Intuition in project management and missing links: Analyzing the predicating effects of environment and the mediating role of reflexivity

The role of an intuitive cognitive style in project planning may be more complex than prior studies have allowed for. Therefore, we used a model of the role of environment in intuition and the relationships between intuition, reflexivity, and project outcomes (measured as project success and speed of completion) in order to examine how environment influences intuition; and whether reflexivity mediates the link between intuition and project outcomes. Our field study incorporates responses from 450 managers representing 410 projects from firms located in the United Arab Emirates. The regression analysis suggests that competition uncertainty and environmental complexity are determinants of intuition; intuition promotes team reflexivity and this in turn enhances project outcomes. These results show that the intuitive approach in planning projects and team reflexivity are complementary foundations for improving different aspects of project performance and, therefore, that models of intuition in project management should incorporate the effects of reflexivity.