ISSN (print):2182-7796, ISSN (online):2182-7788, ISSN (cd-rom):2182-780X Available online at www.sciencesphere.org/ijispm International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, Vol. 2, No. 4, 2014, 39-58 ◄ 39 ► Governance challenges in temporary organizations: a case of evolution and representations Magali Simard École des sciences de la gestion, Département de management et technologies, Université du Québec à Montréal Case Postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8 Canada www.shortbio.net/simard.magali@courrier.uqam.ca Danielle Laberge École des sciences de la gestion, Département de management et technologies, Université du Québec à Montréal Case Postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8 Canada www.shortbio.net/laberge.danielle@uqam.ca Abstract: According to the literature, formal project governance often stops at the steering committee, which is also identified as the main link between the permanent and temporary organizations. Generally, top managers play an active role as sponsors in this committee until the project is approved and launched. Afterwards, the project execution is usually delegated, enabling middle managers to participate in strategy operationalization. As such, they are likely to take part in the project governance and its operationalization. In this study, we are especially interested in the governance zone reporting to the steering committee. Within this zone, formal and informal governance is intertwined, and there is likely to be considerable overlap with the permanent organization. Our study focuses on a specific liaison device within this zone: the Project Coordination Committee, which has rarely been studied. We explore how project governance evolves and is represented by project participants. Our results show a surprising diversity in participants’ representations. This allows us to identify a number of conclusions that go beyond the governance form issues and relate to the complexity of this governance zone and its influence on the disruptions between permanent and temporary governance structures within a large organization. Keywords: project governance; temporary organization; project coordination committee; sensemaking; project coordination. DOI: 10.12821/ijispm020402 Manuscript received: 6 September 2014 Manuscript accepted: 5 December 2014 Copyright © 2014, SciKA. General permission to republish in print or electronic forms, but not for profit, all or part of this material is granted, provided that the International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management copyright notice is given and that reference made to the publication, to its date of issue, and to the fact that reprinting privileges were granted by permission of SciKA - Association for Promotion and Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge.