The Project Management Failure
A project environment comprises various interrelated constituents such as resources, tasks, and technology along with the people working against time under stress and strain: all of these combine together to achieve the common project objectives. The problem of management are so complex that they defy simple solutions. Some of these are beyond the management’s control but some can be avoided. The following causes of project failure can be attributed to management failure.
a) Planning failure
It is due to unclear objectives and targets, unworkable plans, top management’s failure to backup the plans, failure to identify critical items, lack of understanding of operating procedures and policy directions, reluctance to take timely decisions, and ignorance of appropriate planning tools and techniques.
b) Organizational failure
It is due to incorrect organizational structures resulting in conflicts, confusion of responsibility, inadequate delegation of authority at various levels, higher management interference, lack of stress on accountability, and a tendency of people to escape responsibility by passing on the buck.
c) Resource failure
It is due to an improper choice of the project manager, inexperienced staff, and failure to procure and position resources as per the planned schedules.
d) Directional failure
It can be attributed to a lack of team spirit, internal conflicts, poor human resource management, and labour strikes.
e) Controlling failure
It is due to unclear targets, inadequate information flow, incompetency in adopting appropriate monitoring techniques, and an absence of timely corrective meausres.
f) Coordination failure
It can be attributed to a breakdown of communication at various levels, lack of day-to-day decisions to fill procedural gaps, and an absence of cooperation and esprit de corps.
g) Other failures
They may be due to faulty procurement of machinery and materials, bad workmanship, poor performance of sub-contractors, accidents, unforeseen bad weather, and a failure to adapt to the local conditions.
