Project Management
The failures in the majority of the projects can be attributed slippage in the schedule, budget overruns as well as quality flaws that arise due to many factors. These are the commonest problems that demand that the management in the projects take a proactive role in the improvements of the success rates although the initiative has been a big challenge in the majority of the organizations. The failure of the projects is a costly affair to the economy of the organizations. The losses are responsible for dragging the economy and posing an insurmountable threat to the validity of the business firms that are entrusted in the execution of the projects (Bass, 2013). This paper shall address the common factors that contribute significantly to the failure of projects in the organizations.
One of the most crucial considerations in the success or failure of the project is the approach to timelines since underestimated timelines are a potential cause of project failure. Underestimating the project timeline is similar to missing the deadline as indicated in the calendar of the project. This can trigger the need to pay extra cost to meet the expenses of the workers that escalates the budget that was initially estimated. The sales teams depend on the set timelines to execute the sales of the products released and a changed timeline can lead to a loss of deals. Proper prediction of the timeline is therefore an important consideration in averting the possibility of project failure. The timelines of the project also affects the allocation of resources and budget allocation. The managers in the projects must therefore be proactive as they make their decisions on these matters. The most important achievement in the project is making crucial decisions that facilitate successful completion of projects (Jingting, Ralf & Turner, 2012). The attainment of sustainable competitive advantage in the projects is the key to sustainable project success and depends on the effectiveness of addressing the set timelines (Jingting, Ralf & Turner, 2012). Execution of project is a challenging undertaking as it entails making appropriate decisions as well as mastering the nature of competition for the limited resources that are available to the organization. The resources must be distributed among the various existing projects in the organization and this is where competition for the limited resources arises (Bodil & Blichfeldt, 2007). Furthermore, there is a possibility for a conflict of interests in the organization between the level of efficiency and innovation that can manifest in the project (Catherine P. Killen Robert A. Hunt, (2010). This is a characteristic feature that is archetypal to the assortment of new product development projects and therefore, the project can be scandalously challenging to master.
The accomplishment of a strategic fit in a project is a center responsibility of senior management in project management. The senior managers must grip the complete accountability of monetary matters in their project management. They are consequently answerable for making the eventual decisions that address the review processes in the project management leading to the selection of the fitting projects and also the termination of the inappropriate projects (Bodil & Blichfeldt, 2007). From a practical point of view, the senior managers in any organization are entitled to embrace that role and they also act as the sponsors. The involvement of the senior managers therefore is the extent that determines their obligations. They have a special role to play in the management of the projects. The objective is to achieve success in the project (Jingting, Ralf & Turner, 2012). In the situation that a particular project management is based on low resemblance to the corporate strategy, then the senior managers must take the initiative of withdrawing resources and terminating the project forthwith (Bodil & Blichfeldt, 2007). They must thus be committed to directing the resource allocations to other competitive projects that favors the strategic fit in the entire project.
The level of technology and its adoption in the project can also hamper the success of the project. The introduction of digital technology in project management can be a strategy that determines the difference between the success and the failure of a project. Technology is therefore an important consideration in the effectiveness and efficiency of execution of mandate in the project. This strategy can influence how business is conducted which is an important determinant of success of the project (Jun, Qiuzhen & Qingguo, 2010). The workers can easily send a feedback to the company in case of any dissatisfaction using emerging technology involving digital platforms. The organization can embrace the benefits of the digital platforms in enhancing their level of competition. The reputations as well as reviews that are posted online are used in making an informed choice about the progress of the project. The suitability of the reviews and reputations depends on the level of quality of job performance (Earnest & Young, 2014).
Team management is another contributing factor in the failure or success of the project in the organization. It is important for the project managers to establish and nurture teams that work because they have the potentials for inspiring a group of people to come together in unity, for a sole purpose and goal (Cerpa, Bardeen, Kitchenham & Verner, 2010). It enables the members of the team in a group to communicate and build a relationship with series of planned events that are fun and motivational, in which eliminates doubt, removing constraints which may prevent someone doing their job poorly or relying heavily on one person and creates an atmosphere of trust and accountability toward their common goal (Taherdoost & Keshavarzsaleh, 2015). The contribution of teams that work in the project is also an critical as it eliminates doubt, removing constraints which may prevent someone doing their job poorly or relying heavily on one person and creates an atmosphere of trust and accountability toward a common goal (Jung, Su, Baeza & Hong, 2008).
The managers must however never overlook the possibility of conflict that can arise among the members of the team. In this regard therefore, it is prudent to consider the relevant steps to eliminate potential conflicts as one of the typical team dynamic that one is likely to encounter when working within teams and the must be in a position to address this negative dynamic. The sources of the conflicts can be attributed to divergences in viewpoint inherent among different people within the team in some circumstances. The different viewpoints among the team members may escalate in to conflicts where the input of the leadership is required (Verner & Abdullah, 2012). The approach of gathering cohesion among the team members are undertaken in addressing the conflict which may work for the benefit or the demise of the team.
