In this ever-changing business environment, organisations continuously try to improve their competitive position in the marketplace. In the excitement of such quests, organisations are bombarded with various change programs that have been developed, marketed, introduced, and implemented by various agencies, both locally and internationally. Program and Project Management is no exception. In fact, many times, the term project has been so loosely used to the extent that it has lost its real definition.
Rapid changes in both technology and the market place have created enormous strains on existing organisation’s make up. Traditional structures that are highly bureaucratic can no longer respond fast enough to the continuously changing environments. This must be replaced by other temporary management organisation structures that are highly organic, fluidic, and responsive.
Project Management is not new! Although unsupported, the history of project management can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian era. Coupled with the advancement in management technology, project management has evolved into a more formal and structured management approach to implementing projects effectively and efficiently.
It was observed that, the acceptance of the project management approach has never been easy. The approach departs from the traditional business form that is functional, vertical, and hierarchical with a strong emphasis on the chain of command. This represents one of the many challenges to any project manager.
However, the biggest challenge that any project manager will face is the project itself. Orchestrating the total organisational effort in managing the interplay between the technical, financial, and political realities of any project demands significant effort.
ISBN 1-4251-0904-7
TRAPPED IN BETWEEN is about the global realities in managing projects. It is about people trying to understand what makes their project works or makes it worse! Project managers discovered that, attempting to balance projects purely on technical and financial viabilities were never good enough and has often led to many disappointments. The “circus of project failures” demanded that somebody or something to take the fall. Set against a typical major global company in Malaysia, this book amplifies the underlying realities that affect projects and project management as a whole. It is about the “DOPer Syndrome” that suffered by many “fresh blood” induced into the company and the realities of project’s politics that has long rooted within many organisations. If juggling the projects basing on just technical and financial realities are project managers’ nightmares, inclusion of political realities will make any project manager delusional!
An excellent case study material for program and project management subject. Available at Amazon.com or direct from Trafford Publishing. Candidates attending this module can order a personalised autographed copy from the lecturer.
