Reasons For Failure Of Projects Research Articles

Role of a Project Management Office (PMO) in improving Project Success Factor in Saudi Arabia: Case Study of ZATCA

Abstract: The demand for establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) will continue as many projects continue to delay or remain in the region of complicated and stalled projects. In Saudi Arabia, project failure is can be classified as severe pain for many businesses, even for the country's economy. There might be a shortage of research in the literature on project failure that emphasizes why projects fail or delay in Saudi organizations and the impact of implementing a PMO to manage projects. The main objectives of this empirical research in Saudi Arabia are to (i) conduct a literature review on the role of PMO and projects success criteria, (ii) identify the relationship between industrial engineering and the project management framework, (iii) critically evaluate if establishing a PMO will help achieving goals for project success. (iv) identifying when a project is successful, (v) evaluate the difference between the organizations that have established a PMO and other organizations that have not, (vi) identify the main obstacles for establishing PMOs in Saudi Arabia. A literature review on project failure and PMO establishment were performed. To prepare research questions and hypotheses, this study employed a multiphase mixed-method design with quantitative and qualitative methodologies to reach its research purposes. The data were collected through an online questionnaire for the critical incident technique study and then analyzed using thematic analysis and ANOVA using SPSS software. The main findings of the research show that most response that the project characteristics and performance within the organization, such as schedule, budget, and end-product, are essential for project success; in addition, the statistics showed the most important reasons for project failure. Furthermore, the study statistics showed that the primary motivation for starting a PMO is as follows a) Implement and follow standard practices, b) decrease the rate of and c) Assess project risks at early stages of the project lifecycle. Practitioner of project management view on PMO roles centered on the stalled project how it will develop and maintain project management standers and Provide project management consultations. Interestingly, the study also revealed that the lack of understanding of PMO value to the organization and Resistance to change are the main obstacles to establishing a PMO office. Overall, there was a statistically significant relationship between project characteristics and PMO’s effectiveness according to (Obstacles of establishing PMO). There was a statistically significant relationship between project characteristics and PMO’s effectiveness according to (Reasons of Projects failure).

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.

The Ethical Matrix as a Tool for Decision-Making Process in Conservation

Decision making-process in conservation can be very complex, having to deal with various value dimensions and potential conflicts. In fact, conflicts and competing interests between stakeholders are among the most quoted reasons for failure of projects. Ethical analysis can be helpful in this regard. In this paper we present a revision of the Ethical Matrix specifically tailored to decision-making processes in conservation. The Ethical Matrix is a conceptual tool devised to help decision-makers by supplying them with a framework of the ethically relevant aspects involved in decision-making process. It was originally developed for the ethical assessment of agri-food biotechnologies and later has been applied to other fields. The revised version we propose here has been designed for the ethical analysis of conservation priority-setting and impact. As conservation can raise many ethical relevant controversies, conceptual tools like the one presented here can be of help for conservationists, providing a map of the value demands involved. This map can be used to question the reasonableness of the value judgments, estimate the impact of different courses of actions, anticipate conflicts, and rank their severeness.

Schedule delays of major projects: what should we do about it?

ABSTRACT Cost overruns and schedule delays are one of the most common reasons for project failure. Although schedule delays not only result in significant financial implications to project sponsors but also lead to substantial social costs to the public, scant attention has been dedicated to schedule delays [Padalkar, M., & Gopinath, S. (2016). Six decades of project management research: Thematic trends and future opportunities. International Journal of Project Management, 34(7), 1305–1321]. This study therefore investigates the frequency, magnitude, and characteristics of schedule delays occurring during the construction of 113 large public procurements built in the U.S. and the U.K. between 1999 and 2018. Through tests of hypotheses, this study finds that there is a gap between presumptions and reality. Although extensive efforts were made to project controls in the U.S. and the U.K. over the last two decades, this study also finds that project performance has not improved at all from a schedule perspective. In order to address the issue, this study then suggests reference class forecasting to develop more realistic and reliable schedule estimates.

Explicit specification framework to manage software project effectively

Objectives: This research addresses the causal relationship among processes, tasks, resources, and stakeholders of the software projects to improve the success rate that is 31% only now (CHAOS report 2019). Methods: A software project management framework is developed based on the findings of an empirical study on recent commonly used methodologies and root cause analysis on the reasons for project failure. The causeeffect relationship is prioritized by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to develop the Explicit Specification Framework (ESF). The framework is tied to the pinpointing with ontology for formal presentation, descriptive logic for unambiguous information specification, and ikigai for decision-making.Findings: The proposed framework is evaluated by a group of experts and their average scope is evaluated by a group comparison mechanism called Grey Rational Analysis (GRA). The evaluation process considered 6 parameters and compared it with 4 commonly used project management approaches. The highest GRA rank is found for the average of six distinct parameters though it is comparatively more complex for explicit documentation. The three-layer architecture of ESF remarks on roles, functions, and respective stakeholders in each layer presented by a comprehensive comparison study with literature and found that it enhances formal practice, sustainability, and management capability. ESF is easy to implement for distributed project management and improving automation facilities in the software industries.Novelty/Application: Artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, and big data would be common elements of a software project and ESF would meet the demand for project information specification, management, and control. Keywords: Software Project Management; Software Quality Control; methodology; multi- criteria decision making; structural educational modeling; ontology

