The Hoover Dam Project - Case Study Example

The Hoover Dam Project The aims and objectives of the project Cadbury (2004) illuminates that the Hoover Dam project was one of the seven wonders of the industrial age It was one of the greatest projects in the US during the great depression period between 1928 the initiation stage to the completion stage in 1935 though the construction began in 1931. It is approximately 756 feet high and 21000 laborers were involved of which 96 are thought to have died during the project. The project was authorized by the then president of the US Hebert Hoover whose decision was based on the dam’s potential to provide water for irrigation for farmlands, and to increase not only water supply but also provide reliable supply to the southern California. In addition, there was the need to control the flow of river Colorado. The president may also have been driven by political factor as the Americans wanted to proof to the world that they were capable to handle mega projects. According to Billington & Jackson (2006), farming in the southwest of Colorado had proved to be impossible due to lack of water. The situation was aggravated further by the Imperial Canal project which drained water from Colorado to the Mexican border where irrigation proved to be fruitful for human settlement thus prompting the need for a project that would make irrigation a success. It was also insinuated that the dam would provide reliable supply of water to the neighboring cities and towns. The reliable supply would in turn spur economic growth within these cities. The locals in Colorado before the construction of the dam experienced frequent flooding. The flooding had become detrimental as well as catastrophic to their farms as it led to immense crop loss. The construction of the project was to enable the authorities to control this menace. Later after the completion of the project, the need for the installation of a hydropower plant that was to supply electricity to the entire California and neighboring town (Nevada) arose (National Park Service US, 2015). The sponsoring body or person and the authority they had President Hoover was in charge of the negotiation where the six of the seven basin states had approved the construction of the dam. These states were Utah, Nevada, Colorado, California, Arizona, Wyoming and the New Mexico with the Arizona state against the projects intention to water distribution. Kolvet (2013) vindicates the president then authorized the construction of the Boulder dam and the Bureau for Reclamation launched bidding for the company that had the requisite requirement to undertake the project. The consortium of Six Companies Inc was awarded the project. The bureau was mandated with the task of overseeing the management of the water resources throughout the western part of the country. It provided an oversight to the water diversion and storage projects in the states within the western part of US that were aimed towards the water supply, irrigation and the generation of the hydroelectricity. The government role played a vital role as it had a mutual relation with the private sector. The several legislative acts that had been enacted in the congress enabled the Six Companies Inc. to carry out the project without interruption. In turn the amalgamated company had instituted a review board that ensured rework and delay in the construction was minimized. The company had the authority to employ any project management skills and tools within its reach; the recruitment of the construction workers; and the incentives to the workers and planning, execution, implementation and construction of the project. The role of the project manager(s) and the assessment if they were successful in the role Frank Crowe, the project manager was involved in the planning, executing and construction of the project. His strict and well coordination efforts ensured maximum output of the employees at the construction site. Cadbury (2004) vindicates further that Frank notably established a well defined chain of command between the different levels of workers. In addition, he initiated a rigorous schedule working plan that compelled the worker to work twelve hours a day and throughout the week to be able to meet deadline as each delay in the progress of the project would result into huge fines being levied on the company and working ahead of schedule guaranteed the company some bonus from the relevant authorities. However, the success would have been impossible without adequate annual funding and relevant legislative policies. The Six Companies and the Bureau for reclamation had a strong relationship with the government and the public which was a motivating factor (Kolvet, 2013). The relationship between the project manager and their sponsor, and issues that arose and how they were managed The Six Companies Inc, despite the glaring challenges was able to overcome the hurdles and make huge profit in the project. The challenges were the organizational, planning, managerial and implementation. They are perceived to have emanated from the creation of the strategic value, the human resources, and the management of the project innovatively (National Park Service US, 2015). The economic challenges compelled the Six Companies Inc to ascertain that they would profit from the project. The time limit for the project was so limited and fines would be levied against the construction company on deadline basis if the labeled deadlines or targets were not achieved. Moreover, there were accrued bonuses for working ahead of the schedule. They were also presented with the task of determining the rate of power the power plant would produce. The other great challenge