Running head: ARTICLE EVALUATION ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT 1

Article Evaluation on Project Management

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ARTICLE EVALUATION ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2

Article Evaluation of Project Management

Introduction

The increasing competition and need to be distinctive in operation have prompted most

organization executives into the ideas of project management. To succeed in this venture, a

number of critical success factors are often stipulated to derive success in project management

undertakes. According to the fortune and white research that was conducted in 2006, the

dividends to the initiatives of project management have since in memory been alarming as most

projects fail. Inevitably, this has brewed conclusions from business analysts who have in the

most times insulted project managers for being preachers for the gossip of project undertake

rather than practitioners. Whereas this has been the case, they cite inadequacies’ of strategic

management support, unfeasible goals, communication gaps, detailed project plans, organization

sizes as the support factors that have led to the failures.

Strategic Management Support

Like traditional thinking quotes that behind every successful man there is a woman so is

the reality that for organizations that achieve project goals, top management support is usually at

work. True this serves as a fallback position for the projects and provides experienced guidance

in project execution. Most importantly, senior management offers the financial and technical

support to the project needed to facilitate the project to success. However, as the Fortune and

White, (2006) research quotes, most businesses have been preachers of the project management

gospel rather than implementers. Because of the financial lengths incurred in project executions,

strategic managers often withdraw from supporting the activities of projects in due course.

Therefore, with the economic cut-down and technical support from organization higher

hierarchy, majority projects seem to be devoid of their backbones causing their failure.
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Clear and Feasible Goals

Like Milosevic and Patanakul, (2005) concluded, setting concise and precise project

goals that are within the organizational reach is a strong pillar in driving firms’ project success.

Usually, entities that have thrived in project success, such businesses are sober of their business

size, capital base and market share as these determine their efficiency and effectiveness.

Accordingly, firms that give heed to the SMART objectives have registered tremendous project

success in attaining their goals. Unfortunately, the greedy motive of quick profit-making into

which majority organizations have been drowned has seemingly made this a myth. Because of

this, businesses have been lured into unrealistic goal settings for reasons of profits and market

leadership which has made project failures inevitable. Owing to this, organizations that opt to

start small have all reasons of mushrooming with their projects in the market and as such entities

should learn developing achievable projects to succeed.

Experience of Project Managers

Apart from having the right personnel to undertake a given project, Hyva¨ri, (2006)

highlights the necessity of having an experienced headsman as an essential factor to consider.

Whereas this is contestable amongst several researchers, undertaking a new project in an

organization requires a technical and practical person whose experience provides support to team

players. Similarly, the complexities that come with initiating a project in the market inevitably

calls for proven personnel that will guide the organization with ideal solutions to the presenting

challenges’. On the contrary, the increased unhealthy competition that the contemporary business

environment had been involved into has not given room for the recruitment of such individuals

with the nepotism vices running the employment world. Ultimately, this has neither given chance
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or empathy for the new organizational ideologies to thrive in the market with failure the only

destiny for these projects.

Project Size

Milosevic and Patanakul, (2005) further indicate the structuring of organizations project

size as another critical success factor in determining project success. Essentially, this is

important in a way that estimating the extent of the project is relevant in assessing the degree to

which the project management practices shall be used in the project venture. It is rational for

project managers always to draft sizeable plans that can comfortably fit within the organizations

time frame and budget. Accordingly, a few that have been proficient at project size determination

often pride from the success of their project fruits. Devastatingly, this has not been the case in

most businesses where project size accountability has been underestimated in pursuit of profits

that in turn have short-lived these projects. Ultimately, the project size is a primary factor to

consider while organizing to implement a project as it relates to the feasibility of its success.

Environmental Context of Project Implementation

Like Gowan and Mathieu, (2005) asserts, the environmental contexts in project execution

are key factors to consider in determining the feasibility of the project outcomes and processes.

In fact, a separation of the internal and external structuring of the project implementation

environment serves a critical indicator of the methodology to use in effecting the project.

Usually, executing a project from an external environment context requires the appliance of more

practical measures of project implementation which can easily counter the demerits of a large

project. Such methods not only work to help in creating awareness of the project among

customers but also lure clients towards the organizations' new initiation. Therefore, it can be
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concluded a consideration of the environment is vital directing the selection of the

implementation measures that can foster for project success.

To Crawford and Pollack, (2007), the industrial type in which the organization's project is to be

initiated is another crucial aspect that draws the intention of the implementation measures.

Accordingly, extensive and highly competitive industries necessitate the use of formal execution

methodologies that assert more enthusiasm on customer satisfaction and organizational success.

Notably, formal measures work to outpace other competitors’ projects increasing the entities

turnover which lines with the commercial success of a firm. Alternatively, the aspect of the

culture of a given society is equally a critical environmental concern given the society’s norms

and values versus the type of the project proposed for implementation. Given the above

explanation, the environmental aspect is a more critical consideration before project

implementation whose understudy may undermine the success of a project.

Conclusion

From the above essay reviews, the urge of project implementation has always been an

under planned or even hurry to undertake in several businesses. Evaluating Papke-Shields

assessments on the practicality of project execution, it’s certainly easy to consent that most

projects have been a failure. Definitely, this often correlates with the negative project results of

high costs, poor performance and long time periods that are associated with the aftermaths of

such project implementations. Environmental aspects of both the internal and external

surrounding are decisive pillars that organizations must consider in project management as they

serve to guide on the appropriate methods to use. While all is said, strategic management

support, achievable goals, effective communication, holding to a strong plan in addition to

project and organization sizes should be the primary areas of emphasis for project success.
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References

Crawford, L., Pollack. (2007). How generic are project management knowledge and practice?

Project Management Journal. Vol, 38 issue (1), Pp. 87–96.

Fortune, J., White, D. (2006). Framing of project critical success factors by a systems mode.

International Journal of Project Management. Vol, 24, Pp. 53– 65.

Gowan, J., Mathieu. (2005). The importance of management practices in IS project

performance: an empirical study. Journal of Enterprise Information

Management. 1vol, 8 issue 1/2, pp. 235–255.

Hyva¨ri, I. (2006). Success of projects in different organizational conditions. Project

Management Journal. Vol, 37 issue 4, Pp. 31–41.

Karen E. Papke-Shields. Catherine Beise, Jing Quan. (2010). Do project managers practice

what they preach, and does it matter to project success? International Journal of

Project Management. Pp. 650–662.

Milosevic, D., Patanakul, P. (2005). Standardized project management may increase

development projects success. International Journal of Project Management. Vol,

23, Pp. 181–192.