The influence of project management service provision on role-players within the South African construction industry
- Authors: Hefer, Andre le Roux
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9663 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008295 , Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- South Africa
- Description: The legitimate existence of the Project Management Profession in the South African construction industry needs to relate to positive project influence on the industry roleplayers. This study assessed the perceived lack of recognition and acceptance of Project Management as a stand-alone profession relating to: · Appointments of Project Managers being questioned due to a perceived lack of influence and impact on project success. · Project Managers not being recognised as an integral part of the industry. · Project Management not being perceived as having a unique and defined function. Interviews were held with 23 industry role-players made up of clients, contractors and consultants. The interviews solicited input on the role-players’ perception and experience related to the influence of Project Management over the past 10 years, not only on a list of success criteria relative to their own role in the industry, but also their perception of the influence on the other defined role-player groups. Included in the interview questionnaire was also a range of general questions to refine the feedback and further test the hypotheses. The data were interpreted and analysed by comparing the feedback of the respondents as a combination and separately as groups. The results of the study indicate that: · Project Management could be seen as a legitimate part of the industry; · The industry role-players perceive Project Management as making an impact and having a growing influence on the industry; A specific but broad set of skills are required by Project Managers; · The Project Management function cannot be fulfilled by other consultants, but there are project related criteria which should be considered before making a final judgment. These criteria relate to project size and complexity; and · Project Management is currently perceived to be more related to a specific person’s skill than to a specific profession. The study’s aim was to influence and inform the views of industry role-players on the appointment of a Project Manager in the construction industry.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Performance improvement in South African construction
- Authors: Emuze, Fidelis Abumere
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Construction projects -- Management , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9678 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1642 , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Construction projects -- Management , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Management
- Description: In general, dreams are conceived, ideas are conceptualised, and initiatives are embarked upon in order to alter the state of realities. Dreams change realities; when mechanisms are put in place to realise them, dreams succeed. However, anecdotal evidence as well as empirical findings has continued to reiterate the difficulties associated with realising dreams related to construction projects. Extending the „dream‟ analogy to the South African construction industry context therefore paints an uninspiring picture. Dreams associated with construction do not have a 100% chance of becoming realities as evident in reported poor project performance in the industry. Shattered dreams in the form of poor performing projects, poorly implemented construction processes, or worst, projects delivered at the expense of unexpected cost to the client as a direct result of poor H&S or time overruns, negate the intent of dreams. This thesis is primarily concerned with project performance related bottlenecks in South African construction. After an extensive review of related literature that entails the analysis of publications related to non-value adding activities (NVAAs), supply chain management (SCM), and system dynamics (SD) in the construction project management realm, an exhaustive mixed-mode quantitative survey was conducted among key participants in the South African infrastructure sector. Public sector clients, consulting engineers and contractors that were involved in civil engineering projects were surveyed repeatedly with approximately five survey instruments at convenient intervals. Results arising from the study, inter-alia, indicate that: an appreciable amount of NVAAs occur in South African construction; these NVAAs become further compounded when propagated into other value adding activities (VAAs) in the construction process; the identified NVAAs equally perpetrate the menace associated with poor performance to the detriment of the achievement of cost, H&S, quality, and time project targets, and the root cause of these NVAAs that often contribute to poor performance is not far from the much reported „shortage of skills‟ in South Africa. Notable contributions to the body of knowledge include SD models are extendable regardless of the source of their empirical data as evident in the qualitative models proposed in this study; within the SD domain, it is advisable to consider the „competence‟ of individuals assigned to tasks especially in a developing country as this study revealed that human resources issues predominate among the sources of NVAAs that eventuate in a range of poor project performance; the NVAAs that occur, and their causes on projects are perceived to be due to lapses and / or inadequacies that involved the entire construction supply chain; there is no single construction process / task that is immune from being affected by NVAAs; and within the South African, and by implication construction context generally iii in developing countries, the adequacy of required knowledge among project stakeholders is the most crucial determinant of project performance. As opposed to what is obtainable in developed countries, the construction industry in developing countries, particularly in South