Project Management Skills Research Articles

Prospects and Challenges of Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education: University of Dar es Salaam Experience

The development of skills and competences is a fundamental objective of capacity-building projects in order to achieve successful long-lasting outcomes. This study is about factors that influence effective implementation of capacity-building projects at the University of Dar es Salaam. For it is necessary that capacity building projects implemented by higher education institutions achieve a standard of performance that results into better and sustainable outputs. The study was guided by a qualitative research approach and a case study design. It involved five selected capacity-building projects at the University of Dar es Salaam. The sample included respondents from both members of top management, stakeholders and project beneficiaries. The study revealed that among the three successful of the five selected capacity-building initiatives each achieved the majority of its primary objectives. Among the elements that helped these projects succeed were the careful objective-setting and execution that come from committed and qualified leaders. The study learned in order for a project to succeed, dedicated full-time supervisors and operators who are specialized in that field and possess in-depth project management skills are needed. The following are recommended among others: a charter outlining the precise responsibilities of each management entity and participants, better disbursement of cash and decentralisation of responsibilities. Keywords: Higher education, Capacity building, Projects, Success factors, Challenges

Effects of knowledge, experience and coordinationon cost certainty for structural engineering designs of high-rise building projectsin Nairobi, Kenya

Clients are increasingly demanding a high degree of cost certainty from their project design teams to ensure that their building projects are completed within the budgeted resources. However, this objective has been negated by various challenges that unfortunately cause budget overruns. This study investigated the effects of experience and project management skills on Change Orders for Structural Engineering High-Rise Buildings in Nairobi County, Kenya. Data was collected from 150 consulting Civil Engineers drawn from the Engineers Board of Kenya register using a web-based structured questionnaire. Analysis of variance and Chi-square tests showed that coordination and experience directly correlated to cost certainty at 5% confidence level. Design coordination significantly helped to narrow gaps for cost certainty as well enhancing better understanding of the project scope. The level of professional experience was found to be critical for problem solving, effective use of design software, quality control of design and documentation and integration. Therefore, professional experience and coordination played a critical role in the reduction of cost overruns during the construction of high-rise buildings in Nairobi.

Moving towards Quality Academic Project Development using Program Specific Research Activities in Engineering Education

Abstract: To improve engineering education quality of student, project is a major concern. Project experience provides a major pathway for student’s career either for their professional career or upgrading the qualification through Post Graduation or Ph.D. in Engineering. Being a very practical field, it requires experience and exposure to the real world to be expertise and successful in a certain domain. Project work integrates hands-on experiences with education which facilitate them while they are on their job desk and are being appreciated for their updated knowledge. Quality projects require effective project management. It is observed that there is very less studies done on the project management skills required for the engineering graduates. This will assist the students to learn and adequately apply their knowledge in their future project work which will help them to convey a superior focused on and more significant projects. To strengthen student project development, there is a need to incorporate innovative practices through set of program specific research activities with defined strategies. Also program specific research activities will attain higher values for program outcome. Keywords: Quality Academic Project Development, Program Specific Research Activities, Program Outcome

Factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as construction contract administrators (CCA)

PurposeVarious studies have been conducted to explore the factors that are important to be considered for the effectiveness of construction contract administration (CCA) but lack in the context of graduate architects. The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA and possible methods to enhance their work efficiency through developing the relevant skills in a changing construction environment.Design/methodology/approachThis paper identified the factors that influence the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA through the quantitative methods. General skill elements that are perceived as essential for the effectiveness of CCA had been investigated through a survey of graduate architects in the construction industry. One hundred and twenty-seven completed questionnaires returned were analyzed and tested using descriptive analysis and relative important index (RII).FindingsThe result from the study showed that the factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as CCA are building construction skills, design management skills, project management skills, soft skills and dispute resolution skills.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study can be utilized for developing models/tools in the future that would improve the work performance of graduate architects in CCA. Educators may utilize this study to improve their syllabus to cater to the market's demand and facilitate students' entry into the labor market.

