New edition of a leading project management book
Contents
The 7th edition of the project management book Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology by John M Nicholas of Loyola University Chicago and Herman Steyn of the University of Pretoria was launched early in July 2025.
The book addresses project management across all industries.
Both authors have extensive experience in industry, followed by decades of experience in university project management teaching. The book reflects these personal experiences, extensive research performed by the authors, and the wisdom and suggestions of colleagues and reviewers.
The book Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology is published by Routledge of the Taylor & Francis Group and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.
How does this book differ from other project management textbooks
Support for lecturers prescribing the book
With more than 700 pages packed with various project management topics, this book is one of the most comprehensive textbooks on project management.
To assist lecturers who prescribe the book, the following tutor material is available:
- Answers to end-of-chapter questions
- Discussions of the 62 cases described in the book
- PowerPoint slides for each chapter
- Additional test questions
- URLs for more than 150 YouTube project management videos
The tutor material can be accessed at here, but lecturers need authorization.
Links to project management institutions and standards
The book mentions several institutions, standards, and methodologies, and care is taken not to promote any unduly. These include, for example, the PMI (Project Management Institute), PRINCE2, IPMA (International Project Management Association) and APM (Association for Project Management).
The systems view
The systems view includes basic systems theory, systems thinking, and the systems approach that is evident throughout the book, including discussions on the life cycle of the product of engineering and technology projects.
Systems engineering is a field on its own that overlaps to an extent with project management. Systems engineers and other readers involved in managing projects in engineering or technology will find many relevant concepts in the book.
What reviewers say
Edyta Kostanek of UCL mentions that the book masterfully blends theoretical frameworks with practical application.
Shankar Sankaran of the University of Technology Sydney mentions the systems view of the book and that its coverage goes beyond engineering, business, and technology to the application of projects to a wide variety of applications in a 'projectified society'.
Mark Calabrese, of the University of Central Florida, says "Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology" is robust, complete, and easy to follow. I highly recommend this textbook for anyone teaching engineering, business, or technology project management/engineering. I also recommend it as a 'keeper' for students who will be guiding projects in the future."
Martijn Leijten at the Delft University of Technology describes the book as "...one of the most comprehensive textbooks in the field. Nicholas and Steyn explain the matter in a readable and easy-to-understand way, illustrated with interesting examples. The authors combine the 'hard matter' of project management with relevant behavioural aspects. Overall, a useful work for anyone new to the field or as reference for the more advanced project manager."
Taryn Bond-Barnard of Stellenbosch University says, "As a postgraduate lecturer, I find Project Management for Engineering, Business, and Technology a comprehensive and indispensable resource. The numerous and detailed case studies offer relatable, real-world insights that are not only beneficial for students but also intriguing for experienced project managers looking to deepen their understanding. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about mastering project management in engineering and technology."
Ramona Trestian of Middlesex University says: "Project Management for Engineering, Business, and Technology is a very comprehensive textbook that addresses project management across all industries. This textbook has the potential to be used as a tool to close the gap between academia and industry. This is done using real use case studies that reflect real scenarios from the industry. Thus, the textbook is suitable for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in project management, and it can also be used as a reference point by practicing project managers across various industries."
Prior editions
The book's first edition (authored by John Nicholas as sole author) was published in 1990 by Prentice-Hall. Herman became co-author of the third edition, published in 2008 by Butterworth-Heinemann, Elsevier, and further editions published by Routledge.
Editions of the book before the 7th edition have been translated into Chinese, Polish, and Ukrainian.
What is new in this 7th edition?
AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Project Management
Project management doesn’t escape the rapid development of AI and electronic technologies in general, and this developing field needs to be addressed in this and future editions.
The purpose of textbooks is not to promote specific commercial products, and, with the rapid development of technology, textbooks should focus more on the fundamental principles than on specific, current methods.
The new edition, therefore, addresses the fundamentals of project management information systems (PMISs) and artificial intelligence without promoting any commercial product.
The use of AI in project management is also one of the research topics investigated by the GSTM (Graduate School of Technology Management) of the University of Pretoria.
Agile Project Management and Lean, and Hybrid methodologies
The 5th and 6th editions addressed agile project management and lean, but new material on hybrid methodologies and visual management in agile has now been added.
Management of megaprojects and international aspects
Prior editions had a chapter on international project management, and this chapter is now expanded to include megaprojects. The material on this topic makes ample reference to the work of the two experts in the field, namely Bent Flyvbjerg of the SAID Business School at Oxford University and Edward W Merrow of Independent Project Analysis.
New material has also been added on projects in developing countries.
Ethics and the dark side of project management
New topics include the role of project management in "green projects" and the "dark side" of projects.
Elaboration on stakeholder engagement and change management
Existing material on stakeholder management has been supplemented with additional material on stakeholder engagement, and change management is now addressed more explicitly.
The book and project management careers
While the largest market for the book has always been universities and colleges that prescribe the book, professional practitioners also make use of the book, and, as mentioned by several of the reviewers, the book is considered a valuable asset in project management careers in general.
ISBN, ORCID, and DOI
The paperback, hardcover, and ebook each have their own ISBNs. These are as follows:
Hardback: ISBN: 978-1-032-66774-4
Paperback: ISBN: 978-1-032-66588-7
Ebook: ISBN: 978-1-032-66590-0
Each chapter also has a DOI. These are as follows:
Introduction - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-1
PHILOSOPHY AND CONCEPTS - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-2
Chapter 1 What is Project Management? - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-3
Chapter 2 Systems Approach - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-4
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-5
Chapter 3 Project Life Cycle and Project Conception - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-6
Chapter 4 Project Defiinition and System Defiinition - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-7
Chapter 5 Project Execution and Closeoout - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-8
SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES FOR PLANNING AND CONTROL - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-9
Chapter 6 Basic Project Planning Techniques - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-10
Chapter 7 Project Schedule Planning and Networks - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-11
Chapter 8 Advanced Project Network Analysis and Scheduling - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-12
Chapter 9 Project Cost and Budgeting - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-13
Chapter 10 Project Quality Management - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-14
Chapter 11 Project Risk Management - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-15
Chapter 12 Project Procurement Management and Contracting - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-16
Chapter 13 Project Monitoring and Control - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-17
Chapter 14 Agile, Lean, and Hybrid Project Management - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-18
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-19
Chapter 15 Project Organizational Structure and Integration - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-20
Chapter 16 Project Roles and Stakeholders - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-21
Chapter 17 Leadership, Teamwork, and Conflict - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-22
PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE CORPORATE CONTEXT - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-23
Chapter 18 Project Meta-management and Program Management - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-24
Chapter 19 Project Selection and Portfolio Management - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-25
Chapter 20 Managing International Projects and Megaprojects - DOI: 10.4324/9781032665900-26
