Human Aspects of Project Management and Influence on Performance - Essay Example

Human Aspects of Project Management and Influence on Performance This paper is on the human aspects of project management and how the same may influence performance. These concepts have been discussed in terms of strategies for management and constant innovation through project management as the world of commerce in today’s global market is dynamic in nature. These strategies will be discussed in terms of the phases put forward in the book by Kotter titled Leading Change, as well as theories by various other scholars like Taylor, Porter and others. These phases have been discussed as the steps in successful project management. Establishing a Sense of Urgency In the book Leading Change, Kotter has used the word urgency to describe the first phase so as to get a head start into the process of project management. This has to do with taking stock of competitive and market realities with a focus on crises and opportunities. (Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 340) This has been paralleled in Organizational Behavior and Management through a focus on competitive advantage which can be described as follows: (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 49 - 53) This brings us to a discussion on the technicalities of the model proposed by Porter. Porters Five Forces model provides suggested points under each main heading. When taken into consideration individually, each of these gives rise to the development of a broad and sophisticated analysis of competitive position. (Barney, 2007; Pp 10 - 34) This may further be used during the creation of a strategy, plans, or even where making investment decisions about a business or organization is concerned. These five competitive forces determine industry profitability and attractiveness apart from being responsible for shaping the prices that firms can charge, the costs they have to bear, and the required investments to engage in industry level competition. We are concerned with the fact that Porter’s essentially ahistorical approach cannot provide a full account of either a nation’s competitive advantage and corporate strategies or the growth and development of industrial clusters. (Porter, 1998; Pp 35 - 42) Creating the Guiding Coalition According to Kotter, this phase has to do with teamwork and leadership with a focus on integrating the two so as to bring out the best in each individual employee. (Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 340) To begin with, the way Ivancevich et al have described the principles of teamwork closely resembles the principles of scientific management as laid down by F W Taylor. Developed by Frederick W Taylor in the early 20th century, Scientific Management is a science based system of organizing the operational areas of the organization so as to ensure the existence of and implement various elements. These included placement of the right man at the right place, at the right time. Also, scientific management propagated a study of the motions and material handling practices within the organization, so as to find the fastest and easiest way of carrying out an activity. In this regard, there was a high level of focus on the implementation of cost accounting in all areas of operation activities so as make operations within the organization more cost effective. (Mellahi et al, 2004; Pp 346 - 355) Further, Taylor regarded the de centralization of responsibility and authority so as to place a group of men under the supervision of one man, as an important element that could trigger greater efficiency within the operational sphere of the organization. Finally, one of his most important principles was the division of work. He suggested this through the creation of room for four to eight functional foremen who will take care of various aspects of the overall task, so as to ensure that each sub task is carried out as regards minimum motion and cost per worker. (Taylor, 1947; Pp 33 - 68) These were the broad underlying principles upon which F W Taylor fashioned scientific management. This school of management thought followed experimentation and scientific rigor to demonstrate various findings. (Taylor, 1947; Pp 48 - 67) Developing a Vision and Strategy In this regard, the HR elements of the organisation, or its employees, are the major precursors of change within the project management structure. They are the ones who implement the change management process at the following levels of activity: Communication Planning Resource Utilisation Cost effectiveness in Operations (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 49 - 53) This makes the employees or the HR, change managers within the organisation. The impetus to change and grow with these changes comes from the fact that the modern day organisation is made up of people from various corners of the globe, with the ability to reach into their own varied personal experiences. Thus in turn, is a major factor that helps them cope with change and learn to keep changing with the changing times and trends. Also, sometimes change comes from within the organisation owing to the growth of exposure with the growth of the organisation or with activities like development and training. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 49 - 53) The role of change management within the project is as follows: (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 49 - 53) To help recognise change. To help recognise the areas in which these changes must be implemented within the organisation. To help the organisation integrate its goals or modify the same, with a change in the external environment. To help the HR understand the change and grow with it. (Foster et al, 2000; Pp 10 - 34) Phase 4: Communicating the Vision of the Project This phase involves motivating the coalition through a specific channel of information that will create perfect understanding of the organizational goal; as well as integration of the same with personal goals within the project management structure. (Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 325) This has been supported by Ivancevich et al through a role that resembles that of a business partner. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 42 - 78) The first role of the human resource in today’s organisation is that of a business partner. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 42 - 78) At an informal level, the term business partner can be used to denote the modern day human resource base. This is due to the fact that the human capital in an organisation today is motivated enough to integrate the personal goals with those of the organisation in an effective way. In this way, the goals are achieved at both ends. The management of an organisation attaches great importance to the act of motivating the human capital through the use of incentives that may be material or immaterial. (Mardikes et al, 2001; Pp 322 - 367) The material benefits include bonuses, promotions and other such means, while the immaterial ones include good reports and feedback. This helps the employee gain confidence and self esteem. Also, it caters to the employees need to achieve a certain social standing. Thus, the employee begins to realise that only by forwarding the goals of the organisation will his or her own goals be met. In this way, the human resource has emerged as a business partner that works in tandem with the organisation as far as goal achievement is concerned. