Project Management Challenges Research Articles

A Review of the Most Significant Challenges Impacting Conventional Project Management Success

To remain competitive, it is important for organizations to be aware of the success factors for effective conventional project management. It is equally important for them to develop knowledge about project management challenges and how such challenges can be addressed. Organizations and their project management teams are influenced by the three categories of enablers, limitations, and challenges. In this article, a review was carried out to highlight the challenges impacting the effectiveness of conventional project management. The review process comprised of identifying the research question; identifying relevant references; selecting studies; charting the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting results. This process resulted in the inclusion of eight relevant references. Based on the frequency of challenge occurrence, the following five significant challenges have been identified: communication, control, competence, culture, and complexity. Complementarity and dependence links between these five challenges have been highlighted in this article. In this article, some project management challenges may not be presented. Due to the selected databases, search terms, chosen publications, and the authors’ assessment, the research may have some limitations. Furthermore, the challenges of conventional project management can partly be overcome by a mixture of other project management methods and identified recommendations.

Diagnosing project management in a research center using the current reality tree method / Diagnóstico da gestão de projetos em um centro de pesquisa usando o método atual de árvore de realidade

University research centers must manage projects for technological research that broadens the knowledge frontier as well as deal with industrial partners to foster entrepreneurship and always plan deliveries demanded by funding agencies. The literature addresses the necessity of project management skills and methods to minimize challenges. However, few studies bring the perceptions of the internal stakeholders. This paper analyzed and raised the main challenges of project management in one research center using the Current Reality Tree method through a case study. As a result, it was possible to verify three leading root causes of difficulties on project management, planning and controlling, and communication with funding agencies.

PROJECT MATURITY ASSESSMENT MODEL DEDICATED TO THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN OFFICE

The parallel implementation of many projects in an organization is a big challenge for Project Managers. While simultaneously managing many projects, it is important to define the dimensions necessary for coordination in order to obtain comprehensive management information regarding both specialized projects and all general project trends implemented across the organization. The lack of comprehensive coordination between the above factors often leads to failure to achieve the assumed results. The aim of the paper is to establish assumptions for criteria to assess the design maturity of an organization. Taking into account the need to analyse the above goal, the author developed the assumptions of the model by assessing the design maturity of the organization on the basis of research carried out in the engineering and design offices.

Review Paper on an Innovative Time-Cost-Quality Tradeoff Modeling of Building Construction Project Based on Resource Allocation

The time, quality, and cost are three important but contradictive objectives in a building construction project. It is a tough challenge for project managers to optimize them since they are different parameters. Tradeoffs between project duration, total cost, quality and risk are extensively discussed in the project scheduling. This paper tries to develop a Time, Cost and Quality optimization model that enables managers to optimize multi objectives. The model is from the project break down structure method where task resources in a construction project are divided in to series of activities and further in to construction labors, materials, equipment and administration. Quality is an important parameter correlating highly with time and cost parameters .But it is not a quantitative in nature , practical time cost , quality tradeoff models are seldom developed from previous research works of the literature. Although the objectives of cost and time must be mentioned frequently by natural numbers. This paper will present a new solution for solving time, cost, and quality tradeoff problem based on project break down structure method and task resource allocation. The resource utilized in a construction activity would eventually determine its construction time, cost, quality tradeoff model is finally generated based on correlations between construction activities.

The Role of Digital and Virtual Teams in Project Management: Zambia Centre for Communications

The study was designed to explore the role of digital and virtual teams in project management. The study addressed three specific objectives and these were: To identify the benefits of digital and virtual teams in project management; to compare and contrast the elements and components of virtual project management and the traditional project management and to establish challenges of the digital and virtual teams in project management. Within a standard quantitative research methodology, the study used an embedded mixed methods design, which entailed the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Questionnaires and interviews were utilized to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from 80 individuals who were chosen for their purpose and convenience. The study established the following as benefits for teams working in remote: Less efforts required, flexible scheduling, lack of commute, cost saving, reduced anxiety/stress, freedom of travel/relocate, reduced office politics and able to live where ever one wanted. With regard to the second objective, the study established that in both modes of project management, there was diversity in national background and culture. There was also communication, setting of goals to be achieved and evaluation of the project outcomes in both modes. Virtual teams, on the other hand, were very different from regular teams. Members of traditional teams worked close to one another, but members of virtual teams worked in various locations. A virtual team also functioned beyond place, time, and organizational boundaries, with linkages strengthened by webs of communication technology, unlike a typical team. On the third objective, the study etablished that virtual project management challenges were categorised into seven classes thus: communication; isolation and confusion; developing trust; performance, diversity and virtual work-cycle management; free ride; cultural differences; and time zones. Based on the findings, the study recommends that to avoid the aspect of employee isolation, project managers must frequently use audio-video calls during virtual meetings. Second, virtual managers and their employers should build on the perceived benefits found in this study both before and throughout the development and management of virtual project teams.

