Emerging Challenges in Innovation Portfolio Management: The Nordic Case

Abstract

This empirical study revisits extant guidelines for portfolio management of research and innovation projects considering recent managerial challenges emerging such as artificial intelligence. The aim of the study is extending theory on project portfolio management (PPM) by examining knowledge-intensive Nordic organizations that focus on digitalization as a central part of their value creation, and subsequently assessing how well existing guidelines incorporate practices emerging from digitalization. Three aggregate dimensions are identified as im- portant indicators of emerging challenges to the field of PPM research and practice – (1) technology – and more specifically the influence of artificial intelligence, (2) roles in social networks and (3) variation in different con- texts. These dimensions offer improved granularity and nuanced understanding of how to handle technological complexity in the strategic portfolio management of research and innovation projects.