The MOVE framework is grounded in extensive academic research combining qualitative and quantitative methods.

Download the Full Thesis (PDF)

Academic Reference: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/NKB4J - ORCID 0009-0009-9708-0695
Open Science Repository (OSF): Access all data, materials, and research tools →

Theoretical Foundations

The MOVE framework draws from a combination of leadership theory, organizational behavior, communication science, psychology, and change management.

It integrates insights on how leaders can foster trust, motivation, and conflict resolution within project environments, emphasizing the human factors that influence project success.

The approach combines elements of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, needs-based communication, and systems thinking, linking them with practical project management and governance practices.

The result is a human-centered, needs-based leadership approach that brings together motivation, mediation, and momentum in a structured, actionable way — ensuring that leadership decisions consider both the technical and interpersonal dimensions of project work.

Qualitative Research Findings

  • 53 in-depth expert interviews with project managers, sponsors, and team members across industries and countries.

  • Identified recurring patterns in needs awareness, trust building, conflict resolution, and motivational drivers.

  • Insights were coded thematically, leading to the creation of the MOVE Process, Competency, and Trust Models.

  • Strong convergence between academic theory and practitioner experience validated the model’s core elements.

Quantitative Research Findings

  • 827 survey participants representing diverse roles, sectors, and geographies.

  • Tested four hypotheses linking needs-focused leadership to motivation, team retention, project success, and leadership qualities.

  • Results confirmed positive correlations, with small to moderate effect sizes — supporting practical relevance while highlighting the complexity of leadership impact.

  • Role-based differences emerged: project managers, sponsors, and team members valued competencies differently, underscoring the need for cross-role alignment.

Methodological and Conceptual Limitations

The research acknowledges limitations such as:

  • Overrepresentation of experienced project managers (potential role bias)

  • Gender and age distribution skew

  • Language and cultural interpretation differences in the survey

  • Complexity of some survey questions and forced-ranking effects

  • Lack of psychometric validation for survey items

  • Small-to-moderate effect sizes limiting generalizability

These factors provide context for interpreting results and identifying where further research is needed.

Potential directions for expanding MOVE research include:

  • Testing the model in different cultural clusters and industry contexts

  • Measuring long-term effects of needs-focused leadership on organizational performance

  • Further developing AI-assisted leadership tools for real-time needs detection and conflict prevention

  • Exploring MOVE’s application in non-project settings such as operations, education, and healthcare

  • Investigating the ROI of needs-focused leadership in both human and financial terms

Future Research Opportunities and Open Questions

Interactive Access (AI/LLM)

  • Ask detailed questions and get tailored, context-rich explanations of MOVE concepts. Access CustomGPT →

  • Generate summaries and cross-reference ideas for deeper understanding. Access Google NotebookLM →

  • Recommended: AI Repository

    1. Open eustella and start a new conversation.

    2. Provide the AI Repository URL or the Raw Index File as the entry point.

    3. Ask questions about the thesis, the MOVE Model, Needs-Focused Leadership, trust, motivation, conflict management, psychological safety, leadership competencies, or the empirical findings.

    Why use the repository?

    The repository was specifically prepared for AI-assisted exploration and includes:

    • AI-readable Markdown chapters

    • Complete MOVE Model documentation

    • MOVE Competency Model

    • MOVE Trust Model

    • Empirical research findings

    • Survey instrument

    • Visual models and figures

    • Citation metadata and references

    • Structured cross-references between concepts

    This approach enables deeper and more accurate exploration than a standalone PDF.

    Alternative: Thesis PDF

    If preferred, upload the complete thesis PDF directly to eustella and ask questions about the research, models, findings, and practical applications.

  • 1. Download and save the index file

    Download the linked PDF MOVE_Hub_Index_Google.pdf and save it locally on your device.

    2. Open the chat and upload the PDF

    Go to https://chat.mistral.ai/ (or use the app) and upload the saved PDF file into a new chat.

    3. Ask specific questions via chat

    Use the chat to ask specific questions about the Master Thesis. Le Chat will use the index and its referenced content to provide detailed insights into the models and research results.