Risk Propagation in Multilayer Heterogeneous Network of Coupled System of Large Engineering Project

Because of the long duration, multiplicity of technical disciplines, large number of project stakeholders, and high levels of complexity and uncertainty, project risk propagation control in large engineering projects (LEPs) is an enormous challenge for project managers. Although previous research has attained many risk propagation achievements regarding complex systems, complex coupled system modeling ignores the heterogeneity of the organizational structure of the actual LEPs, which affects the reliability of the calculated risk propagation results. To bridge this gap, this paper abstracts the LEP structure into a multilayer heterogeneous network comprising the stakeholder network and the project schedule network and proposes a method for characterizing the coupling relationship between two layers of the heterogeneous network. Then, the multiple uncertainties in risk propagation are greatly considered, and a risk propagation model is established based on the multilayer heterogeneous network and improved related schedule risk analysis model (CSRAM). Finally, the proposed model is applied to determine the delayed payment risk propagation in an actual LEP to verify the feasibility of the proposed model. The results indicate the following: (1) the delayed payment risk of a stakeholder evolves into a delay in the entire project; (2) several groups of comparative simulation experiments show that the proposed model, which considers multiple uncertainties and actual networks, includes more comprehensive and valuable risk information; (3) the multiple uncertainties of risk propagation are gradually superimposed with the increase in the number of construction activities affected by risk propagation; and (4) controlling for risk factors that have a high degree of influence and a large negative impact is an effective measure for blocking risk propagation across multilayer networks. This research lays an important foundation for risk propagation control in LEPs and contributes to the extension of the current theory of risk propagation in complex systems.

What drives project management success in developing countries? The case of Ghana

Many projects in developing countries (DCs) have been recognised as crucial forces for poverty reduction and making people’s lives easier. Despite their relevance, projects in these countries typically fail or are abandoned before completion. Recent calls suggest that projects in DCs are multifaceted, interdependent and of a complex nature; consequently, they are influenced by various factors that are specific to these territories, requiring new research efforts that delve deeper into the particularities of this specific setting. Literature on project management success (PMS) in DCs is very limited, and the existing attempts either rely on PMS factors for developed countries and/or use conventional variable-oriented analyses that are not transferrable to the context of DCs. Aiming to shed new light on the factors that shape PMS in DCs, this study examines both the configurational and the independent influence of three factors that have been emphasised in PM literature as determinants of PMS. To achieve this objective, a survey was conducted among 215 project manager practitioners in Ghana. First, we validate the factors’ structure obtained from literature. Next, we examine the configurational influence of these factors on PMS in DCs, complementing the findings with robustness checks. Our results support the existence of distinct pathways, suggesting that there is no unique recipe, but different strategies that can be followed. The study concludes with a series of recommendations that are expected to help engineers and project managers in DCs understand and deal with project management challenges.

Integrated EDM and 4D BIM-Based Decision Support System for Construction Projects Control

Project schedule monitoring and controlling are critical challenges of construction project management that are not adequately implemented, likely due to the predominance of earned value management and the lack of utilizing technology, such as BIM tools. Unlike earned value, earned duration management (EDM) was developed, which includes several indices to track schedule progress and measure the performance of a schedule. The goal of this research was to establish a decision support system to track and monitor construction project activities during construction, with better performance and accuracy. A survey was conducted and distributed among ten site engineers, selected from different construction sites. The survey asked the site engineers about the possible durations of certain activities; based on their answers, the authors started the proposed system. In this study, we aimed to develop a decision support system (DSS), which combines BIM with EDM to help calculate probabilistic total project duration, visually detecting critical activities, monitoring visually risky activities subjected to delay and visually categorizing the accuracy of estimated duration for delayed activities.