Africa, should take advantage of knowledge management (KM) techniques such as brainstorming, communities of practices, and face-to-face interactions. These techniques can be driven through appropriate mentorship programmes, industry focused built environment education, and other human resources driven avenues that do not necessarily require substantial investment in technologies, so that to a large extent organisations in the industry can prioritise KM, and thereafter, continually engage in it for future performance improvement. Using inferential statistical methods for hypotheses testing, and SD concepts for creating qualitative models led to a range of recommendations which, inter-alia, propose that halting the tide of NVAAs and poor performance requires the management of both tacit and explicit knowledge gained in construction; and most importantly, it requires the assurance that „competence‟ is the overriding criteria for selecting project partners, and also, for assigning either design or construction related activities to responsible parties involved in project realisation in South Africa. In effect, in order to engender a culture of continuous improvement in South African construction, other considerations should be subservient to „competence‟ in the construction supply chain. Competence must be located among everyone involved in project realisation, that is, enhancing the competence of all involved in project realisation is as good as ensuring performance improvement, which in turn, equates to the acceleration of project delivery in South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Improving project implementation in firms
- Authors: Hassen, Ismail
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8667 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1245 , Project management -- South Africa
- Description: Project implementation appears to be one the most difficult aspects of a manager’s job. The purpose of project management is to forecast or anticipate potential dangers and problems that may jeopardise the success of a project and then to plan, organise and control activities that will lead to the successful completion of projects in spite of all the envisaged risks. It is estimated that more than 80% of projects run late or over budget. Such failure often sinks small firms and erodes profits of larger organisations. Project implementation is therefore critical to the success of both small and big firms. The primary objective of this study is to improve project management in firms by investigating the variables that influence project implementation. More specifically, the study investigates the influence of organisational communication, leadership, business process management and resistance to change on project implementation. The sample consisted of 170 employees in a cross-section of industries. The sample was stratified to include senior managers, managers, supervisors and lower level employees. The empirical results show that organisational communication, participatory leadership, retention of the status quo and goal-oriented leadership increase project implementation, while resistance to change decreases project implementation.
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- Date Issued: 2010
Influences on construction project delivery time
- Authors: Olatunji, Aiyetan Ayodeji
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Technological innovations -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Labor productivity -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9681 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1548 , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Technological innovations -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Labor productivity -- South Africa
- Description: Construction delays are a global phenomenon. Factors causing construction delays in construction projects differ from country to country, due to different prevailing conditions. The prevailing conditions that could exert an influence on project delivery time are: political, economic, and physical factors as well as level of technological development; management style, and construction techniques. The construction industry is a major player in the economy, generating both employment and wealth. However, many projects experience extensive delays and thereby exceed initial time and cost estimates. This study aims at determining the causes of delays in project delivery in South Africa; evolving interventions, and developing a model for the delivery of projects on time. Inferential and linear regression statistical tools were used in the analysis of data for the study. The sample population consists of architects, builders, quantity surveyors, structural engineers, and clients, and the metropolitan cities of five provinces constituted the geographical delimitation of the study. The provinces are: Eastern Cape; Free State; Gauteng; KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape. The metropolitan cities are: Bloemfontein; Cape Town; Durban; Johannesburg, and Port Elizabeth. Findings which negatively influence project delivery time in South Africa include the following: lack of adequate planning; management style; the lack of constructability reviews of designs; inadequate motivation of workers; economic policies; lack of prompt payment to contractors, and quality of management during design and construction. Recommendations include: (1) The introduction of the following courses in built environment tertiary education � quality management competences; operational planning; design management, and generic management; (2) pre-qualification of suppliers; (3) inclusion of the following in tender documentation � human resource schedule; plant and equipment schedule; quality assurance plan, and work schedule; (4) appointment of materials specialists on a large projects; (5) the model developed should be adopted for use in the South African construction industry for the delivery of projects on time, and (6) the linear regression equation: Y = 13.1159 + 1.1341x or 35.3 percent addition on time for the estimation of project delivery time.
