Management and Process Sustainability - Literature review Example

Management and Process, Sustainability Name of the professor Name of University Date: Introduction The American Heritage defines sustainability as to maintain or keep in existence. They further expound by saying that sustainability is the ability of s system of any kind, a project or business to endure and be healthy over the long term. A sustainable society is one that s healthy, vital, resilient and able to be creatively and adapt to changing condition over time. Dorothy (2010) defines sustainability as the ability of an organization to develop a strategy of growth and development that is capable of function and operates indefinitely. Project sustainability, therefore, means maintaining the outcomes, goals and products. It involves maintaining staff positions, maintaining all activities that depend on the grant funding. Development that is sustainable seeks to meet the needs of the current users without comprising the ability to meet the future generation to meet their needs. Teicholz (2001) defines sustainable development as requiring incorporation of environmental, social, and economic considerations to make a balanced judgment for long term. Several definitions have been given to sustainable development. Lewis (2009) in his content analysis defines sustainable development as a progression of attaining human advancement in a comprehensive connected, just, prudent and safe manner. The problem always comes when the organizations have to develop a process and implement strategies to meet the corporate challenges of sustainable development. Alexander (2008) states that maintain corporate sustainability is a commissioned course and each association should choose its approach and ambitions regarding corporate sustainability. This should meet organization aims and objectives in line with its intention and aligned with the organization with the organization strategy, as a suitable response to the conditions in which the organization. Several projects that have been stated government, NGO and engineers have failed due to the sustainability problem. Therefore, it is vital to review the literature about the sustainability and management process and its status currently. Literature Review on Management and process sustainability Cotts (2009) carried out study on facility management and sustainability. Cotts 2009 states that management facility and sustainability consists of several disciplines that ensure that performance of the erected environment by incorporating people, technology, places and process. Cotts (2009) states that the Facility managements seeks to meet both the requirements of business operations like catering activities, communications facilities, equipment’s and office furniture to fulfill the basic requirements of maintaining the building itself such as cleaning, heating and lighting. It also includes maintenance, of the building fabric in terms of its revamp and repairs both internally and externally. Alexander (2008) discussed facility manager’s job as to build an environment that encourages productivity, safe, pleasing to the clients, good building regulation and more efficient the word facility covers a comprehensive range of buildings and other complex physical entities. The one common thread among these entities is the fact that they are all places. The facility may be an either an office, suite of office or even space; a floor or a group of floors within a given building, a solitary construction or a group of building structures. Therefore, sports complexes, buildings and factories may be included as facilities. Others include jails, hospitals, retail establishments, hotels, and schools. It is of great important that the facility manager identify the activity held in the facility then makes management decisions to promote the activities that can be sustainable presently and in the long run (Alexander, 2008) Howard and Linda (2003) states that too many promising innovations disappeared when project funding ceases. This has resulted into more interest in the topic of sustainability over the years. Appropriately, conceived and executed new projects are necessary for improving the society in general. Such innovations normally are pursued as projects, with temporary funding and staffing. It has been noted that when the funding ceases, more often than not much of what has been developed disappear. Howard and Linda (2003) states that approaching sustainability is a systematic change that requires four major phases of change process. First phase is creating readiness with respect to the climate, culture for change through enhancing both the motivational and capability of critical mass of stakeholders. Secondly, initial implementation through phasing changes in with well-designed mechanisms for guidance and support. Thirdly, institutionalization by maintaining and sustaining changes through policies and practices. Lastly, ongoing evolution and creative renewal through enabling stakeholders to become a community learners Teicholz (2001) believes that the skills of the manager in charge of the project can be broke them down into two major sections, first as a hard skills where task performed through physical or technological means and secondly the soft skills where task are performed through mental intuitiveness. The hard skills aspect consists of electrical wiring and power distribution, plumbing, carpentry, operations and maintenance of heating ventilation and air conditioning systems. It also consists of spatial planning, civil and structural engineering principles. The soft skills consist of customer relations, contract coordination and support services. They also include team building services, technical judgment, time management, continuity of business and financial awareness in order to ensure sustainability in project. In a study carried out by TANGO International (2008) on Sustainability of rural development projects, it developed guidelines of ensuring project sustainability. The first element of ensuring enabling factor in ensuring project sustainability is effective linkages between project components. It states that one of the key component in sustainable venture results is a plan based on a holistic deliberation