Augmenting small enterprise operations with technology: the case of kraft therapy foundation in a user-centred design

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: to explore the challenges associated with Information System Project Management; to explore how to navigate certain Information System Project Management challenges and make recommendations on how to address them; and to evaluate the application of user-centred design. Case overview/synopsis This case looks at the small to medium enterprises (SMEs) Digitisation project that was initiated by Dr Ndiege, Assistant Professor of Information Systems, and a team of faculty at the School of Science and Technology, United States International University – Africa in Kenya. Dr Ndiege is considering the project in September 2020 and its future viability. The project called for computer science students to voluntarily assist in developing an online presence for local SMEs. The idea is to help cushion them against the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Ndiege looks at the details of the project through the eyes of team leader Sylvie Sarabwe and her encounters on the project. She leads a team of four students in a user-centered design to develop a website for social enterprise Kraft Therapy Foundation (KTF), located in Kibera slums within Nairobi County, Kenya. Sylvie must navigate the client relationship with KTF. But she soon starts to experience the difficulties involved with navigating this process. For Sylvie, it quickly dawns on her that a user-centred design project requires both hard and the soft skills to successfully deliver the final project. By the conclusion of the case, Dr Ndiege recognises the multitude of issues that this project ultimately faces. Complexity academic level The primary target audience for this teaching case is undergraduate information technology students, especially students in software application design and project management with little or no work experience. The case is clearly structured and the length of the case lends itself to the audience. It does not contain excessive or irrelevant information. Hence, learners have more time to focus on the application questions presented. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 7: Management Science.

Agile project management challenge in handling scope and change: A systematic literature review

Uncertainty has become a challenge in project management during the age of the Covid-19 pandemic. Project management required a more flexible and dynamic approach; therefore, it is believed that Agile project management could provide a solution to this problem. Agile has been widely used in multiple industry areas as a practical and flexible approach in project management practices. In the project, the scope is considered one aspect that can directly affect the budget and timing. Unfortunately, it seems to be one of the most neglected domains in Agile and conventional. Agile is recognized for its rapid improvement as well as its willingness to embrace change. However, uncontrolled change can potentially delay and make the project overspend. This paper aims to examine the challenges and discover the best practices in handling scope and change in Agile. A systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out through the literature sources, which entailed IEEE Explore, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insight, ProQuest, and Wiley Online. The finding was seven categories, and eighteen issues were found. Then twenty-four best practices were mapped to the challenges. We found the most significant challenge came from People & Organization, User Requirement Prioritization, Over-scope Requirement, and Communication & Coordination. Those areas are considered the most significant challenge because they can create delays and overspend in the project.

Competency Requirement for Project Manager in Improving Sustainable Construction Project Success

The role of project manager become more complex as the construction industry is focusing on sustainable development. Competencies of a project manager are critical in reducing the encountered challenges in improving sustainable construction project success. However, lack of competency among project managers and mismanagement are among critical problems in the Malaysian construction industry. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to identify the key competencies needed by the project managers in managing the sustainable projects, to examine the key challenges for the project manager and to suggest the strategies for project managers in undertaking a successful sustainable construction project. The scope of this research is among the sustainable construction project practitioners in Kuala Lumpur due to the highest number of sustainable projects registered as recorded in the latest executive summary of the Green Building Index (GBI). The quantitative method was used to collect data from respondents by distributing questionnaires through e-mail and WhatsApp applications. The collected data from 47 responses which representing 31% of the sample size was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The results of the study have shown the key competencies needed by the project managers in successfully managing sustainable construction projects are namely professionalism, emotional resilience and stress tolerance and negotiation skills. The study also identified the key challenges for project managers are including inefficient decision-making and lack of sustainability concept knowledge. In addition, the research also suggested some strategies for project managers to undertake sustainable construction project includes analyzing and mitigating the threat, corrective action plan, and efficient resource allocation. In conclusion, all parties in the construction industry especially project manager needs to play an important role in improving their competency towards the success of sustainable construction project in Malaysia.

Adoption of Project Management Methodology and Challenges Faced: A Comparative Analysis between Government IT Sector and IT Organisations in the Corporate Sector in Kerala

Adoption of a Project Management methodology is highly critical in the success of projects in any domain. It is imperative that a matured project management methodology is significant in the successful implementation of projects. Various Project management methodologies such as PMBOK, Waterfall, PRINCE2, Agile, etc. are followed in different domains including IT. Yet challenges remain and very few projects are able to adopt these methodologies for project success. This paper covers a comparative analysis between corporate IT organisations operating in Kerala and IT organisations owned by Government of Kerala. The paper aims to identify the project management methodology, the level of project management practices, the reasons for project failures and the challenges in the adoption of a Project management framework. The study was conducted among 50 employees of four IT organisations in Government sector and 50 employees of Corporate IT sector in the state of Kerala, India. The focus is to understand the differences in project management practices, specific challenges in adoption of Project Management methodology between Government IT sector and Corporate IT organizations in Kerala. This study aims to enhance in the current practices of project management to create more successful projects in IT domain in Government Sector.

