Exploring Key Success Factors in Implementing Project Management Processes to Ease Strategy Execution

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Date
2011-02
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The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
The given research paper explores on the staff perception of project management versus the commitment to the actual work. Change resistance in the workplace is increasing and the given research analyzes how to overcome resistance and thus lead the way for acceptance. The methodology employed involved use of books as secondary sources of information along with a survey of 50 respondents using questionnaires (the respondents were senior employees (the middle management and their subordinates). The sample contained 35 men and 15 women with 40 of them from the same organization and the other 10 from different organizations. Qualitative analysis was done on the information from books while the survey results analysis was carried out using the excel spreadsheet. Findings show that most of the employees’ resistance to project implementation is closely linked to the perceptions they have. The acceptance or resistance of project implementation largely depends on the incentives, motivation and the general treatment of the employees. If the employees perceive the project as an extra work, time consuming, affecting their job security and social security, resistance is inevitable. Making use of books as sources of information and a survey in the UAE using questionnaires; the results of the research reveal that motivation, incentives and training and education along with a clear communication of the benefits of the project to the organization may ease project acceptance.Lack of communication in regard to the benefits of the project, extra workload to the employees without reward or recognition, lack of training and education regarding the project, job security issues and social detachment from workmates have been established as some of the reasons for project implementation resistance. The staff perception in regard to project implementation either facilitates acceptance or resistance. The survey results indicate that job satisfaction and manager rated work performance influence workplace project implementation. The recommendations made seek to overcome change resistance in workplace and thus retain high productivity in the given organization. The management should assign employees’ tasks in areas of their expertise, thus reducing the level of incompetence among them. Furthermore, there is a need to adjust the project activities to fit in the current workplace environment to avoid disruption of the existing work activities. Thus, the requirement to develop a channel for airing hardships among employees has been suggested if success is to be realized while implementing a project.
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Keywords
project implementation, project management
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