An Effective Software Effort Estimation based on Functional Points using Soft Computing Techniques

Still in this 21st century, it is a great challenge for the Project Managers to make the software projects successful. The success of software projects relies on how accurately the estimates of effort, cost and duration can be made. Most of the standard surveys stated that only 30-40% of software projects are successful and the remaining are either challenged, cancelled or failed. One of the key reasons for failure of projects is inaccurate estimations. Effort Estimation should be carried out in the early stage of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and it is an essential activity to establish scope & business case of software project management activities. Over estimation or under estimation leads to failure of the software projects. Many of the stakeholders are expecting the estimation of development effort in early stage for their better bidding. There are many methodologies like KLOC, Use Case Points (UCP), Class Points, Story Points, Test Case Points, Functional Points (FP), etc. to estimate effort in the software development. To estimate the effort in the early stage of software development, UCP, Story Points and FP are more preferable. The methods for estimation may be adopted based on the project complexity, functionality, approaches etc. In order to achieve an efficient and reliable effort estimate and thereby have a proper execution of software development plan, Soft Computing Techniques can be adopted in the various organizations and different research domains. In this paper, Functional Points have been selected for effort estimation and implemented using soft computing techniques like Neural Networks and Neuro Fuzzy techniques. After examination the results are evaluated using different error measures like VAF,MMRE,RAE, RRSE and PRED. Basing on results it is observed that the Neuro Fuzzy techniques provided better effort estimates

Engaging students in school participatory practice through Facebook: The story of a failure

AbstractIn recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on the benefits of social media and social network sites to foster young people's participation in digital public spaces and their civic engagement. Using the principles of the Student Voice approach, this study investigated the use of a Facebook group to support secondary school students’ voices and viewpoints on school quality and policy (N = 98). The results showed that students were reluctant to be active in the group for several reasons, such as mistrust of school policies and resistance to combining Facebook use with school‐related issues. The low participation provided clues to reflect on the design of Student Voice projects to support civic engagement at school and to evaluate the use of digital sites to support Student Voice. Some considerations on the reasons for project failure and how to successfully reach student participation in a technology‐enhanced environment at school that addresses power relations, authenticity and inclusion are provided.

EVOLUTION OF RIBBON DEVELOPMENT: OZERNYI, SAMARA, 2009-2010

The present study describes the first in modern conditions experience of ribbon development in the public town planning of Samara Region in 2009-2010. Detailed description of the historical and natural features of the area selected for the building. Presents its environmental features as the former site of an industrial enterprise. We describe the quality of the construction of homes, the degree of their compliance with the original project and the living quality of the area. Results area beautification examples forces its inhabitants. The reasons for project failure in the present and proposed some solutions to remedy the situation and to create in this area a complete living environment.

Resource Allocation and Planning in Single and Multi-Project Environments

IT projects often fail to be completed on time, on budget, within scope, with the required functionality and error free. The reasons for project failure are numerous and have been well studied and identified in the literature; however, most studies assume that project managers are completely devoted to the execution of the project and disregard any time wasting efforts that keep them from these duties. One such duty is the assignment and tracking of personnel to tasks within a project. As workers become over-allocated, the PM must redirect his or her efforts to balancing the overall schedule. This task is often performed manually causing PMs to spend much of their time attending to the details of the schedule instead of dealing with the issues critical to the project. The author describes here software that optimizes the schedule when resources are limited and describe its use in both single and multiple project environments.

Project Management @ ITWorx

This case provides an overview of project management practices at ITWorx, a leading professional software services company in the Middle East. ITWorx top management believes that many critical decisions that determine the success of a project are actually made before the project even starts. Projects are selected and managed as a portfolio to reflect the company’s strategy and future business directions. This case describes the project life cycle from opportunity to project, including resources allocation and acquisition to ensure the proper delivery of projects. The case also discusses typical reasons for project failure, and ITWorx’s approach for dealing with them.

Project Failure Case Studies and Suggestion

In this research paper three different case studies are taken under consideration. Step by step all three cases are described. These cases are about projects which had to face failure. Therefore, the reasons for failure of projects are identified and recommendations are given to ail failing projects. First case study is about British Petroleum which is oil and Gas Company had to face situation which was not just critical but new for any oil company. The incident occurred due to explosion in the deep-water horizon while BP technical staff was trying to drill a well. Moreover, BP was not able to stop oil flow for three months. Second case is about Chrysler and Fiat. Both were automobile companies and had to face failure. Marchionne was the one who saved both companies. The main focus of this case is merger of these two companies and the challenges faced by CEO due to organizational change after merger. Third case study is about Millennium Dome, one of the controversial projects in the history of construction projects because of number of reasons. With the help of case study we will be able to learn the causes of failure of this project. Further recommendations to ail failure are given.