of livelihood systems, needs and opportunities. Constricted, areas-focused intervention can be at times risk in sustainability in many ways. For example, improved economic condition can be compromised by shock. Natural or fabricated that depletes and destroys household and community assets. Some examples of the linkages, which were noted in the study, include broad mixes of interventions as a set, responded well to the observed and expressed needs of communication. Secondly, infrastructure development with expansion of cash crop production that is a study in India and the Lao people Democratic republic. Lastly OCISP has forged strong linkages between credit and agricultural livestock training and to a lesser degree, marketing. Another factor that's determines project success and sustainability is the community participation. However, several programs include participatory measures in project design; programs that obtain sustainable results take the commitments seriously and put into practice with good and sound concept. Social corporate responsibilities are some of the ways, which ensures sustainability and project success in the long term. Atkins & Brooks, (2005) discussed the concept of in relationship to project sustainability. CSR is a very broad perception that encapsulates the belief that organizations have a duty that goes beyond shareholders. Corporate social responsibility requires organizations to consider the interest of all stakeholders including investors, suppliers, consumers and employees and the community in going about the normal organization business (Atkins & Brooks, 2005). It can be dubbed as a way of meeting, with reason the expectations of all societal stakeholders to maximize the company's affirmative influence on its social and physical environment while offering a competitive profit to its financial stakeholders. Either it can be viewed as a slightest standard to be met or an ideal for unceasing strive. Progressive actions by some organizations often set CSR benchmarks for others. The practices may then be legislated or demanded by the consumers to be incorporated as the organization standard and practices (Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, 2005). Organizations and companies engage in social corporate responsibilities due to several reasons. They include being able to operate now and in the future by acknowledging areas that affect their wellbeing (Brill, Margulis & Konar, 2004). Through CSR, both internal and external company activities, organizations benefits through improved research and development, market position and employee development. Government relation and risk management are imperative for organization growth and development. McConville & Mihelcic (2007) discussed theories and models to justify CSR. The theories and models justify the CSR by the companies. Common understanding of CSR evolved from simple discrete concerns about specific functions to one, which is holistic business strategy. The neoclassical/Corporate Productivity model represents an approach to CSR as one of the competent of an overall profit motive. The approach is closely affiliated with the economist (McConville & Mihelcic, 2007). They argue that the goal of any business is to bring profit to its shareholders and nothing else. The nebulous issues of social responsibility and corporate citizenship distract the primary goal of the business. Therefore, they should be avoided, and should only be brought to the business when they increase company profitability. The ethical, social model argues that as a citizenship approach that respects the interwoven relationship between the companies (McConville & Mihelcic, 2007). Companies’ are formed, motivated or sustained by the philanthropic outlook as quoted by ANGO International (2008). In addition, in the real sense very few companies may accept this model for all their CSR activities, however, many direct efforts such as corporately giving in this direction. Another model is a political model that involves the use of proactive CSR policies to offset government involvement and allows the companies to protect and manage their interest in the public policy sphere. TANGO International (2008) states that this model is the most obviously represents the modern approach of minimizing taxation, legislation and regulation by state. Travis (2010) considered sustainability factors in the development project life Cycle. He analyzed successful adoption of improved stoves. Bruno, Roland & Luc (2009) identified four sustainable factors of the project. First, social, cultural respect where the project should be socially acceptable project is built on the understanding of local traditions and core value. Secondly, the project sustainability factor depends on the community participation, which will help in fostering empowerment and ownership in the community members through direct participation in the development in the development of the decision that affect the community. Thirdly, project sustainability must ensure political cohesion, this entails increasing the association of growth projects with host country priorities and connection aid labors at all levels, as this will help in increasing ownership and efficient local resources and delivery of services. Fourthly, project should ensure to economic sustainability, which means that adequate local funds and capability exist to go on the project in the lack of outside aid. Lastly, project should ensure environmental sustainability, which means that non-renewable and additional natural resources are not used up nor shattered for only short-term gain (UNEP, 2007). UN 2002 designates three major pillars of sustainability as economic, social and environmental. McConville and Mihelcic (2007) further divided the social pillar into three components to include socio-cultural respect, community participation and political cohesion. Hence, they have five factors containing practices central to achieving sustainability in development and growth (Blackman 2003). Areas for further research and Literature Gaps From Cotts (2009) study in which he states that management facility and sustainability consists of several disciplines that ensure that performance of the erected environment by incorporating people, technology, places