Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of project management implementation and evaluation on organisational performance in Cameroon with case study on construction firms (George and Jerry Construction Company limited). For the study, organisational performance was measured in terms of customer’s satisfaction and employees which were still sub dived into quality, and time.

The objectives of the study were to: To investigate the different project management tools that affects or has an impact on organizational performance, Make recommendations on the various lapses faced by project management implementation and evaluation on organisational performance in the Buea municipality by construction firms and to establish which project management practices significantly influence organisational performance.

Using questionnaires primary data was obtained form 30 respondents ranging from employees and management and 35 customers.  Descriptive and regression analysis were used to analysis using statistical package for social science version 20, and the results should that project management implementation and evaluation has a positive effect on organisational performance and it was recommended that more attention be placed on organizing project management practices according to their impact and influence. Project management implementation and project management evaluation practices should receive immediate priority due to their great on project and subsequent organisational performance.

More emphasis should be put on communication and risk management by developing plans for effective communication and risk handling when carrying out projects.

Key Words: project management, implementation, evaluation, organisational Performance

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Project management has been practiced for as long as humanity inhabited earth.  There are many examples in history of challenging projects that were successfully completed, despite all the complexities and uncertainties that could’ve rendered the project a failure.  Many of these projects necessitated an enormous workforce, large scope, many years of work, advanced planning and precise execution.

Regrettably, despite all of these monumental achievements, very little documentation of their methods and techniques exists.  It’s not until the 1950s that organizations have started to apply systematic tools and techniques to complex projects.  The U.S. Navy greatly contributed to the formulation and documentation of principles of modern project management methodologies and techniques.

There were also other not worthy projects, such as the Manhattan project, that significantly contributed to advancement of standard practices in modern project management. During the  1960s  ambitious projects  such  as  landing  a  man in  the  moon further  helped  in the formation and utilization of tools to manage large scope projects.  In the 1970s technological advancement made the creation of project management software possible, via software companies such as Oracle.

In the 1980s PCs became affordable, subsequently smaller companies started to use computers for project management.  In the 1990s notable project management tools such as PRINCE2 and CCPM commenced.  In the third millennium, academia started offering degrees for project management.

Moreover, project management theories, tools, and techniques are now main stream in many organisations and industries. It’s not clear exactly what the future holds for project

Management, but with challenges such as globalisation, diminishing resources, and increasing population there is no more fitting vehicle for managing such issues than project management.

There is no doubt that organisations today face more aggressive competition than in the past and the business environment they operate in is a highly turbulent one. This scenario has increased the need for organisational accountability for the private and public sectors, leading to a greater focus and demand for operational effectiveness and efficiency.

Effectiveness and efficiency may be facilitated through the introduction of best practices that are able to optimise the management of organisational resources. It has been shown that operations and projects are dissimilar with each requiring different management techniques. Hence, in a project environment, project management can: (a) support the achievement of project and organisational goals; and (b) provide a greater assurance to stakeholders that resources are being managed effectively.

Research by Roberts and Furlonger in a study of information systems projects show that using a reasonably detailed project management methodology, as compared to a loose methodology, improves productivity by 20 to 30 percent. Furthermore, the use of a formalized project management structure to projects can facilitate: (a) the clarification of project scope; (b) agreement of objectives and goals; (c) identifying resources needed; (d) ensuring accountability for results and performance; (e) and encouraging the project team to focus on the final benefits to be achieved. Moreover, the research indicates that 85-90% of projects fail to deliver on time, on budget and to the quality of performance expected.

The major causes identified for this situation include:

• Lack of a valid business case justifying the project
• Objectives not properly defined and agreed
• Lack of communication and stakeholder management
• Outcomes and/or benefits not properly defined in measurable terms
• Lack of quality control
• Poor estimation of duration and cost
• Inadequate definition and acceptance of roles (governance)
• Insufficient planning and coordination of resources

It should be emphasised that the causes for the failure to deliver on time, on budget and to the quality of performance expected could be addressed by the application of project management practices. Furthermore, the failure to deliver on time, on budget and to the quality of performance expected does not necessarily mean that the project was itself a failure. At this stage what is being discussed is the effectiveness and efficiency of project execution and not whether a project is a success or failure.

Furthermore, Project evaluation is a systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed project. The aim is to determine the relevance and level of achievement of project objectives, development, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

As a follow up, after one must have carefully planned his project, one will be ready to start the project implementation phase, the third phase of the project management life cycle.

The implementation phase involves putting the project resources to meet the objectives of the project plan. As the project unfolds, it is the project managers’ job to direct and manage each activity. During this phase, the actual work is done by the project manager and his team bringing out all the various deliverables of the said project.

1.2 Problem Statement

Project management practices attempt completion of the project as intended; getting it done most efficiently by minimizing cost and achieving external goals related to customer needs. Goals appear straightforward and achievable, however, projects continue to run late, exceed their budgets or fail to meet project objectives.

Modern project management was introduced during the Manhattan project in the early 50‟s, but certainly, projects have been realized before that time. Within the construction industry, there is a continuing problem of definition of the role of the project management in terms of implementation and evaluation who are considered a new breed of construction professional arising from increased complexity and the specialization of projects.

Patten (2003). Over the last 30 years project management has come to be acknowledged as an efficient tool to handle novel or complex activities. It is felt to be more efficient than traditional methods of management with their functional divisions and formal hierarchies. (Munns & Bjeirmi, 1996). In a construction context however, it was recently demonstrated in the Cameroonian construction industry that project management appears to have developed as bureaucratic, functionalist and mechanistic. No longer “the explorative and unstructured endeavour it was initially designed to be”. The aim of this research is to find out if project management implementation and evaluation affects organizational performance in the George and Jerry construction company

1.3 Research Questions

In line with the above mentioned problem statement, this research is seeks to answer the following questions:

1. To what extend does project management implementation and evaluation affect organisational performance in construction firms?
2. What are the different management tools that can affect project implementation and evaluation in construction firm?

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