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 42 - 78) Empowering Broad Based Action This phase deals with handling hindrances, using a project vision to support success within the system as well as a focus on risk taking abilities. (Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 325) This has been paralleled by the control system defined and discussed by Ivancevich et al (2004). A control system in organizations largely influences its ability to recognize the social and cultural modes of control within it so as to lay down in clear terms the role of the entrepreneur when it comes to deliberating social control over the employees concerned. (Mellahi et al, 2002; Pp 325 - 378) A management control system essentially consists of various elements including the management accounting practices employed by a particular organization. In this regard, it is imperative to state that the control systems employed by the management are a result of evolution of various systems and beliefs over a period of many years. This is what formalizes and assists in the quantification of various information – financial and other. (Ivancevich et al, 2004) In doing so, the management identifies various elements of the control system that have to do with the external information relating to markets, consumers, competitors and their decision making mechanisms. This helps the management take decisions of its own. (Buzan, 1991; Pp 90 - 98) Generating Short Term Wins This phase has to do with generating improvements in performance through a focus on “short term wins” or goal achievement programs within the project management structure. This in turn motivates the employee and gives him or her the impetus to work harder towards the larger and long term goal. (Kotter, 1996) This has been substantiated by Ivancevich et al (2004), through the model for performance management. It has been said that in order to be effective, one must be affective. This has important implications for the modern day organisation which is run on the basis of a plethora of experiences that comes from various kinds of people who serve various goals. In order to tie these people up together, there is a need to focus on the fact that any action needs to be affective first in order to be effective. This is where entrepreneurial orientation comes in. It has been described as a process that integrates personal and organisational goals so as to form a common value base. This act in itself will help in garnering better performance standards through better allocation and optimum utilisation of resources. (Mintzberg et al, 2003; Pp 231 -245) Consolidating Change and Producing Improvement within the Project This phase proposes the use of credibility in order to change systems as well as policies and elements that do not complement the transformation process within the organization.(Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 325) This phase has been contradicted by Ivancevich through a focus on knowledge management. One of the most important roles or functions of the HR is to monitor various things within and outside the operational sphere of the organisation, so as to make the necessary modifications that will correct any deviations in the path towards the achievement of organisational goals. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 80 - 97) The monitoring system in the modern day organisation thrives on a system of knowledge management. To monitor anything, there is a need for garnering knowledge about the same through communication and information. This needs to follow the flow of the organisational activities so as to give the right person, the right information at the right time. In this regard, many scholars have felt that there is a need to lay well defined lines of informal communication as these are important to bridge any gaps that may have taken place in the formal lines of communication. Knowledge and information have become almost interchangeable in their ability to transform workplaces and make the rest of the aware of the various activities that take place within it. (Mintzberg et al, 2003; Pp 229 - 234) Anchoring New Approaches in Project Management This phase has to do with qualitative improvement through a focus on development and effective project management. (Kotter, 1996; Pp 242 - 325) This has been paralleled by Ivancevich et al through a focus on training and development. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; P 80 - 87) Any modern day organisation and its HR need the strong backing of innovation for the following purposes: To meet goals effectively. For smooth flowing operations within the organisation. To imbibe an element of freshness into otherwise monotonous activities. To help the employees grow so as to fuel organisational growth and development. To gives the employees the satisfaction of learning something new everyday. To give the organisation the confidence to branch out into new fields. With these functions, it is important to have a process of training and development which will help show the employees how they can channel their energies into constant innovation so as to serve the organisational goals, and achieve their personal ones in the bargain. Training and development are essential activities for the maintenance of organizational health. Therefore, training and development processes may either be diagnostic or based on future role play. In this case, the kinds of training followed by an organization may be categorized into on the job and off the job training methods. (Whittington, 2001; Pp 112 - 125) The need to tap into a pool of potential can be met only through the right training and development process which will steer the employee towards doing so for the benefit of the organization. The conversion of this need into a full fledged reality is the role of training and development. This role is a major element of innovation. (Ivancevich et al, 2004; Pp 78 - 88) References 1. Ivancevich, John M.; Konopaske, Robert; Matteson, Michael T 2004. Organizational Behavior and Management 8th Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin Company 2. Kotter, John .1996. Leading Change, New York: Harvard Business School Press. 3. Taylor, F. 1947. Scientific Management. NY: Harper & Row. (Originally published 1911). 4. Porter, Michael E. 1998. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Free Press. 5. Barney, JB 2007, Gaining and sustaining competitive advantages, 3rd edn, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey. 6. Buzan, T 1991, The mind map book, Penguin, New York. 7. Foster, R & Kaplan, S 2000, Creative destruction, Doubleday & Company, New York. 8. Mellahi, K, Jackson, P & Sparkes, L 2002, An exploratory study into failure in successful organisations: the case of Marks and Spencer, British journal of management, vol. 13, pp. 15-29. 9. Mellahi, K & Wilkinson, A 2004, Organizational failure: A critique of recent research and a proposed integrative framework, International journal of management reviews, vol. 5/6, no. 1, pp. 21-41. 10. Mintzberg, H, Ahlstrand, B & Lampel, J 1998, Strategy Safari : A guided tour through the wilds of strategic management, Free Press, New York. 11. Mintzberg, H, Lampel, JB, Quinn, JB & Ghosal, S 2003, The strategy process, 4th edn. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 12. Van Der Heijden, K 2005, Scenarios: The art of strategic conversation, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, West Sussex. 13. Whittington, R 2001, What is strategy - and does it matter? Thomson, London. Read More