Integrated Approach to Construction Risk Management: Cost Implications

Managing risk in construction projects has proven to be a challenge for many project managers and stakeholders involved in projects. The lack of a systematic approach and standardized processes are key factors influencing improper risk management techniques. This research introduces a new model to evaluate and assess risk in terms of cost impact, utilizing a fuzzy Monte Carlo simulation approach for the first time. The method consists of ranking the top risks using a fuzzy logic system utilized in an objective manner by setting criteria for experts to rank the risk based on cost impact and probability to reduce human biases, then evaluating their cost impact through a Monte Carlo simulation both pre- and postmitigation. This work proposes a new strategy to elicit risk for construction projects based on risk cost impact, project type, project location, project contract type, and project delivery method. Based on the findings, implementation of a risk mitigation response plan can decrease the project cost remarkably. This model proved to be beneficial in forecasting risk impact when executed on a commercial construction project in California. This model can be applied as a general tool for risk mitigation processes for the construction industry.

Corruption and international development: a review of project management challenges

PurposeThe outcomes and quality of international development projects (IDPs) remain highly controversial, especially with perception of corruption by various stakeholders. This study aims to integrate findings from both social and administrative sciences to focus attention on the governance challenges involved in both business and public administration of such projects. It also asks to what extent Project Management (PM) methods can effectively be harmonized with broader anti-corruption initiative in both donor and receiving countries.Design/methodology/approachTaking a transdisciplinary viewpoint, this study proposes a review and synthesis of the literature on the theoretical, methodological, and epistemological issues in researching corruption as a construct in PM as applied to IDPs.FindingsSome experts recognize the inefficacy of applying classical PM tools and processes. By contrasting the literature, this study concludes that an alternative approach to overcome the taboos and prejudice in studying corruption is to ask a different research question. As opposed to studying “who and why” about corruption occurrences (ex-post), given the challenge of unveiling its practices and motivations, PM researchers can to ask instead “where and how” it occurs and help understand methods to mitigate its effects on projects (ex-ante).Originality/valueA research agenda is proposed for the several disciplines and fields concerned with solving this phenomenon. To guide PM research on development projects, focusing on the “where and how” of corruption requires addressing how actors build their knowledge management capabilities and address the social and cultural challenges inherent to IDPs.

Information technology governance practices and stakeholder management: A multinational organisational perspective

The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship of information technology (IT) governance practices and stakeholder management within global IT projects. Having IT governance in place is one thing, but practicability in the project is another challenge for project managers. While the practice of governance is still a challenge to implement, stakeholder management within the context of IT governance adds complexity to managing local and foreign stakeholders that span country borders. This article provides an understanding of how IT governance and stakeholder management are inseparable when implementing global IT projects. Interviews were used to determine the industry best practices for multinational organisations and project practitioners’ experience in the implementation of global IT projects. The results highlight the link between stakeholder management and specific IT governance practices for proactively implementing global IT projects. A relationship management approach for project managers and other key project players to link both IT governance and stakeholder engagement is required. From a practical standpoint, the study explored the practitioners’ experience and practices of IT governance implementation in line with stakeholder management in various global IT projects.

Main Tendencies and Challenges of Project Management In local Self-Governments

The article examines topical issues of work on projects and their implementation in local government bodies, analyzes the existing practice and the current situation. The study analyzes the legal basis for attracting budget funds for the development of local self-government, the procedure for preparing project applications, interaction with donor organizations and partners, as well as problems and opportunities in this area. The emphasis is on such aspects as the selection of projects for the competition, the role of the project manager in preparing a high-quality project proposal, the possibility of cooperation with NGOs, the presence of a team, the cooperation of municipalities, villages, communities, and communities in the preparation and implementation of joint projects. The analysis of the current situation, dynamics, and main trends in the development of project activities in local government bodies was carried out; the experience of cities and villages is compared. The main attention is paid to the prospects for the development of territorial units, potential areas of project activities. The author notes that one of the main obstacles to the successful work of the project in local governments is the lack of human resources and experienced specialists. The author focuses on the need for constant practical work and support from external experts who can advise and improve the qualifications of project management specialists. Keywords: decentralization, project management, local government, donors, projects.

