The positivist and managerialist approaches to project management research has historically defined practice as a ‘technical’ discipline. This has recently been challenged by critical project management studies, who advocates for an opening of the field research to also include the social and organizational dynamics
of projects. Following the topic of the panel this paper will discuss how these two positions, although seemingly different, both places the project manager as an omnipotent subject of control. The consequences becomes either a priori explanations or ideological pitfalls. From a science studies approach the paper acknowledges that management and project management technologies does matter, but comes in many shapes, and is performed differently in various socio-technical settings. The field of STS offers a new ground for a participatory and practice oriented approach to the development of a new direction in project management research that puts management matter into focus.