Gittinger (1982) states that ‘projects
are the cutting edge of development’. The importance of projects and project
management should not be glossed over in development work. In trying to achieve
development at their specific levels, communities, organizations, regions and
nations undertake projects. This papers seeks to give an explanation of what
constitute projects, secondly it will explore the characteristics of projects.
Thirdly it will explain project management and lastly discuss the duties of a
project manager.
According
to the Project Management Institute, a project is a temporary endeavor
undertaken to create a unique product, service or result henceforth a project
can have tangible and intangible deliverables. This definitions highlights that
projects follow a specific time line and that they are time bound with specific
objectives and goals. The Zimbabwe Independent (2014) cited that most projects
in Zimbabwe missed set targets with government citing lack of funds for its
failure to implement on time. Donors are particular about time in projects
deliverables. Failure to work within agreed timelines in most projects has led
donors or funders to pull out their resources or their funds. In some instances
failure to adhere to the timelines makes projects costly for example the Zambezi
water project aimed at supplying water permanently to Matebeleland which
started in 1980 to date remains unfinished because Government does not have the
cash to carry out the costly project. The failure of the projects to yield
results makes it a failed project.
Similarly
Prince 2 defines a projects as temporary organization with a purpose to deliver
products according to an agreed business case. It is in this context that
projects achieve unique products or services. The famous Tuskegee Syphilis
project of (1932) which was carried by the United States government led to the
development of penicillin. Though the project was racist and unethical the
development of the antibiotic is still beneficial to date. Another unique
project has been the development of the orange maize project to increase
Vitamin A by Harvest Plus in Zambia. Bio fortified Vitamin A Orange maize has
been developed to address the adverse effects of Vitamin A deficiency. The same
project is being implemented in Zimbabwe under the Extension and Training for
Rural Agriculture (EXTRA) Project, the Ensuring Nutrition , Transforming and
Empowering Resilience in Zimbabwe (Enterprise Project) and the Increased
Nutrition , Sustainable Production for Increased Resilience and Economic
Growth (INSPIRE) project
Association
of Project Management defines a project
as an endeavor in which human material and financial resources are organized in
a novel way to deliver a unique scope of work of given specification often
within constraints of cost and time to achieve beneficial changes defined by
quantitative and qualitative objectives. This definition points to a key
element that characterizes projects which is budget or cost. Projects have a
working budget which are adhered to ensure that the cost does not outweigh the
benefits. Monitoring is then used ensure that projects do not move either
outside their scope in terms of objectives as well as resources. Most projects
have failed because they have failed to adhere to the budget outlines. The
Shavi dam project of 2000 to supply water to the Runde rural irrigation scheme
is uncompleted due to funds. The Public Works Minister in 2013 Gabbuza cited
that Zimbabwe has failed to complete 400 projects resulting in material
vandalism and damage (www.AllAfrica.com).
According PMBOK (2013) states that the success of a project is measured by
product and project quality, timeliness, budget compliance, and degree of
customer satisfaction. In this context it is evident that projects success
hinges on project management.
Gittinger (1982) defines a
project as an investment activity in which financial resources are expended to
create capital assets that produce benefits over an extended period of time.
This activity involves planning, financing, implementation and management as a
unit. It is in this context projects are intended to address a particular
problem or achieve an identified objective. The Improving Water Sanitation and
Hygiene in Rural Areas of Zimbabwe program in Gokwe South was made up of a
series of temporary projects to achieve certain objectives for example
rehabilitations of boreholes and piping of Huchu area. The EXTRA program which
is being implemented by a consortium of organizations such Welt Hunger Hilfe,
Heifer Zimbabwe and Oxfam has carried a number of projects with specific
objectives for establishment of demo plots , formation of Internal Saving and Lending
Groups and Supplying of labor saving technologies.
Passenheim
(2009) states that Project Management deals with tracking this process'
execution, from a schedule and cost perspective. It includes functions for
developing the optimal project schedule, producing a financial model of the
project, scheduling and tracking of effort against plan, managing costs against
budget, and reporting of status. The effectiveness and efficiency of project
management ensures the success of projects to meet their objectiveness. Most
failed projects are characterized by poor project management. An obscure and
faulty management system leads to increased overhead costs and poor quality.
PMBOK (2013) defines project
management as the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to
project activities to meet the project requirements. Project management is thus
accomplished through integrating project management process which are
categorized in five process groups these are Initiating, Planning,
Implementation, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Project management in
short is balancing the cost, quality and time. Managing a project requires a
diverse knowledge and an effective team in order to achieve project objectives.
PMBOK (2013) cites that managing requires identification of requirements,
addressing concerns and expectations of stakeholders, maintaining communication
and managing stakeholders towards the goal.
Kerner
(2009) Project management is planning, organizing, directing and controlling of
company resources for a relatively short-term objective that has been
established to complete specific goals and objectives. Furthermore, project
management utilizes the systems approach to management by having functional
personnel (the vertical hierarchy) assigned to a specific project (horizontal
hierarchy). Project management also utilize planning tool such as The Logical
Framework Approach (LFA) which is a specific strategic planning methodology
that can be used to prepare many different types of projects. The Logical
Framework Matrix aims to present information about the project in a clear,
concise, logical and systematic way (Walsch, 2000).