and process. He has failed to link the facility management with sustainability in the long run. Sustainability is a process, which encompasses several aspects as given from the definition. Cotts leaves the gap of finding a relationship between project and facility management and how each concept can be used to supplement each other to ensure success of the project undertaken by organization. Howard and Linda (2003) in their discussion of innovation sustainability, they state that too many promising innovations disappeared when project funding ceases. This in itself has resulted into more interest in the topic of sustainability over the years. Correctly, conceived and executed new initiatives are crucial for improving the society in general. Throughout their discussion, they have failed to point out the actual practical steps that can be taken from conception to maturity of the project that can prove beneficial in project management. They also discussed sustainability as an end rather than a process, which is guided by management principle. Management and process sustainability should be looked at as a single unit. Teicholz (2001) believes that the skills of the manager in charge of the project can be broke them down into two major sections, first as a hard skills where task performed through physical or technological means and secondly the soft skills where task are performed through mental intuitiveness. He has not given how the hard skills and soft skills can be used in project sustainability but rather leaned too much on the project management process and implementation process. There is a gap on how hard and soft skills can be applied in project sustainability giving a rise to the question whether projects are complete as long as their objectives can be achieved at present and not in the long term. TANGO International (2008) carried out a study on Sustainability of rural development projects; it developed guidelines of ensuring project sustainability. The first element of ensuring enabling factor in ensuring project sustainability is effective linkages between project components. In TANGO discussion, it fails to give out major steps that project managers can use in developing sustainable project, it elaborates on the major tenets on rural sustainability mentioning the incorporation of the community. However, this study fails to capture the role of society and the contribution they can bring into the project. Atkins & Brooks, (2005) on the other hands completes where TANGO International left it by discussed the concept and relationship of project sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Atkins & Brooks, (2005) stated that CSR is a very broad concept that encapsulates the notion that companies have obligations that extend beyond shareholders. Corporate social responsibility requires organizations to consider the interest of all stakeholders including investors, suppliers, consumers and employees and the community in going about the normal organization business. Throughout the literature review, there is no single discussion that has incorporated all concepts and tenets of project sustainability. Most of the studies have dwelt of the economic concept and sustainability of the project while others have concentrated more on the social aspect of sustainability leaving economic and environmental aspect of project management process and sustainability. Has mentioned by UN 2002, when they designated the concept of sustainability into three major pillars as economic, social and environmental. McConville and Mihelcic (2007) further divided the social pillar into three components to include socio-cultural respect, community participation and political cohesion. The initial classification and category should be used most often. Other areas of the study includes i. Facility management and sustainability ii. Product management process and sustainability iii. Role of community in project sustainability and management iv. Factors affecting project sustainability v. Role of donors in project management and sustainability In conclusion, the subject of project management and process sustainability is wide and cannot be covered conclusively in one article. It is a wide area, which needs further research study and findings to come to the conclusion. Reference Alexander, K 2008, Facilities Management, E & FN Spon, London. Atkins, B & Brooks, A 2005, Total Facilities Management, 2nd ed, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford. Blackman R. 2003. Project Cycle Management. Teddington, UK. Tearfund Brill, M, Margulis, S & Konar, E, 2004, Using Office Design to Increase Productivity, vol. 1& 2, Workplace Design and Productivity, New York. Bruno G Roland L & Luc S (2009). From a conventional to a sustainable engineering design process: different shades of sustainability. Cotts, D 2009, The Facility Management Handbooks, 2nd ed, American Management Association, New York. Dorothy (2010) Environmental accounting : emergy and environmental decision making. John Wiley& Sons, New York, NY Howard S and Linda N (2003) on sustainability of project innovations as systemic change University of California Los Angeles Lewis, B (2009), Facility Manager’s Operation and Maintenance Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York. McConville JR and Mihelcic JR. (2007) Adapting life cycle thinking tools to evaluate project sustainability in international water and sanitation development work. Environmental Engineering Science, 24(7):937-948. TANGO International (2008) North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project for Upland Areas (NERCORMP): India case study report. Tucson, AR. Travis (2010) considering sustainability factors in the development project life cycle: a framework for increasing successful adoption of improved stoves UN United Nations (2002) September 4. Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August-4 September 2002). New York,NY. United Nations UNEP (2007). Life cycle management – A business guide to sustainability. United Nations Environment Program, Paris. Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (2005) 2005 Environmental sustainability index: Benchmarking national environmental stewardship, www.yale.edu/esi/g_idealset.pdf Read More