H.K. Dubey and Rajesh Sharma
Email: hudco.bhro@axcess.net.in

The financing and implementation of development activities through physical, economic and social investment projects has been an integral part of public planning and management of our traditional system. However, this has faced several problems coupled with the resources required to implement, including the political and administrative will. The obstacles and difficulties that inhibit the overall economic growth and efficient public administration also constrain effective project planning and execution. Although in this advanced era, there are many experts available for many aspects of project planning and management, yet many project still face unanticipated difficulties, and many may simply not be able to achieve the desired goals.

The problems of planning and managing projects are numerous, depending upon the region, like the difficulties of translating the sectoral plan into feasible investment proposals, over ambitious or technically deficient designs etc. These problems can be of many types, low level of administrative capacities; scarcities of skilled planners and managers; and the lack of adequate physical economic or social conditions make development projects risky. Another area the locally available resources, both in terms of planning and materials.

Despite the problems and failures, however, projects will remain the dominant means of organizing investment in the future. It is also a fact that the construction sector as a whole is as effective in generating employment as manufacturing, or any other so called "productive sector" work. What is more – it is particularly good for unskilled and semi-skilled workers. However, although the potential exists to create employment in construction project works, many projects use capital-intensive technologies, which minimize labour.

The experience of reviewing and reexamining several projects offers some insight into the causes of failure and attributes of success. If they are to be improved at an acceptable level, it seems essential that those responsible for development management have to improve in the following areas:

Development of any project is a complex activity, which needs expertise and understanding at all levels. The project is usually supervised, monitored and evaluated by higher levels of political and administrative authorities. Often, projects depend for their success on resources, supplies and support from a variety of other organizations over which they have little, if any, control. Another area of concern is project evaluation, follow-up analysis and action. This needs to be strengthened and should be a part of the project planning. Yet, project management is often perceived quite narrowly. Experience suggests that nearly all types of projects go through similar life cycles, perhaps in a change of direction or so, but most of the projects evolve through a set stage. There is also a need for the organizations to plan and implement projects within an integrated framework tailored specially to the local needs of the area.

Design is a crucial stage of project planning, although it is given the attention, it should be an integral part of all stages of project management. Another important aspect of a successful project is the evaluation part. Every project report should include the evaluation and follow- up analysis. Experience shows that this cites problems, needs, inadequate or inappropriate specifications, lack of financial contingency planning, and improper locations.

Design problems are caused, in part, by the failure of planners to involve clients or the ultimate beneficiaries in the preparation and formulation of the project. Several times, projects have poor design, including components that are inappropriate to local conditions. Moreover, project management often emphasizes the technical aspects of the design, without any concern for broader social, economic and culture factors of the regions.

Demonstration projects are primarily meant to exhibit the effectiveness of the solutions and to increase the acceptability of new technologies and materials on a broader scale. However, they still need creative management in gaining acceptance. The demonstration projects must be, for the experience of the beneficiaries. They should involve all components required to support successful adoptions, must be understood and applied with a minimum skill.

Large-scale construction works are the final stage after the demonstration projects. This has to be done with utmost care for the wider acceptability among the masses. An additional need has been the quality of entrepreneurship, of working and coordinating with the other actors. Finally, it should be noted that all development projects are somewhat experimental and that even seemingly easy construction work may often meet unanticipated difficulties while transferring the technology and the material into practical application.

The success will depend upon various factors such as: simplicity and clarity of objectives; availability of an economically attractive technology and materials to promote it; access to necessary specialist and provision of training for personnel; ability to recognize potential constraints and to design contingency plans to overcome them, if any. The projects must be designed, keeping in mind the existing practices and local availability of resources.

Finally, if project planning and implementation are to be improved, it seems essential to redefine the skills and capabilities required of project managers. In the past, project management has often been narrowly defined as the scheduling, programming and coordination of work activities and great emphasis has been placed on technical, engineering and programming skills. However, the experience has shown that project mangers not only have diverse technical and managerial skills, but they also provide strong leadership, especially in terms of resource mobilization, staff motivating identification of potential beneficiaries. Moreover, they must be able to overcome the inevitable political, technical and bureaucratic obstacles that face all the projects.

Ultimately, projects are the most effective instrument of development when they are related to broader development policies. These projects have broadly two types of goals: immediate and long term. Both are crucial for economic growth and social progress. Immediate goals are concerned with developing the method, technology and output of the projects, whereas the long-term objectives are concerned with the impact and socioeconomic changes resulting from that output.

Experience has shown that the project planning requires new and broader perspectives. There is also a strong need for our project managers to understand and to be trained, based on the 7-S framework of management promoted by McKinsey and Co. (management consultants). They are:

Strategy: The high level requirements of the project and the means to achieve them.

Structure: The organizational arrangement that will be used to carry out the project.

Systems: The methods for work to be designed monitored and controlled.

Staff: The selection, recruitment, management and leadership of those working on the project.

Skills: The managerial and technical tools available to the project manager and the staff.

Style: The underlying way of working and inter-relationship within the work team or organization.

Stakeholders: Individual and groups who

have an interest in the process or outcome.

Project planning must come to be viewed as an instrument of development, policy making and planning. The capacity building in the areas of project and structuring, including new approaches. The nature of capacity building ultimately is defined locally. Thus project management methods and techniques cannot be simply transferred without careful testing, adaptation and modifications to suit the local conditions. q