Newton
2015 cites that the primary challenge of project management is to achieve all
of the project goals and objectives while honoring the constraints on scope,
time, quality and cost. Projects need to be managed to meet their objectives,
which are defined in terms of expectations of time, cost, and quality. Monitoring
of inputs, activities and outputs is important for the success of the project.
Assumptions that were made within the project logical framework should be
monitored to ascertain their effect on the achievement of the stated outputs
and objectives. Work plan which indicates which activities are ongoing should
be monitored. The monitoring plan should set measurable indicators of inputs,
the activities and outputs to be used as milestones or performance standard for
monitoring. Monitoring provides regular feedback that helps to track costs,
personnel, implementation, time, organizational development and economic and
financial results to compare what was planned to actual events. In addition it
provides managers and major stakeholders with regular feedback. The Government of
Zimbabwe flawed monitoring system of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)
led to rampant misuse of funds resulting in failed projects in most
constituencies. According to Chiripasi (2011) out of 210 member of parliaments
who received USD50000 only 66 could account for the funds.
Project
management requires competent staff for efficiency and effectiveness. A
competent project manager will be able to plan and monitor, control and direct
resources of the project effectively. An effective and efficient system of
management will increase organizational performance and make the organization
more efficient and effective through better organizational behavior principles.
Project management allow organizations to lower cost of operations by
accomplishing more work in less time and with fewer resources without any
sacrifice in quality. In some organizations planning tools such as Gantt Charts and Critical plans are
employed to ensure that similar task are accomplished simultaneously to save
time and cut costs.
The
project manager manage the influence, advice and involve stakeholders in the
project management. PMBOK (2013) defines stakeholders as individuals, group, or
organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected
by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project. In the Extra project the
manager has hold sensitization programs and planning workshops with
stakeholders such Ministry of Local Governance, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development. Project manager
ensures that stakeholders have active participation in the programme. Reports
are given to stakeholders to notify them of activities carried and the impact.
B)
The
Project manager is an integral part of the project. This section will look at the duties of
project manager in Welt Hunger Hilfe, EXTRA project. The project aims at
reducing food insecurity, stunting, and poverty in Gokwe South. The project
manager is responsible of managing a team of ten officers who work in different
wards as Field officers. In addition the manager also supervises the Monitoring
and Evaluation officer who is stationed at the District Office as well as the
Finance and Administration Officer.
The
manager plays a supervisory role of the staff mentioned above. He ensures that
the staff have submitted their work plans according to the Gantt chart and
objectives of the project. The manager gets reports of the work done as well as
carry routine checks and field visits to access progress of activities. The
manager is also responsible of reassigning and delegating tasks where there are
shortfalls so as to meet set targets. According to Passenheim (2009) a project
manager not only requires a particular set of skills - how to communicate, to
control and to motivate people, but also the specific knowledge about tools and
techniques required to run a project successfully. It is in this case that
project management hinges on the project manager competency to run the project.
The
duties of a project manager are to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency flow
of the project in achieving its mandated goals. The Extra project manager is
responsible for controlling and allocating resources according to the budgets
outlines. In some cases the manager reserves the right to make changes to
budget allocation to ensure that the project is successful. The manager
develops strategies to ensure that he is able to balance the scope of the project.
Priority areas are emphasized in the project hence resources are allocated
accordingly. The manager makes follow ups to ensure that indeed tasks have been
completed with the intended and expected quality. In some cases demo plots are
visited and accessed on how they have been set up and in some cases on the job
appraisal of staff is done in the field. PMBOK (2013) observes that the project
manager is responsible for controlling the work of producing the products,
services, or results that the project was undertaken to produce.
The
project manager is also responsible for requesting and hiring of competent
personnel when a need arises or when there is a gap. While the recruitment is
done up the Human Resource, initiation is taken by the Project manager and he
is invited to interview the candidates.
The
project manager reports to the Program Manager. It is in this context the
project manager compiles reports that are used by the Program Manager. It is
also the Extra project manager who attends feedback meetings at National level
to report on the progress of the project.
In
conclusion the Project manager is important in project planning. He is the
center of operations in project and his ineffectiveness and incompetency can
grossly affect the outcome or results of the project. Great caution needs to be
taken when hiring one. His planning, monitoring, negotiation and communication
skills should be up to standard as he manages the project through the project
cycle. This paper has explained the
terms project and project and management and explained the duties of a project
manager using the EXTRA project as an example.
Bibliography
Gittinger,
JP. (1982), Economic Analysis of
Agricultural Projects, Switzerland: Economic Development Institute-World
Bank
Passenheim , O. (2009) Project Management, Olaf Passenheim
& Ventus Publishing, London.
PMBOK (2015)
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Project
Management Institute, Inc., Pennsylvania
Walsch,
A. (2000) Introduction to the Logical
Framework Approach (LFA) for GEF-financed Projects; German Foundation for
International Development; Berlin.
