Influence Currencies in Project Management Team Structures
This paper examines how project managers apply different types of influence currencies depending on their team structure. It contrasts the functional matrix environment — where formal authority and positional currencies dominate — with the dedicated project team, where personal, inspirational, and task-related currencies carry greater weight. Drawing on the Cohen-Bradford Influence Model and Larson and Gray's project management framework, the paper also presents a personal case study in which relationship-based and inspirational currencies failed to secure a co-worker's cooperation, and task-related currencies — including technical assistance, information sharing, and organizational support — are identified as the more effective alternative.
- Introduction: Influence in Project Management Contexts: Contrasts influence approaches in matrix vs. dedicated teams
- Influence Currencies Across Team Structures: Maps currency types to functional matrix and dedicated teams
- A Personal Case Study: Struggling to Gain Cooperation: Personal, relational currencies fail with uncooperative co-worker
- Applying Task-Related Currency to Build Cooperation: Task currency identified as key to rebuilding cooperation
- Conclusion: Matching Currency to Context: Action plan to provide technical support and win cooperation
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What makes this paper effective
- It grounds abstract management theory (the Cohen-Bradford Influence Model) in a concrete, first-person workplace scenario, making the concepts immediately relatable.
- It clearly distinguishes between team structures — functional matrix versus dedicated team — and logically maps different currency types onto each, demonstrating applied critical thinking.
- The self-reflective case study section shows intellectual honesty: the writer acknowledges what has not worked and explains why, then proposes a reasoned corrective strategy.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied framework analysis — taking a named theoretical model (Cohen-Bradford) and systematically testing each of its currency categories against two organizational contexts and one personal scenario. This technique bridges conceptual knowledge and practical application, a core skill in business and management writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper is divided into two numbered response sections. The first compares influence currency effectiveness across functional matrix and dedicated project team structures. The second narrates a personal workplace challenge, diagnoses why certain currencies failed, and proposes a task-currency-based solution. Both sections cite the same theoretical sources, creating internal coherence. The paper closes with a forward-looking action plan rather than a summary, reinforcing its applied focus.
Introduction: Influence in Project Management Contexts
In a functional matrix, a project manager must juggle the competing demands of multiple stakeholders who may have divergent objectives. In this context, the project manager relies heavily on formal authority and written rules to ensure that the project stays on track. By contrast, a project manager of a dedicated team enjoys considerable latitude in how the project is run. This freedom allows the project manager to take a more personalized approach to influencing team members, using methods such as one-on-one coaching or informal reward systems.
The dedicated project team is also usually more cohesive and loyal than a functional matrix, which gives the project manager additional leeway in deciding how to best achieve objectives. The team manager may use a process of reciprocity and exchange in either situation — but other currencies, such as those that are inspiration-related, will likely have more impact on a dedicated project team because they are associated with finding meaning in one's work (Cohen-Bradford Influence Model, 2022).
References
Ballantyne, D. (2003). A relationship-mediated theory of internal marketing. European Journal of Marketing.
Cohen-Bradford Influence Model. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.pm4dev.com/resources/documents-and-articles/102-influencing-without-authority-surinder-lamba/file.html
Larson, E., & Gray, C. (2017). Project Management: The Managerial Process (7th ed.). McGraw Hill.
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