What is the Difference Between Project Management and Functional Management?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between project management and functional management lies in their focus and responsibilities. Here are the key differences between the two roles:
Project Management:
- Focuses on the management, planning, and organizing of projects from initiation to closing, with a deadline to achieve specific objectives.
- Works on the operational aspect of a project.
- Responsible for leveraging the means provided by functional managers to achieve project goals.
- Plans, organizes, and manages the work on a project based on the roles distributed in a team by a functional manager.
- Has less authority over people and resources compared to a functional manager.
Functional Management:
- Focuses on the management of daily routine activities of an organization.
- Centers on the actual work done by a team.
- Provides and organizes the means for performing certain functions.
- Responsible for organizing and conducting performance reviews, hiring new people to the team, ensuring the right skill set within a team, and delegating tasks between team members.
- Has more authority over people and resources compared to a project manager.
In summary, a project manager is responsible for the successful completion of a project within a specific timeframe, while a functional manager focuses on the daily operations and activities of an organization, ensuring that the team has the necessary resources and skills to complete their tasks.
Comparative Table: Project Management vs Functional Management
Here is a table comparing the differences between project management and functional management:
| Aspect | Project Management | Functional Management |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Focuses on management, planning, and organizing projects from initiation to closing on a given deadline. | Focuses on management of people, technical, and other resources within an organization. |
| Responsibilities | Less responsibilities compared to functional managers. | More responsibilities compared to project managers. |
| Objective | Develop end product and ensure project completion within given period. | Maintain and control resources of project within organization (e.g., skilled employees, production, sales, marketing). |
| Difficulty | More difficult than stakeholder management. | Less difficult than project management. |
| Time Frame | One-time activity completed within a specific period. | Ongoing process, repetitive. |
| Resource Management | Does not manage own resources; manages people, budgets, and resources. | Manages resources such as skilled employees, production, sales, marketing, etc.. |
Project management focuses on the planning, organization, and execution of projects within a given deadline, while functional management is concerned with managing the resources of a project or organization, such as skilled employees, production, sales, and marketing. Project management tends to have more responsibilities than functional management, and it is often more difficult than stakeholder management. On the other hand, functional management involves ongoing processes and repetitive activities, controlling resources within the organization.
- Project Management vs General Management
- Project Management vs Operation Management
- Project Manager vs Project Leader
- Project Manager vs Operations Manager
- Line Organization vs Functional Organization
- Managerial Functions vs Managerial Roles
- Business Requirements vs Functional Requirements
- Leading vs Managing a Project
- Functional vs Non Functional Requirements
- Matrix vs Functional Structure
- Project vs Program
- Functional vs Divisional Structure
- Leadership vs Management
- Administration vs Management
- Governance vs Management
- Scientific Management vs Administrative Management
- Incident Management vs Problem Management
- Personal Management vs Human Resource Management
- Production vs Operation Management