Purpose: This research intends to shed a light in the practice of project portfolio management in the non-traditional – although project oriented – aid sector. The research aim is to study the decision-making structures supporting the prioritization of projectsand/or programmes in multilateral organizations, which play a determinant role in the development aid sector. Research Methodology: Through an in-depth and-holistic case study, the empiricalresearch investigated how the UN coordination practitioners perceived the role of thecontext in the implementation of the Delivery as One Approach, which comprehends aset of standards and procedures (SOPs) supporting the management of multiple UN entities at the country level, to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and impact. A total of 9 semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former employees in the UN resident coordination office in a range of countries in Africa, LatinAmerica and the Middle East. From the collection of qualitative data, the researchers wereable to grasp the nuances of the data set through the elaboration of templates, which based the further discussion and conclusions of the work. Research Findings: The empirical findings confirmed the relevance of a number of constructs identified in the theoretical framework, defining how the context influences the decision making that takes place in the prioritization of programmes in the development aid sector. Specifically, the results highlight the relevance of the governancestructure, the bounded rationality of decision makers, specific characteristics of the decision, country peculiarities, and the different sources of uncertainty. Moreover, the relationships between these factors were highlighted through a relationship network diagram that clearly identifies the complex interrelations between these factors and theirsub-themes. Research Delimitations and Limitations: The delimitations in this study are characterized as the choices made by the researchers on the parameters considered and mentioned, setting the boundaries for the investigation. From a methodological standpoint, by using the single case study method, the findings and conclusion of the present research applies majorly to the organization studied. Originality / Value: This research advances the portfolio management literature on the field of international development aid and expands the understanding of how the aspects of this unique environment influences the decision making of assigning priorities to projects and programmes. Furthermore, the research draws attention to the different sources of uncertainties originating from the context, inherent of these types oforganizations.

The focus of strategy research has long revolved around strategy formulation rather thanstrategy implementation, despite the evidence indicating that intended strategies are rarelyachieved. Project portfolio management, PPM, assumes a crucial role in enabling strategyimplementation and can be regarded as a representation of the organization's actual pursuedstrategy. Existing research on PPM has predominantly centered around portfolios in the contextof new product development, NPD, and research and development, R&D. However, there hasbeen relatively less exploration of PPM within internal development departments, warrantingfurther investigation. To contribute to the understanding on strategy implementation throughPPM and its conditional factors, this qualitative case study expands the existing research bystudying the PPM process within an internal development department. The study wasconducted at the Business Improvement department, which oversees improvement projects forthe service branch of EnergyComp, a company specializing in the development of complexenergy solutions. Using an abductive research approach, a literature review was conducted inparallel with data collection and analysis. The empirical data was mainly collected throughsemi-structured interviews at the company, but also through meetings and companydocumentation. The results of the study show that PPM actions connected to projects, portfolio and resourceallocation are undertaken to effectively implement the organization's strategy within theinternal development department. Common to all areas is the importance of accurate andavailable information that effects the decisions connected to strategy implementation. On aproject level, Insufficient information poses challenges in accurately assessing project success,resulting in measurements that fail to cover all strategic objectives. In the context of theportfolio, the absence of project information and uncertainties can lead to a misalignmentbetween the actual prioritization criteria employed in the selection process and the strategicobjectives of the organization. Additionally, it may contribute to a less detailed and formalstrategic plan. Furthermore, the cost associated with adjusting the portfolio is directly linked tothe effort and expenses involved in obtaining project information. Regarding resources,insufficient information on supply and demand creates challenges in considering projectdependencies and synergies during the evaluation of project groups. Moreover, limitedtransparency across functional boundaries within the organization leads to a system wheredecision rules cannot be established at the portfolio level. Instead, it encourages bottom-uppriority decisions. Furthermore, a biased assessment by stakeholders in the functionaldepartments may result in an inadequate screening process, leading to an increased workloadin the portfolio structuring process. Finally, the large variation in project types, coupled withdiverse impact targets spanning individual and multiple functions, makes it difficult to createrelevant project categories for budgeting and portfolio structuring.