracts, followed by ongoing management and exit strategies. The development of effective mechanisms throughout these processes is crucial, as they are regarded as key success factors that can enhance the fund's financial capital and credibility within the investment ecosystem. The implementation of a structured system for planning, monitoring, and controlling investments is vital. Typically, this is facilitated by a Project Management Office (PMO), which acts as a dynamic management framework to achieve the strategic objectives of the fund. The PMO oversees the definition, implementation, supervision, and control of projects at various organizational levels, thereby maximizing coordination and efficiency among units and enhancing the effectiveness of achieving organizational goals.
National economic growth and development hinge on the successful execution of projects and the support of diverse business sectors. In the context of Iran's economy, empowering knowledge-based enterprises has emerged as a strategic response to economic challenges. National policies, including those outlined in Article 44 of the Constitution and various development plans, emphasize the knowledge-based economy as a priority area. However, the advancement of such businesses faces significant barriers, including limited financial resources, inadequate market knowledge, insufficient governmental support for technology transfer, and challenges related to branding and market expansion (Gholami et al., 2018).
The purpose of this paper is to present a Project Management Office framework in a venture capital fund. For this purpose, the maturity level of the organization and the current project management processes examined in the fund under study are assessed, and superior solutions are presented to increase the maturity level of project management processes. This framework is designed based on the primary and secondary functions of the Project Management Office in the venture fund. In this regard, first, by reviewing the research background in the two areas of venture capital funds and Project Management Offices, the general and specialized functions, implementation processes, prominent models used, and their adaptation for use in the investment industry are investigated. Then, the steps of using the Project Management Office in an applied case are followed and implemented.
Methods
The present study is in the field of applied research from the perspective of the objective and follows a case study method. The research uses the opinions and views of experts and, therefore, from the perspective of type, is considered descriptive survey research. The elements of the research method are presented in several steps. In this study, the self-assessment method based on the OPM3 cycle was used. Due to the need for decision-making, resource allocation, and review and modification of business goals and strategies, this study includes only the first to third steps of implementation; the follow-up of the next steps falls outside the scope of this research. One of the important assumptions of this research was the need to focus the study on the scope of project management and portfolio management, excluding the scope of program management from the research domain.
In the first step, a comprehensive analysis of the current environmental situation of the organization, including human skills, capital, and tools available to the organization, was conducted. The output of this step is to determine the requirements and framework for the implementation of the Project Management Office in the organization and to develop an improvement plan in the third step of implementation.
Discussion and results
In this paper, Bamdad Capital Management Company's venture fund was considered as the spatial domain of the research. This company began its activity in 2019 with the participation of Bahman Entrepreneurship Development Company (a subsidiary of Barakat Knowledge-Based Holding), with the aim of investing in, leading, and financing various projects. The company invests in health, energy, metal and mining industries, agriculture, and food. Currently, Bamdad Capital Management is responsible for leading and managing three investment funds, one of which is the 200-billion-toman venture fund for the development of entrepreneurship. This fund has so far invested in 12 projects over a seven-year period.
The results show the overall maturity status of the organization by project and portfolio domains. Due to the heterogeneity of expert opinions, the percentage of maturity and immaturity of the processes has been calculated using the weighted average of "yes" and "no" answers given by the five experts. Also, in the standardization stage, no superior solution proposed by the OPM3 standard has been fully and continuously implemented in the project management processes (project scope) of the studied company.
Conclusion
In the studied fund, the processes of risk, cost, and time management (with a maturity of more than 50%) have been considered by managers from the very beginning. Examining how much time (investment) and the amount of risk of a project can achieve the expected goals has led to an increase in maturity in the processes related to risk management, cost management, and time management compared to other areas. However, the organization has not yet reached full maturity in these areas. In addition to these knowledge areas that show the highest level of maturity in the organization, increasing the maturity of other areas—especially communication management and stakeholder knowledge (with maturity less than 20%), which relates to how to communicate and interact with various stakeholders, especially investors and entrepreneurs—should be seriously considered in planning for organizational improvement. Other knowledge areas such as scope management, integration, logistics, quality, and human resources (with maturity between 20% and 50%) also require tailored improvement plans. The best solutions for each field should be identified and implemented to elevate maturity levels. The results of this research can be compared with similar studies in other industries to identify influential components. Future researchers can use models and simulations to investigate the impact of effective components and characteristics on this research topic. Moreover, future research can explore the influence of external factors such as economic and political changes on venture capital funds.

Keywords

• : Project Management Office (PMO)
• OPM3 Maturity Assessment
• Venture Capital Funds

Main Subjects

• project management