was the diversion of the Colorado River and distributing the waters of the river into the seven basins that were highlighted earlier. The Arizona state had adamantly rejected the projects plan to the distribution system and hence they were to prove the state that they were not to be grossly affected. It proved quit difficult to support the activities of the construction within the fixed budget as well as ensuring the laborers of safety and other health issues. However, the unemployment rate had rise and the great depression compelled individuals to look for alternative source. The company provided relative certainty to individuals obtaining jobs during the economic crisis (Miller, 2014). The success against these hurdles are attributed the relation between the government and the private sector. The public and the private sector can mutually collaborate in task completion. The joint venturing of firms into six partners was one of the greatest managerial innovation techniques since individual ventures contributed specific experience in the project. The human resource department had managed it relationship with the worker in a manner that enabled them to extract maximum output from them as well as maximize their potential (Kolvet, 2013). Despite the relation being enhance by provision of health care services the project management lacked safety programs and were adamant on their stance as there was little if any negotiation stances with the concerned unions of the project. However, in the current decade, the human relation department has been so much revolutionized that authoritarian techniques unto employees can lead to power performance. Steve (2009) argues that organizations have mastered the art of ensuring that their employees are humanly treated in order to achieve desirable results. Besides, they have become conscious on the need to ensure the employees commitment is enhance in such a manner that the vision of the company resonates and coincide with those of its workers. The time, cost and quality elements for the project and an assessment on the element that was regarded as most important, and why American Experience (2015) describes that the time schedule for this particular project was from 1931 to 1936 though its completion was two years before the schedule. The funds were availed on time and it had been carried out in three phases. The three phases were the conceptual stage, the planning, execution and the construction stage, and the closing stage. The conceptual stage began in the twenties where the US congress passed an act that authorized the interior secretary to the e powers to investigate the problems that emanated from the Imperial Valley. In 1922 a recommendation from the investigation illuminated the need for the construction of a dam either at the Colorado River or at the Boulder Canyon. Cadbury (2004) asserts that the government was persuaded that the cost to be incurred in the project could be reclaimed by selling power generated by the dam to the neighboring cities. In the same year, the representatives from the seven basin states signed a pact that authorized the construction of the dam and was later table in the congress. The final stage of the conceptual stage was in 1928 when a feasibility report was released by the Colorado River Board of California vindicated it as a positive project. Herbert Hover then became in charge of the negotiation between the seven involved basin states the following year. The planning, execution, and the construction stage provided the framework for the project, the technical innovation alongside innovative productivity especially in the electrical lighting and the tramway aerial (Steve, 2009). The phase was presided over by the general superintendent known as Frank Crowe. At the closing stage (which was two years ahead of schedule) the project was handed over back to the interior department as the Six Companies Inc had worked within the stipulated budget and was able to make a profit of approximately $13million. According to Cadbury (2004), the cost for the project according to the budget of the Six Companies Inc was roughly $ 49 million dollars. The figure was perceived to be little in comparison to the mega project in question. The leadership of Steve Bechtel was significant into the realization of the success. It is prudent to know that the most essential element that enabled the completion of the project was the ability of the awarded contractor’s company to have clear, precise, realistic, and achievable plans and execution techniques. This was supplemented by the able leadership between the partners that had formed the Six Companies Inc. due to the well structured chain of command. Things that did not go according to plan and the assessment as to why they may have happened, who took control and how they were resolved The companies that had pulled resources together were faced with the initial challenge during the commencement of the project which entailed blasting of the wall of Canyon in attempt to create diversions channels or tunnels for the water from the Colorado River. The time scheduled was so fixed that the construction firm had to compel its workers to work under stringent measures. For instant, worker labored in the tunnels whose temperatures were extremely high and they would be choked by carbon monoxide gas. This prompted them to strike though the strike lasted for a period of six day. Kerns (2010) explains that this must have slowed down the progress of the project. In addition, during the clearing of the canyon walls and the elevation of those walls several causalities were reported. Documentation has it that 96 workers died during the construction process. These