Training young water professionals in leadership and transdisciplinary competencies for sustainable water management in India

AbstractYoung water professionals (YWPs) have a critical role in ensuring how water resources will be managed to contribute towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To address the challenges of climate change, population growth, and urbanization, YWPs require leadership skills, transdisciplinary competencies, technical knowledge, and practical experience. This article presents the India YWP training program, led by Western Sydney University and the Australia India Water Centre (AIWC), aimed at developing a cohort of skilled YWPs and nurturing the next generation of water leaders in support of India's water reform agenda and the National Water Mission. The program engaged 20 YWPs, consisting of an equal gender representation, selected by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from various water management agencies and departments across India. The 11‐month training program was designed to be transformative and interactive, and it used an online platform comprising online lectures, mentoring, and project‐based learning facilitated by the AIWC team. The training methodology focused on engaged learning, incorporating online workshops, Situation Understanding and Improvement Projects (SUIPs), online group discussions, and mentoring. The SUIPs provided a platform for YWPs to work in pairs, receiving guidance from AIWC members, enabling them to develop practical skills and knowledge in real‐world contexts. The program effectively enhanced participants' capacities in project planning, design, implementation, and management, while fostering critical thinking and problem‐solving skills by adopting transdisciplinary approaches. Furthermore, participants demonstrated improved leadership, project management, time management, and communication skills. The training helped YWPs to equip them with a holistic perspective and stakeholder‐focused mindset to address diverse water challenges from a holistic and long‐term standpoint.

Influence of Project Funding on Implementation of Government-Funded Projects in Imenti North Sub-County, Meru County

Monitoring and evaluation is a critical component of project design, execution, and management. Kenyan county administrations have been carrying out development projects since 2013, but the completion of some of the development projects has faced serious implementation challenges. This study analysed the monitoring and evaluation practices that influence the implementation of a project that is financed by funds from the government. The targeted population comprised 113 staff working in the selected five departments in Meru County Government that deal with projects at the sub-county level. A sample size of 92 staff participated in the study. Staff was selected using the proportionate stratified together with a simple random sampling technique, while all heads of department were purposively picked. A questionnaire was distributed to staff while HODs were interviewed. Piloting enabled checking the reliability and validity of instruments. The mean and standard deviation helped to summarise the collected data. The results indicated that project funding, competencies of a project manager, employee capacity building and community participation were empirically confirmed to have significant weight on the successful implementation of projects. The study noted that reliable revenue streams, standards, best practices, and a well-designed financial plan are essential for the successful implementation of projects. The study recommends the need for the county government to allocate sufficient funding at the project’s inception to facilitate the acquisition of requisite equipment and finance initial operational activities. The government departments at the county level should prioritise enhancing the project management skills of staff involved in projects. The finishing of the identified projects is indispensable; hence, the results will change the manner in which government-funded projects are implemented by the county government.

Impact of project management competence and complexities on the performance of mega engineering projects in Pakistan

This study examines Pakistan's public engineering projects' success based on project complexity and management expertise, using 100 questionnaires and developing hypotheses to evaluate organisational, technical, and environmental factors. Results indicate that project performance is positively linked to Project Management (PM) competence, underscoring the significance of skilled project managers in achieving favourable outcomes. Furthermore, leadership, management skills, communication, ethics, and integrity are identified as key drivers of project performance. On the other hand, technical and organisational complexities were discovered to have a negative influence, although environmental complexity did not significantly affect project performance. Several complexities, such as project objectives, tasks, and economic conditions, emerged as influential factors affecting project execution. This research contributes to PM theory, offering practical insights beneficial for project managers overseeing significant engineering endeavours and other professionals in this field. On a broader scale, the findings may inform governmental policies to enhance project performance, including qualifications for project managers. This study provides valuable guidance for addressing project complexities and improving project success within Pakistan's public engineering projects.

Factors Influencing Sustainability of Community Based Project in Rwanda: A Case of Imali Project

The main objective of this research study was to determine out the factors influencing sustainability of community-based project in Rwanda with Imali case project implemented by Imbuto Foundation in Gasabo, Kayonza, Huye, Musanze and Rubavu districts. The specific goals of the study are: to find out how community participation affects the sustainability of the Imali project; to find out how resource capacity affects the sustainability of the Imali project; and to find out how project management expertise affects the sustainability of the Imali project. Descriptive research used for this study, and it used both quantitative and qualitative methods. There were 359 persons in all included in the research, representing 9 different cooperatives. The simple size of 196 people was determined by using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula and the stratified random sampling used to allocate and deploy the calculated sample size in nine cooperatives proportionally to the size of each one. These showed that the human (age, education, management skills, population participation), economic (resource, purchase capacity), environment (market, calamity disaster) and greenhouse technology usage.  The results presented in tables, figures and cross tables among others and be analyzed by using the literature reviews and proceed by a conclusion and recommendation to the results obtained assuring that the intended beneficiaries and other relevant parties are set up for success once donor funding wanes. The regression analysis on model summary results that indicate the influence of community participation, community resource capacity and project management skills on sustainability of the Imali project. The results indicated R of .798, R square of 0.636 and adjusted R square 0.630 based on R square it shows that 63.60% of total variation on sustainability of Imali project explained by those factors. ANOVA shows that F=108.441 and p 0.000<0.05 which is set as the standard significance level. This means that the researcher can confirm there is an influence of community participation, community resource capacity and project management skills on sustainability of the Imali project. The management of agricultural cooperatives recommended to establish good and sustainable management that ensure sustainability, autonomy, and independency rather than always waiting the external support. Keywords: Sustainability, Community Based Project, Rwanda.

