Lessons learned from implementing a PMO in complex military S&T organisations: an ethnographic study

Purpose This study aims to examine how lessons learned from implementing a project management office (PMO) in a defence research, development and innovation (R&D&I) institution generate tangible benefits (efficiency, standardisation) and intangible gains (legitimacy, trust, organisational learning) in complex military environments characterised by strict hierarchies and technological uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach An ethnographic approach was conducted over three years of participant observation at Brazil’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology. Data included field notes, documents and dialogical engagement. A logical-analytical framework was used to derive lessons from ethnographic descriptions, synthesising them into six analytical categories. Findings The PMO functions as an institutional translator and cultural mediator, balancing regulatory discipline with adaptive responsiveness. Its effectiveness depends on adaptive governance, institutionalised knowledge management and cultural mediation rather than mere standardisation. PMOs integrate divergent rationalities, reconciling formal processes with situated practices to enable innovation governance under conditions of systemic interdependence and uncertainty. Research limitations/implications The single-case study limits generalisability. However, the ethnographic depth provides insights for comparative research in defence and complex R&D&I contexts. The framework is applicable to similar organisational settings. Practical implications PMO effectiveness requires adaptive governance that balances formalisation with flexibility, institutionalised knowledge management and cultural mediation that bridges military, scientific and technical rationalities. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first ethnographic study of a PMO in defence R&D&I, reconceptualising PMOs as strategic platforms. It introduces a novel framework for deriving lessons learned and extends the literature to non-commercial settings.