  • 1. Download the MOVE_Hub_Index.doc

    Download here →

    2. Open Copilot and sign in

    You can start a chat in the Microsoft app (where available) or use the browser version: Open Microsoft Copilot →

    3. Upload the MOVE_Hub_Index.doc in the chat and begin with this prompt:

    This document serves as the central index for the master’s thesis Needs-Focused Leadership in Project Management by Daniel Hendling. Please open this document and use it as the main reference point for my questions. The document contains descriptions and OneDrive links to all chapters, research findings, and visual models. When I ask a question: Open the relevant linked files from OneDrive and summarize the key points or provide comparisons across documents if needed.

  • Ask in-depth questions and receive structured, thesis-based explanations of MOVE concepts and research findings. Access MOVE Research Assistant →

  • 1. Copy the Index Link
    Copy the link to your central index file to the clipboard: MOVE_Hub_Index_Google.pdf

    2. Open Gemini and sign in
    Go to gemini.google.com or use the Gemini app.

    3. Start the chat by pasting the link
    Paste the link directly into your first prompt to give Gemini access to the Master Thesis. Example: "Based on this index file [Link], give me an overview of the MOVE model."

    4. Interact with the Master Thesis Ask specific questions about any chapter or research result referenced in the index. Gemini will analyze the linked documents and provide you with detailed insights.

  • 1. Download the ZIP file

    Download here →

    2. Unzip the file locally

    Extract all 22 PDF files to your computer.

    3. Upload the files to your Google Drive

    You can place them in any folder (name it as you wish).

    4. Start Gemini

    • Go to Settings (bottom left) → Apps → enable Productivity / Google Workspace.

    • Make sure Smart features in Gmail, Google Workspace, and other Google products are enabled.

    • Gmail must be active for your account.

    • Allow Gemini AI to connect to Google Workspace (Drive). Depending on your setup, you may be prompted to enable activity tracking in Gemini apps & authorize the Google Workspace connection

    • Confirm access to your Drive files

    5. Start the conversation in Gemini with this prompt:

    I have uploaded the following 22 PDF documents to my Google Drive.

    These files together form the complete structure of Daniel Hendling’s Master’s Thesis on Needs-Focused Leadership in Project Management:

    01_Abstract.pdf

    02_Context_and_Thesis_Setup.pdf

    03_Projects_and_Success_Framework.pdf

    04_Human_Needs_and_Emotion.pdf

    05_Motivation.pdf

    06_Mediation_and_Conflict.pdf

    07_AI_and_Needs_Focused_Leadership.pdf

    08_Mindset_and_Skillset.pdf

    09_Qualitative_Research.pdf

    10_Quantitative_Research.pdf

    11_MOVE_Model_Description.pdf

    12_Side_Findings_and_Reflections.pdf

    13_Methodological_and_Conceptual_Limitations.pdf

    14_Directions_for_Future_Research.pdf

    15_Interview_Details_Citations.pdf

    16_MasterThesis_CleanCore.pdf

    17_MOVE_Process_Model.pdf

    18_MOVE_Competency_Model.pdf

    19_MOVE_Trust_Tripod.pdf

    20_MOVE_Models_Combined.pdf

    21_Spectrum_of_Needs.pdf

    22_Spectrum_of_Needs_text_structure.pdf

    Act as an expert assistant with full access to these documents.

    When answering, always base your response on the thesis content and indicate clearly whether it is derived from:

    1. Theoretical foundations and cited literature in the thesis,

    2. Daniel Hendling’s empirical research findings or original models, or

    3. Practical applications and reflections from the thesis.

    Do not give generic leadership advice outside this scope.

    When responding, adapt your tone to the audience type (student, academic, practitioner) based on the question’s style and context.

Explore the thesis content interactively using AI-powered tools:

Open Source Access (Advanced)

Access the thesis in a structured, machine-readable format. The repository provides direct access to all chapters, models, and empirical components in a format optimized for research and AI-supported use.

GitHub Repository (for advanced use)

  • Structured chapter-based Markdown files

  • Direct raw text access (AI-readable)

  • Integrated empirical data and survey instrument

  • Visual models in multiple languages

  • Citation metadata (DOI, ORCID)

  • Version-controlled and transparently maintained

This format is particularly useful for:

  • AI-supported analysis

  • academic referencing

  • structured exploration of concepts and data

Direct Access