Peningkatan Keterampilan Pengelolaan Proyek Sistem Informasi Melalui Pelatihan Pembuatan Website Bagi Mahasiswa Universitas Muhammadiyah Jambi

This community service aims to enhance the information systems project management skills of students through website development training. The methods employed include initial study, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The results of the community service demonstrate the successful improvement of students' information systems project management skills through the training and website development activities. Evaluation using questionnaires reveals that all students rated the training as "good". Moreover, the community service proved to be effective in achieving the goal of enhancing students' skills. Recommendations include the continuation of sustained training, further exploration of theoretical concepts, collaboration with industry partners, and ongoing evaluation. The theoretical implications highlight the applicability of information systems project management concepts in website development.

Project Management Skills, People Management Skills, and Operational Excellence of Construction Project Managers in Private Construction Management Services

This study was conducted to determine the level of project management skills, people management skills and operational excellence of construction project managers in private construction services. The respondents were the project management team composed of 215 engineers, architects, technical staff and document controllers fairly distributed to the three business units. The study utilized the descriptive correlational research method. Analysis of data revealed the following findings: The construction project managers had a high level of project management skills in terms of scope management skills, schedule management skills, resources management skills, risks management skills, and quality management skills (=3.62). The construction project manager had a very high level of people management skills in terms of integrity, influence and persuasion, leadership, and planning (= 3.64). In terms of operational excellence, the construction project managers obtained a very high level on customer focus, flexibility, and systematic problem solving (= 3.62). A significant relationship was noted between construction project manager’s project management skills and people management skills; a significant relationship was perceived between project manager’s project management skills and operational excellence; and a significant relationship was noted on people management skills and operational excellence. Based on the summary of findings, the following conclusions were drawn, (1) The construction project managers had a very high level of project management skills in terms of scope management skills, schedule management skills, cost management skills, resources management skills, risks management skills, and quality management skills. (2) The construction project managers had a very high level of people management skills in terms of integrity, influence and persuasion, leadership, and planning. (3) The construction project managers had a very high level of operational excellence in terms of customer focus, flexibility, and systematic problem-solving. (4) The higher the level of construction project manager’s project management skills, the higher the level of their people management skills. (5) The higher the level of construction project manager’s project management skills, the higher the level of their operational excellence. (6) The higher the level of construction project manager’s people management skills, the higher the level of their operational excellence. (7) All the constructs of project management skills, only risks management skills and management skills are the significant predictors of the respondents’ level of operational excellence, implying that the higher the level of project management skills in terms of risks management and scope management skills, the higher the level of operational excellence of the respondents. To deliver the project successfully, the construction project managers should consistently demonstrate and balance the application of project management and people management since the area of focus of CPM in the project revolves in day to day managing of resources (material, manpower and equipment), solving problems, overcoming project challenges, dealing with changes in project requirements, communicating with stakeholders and satisfying the customer’s expectations. With these, the decision and approach of CPM would be solid and cohesive through collaboration with the project management team.

The Importance of Developing Soft Skills in Project Management - Students' Perspective, Based on the Example of IPMA-Student Certification

The Importance of Developing Soft Skills in Project Management - Students' Perspective, Based on the Example of IPMA-Student Certification

Impact of Project Management Strategies and Project Complexity on Project Success

This article aims to investigate how project management affects project fulfillment. Connecting skills to the project environment is key to project management skills. The abilities of project managers to lead successful activities have been examined in numerous studies. The project manager wants to hold on to rigid skills that can be applied to the project's circumstances. The relationship between the project supervisor and the project group, which encourages experimentation and learning, affects how strong their skills are. A thorough literature study reveals the lack of agreement on project complexity as a moderator between project success and project management skills, which also offers a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of the underlying ideas. This investigation's main goal moved to determine project success outcomes by considering project complexity as a moderator between project management skills and project success. To do so, this analysis looks at accumulated data on the complexity of and problem management abilities. The statistics were gathered through online surveys, and the results were examined using logistic regression models. How well project management understanding predicts project fulfillment, the original research question, has been answered. The findings demonstrate that combining project management abilities with problem complexity can help anticipate project success, which was to be expected. There was no statistically significant association between effective project management and unsuccessful projects.

