Almost 40 years ago the importance of liaison roles—a way for management to handle an increasing need to process information—was pointed out. The liaison role, which is described as managerial means to achieve coordination amongst different knowledge domains by facilitating communication, has been a subject of extensive interest during the years. Most of this interest has either focused on (1) the liaison position with no decisional authority, formal power, but is formally established, or (2) the integrating manager which is a formal position with recognized formal authority. This paper aims at highlighting the importance of people in projects. Based on a theoretical underpinning of projects as temporary organizations, and the need for project teams to manage interdependent sets of diverse skills and knowledge sets, within a limited time frame, this paper analyses hands-on project work. The analysis is based on two comprehensive in-depth qualitative case studies, one in the construction industry and the other in the truck industry. Both of these cases focus on the actual everyday work of the project participants. In this paper we argue that `glue people' possess specific soft skills such as: the ability to facilitate communication among professional groups, create commitment, and reduce uncertainty. These are all important skills in order to handle the everyday complexity and manage the interdependent sets of diverse skills and knowledge domains present in temporary organizations. The paper concludes that `glue people' share some characteristics of formal liaisons and integrating managers, but that new novel explanations for understanding `glue people' are necessary.

Almost 40 years ago, Galbraith (1973) pointed out the importance of liaison roles as a way for management to handle an increasing need to process information. The liaison role, which is described as a managerial mean to achieve coordination amongst different knowledge domains by facilitating communication, have been a subject of widespread interest during the years (see, e.g., Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967; Galbraith, 1973; Schwartz and Jacobson, 1977; Mintzberg, 1980 and 1983; and Van Breugel et al., 2005). Most of this interest has either focused on (1) the liaison position which has no decisional authority, no formal power, but is formally established, or (2) the integrating manager which is a formal position with recognized formal authority (Galbraith, 1973; Mintzberg 1980 and 1983). However, very little attention has been given to the `glue people' in organisations. That is, the people who informally function in a liaison way but without having either a formal position or authority or power—people who instead have some specific and important soft skills. This paper aims at highlighting the importance and role of such people in projects. Based on the framework presented by Galbraith (1973) and Mintzberg (1980 and 1983) the paper analyses and compares two comprehensive case studies, one in the construction industry and one in the truck industry.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows. In the upcoming section a short summary of the contextual challenges and the role of the liaison position and integrative manager will be provided. This will be followed by the research method and brief presentation of the two cases. Thereafter, one empirical description from each case will be presented illustrating the importance and role of `glue people'. The paper thereafter ends with the analysis, conclusions, practical implications, as well as some suggestions for further research.

Soft Skills Journal, Glue People, Practical Implications, Organizational Challenges, Temporary Organizations, Matrix Organizations, Multinational Construction Company, Product Development, Production Process, Project Controller, Organizational Goals, Construction Industry.