Paper Example on Project Management

Innovation management in the construction industry allows for the selection of the best methods, processes, and products that will ensure the timely and economical execution of projects. Innovation enables the construction of magnificent structures that stand out above the rest and eventually earn more money for the investors. It is thus critical to identify and execute the processes that contributed to the competitiveness of a company in the construction market. A project manager encounters several challenges in the management of innovation like the prequalification and selection of suppliers availing innovative products. To counter this challenge, a project manager can make use of marketing executives at their disposal to undertake the process of scrutinizing products before they decide on buying them. Additionally, a manager could carry out research on the success of the prospective suppliers in the market and only prequalify those suppliers that have exhibited market leadership in terms of cost and price. Innovation management is also an internal affair that project leaders are tasked with overseeing. The employees under a project supervisor should be oriented towards innovation towards the success of the project. For instance, a manger should challenge the masons to innovate new ways of mortar mixing and conveyance to save on fuel, time and energy. At the same time, software engineers and other expatriates should be encouraged to develop new digital methods of executing the projects. The overall manager can adopt the use of incentives and performance appraisal to encourage innovativeness in the employee body.

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Project Planning

Planning in project management is as effective as is challenging. It involves the allocation of duties to personnel as well as time and money to resources. Planning also includes making decisions between two options depending on their cost and quality. An action plan is the most useful tool that project managers employ in charting the course of action towards the completion of projects. Some of the difficulties in drawing an action plan are the uncertainty of the climatic, economic and political changes in the future. For instance, the project manager may reserve one year for the laying of a foundation. This deadline may not be achieved if aberrant weather changes after three months make it impossible for employees to work for eight hours a day. Also, the extraordinary changes in the cost of construction materials necessitate the change in budgetary allocation. Social factors like migration also prompt a turnover in employee which results in the delay to the completion of projects. To cushion the action plan against future uncertainties, it is advisable to set flexible timelines for projects. A prudent project manager also gives time allowance for every activity to buffer for all unseen changes that may arise in the course of the project.

Organization and Personnel

Organization of the employees and processes presents some challenges that are attributable to the failure of meeting deadlines and satisfying all the stakeholders. In construction projects, human resources management forms the core of organization. Assigning duties to people is the basis of organization. The science of human management is of utmost importance in ensuring that the people to whom different tasks are allocated are capable and competent. Organization ensures that all the departments are adequately staffed. Hiring competent employees is a daunting task that project managers must undertake when organizing the project. To be sure of recruiting only qualified staff, managers should form a panel of interviewers who are conversant with each job position. Regular meetings are also pivotal in project organization since they offer an avenue for continuous reporting of progress and solution-finding.

Controlling

Every project must be controlled to meet the set standards of quality and timeliness. Controlling in project management ranges from drawing action plans to selection of suppliers. An effective manager must control all the processes that are relevant to the whole project. Project control follows system integration because the operation of the subsystems must be controlled to streamline them with the goals and objectives of the project. Controlling also requires making sound and informed decisions and owning up the consequences of ones actions. Since the project sponsor is looking upon the manager for the success of the project, he should take responsibility of every action that affects the project. Leading and controlling a project go hand in hand. An effective manager must exhibit plausible leadership styles that accommodate the opinions of other employees.

In conclusion, project management calls for proper leadership skills that are directed towards the timely execution of projects. A dedicated manager knows how to allocate resources, control processes, lead people, and plan for duties. They employ diverse managerial and interpersonal skills when dealing with difficult situations that arise in the course of project execution. Most importantly, project managers use people at their disposal to achieve the goals of a project. Therefore, they delegate, consult, and monitor the progress of the project at every stage of completion.