Teaching project management to primary school children: a scoping review

Teachers have used projects in children’s education for over a century. More recently, project management knowledge and skills have become essential when students manage technological solutions from inception to presentation. This paper presents the first scoping literature review on teaching project management to primary school students. A total of 33 publications between 2000 and 2022 were analysed and presented both descriptively and thematically. While the review did not identify any empirical studies of teaching project management to primary school students, it did reveal several examples of suggested teaching approaches, project management activity, and common elements associated with project management. The review concludes with a recommendation for researchers, educators, and project management practitioners to build upon this research by exploring the effectiveness of comprehensive approaches to teaching project management to primary school students. This paper represents a significant area of research as project management is one of the most critical skills for students to achieve success in the twenty-first century.

Do regional characteristics influence PPP contract governance skills requirements?

PurposeThis study aims to seek, on the basis of Hofstede's culture consequences, to explore the notion that regional characteristics may influence the prioritisation of certain types of public-private partnerships (PPP) contract governance skills over others. It further sets out to determine which skills are considered the most critical between the groups of respondents surveyed.Design/methodology/approachTo bring this important and neglected perspective into the mainstream of PPP discussions, the study, being of an exploratory nature, relied on a survey of 340 respondents from around the globe. The respondents are a rich mix of public policy experts, economists, construction professionals, project finance experts, lawyers and academic researchers in PPP.s.FindingsAnalysis revealed that, regional characteristics was an important factor influencing skills prioritisation. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis with Monte Carlo principal component analysis (PCA) confirmation revealed that project management, contract design, negotiations, performance management and stakeholder management skills were very critical for successful contract management of PPP projects.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that the design and implementation of regulatory governance for infrastructure PPPs should be context-specific rather than the current one-size-fits all model. Training should be tailored to reflect regional specific characteristics.Originality/valueStudies are increasingly pointing to the absence of critical PPP skills among institutions responsible for managing PPP contracts. This lack of capacity has resulted in poor oversight of private companies providing public services resulting in poor services, and financial recklessness, which threaten the sustainability of service provision.

Research Collaborations Among Health Sciences Librarians

Librarians collaborate in their positions daily to assist patrons with their needs. Many of these interactions are brief with collaborations quickly forming and then being dissolved as librarians provide for the needs of their patrons. Collaborations allow librarians to advance the purposes of the library and reach out and assist the institution. Unlike these brief daily interactions, research collaborations require librarians to make long-term commitments to projects. How can we ensure that these collaborations are successful? Study of research collaborations can assist librarians in determining how to build and maintain research collaborations and avoid or overcome conflicts and barriers. Finding others with similar interests, maintaining communication through multiple channels, and basic project management skills are key to successful research collaborations.

The Knowledge and Skill Readiness of TVET Trainee in Construction Program for Green Construction Project Management

Project management with the concept of green building construction requires competence efficiency compared to conventional building project management. The readiness of prospective workers in the construction field also needs to be identified as it is a requirement. This study was conducted to identify the readiness of TVET trainees from two different TVET institutions in managing green concept construction projects. Readiness identified based on critical knowledge and soft critical skills. The study's objective was to identify the level of critical knowledge and soft critical skills readiness as well as to identify the differences in the readiness of TVET trainees from two different institutions. The study was conducted in a survey using a quantitative approach. The research instrument used was a questionnaire, and the study was conducted in two TVET institutions from different ministries (please stated name of the institutions and ministries. A total of 153 trainees as respondents and a simple random sampling method was used to determine the study sample. The findings show that the level of critical knowledge and soft critical skills are at a high level (both institutions?), and there are differences between these two TVET institutions in terms of critical knowledge, while there is no difference in terms of soft critical skills. Overall, the study shows that the TVET trainees are prepared in knowledge and skills in green concept construction project management. This study can be a part of reference for TVET programs, trainee, and trainers especially in Construction to ensure the aspects of critical knowledge and skills can be improved align with industry need.

