Joana Ger­aldi

Exploring how projects shape futures in organizations and society 

We live in an era of polycrises—overlapping challenges such as climate change, pandemics, geopolitical instability, and economic inequality. Addressing these crises requires coordinated action on a scale that goes beyond the capacity of single organizations. It is here that projects, programs, and portfolios play a vital role. Without projects, vaccine rollouts would not have been possible during COVID-19, nor would large-scale infrastructure renewal or the international efforts to meet climate targets through COP initiatives. These examples illustrate how projects are indispensable for mobilizing resources, aligning diverse actors, and driving the transitions that societies urgently need. 

At the core of my research are projects, programs, and portfolios as essential modes of organizing in contemporary society. I study how they shape organizational practices, like governance, strategy, and coordination, and how they enable organizations and societies to respond to complex challenges and make futures.  

To do so, I draw on two complementary lenses. The first is time and temporality, examining how actors draw on the past, project futures, and connect projects across time to enable organizational and societal transformations. The second is organizational psychology, where I investigate how emotions and decision-making influence project practices—from portfolio management and governance frameworks to everyday judgments under uncertainty. 

I pursue these questions across a wide range of empirical contexts, where projects are especially consequential—for example in construction, infrastructure, and energy. This cross-sectoral approach allows me to identify patterns and dynamics of project organizing that cut across domains, while remaining attentive to the specific challenges each context presents. 

Together, my research aims to shed light on how project-based organizing can be leveraged to confront polycrises and to create futures that are more resilient, equitable, and sustainable.