The Competency, Innovation, And Sustainability Nexus: A Quantitative Study of It Project Managers in Hungary

Abstract

This study examines the link between project managers’ soft competencies and project sustainability, highlighting the mediating role of innovation management in Hungary’s software industry. Data were collected from 272 IT project managers using a structured survey, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied. Results show that competencies such as adaptability, communication, and emotional intelligence positively affect sustainability, while innovation management amplifies these effects across the project lifecycle. The research contributes new insights by integrating human skills, innovation, and sustainability into a governance-oriented framework, emphasizing the Hungarian Information Technology context. Practical implications suggest that firms, universities, and policymakers should invest in capacity-building and innovation ecosystems aligned with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 and SDG 17.