Main Tendencies and Challenges of Project Management In local Self-Governments

The article examines topical issues of work on projects and their implementation in local government bodies, analyzes the existing practice and the current situation. The study analyzes the legal basis for attracting budget funds for the development of local self-government, the procedure for preparing project applications, interaction with donor organizations and partners, as well as problems and opportunities in this area. The emphasis is on such aspects as the selection of projects for the competition, the role of the project manager in preparing a high-quality project proposal, the possibility of cooperation with NGOs, the presence of a team, the cooperation of municipalities, villages, communities, and communities in the preparation and implementation of joint projects. The analysis of the current situation, dynamics, and main trends in the development of project activities in local government bodies was carried out; the experience of cities and villages is compared. The main attention is paid to the prospects for the development of territorial units, potential areas of project activities. The author notes that one of the main obstacles to the successful work of the project in local governments is the lack of human resources and experienced specialists. The author focuses on the need for constant practical work and support from external experts who can advise and improve the qualifications of project management specialists. Keywords: decentralization, project management, local government, donors, projects.

Project Management Challenges in Implementing Business Intelligence Approach inside Organizations

One of the key pillars of organizations for a long time has been to build successful businesses, conquer new markets and overcome turning points in the functioning of their products and services. In practical terms the managers of the companies had to answer to a simple and complex question in the same time, not only towards investors, but as well towards themselves: “How should be managed the company with the available resources in an effective way to arrive to the planned results?” Between the lines this question addresses the path to be adopted by each organization to link the mission with the vision and with the objectives to be met. For many practitioners in the field the answer to the above-mentioned question is rather modest: “the implementation of a business intelligence approach”. As we are in the age of knowledge management and the information is characterized by large scale availability, many would say that the answer is quite easy to implement. Nevertheless, professionals with experience would treat with a certain amount of respect this field and would say this has been among the challenges of their career and supported them in understanding better the dynamics of organizations. Present research paper, links itself to this scenario and would start from the premises that implementing a business intelligence approach constitutes a “must have” for an organization, rather than a “nice to have”. It aims at identifying the challenges behind such projects, trying to deliver at the end some answers to the main tests identified.

Candid Critters: Challenges and Solutions in a Large-Scale Citizen Science Camera Trap Project

Citizen science projects that use sensors (such as camera traps) to collect data can collect large-scale data without compromising information quality. However, project management challenges are increased when data collection is scaled up. Here, we provide an overview of our efforts to conduct a large-scale citizen science project using camera traps—North Carolina’s Candid Critters. We worked with 63 public libraries to distribute camera traps to volunteers in all 100 counties in North Carolina, USA. Candid Critters engaged 580 volunteers to deploy cameras at 4,295 locations across private and public lands, collecting 120,671 wildlife records and 2.2 million photographs. We provide eight key suggestions for overcoming challenges in study design, volunteer recruitment and management, equipment distribution, outreach, training, and data management. We found that citizen science was a successful and economical method for collecting large-scale wildlife records, and the use of sensors allowed for inspectable quality and streamlined acquisition. In three years, we collected roughly five times the number of verified mammal records than were previously available in North Carolina, and completed the work for less than the typical cost of collecting data with field assistants. The project also yielded many positive outcomes for adult and youth volunteers. Although citizen science presents many challenges, we hope that sharing our experiences will provide useful insight for those hoping to use sensors for citizen science over large scales.

Exploring Private Finance Initiative Implementation Issues in Malaysia Construction Projects: A Way Forward

Private Finance Initiative (PFI) was introduced in 2006 aimed at achieving value for money. Nevertheless, most of the PFI projects in Malaysia are currently facing difficulties in meeting the expectation. Therefore, a brainstorming workshop involving 69 PFI practitioners from diverse backgrounds was conducted to investigate the implementation issues at the operational level and strategies towards achieving the project goals. The results showed that skills and knowledge, procedures and implementation, challenges in project management, and conflict on documentation were among the issues debated among workshop participants. “Loopholes” were identified to facilitate the improvement of the PFI project implementation in Malaysia. Keywords: Operational Performance; Private Finance Initiative (PFI); Issues; Strategies. eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bsby e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI3.2531