‘The corruption of project governance through normalization of deviance’ by Davis and Pinto: a commentary

Davis and Pinto (2024) deliver an exemplary study that presents rigorous research and engages readers through a well-structured narrative focused on the normalisation of deviance (NoD). The paper begins with an interesting and compelling case study that establishes context and relevance immediately. It introduces key theoretical concepts, ensuring a robust foundation before the findings. Unlike many papers that merely summarise literature, the authors deeply engage with theoretical frameworks such as the fraud triangle theory and collective myopia, which are critical in understanding the normalisation of deviance. Beyond its theoretical contributions, the paper employs narrative research, a method scarcely used in project studies, to create engaging stories. The discussions are rich, avoiding excessive citations while maintaining strong connections to relevant literature. However, two aspects could be further developed: more transparency in sampling methodology and a greater emphasis on practical strategies to combat NoD. Nonetheless, this work significantly advances project governance and deviance literature, including the dark side of projects, serving as a crucial reference for scholars and practitioners. The paper's conclusions extend beyond mere summaries, engaging meaningfully with theoretical implications and future research directions.