However, the project managers must also be in a position to appreciate the fact that, not all cases of conflicts are bad because in high functioning teams there is a possibility of constantly arising constructive conflicts. The differences among people in such diverse teams may lead to higher levels of effectiveness as compared to teams with common experience among members. The combination of efforts in diverse teams leads to higher achievements (Haughey, 2010). The role of teams that work is facilitating opening of the differences and prevention of potential disputes. The teams that work must facilitate for an understanding as well as appreciation of varied viewpoints to achieve conflict resolution. They must also be able to uphold a healthy balance involving the constructive opinion and evade chances of any disruptive and destructive conflicts (Whitmire, 2005).
It is the responsibility of the project managers to make sure that the teams members uphold a balance through developing the talents and the skills within the time, with particular focus on the ability of conflict resolution in case the conflict arises. The conflict can also be kept healthy while the daily conflicts in the work place are kept at bay. The team leadership must therefore identify appropriate mechanisms for conflict resolution that leads to its prevention. Improved communication, collaboration, and teamwork can improve conditions in the environment. There are a number of benefits that the team members are likely to achieve through effective communication, collaboration and teamwork (Wohlinand & Andrews, 2001). Responsibility sharing and distribution, appraisal of group accomplishments and elimination of stress due to negative feelings are achieved through enhanced communication, teamwork and collaboration in the organization. In some cases, however, teamwork is a potential cause of tension together with anxiety if communication channels are ineffective (Taherdooost & Jalaliyoon 2014). The work of the team members, therefore, is to motivate the employees to enhance their communication in the workplace that can lead to a constructive collaboration and effectiveness in teamwork.
Conflicts are some of the common and typical team dynamic that a leader in the project may encounter when working with or leading teams and the leadership must be in a position to address this negative dynamic. The sources of the conflicts can be attributed to divergences in viewpoint inherent among different people in some circumstances. The different viewpoints may escalate in to conflicts where the input of the leadership is required (Cooke-Davies, 2002). The leadership style undertaken in addressing the conflict may work for the benefit or the demise of the team.
As mentioned earlier, it is not all cases of conflicts are bad because in high functioning teams there constantly arises constructive conflicts (Sadeh, Dvir & Shenhar, 2000). The differences among people in such diverse teams may lead to higher levels of effectiveness as compared to teams with common experience among members. The combination of efforts in diverse teams leads to higher achievements (Repiso, Setchi & Salmeron, 2007). The role of leadership is facilitating opening of the differences and prevention of potential disputes. The leadership must facilitate for an understanding as well as appreciation of varied viewpoints to achieve conflict resolution. They must also be able to uphold a healthy balance involving the constructive opinion and evade chances of any disruptive and destructive conflicts (Mnookin, 2010).
Poor communication is a remarkable issue that has caused the failure of the majority of the projects in national, multinational and global organizations (Thomas & Fernandéz, 2008). Although there are other varied factors, the problems of communication forms a centre issue of the failed projects. It is common sense that a proactive dissemination of information and available knowledge is a critical consideration in the execution of duties (Cavazotte, Moreno & Hickmann, 2012). This is an important factor that determines the success of the project. Poor communication is a common feature among the majority of teams that execute the various duties in a project (Hyväri, 2006). Enhancement of communication skills is an important consideration that solves the problems that are associated with project disasters and the management must take a proactive responsibility in addressing the issue of enhancing the skills of communication among the team members (Ika, 2009).
It is therefore prudent that a communication management plan is executed in the project to avert potential failures that can arise as a result of a breakdown in communication. This plan provides a framework that emphasizes the necessity for achieving desirable results. It also serves as an important guide to the team members together with the stakeholders throughout the project to prevent the problems that might arise (Boehm, Dwertmann, Bruch & Shamir, 2015). The majority of successful organizations that engage in projects recognize the ,merits of effective communication. They implement various strategies to realize good strategies of communication, which in turn increases their competitive advantage and success (Cavusgil et al., 2014). Surprisingly, some project managers do not value effective communication, thus leading to their failure. Therefore, it would be necessary to review the relevance of communication in order to provide relevant information and increase awareness among organizations. Communication is one of the most imperative tasks for an organization tat undertakes project. Communication explains how the organization may assist in improving the overall work environment especially in the course of project implementation (Clinebell, Skudiene, Trijonyte & Reardon, 2013). The culture of the diverse teams that are involved in the execution of projects can be associated with a significant impact on the manner in which we work and interact with other people around. The cultural aspects of a team might lead to a turbulent situation during project execution. This is mainly because the cultures and subcultures of people might be entirely different from one another (Azad 2011). Hence, an efficient management would become extremely difficult to realize if the organization fails to understand the cultural practices of the team members. Culture has a momentous role to play in any organization because different individuals behave according to the shared values which is created by the organizational culture (Cavusgil et al., 2014). Therefore, the concept of communication becomes extremely crucial because the people from different cultures, religions and beliefs might work in a different. This could possibly prove to be an obstacle in the team spirit or the motivation factor of the employees (Papke-Shields, Beise & Quan, 2010). The managers in a project must hold to the fact that the overall behaviors of the employees can have an important impact on organizational efficiency (Blythe, 2001). Organizational cultures, quite obviously, develop from a large number of sources. Strong managers in a project have enabled the organizational members to communicate with each other in an appropriate manner that ensures smooth and flawless operations (Fill, 2002). For ensuring an adequate cross cultural communication, they must undertake numerous strategies to avoid failure in the project.
