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Briefing: Results of Research

August 4, 2025 By

 

on Executive Training on

Project Sponsorship

 

REPORT

By Alfonso Bucero, PhD

Executive Editorial Advisor
International Correspondent

Madrid, Spain

Introduction

This briefing document summarizes key themes and findings from the “Executive Training on Project Sponsorship research” done by Alfonso Bucero. This report highlights the critical but often overlooked role of formal training for executives in project sponsorship and its positive impact on project outcomes. A detailed research report (mixed study) will be elaborated and published in a Project Management Journal by the end of 2025, if accepted. This document provides you with an advanced summary of my findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Central Themes and Key Findings

1     Significance of Project Sponsorship and Training:

    • This research identifies Project sponsorship as a “pivotal role in bridging executive leadership and project execution.”
    • Despite its importance, many organizations “overlook the necessity of formal training for executives in this role.”
    • The study empirically confirms that “sponsorship training for executives has a positive impact on project outcomes.”
    • This study found that structured training “enhances sponsor engagement and effectiveness.

2     Factors Correlated with Project Outcomes:

    • The study, based on 410 responses, identified two distinct factors that significantly correlated with project outcomes. My final research will offer insights into how senior managers may contribute to project success. I also had the opportunity to interview eleven senior project professionals and summarize their experiences working with project sponsors.

3     Demographics of Participants:

    • The study gathered responses from a diverse group across various roles, industries, and organisational sizes.
      • Roles: Project Managers (34.1%) were the highest participants, followed by PMO Managers (17.3%) and C-Level Executives (15.4%).
      • Industry Sectors: Finance/Banking (23.9%) and Information Technology (22.9%) were the major participating sectors, alongside Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Government, Consulting, Construction, and Telecom.
      • Organization Size: Most participants (36.1%) came from organizations with over 1000 employees, while 32.9% were from organizations with 1 to 50 employees.
      • Geographical Reach: I collected responses from a wide range of countries globally, including: Spain, Switzerland, USA, Croatia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Pakistan, Brazil, Turkey, Peru, India, France, Mexico, Ireland, Argentina, Nigeria, Uruguay, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Canada, Greece, UAE, Oman, Bolivia, Panama, Chile, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, Venezuela, Jamaica, Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Tanzania, Ecuador, UK, Malaysia, Kenya, Jordan, Angola, Bulgaria, Iran, Japan, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, and Senegal. See the pie charts to illustrate it.

More…

To read entire report, click here

How to cite this article: Bucero, A. (2025).  Briefing: Results of Research on Executive Training on Project Sponsorship, report, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue VIII, August. Available online at: https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pmwj155-Aug2025-Bucero-Briefing-results-of-project-sponsorship-research.pdf

About the Author


Alfonso Bucero, PhD

Madrid, Spain

 

Alfonso Bucero, Ph.D., CPS, ACE, PMP, PMI-RMP, PfMP, SFC, IPMO-E, PMI Fellow, is an International Correspondent and Contributing Editor for the PM World Journal in Madrid, Spain. Mr. Bucero is also the founder and Managing Partner of BUCERO PM Consulting. Alfonso was the founder, sponsor, and President of the PMI Barcelona Chapter until April 2005 and belonged to PMI’s LIAG (Leadership Institute Advisory Group). He was the past President of the PMI Madrid Spain Chapter and then nominated as a PMI EMEA Region 8 Component Mentor. Alfonso was a member of the PMIEF Engagement Committee.

Alfonso has a Computer Science Engineering degree from Universidad Politécnica in Madrid and a Ph.D. in Management from the ISM University. He has 39 years of practical experience and is actively advancing the PM profession in Spain and Europe. Alfonso received the PMI Distinguished Contribution Award on October 9, 2010, the PMI Fellow Award on October 22, 2011, and the PMI Eric Jenett Excellence Award on October 28, 2017. You can contact Mr. Bucero at alfonso.bucero@abucero.com.

To see other works by Alfonso Bucero, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/alfonso-bucero/

 

Filed Under: Reports