unfortunate incidences were associated with the haste with which the dam was constructed. There were penalties for the delays of each segment of the project hence the Six Companies Inc was compelled into going extra mile ensuring that the faces achieve the desirable targets within the scheduled time. However, they employed strategies that enabled them to avert the situation. One of the strategies involved the provision of the health care services to the workers who were involved in hazardous tasks. The great depression period also significantly played to the companies hands since there was availability of labor. The rate of unemployment had sky rocketed and individuals had to fend for their families. The construction firm became the only available option to the workers. Nevertheless, the principle of management that had been employed had clear defined objectives as the potential constraints to the project were clearly illuminated (Cadbury, 2011). Identification and explanation of the purpose of the project management tools used on the project Miller (2014) elaborates that the project management tools that were incorporated in the project were: Innovation, human resource management and relationship, technology, team work and collaboration, effective planning due to clearly defined objectives, management, leadership, contract, and mutual relationship between the public and the government as well as the private sector. The Six Company Inc. had innovatively been formed between varied six partners and the managerial skills employed were so innovative that it ensured there was cordial relationship between the partners during the project. Besides the availability of man power technological skills were very essential as they accelerated the tasks in question. Besides, there were some aspects if the project that could only be carried out by machines. In addition the resource department had ensured that all the materials were available as well as funds even before the commencement hence there were no instances where the project stalled due to monetary or resource deficiency. The relationship between the government, Construction Company, and the public also provides a serene atmosphere for the undertaking of the task in discussion. Admiringly, the construction company had a well defined plan with clear achievable objectives that resonated with the budget it had prepared. Williams (2008) argues that this aspect enabled it to not only complete the project in time but also complete under the budget and make huge profit. Frank Crowe who was the project manager devised appropriate construction and time saving techniques that incorporated the use of machines, outsourcing when appropriate, and worker. The working days were seven days a week and each day workers spend twelve hours at the construction site. Moreover, they were supplemented by machines and technological innovation. Make an assessment of whether the project was regarded as a success when it was completed The success of the project is evaluated in terms of its ability in the achievement of the objectives and the intended purpose. The objectives as mentioned earlier were to provide the locals with the water for irrigation, increase reliable supply of water, provide electricity to California and other cities, and control flooding. In the current decade the flooding menace is no longer a challenge to the local farmers of Colorado (Miller, 2014). The water supply to the cities such as Nevada, California, Utah, among many others has spurred economic development. Furthermore, the government over the past eight decades has sold electricity for consumers in several cities and has actually gained the returns of investments that were injected in the project (Cadbury 2011). The other evidence that illuminates the success of the project is that the techniques that were incorporated during the construction of the Hoover dam are still being utilized in the modern day project management especially in the energy sector megaprojects. The principles of the management used provided a foundation for the success of future mega construction projects (Williams, 2008). Bibliography: American Experience (2015). Timeline: Building the Hoover Dam. Retrieved on 26th March from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/hoover/ Billington, D. P., and Jackson, D. C. (2006). Big dams of the New Deal era: A confluence of engineering and politics. Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma Press. Cadbury, D., (2004). The Seven Wonders of the Industrial Age. Harper Perennial, London. Cadbury, D. (2011). Seven Wonders of the Industrial World Deborah Cadbury. Retrieved on 26th March 2015 from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/seven_wonders_01.shtml Kerns, A. (2010). Seven wonders of architecture. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century Books. Kolvet, R. C. (2013). Hoover Dam. Charleston, S.C: Arcadia Pub. Miller, H. (2014). The Hoover Dam. Illinois: Norwood House Press. National Park Service US (2015). The Greatest Dam in the World. Building Hoover Dam. Retrieved on 26th March 2015 from: http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/140hooverdam/140hoover_dam.htm Steve, M., (2009). The Five Principles of Successful Project Management. Retrieved on 26th March 2015 from: https://www.mpiweb.org/Magazine/Archive/US/November2009/TheFivePrinciplesOfProject Management Us Department of Interior (2015). Reclamation: Managing Water in the West. Retrieved on 26th March 2015 from: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Boulder+Canyon+Project+-+Hoover+Dam Williams, M. (2008). The principles of project management. Collingwood, Vic: Sitepoint. Read More