The efforts of the project managers in cultural communication can be accomplished from the perspective of two key approaches across diverse nations in the globe (Cavusgil et al., 2014). The two approaches entail standardization and adaptation. The use of adaptation entails the initiatives taken by the project managers in attempts of keeping itself flexible as well as initiating constructive transformations in the policies of work, styles of leadership, the organizational culture, environment, as well as internal management to suit the requirements of the project where the business operations are based (Ellwood, 2002). There arises a need for adapting the language that is widely applicable in the country as well as adoption of the democratic style of leadership which has the highest degree of preference in that particular country (Fill, 2002). Establishment of a project requires that, the company offers the much needed respect as well as recognition to the employees such that, they feel highly motivated and increase the level of commitment as they undertake to fulfill their responsibilities in the work place (Taherdoost & Keshavarzsaleh, 2015). The project managers can also opt to adopt autocratic culture in their leadership which can facilitate for guiding the employees towards the responsibilities as well as the roles of the company (Sharma, 2012). The move entails a stringent approach although the same has been applicable in the recent past. The project manager needs to provide high monetary incentives to the employees in order to keep them motivated in their job (Jugdev & Müller, 2005). Hence, this approach has a notion that every country is different and hence an organization has to be adaptive in its approach and change according to the cultures.
The project managers must also consider the initiatives of standardization in the view that a organization should develop standard policies and procedures for all the countries that they enter (Randall, 2001). It assumes that if an organization can make standard rules and regulations then it will have an equal treatment of people in all the countries where it operates. This will lead to fair and ethical business operations for the success of the project (Fill, 2002). This implies that the entire control of the project has to be from the head office that develops standard rules, regulations, working environment, culture and policies for the organization that has to be followed in all the countries (Azad, 2011). No flexibility will be provided in terms of operations and implementation. Although this approach is a little rigid in nature but it has proved to be beneficial for many project managers in the past (Schmidt, Lyytinen, Keil & Cule, 2001). Both the concepts have been highly appreciated by some experts and also criticized by many others. Many project managers across the globe have undertaken this.
Leadership always matters a great deal in the determination of the course of direction that a project can take in the organization and at a team level. If assigned any leadership position, it is always important for any leader to make positive impacts on the lives of the subordinates (Antonakis, Fenley & Liechti, 2011). Leadership style refers to the individual’s characteristics and style of providing the directions, implementing the plans and motivation of the people. At any time, it is important to have effective leadership because the success and attainment of the goals in any project depend on how good we give the directions, implement the plans and how effectively we make decisions as the heads (Iqbal, 2011). The styles of leadership style have got an important implication to the practices of leadership as well as the results anticipated in the project. For example, in some situations, the acts or words of a leader can have momentous consequences on the sense of value as well as the motivation among the group members.
Leadership is demonstrated by those possessing the uncommon skill of bringing the masses together to accomplish a universal objective. Leaders possess abilities to initiate and sustain results oriented action, thereby translating intention into reality (Whitmire, 2005). Leaders influence decisions and people and provide guidance and direction. Leaders chart clear courses of action, direct people over hurdles, and lead the team in crossing the finish line (Clinebell, Skudiene, Trijonyte & Reardon, 2013). Effective leadership ignores the seemingly impossible and proclaims. The leader must choose the most suitable styles of leadership that addresses the requirements of the followers as the strategies and adjustments to the behavior of an individual.
A conflict of interest can also result to the failure of the project. It is also the responsibility of the project managers in an organization to take in to account the issue of stakeholder strategies and organize them for several purposes (Boehm, 2000). An organization must be in a position to communicate to the primary stakeholders, and others that their support is necessary to support desired performance, they must tell them what specific actions are envisioned, by which stakeholders, and when (Baker, Murphy & Fisher, 2008). The Important stakeholders then review the proposed strategies to select those most appropriate and add other strategies that would be useful and make a commitment to act on those strategies at the right time.
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