Engineering management for Assessment of Solar Energy Development (case study of Jordan)

The renewable energy sector in Jordan is rapidly growing as the government is committed to reducing the country's dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the contribution of renewable energy to its energy mix. However, the effective management of renewable energy projects requires a unique set of skills and expertise that is different from traditional engineering management. The agreement between solar energy yield and electricity demand is compared in terms of daily, monthly and yearly patterns. A special focus is oriented towards the current status of solar energy projects in Jordan area in terms of their sizes, reliability, feasibility and challenges. Finally, concerning the future plans of solar energy in Irbid area, a road map will be introduced to trigger the decision makers to convert Irbid to a green governorate in the next decade and examines the key skills and competencies required for engineering managers to succeed in the renewable energy sector in Jordan, including technical expertise, project management skills, financial and business acumen, and strong communication and leadership skills.

Project Management Methodology in Regional Self-Government Units

Project implementation is one of the key activities in the process of ensuring development. In public institutions, the challenges in project management are particularly evident. Organizational inflexibility and an inability to adequately evaluate work are particularly emphasized, often creating problems during project implementation. These challenges become even greater if the financing of the project is planned with EU grants or other financial instruments that require great precision and thus exceptional project management skills. This document will present an effective project management model, as well as programs and portfolios in regional self-government units. A methodology has been developed to encourage the transformation of public systems from rigidly functional to project systems. The methodology was tested in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Republic of Croatia. An analysis of the quality of implementation of twenty projects has been carried out: an analysis of the final results of ten projects in which the methodology has been applied and of ten projects in which the methodology has not been applied. After conducting empirical research and analysis, the quality of the proposed model was proven at all levels of governance within the public sector. By applying this methodology, significant advances can be made in the quality of realized projects while ensuring the realistic dynamics of this realization and rational financial costs.

Quantitative Evaluation of Dental Students' Perceptions of the Roleplay-Video Teaching Modality in Clinical Courses of Dentistry: A Pilot Study.

In the modern era of dentistry, role modeling/roleplaying is one of the most prevalent and recommended methods of dental education. Working on video production projects and using student-centred learning also help students create feelings of ownership and self-esteem. This study aimed to compare students' perceptions of roleplay videos among genders, different disciplines of dentistry, and different levels of dental students. This study included 180 third- and fourth-year dental students registered in courses such as 'Introduction to Dental Practice' and 'Surgical management of oral and maxillofacial diseases', respectively, at the College of Dentistry at Jouf University. Four groups of recruited participants were pre-tested using a questionnaire about their clinical and communication skills. The students were tested again using the same questionnaire at the end of the workshop to evaluate improvements in their skills. The students were then assigned to create roleplay videos with respect to demonstrated skills related to all three disciplines (Periodontics, Oral Surgery, and Oral Radiology) in a week's time. Students' perceptions of the roleplay video assignments were collected through a questionnaire survey. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare responses for each section of the questionnaire (p < 0.05). Improvements in problem-solving and project management skills during video production were reported by 90% of the participants. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in the mean scores of the responses was found with respect to the type of discipline involved in the process. There was a significant difference in the mean scores of the responses between male and female students (p < 0.05). The fourth year participants demonstrated increased mean scores and significantly higher (p < 0.05) mean scores than third-year participants. Students' perceptions of roleplay videos differed by gender and the level of the students, but not by the type of discipline.

‘We Used to Be Somebody’, can the UK recapture its reputation as a world-leader in research and innovation? Considering the future of training researchers.

The UK has recognised itself as a world leading educator, particularly in higher education where ten of the top 100 institutions are based in the UK. And yet, establishments such as the British Academy and the Royal Society are questioning whether the UK will continue to hold this recognition. Ahead of the recommissioning of Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) in 2023, the Economic &amp; Social Research Council (ESRC), one of seven council domains of UKRI (UK Research &amp; Innovation, the largest funder of doctoral research in the UK distributing funding from the UK Government) has sought to understand what the ‘gap’ is and how to close it. The ESRC commissioned three projects (Adams &amp; Neary, 2022; ESRC, 2022; Ferrie et al., 2022; Tazzyman et al., 2021) in preparation for recommissioning and this paper reviews their recommendations and anticipated impact on DTPs, and the education of doctoral researchers. Specifically, the plans to increase exposure of digital data and related skills/toolkits and project management skills including dissemination strategies will be evaluated. The paper critically asks how the new approach will benefit researchers with a focus on those intending to stay in the academy and those who choose to build a career ‘beyond’. To focus this critical work, an ‘alternative’ career pathway, that uses research skills but also dissemination and knowledge exchange skills, will be examined as a critical exemplar: journalism. This paper will close by considering the future for research methods training, at least within UK social sciences, and whether it meets the needs of doctoral researchers, whichever career pathway they intend to follow.