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- Date Issued: 2010
The risks of civil engineering project development in emerging nations
- Authors: Fyvie, Richard Michael
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Engineering -- Management , Engineering firms -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Civil engineering -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8632 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1481 , Engineering -- Management , Engineering firms -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Management , Project management -- South Africa , Civil engineering -- Africa
- Description: This research reviews the challenges and obstacles confronting multinational civil engineering consulting and contracting companies seeking to conduct project developments within Emerging Markets, specifically with regard to the regions of Africa and the Middle East. With the increasing convergence of the global economy towards an interconnected and co-dependant system, the emerging economies of previously underdeveloped parts of the world are now capturing the focus of the civil engineering industry as the primary area of operation. Multinational companies that historically were restricted to construction of the developed world must now adapt and reposition themselves with a footprint in these emerging markets, if they are to take advantage of the changing conditions within the global infrastructure construction industry. For companies historically unfamiliar with operating in Africa and the Middle East, a plethora of potential risks are associated with project development. This research incorporated a substantial literature study that determined a number of critical issues that directly and indirectly influence a company’s ability to complete a project within time and under budget. The literature bank was then tested against the expert opinions of four selected respondents utilising a case study research methodology, as detailed by Yin (1994: 1-17). The respondents represented two selected civil engineering consulting firms, one based in a developed country with an extensive interest in the Middle East, and the other based in an emerging country itself, with operations throughout Africa. The outcome of the research ii highlighted several internal risk factors affecting development in Africa and the Middle East, such as capacity, staff experience, available resources and corporate culture. External factors were, however, the primary focus of respondents’ feedback, and included the reliability of energy supply in the target country, the condition of the built infrastructure such as roads and ports, tax rates and cost of finance, the prevalence of corruption as well as the risk of civil conflict and political instability. The Project Risk Guideline was the final output of this research process, which represented a synthesis between the literature review, the case study investigations as well as synthesis of various accepted risk evaluation techniques. The Guideline is a stage-gate sequential process, and may be utilised by civil engineering consulting or contracting firms with an interest in risk profiling and mitigation for project developments in emerging nations.
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- Date Issued: 2010
An investigation of ICT project management techniques for sustainable ICT projects in rural development
- Authors: Pade, Caroline Ileje
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1140 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002769 , Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Description: Poverty alleviation by means of rural development has become a priority among developing countries. In turn, rural development may be significantly enhanced and supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the use of which is highlighted by the emerging importance of information and knowledge as key strategic resources for social and economic development. An analysis of rural case studies where ICTs have been introduced, suggests that there are a number of barriers and constraints that are faced when taking advantage of these technologies. These include access to infrastructure, limited formal education, insufficient training and capacity building, financial and political constraints, and social and cultural challenges. These challenges threaten the success and sustainability of rural ICT projects. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project; therefore it is important to understand the concept and categories associated with ICT project sustainability in rural areas. The categories of sustainability which include social and cultural, institutional, economic, political, and technological, reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in the implementation and management of rural ICT projects. The project management discipline acknowledges the importance of understanding the project’s environment, particularly environmental factors associated with rural communities. The complexity of the environment therefore implies the need for a project to be undertaken in phases comprising the project life cycle. Project management practice for rural ICT project sustainability can therefore be examined, adapting the traditional project life cycle to a rural ICT project. A Rural ICT Project Life Cycle (RICT-PLC) that is sensitive to the critical success factors of sustainability is therefore proposed. In order to further investigate the phases of the life cycle of a rural ICT project, two case study investigations are explored: the Dwesa ICT community project, and the Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project (RUMEP) (MathsNet). A multiple case study analysis confirms the practices associated with the RICT-PLC model, and identifies additional characteristics, phases and practices associated with rural ICT projects. Finally, an enhanced RICT-PLC model is developed, that sets sustainability guidelines for ICT project management in rural areas and identifies the people, environments, technologies, systems, and requirements for ICTs to support rural development activities.
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- Date Issued: 2007
Assessing the effectiveness of project management practices in the South African communications industry
- Authors: Smith, Michael
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Telkom (Firm : South Africa) Management , Project management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10918 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/77 , Telkom (Firm : South Africa) Management , Project management -- South Africa
- Description: In many organisations, project management is no longer a separately identified function, but is entrenched in the overall management of the business. The typical project management environment has become multi-project. Most of the project decisions require consideration of schedule, resource and cost concerns on other project work, necessitating the review and evaluation of multi-project data. Resource management is at least as important as schedule (time) management. Functional managers, supporting multiple projects with shared and limited resources, need to know the demands on their resources and the impact of new project loads and changing priorities. This means that the effectiveness of project management is not only influenced by the function itself, but it permeates throughout the entire organisation, for which the overriding goal is to survive and prosper in a competitive environment. The research problem of this study is to assess how effective project management practices in the South African communications’ industry are, by using Telkom SA as the selected target group. The research method employed was to first identify the best practices of project management, by focusing on generally accepted standards and practices, that is those which are particularly effective in helping an organisation to achieve its objectives. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) which is considered to be the international standard for project management, was used as the framework for identifying the best practices. The identified best practices were used as an assessment tool to determine to what extent these practices are applied in Telkom SA.
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- Date Issued: 2002