{
  "title": "Project management: what should a contract specify when requirements may change?",
  "url": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude-en",
  "language": "en",
  "datePublished": "2025-10-20",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "SHR — Swiss Human Resources",
    "url": "https://www.shr.swiss",
    "address": "Esplanade de Pont-Rouge 9A, 1212 Lancy, Suisse"
  },
  "summary": "A detailed contract does not eliminate project uncertainty. Research suggests distinguishing what must be fixed from how adaptations will be decided.",
  "section": "Research",
  "topic": "Project Management",
  "place": {
    "name": "Sion",
    "region": "Valais",
    "country": "CH"
  },
  "keyPoints": [
    {
      "heading": "What the literature establishes",
      "point": "Kathleen M."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Contracts and relationships can reinforce each other",
      "point": "Laura Poppo and Todd Zenger (2002, Strategic Management Journal) examine information services exchanges and find that formal contracts and relational governance can function as complements."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The hasty conclusion",
      "point": "It would be tempting to conclude that contracts should become ever longer."
    },
    {
      "heading": "What the evidence cannot settle",
      "point": "The agency theory review is not a trial comparing project contract models, and the information services study does not demonstrate a universal causal effect."
    },
    {
      "heading": "A practical check in Sion",
      "point": "Within SHR’s “[Project Management](/formation/gestion-de-projet/sion)” programme, an exercise applicable in Sion would examine a project involving an external supplier in hydropower, healthcare, viticulture or alpine tourism."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "authors": "Eisenhardt",
      "year": "1989",
      "source": "Academy of Management Review"
    },
    {
      "authors": "Zenger",
      "year": "2002",
      "source": "Strategic Management Journal"
    }
  ],
  "wordCount": 417,
  "image": "https://www.shr.swiss/img/blog-Training-Project-Management-Sion-gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude-en.jpg?v=4",
  "translations": {
    "fr": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude",
    "en": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude-en",
    "de": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude-de",
    "it": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-de-projet-contrat-prestataire-incertitude-it"
  },
  "relatedPages": {
    "programme": "https://www.shr.swiss/formation/gestion-de-projet/sion",
    "city": "https://www.shr.swiss/formations-ville/sion",
    "blog": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog"
  },
  "citationPolicy": "Citation autorisée avec mention « SHR — Swiss Human Resources » et lien vers l'article."
}