Strategic Alignment Of Application Software Packages And Business Processes Using PRINCE2

Numerous factors exist that may contribute to the unsuccessful completion of application software package implementation projects. The most significant contributor to application software package project failure lies in the misalignment of the organisations business processes with the functionality of the application software package. While various IT control frameworks that may assist in the implementation of application software packages are available, the question arises why industry still reports that the success rate of application software package implementation projects remains low. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the Projects in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2) framework assists in the alignment of the organisations business processes with the functionality provided by the application software package implemented. This study investigated whether PRINCE2 addresses all the reasons for project failure. It identifies the shortcomings and weaknesses in PRINCE2 which may contribute to the misalignment between the business processes of the organisation and the functionality of the application software package implemented. The study recommends how these weaknesses identified in PRINCE2 can be addressed. By taking these recommendations into account when using PRINCE2 to implement application software packages, proper alignment between the organisations business processes and the functionality of the application software package may be achieved. This results in a more successful application software package implementation.

Choked pipes: reforming Pakistan’s mixed health system

Choked pipes presents an in-depth case study of Pakistan’s health system, identifying systemic bottlenecks and proposing areas for reforms. It serves two main purposes: (i) it contributes to the as-yet-limited evidence base on comparative organization and functioning of health systems in low- and middle-income countries; and (ii) it provides a systems analysis linked to a multi-dimensional reform agenda. The book refocuses attention on health systems as the lynch-pin that shapes progress on health indicators. As current development dialogue centres on the achievement of Millennium Development Goals and poverty reduction targets, this book provides a timely spotlight on the investment needed to develop effective, transparent and pro-poor health systems. The book opens by outlining the “mixed” public and private sector configuration of Pakistan’s heath-care system. It explains this design by the colonial origin of the public sector and unharnessed growth of the private sector. The main body of the book then provides a detailed description of the health system and its operational realities. Discussion is structured around World Health Organization domains of health policy, governance, financing, service delivery, human resource, medicine and technology, and health information systems. The most critical problem is institutional decay due to rigid bureaucracies, staff malpractice and low government priority social sector reform. This blunts the public system’s performance and limits its ability for “out-of-the-box” responses for creatively dealing with the growing private sector and responding to intra-sectoral issues. The last chapters are the analytical ones providing a framework for reform. This perspective is refreshingly based on a wider interpretation of health as a broad social policy vision and a universal right rather than the more commonly applied interpretation of health as a commodity. The book is well articulated and candidly sets out issues constraining health system outcomes. Although drawn from the Pakistani setting, this book will be relevant to other low- and middle-income countries. It could have further benefited from the use of primary research and case studies to illustrate some of the key discussion points and to delve into reasons for failure of projects for health systems improvement. Nishtar’s book has something to offer for both the local and global audience. To the local audience, it argues for a radical overhaul of Pakistan’s poorly performing health systems – hence the analogy to “choked pipes” – and charts a pathway for reform. Of relevance to the global audience is the analytical linking of health systems improvements to pro-poor macro-economic reforms, institutional re-engineering and adequate resourcing of the public sector, strategic use of technology and creative harnessing of the private sector.

Why Information Systems Projects are Abandoned: A Leadership and Communication Theory and Exploratory Study

It is estimated that about one third of all information systems (IS) development projects are abandoned before completion. The resulting financial damage in the United States alone is about $100 billion annually. Numerous articles in trade journals, and some in academic journals, have pointed at many different reasons for project failures. Data regarding reasons for IS project abandonment were collected from a sample of chief information officers and their immediate subordinates, all of whom have several years of IS development experience and have experienced at least one abandoned project. Results of factor analysis of a 30-item list of reasons for IS project failures produced five major factors: lack of corporate leadership, poorly communicated goals/deliverables, inadequate skills and means, poor project management, and deviation from timetable/budget. We then proposed a model of the underlying relationships among these factors based on the leadership and communications literature. Results of partial least squares data analysis method provided some support for a model of the underlying relationships among these factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Management’s role in project failure

Chronicles some of the reasons for project failure. Defines critical success factors, identifies causes of project success or failure — not satisfactorily explaining reasons behind the causes. Contends that people do not like to plan, thinking only of the end result. Lists out seven items that can go wrong. States that management by objectives requires that project milestones be put in place. Argues that the use of an analytical, logical method of management in search of answers is debatable — even in standardized production environments.

Modelling Waves, Tides and Currents

ABSTRACT Modelling of water related structures prior to construction is often beneficial in anticipating problems; post construction modelling can suggest remedial measures or reasons for project failure. The paper describes various water resource related physical models developed and in use at the hydraulics laboratory of Canada's National Research Council (NRC). Examples of studies conducted using these models include an investigation of navigation improvements along the St. Lawrence River, a harbour repair study of Point Sapin, New Brunswick, a port development in Senegal, breakwater studies and an investigation of the Ocean Ranger drill ship disaster off the east coast of New foundland.