ASSIGNMENT A FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT

By JAMES M. WAWERU 11MMBA 024

ANASSIGNMNET FOR THE COURSE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OF AFRICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

Assignment one

Strategic Issues in Project Management Strategic issues in project management has arisen as a method to spot and classify factors, issues and risk that can notably influence or impact the activities of a proposed project. It is therefore important for a project manager to be aware of potential issues and challenges likely to affect a project. A manager re uires having an approach to help assess potential issues and challenges and methods of addressing them. Strategic issues can stem from both internal and e!ternal environment of a project, a strategic issue is a condition of pressure, that will have a significant effect on one or more factors of the project, such as its financing, design, engineering, construction, and operation e.g. organisational culture of staff can impact the success or failure of a project" #rganisational culture in a project or an organisation can also create strategic issues through resistance from employees, poor planning and implementation and budgetary controls" and rivalry within an industry can foster innovations. Issues can come from different publics i.e. customers, suppliers, the public, government, etc. $or e!ample in the construction industry in %enya approval and alterations of architectural designs have to undergo scrutiny and authori&ation by the 'ational (nvironmental Management Authority )'(MA* to assess the environmental impact and sustainability. +he successful conclusion of any project or venture is dependent upon the appreciation and management of strategic issues concerning surrounding the social, political, legal, and economic aspects of the project. $or e!ample land ac uisition challenges, environmental impacts assessment and political support. Strategic issues vary depending on the industry and the circumstances of a particular project. $or e!ample, the typical strategic issues that a mobile telephony project would face include, licensing, reliability of mobile network, waste management, capital investment and public perception. In %enya the mobile telephone has had significant challenges such as uncertain licensing procedures, project cost and, uality assurance disputes. -icensing is mandatory for all mobile telephone companies, to be licensed" a company must meet regulatory and statutory standards. .ut due to the rapid growth and change nature in the industry these standards, have not kept up with new concepts and designs that have not been licensed previously. +he first of a kind e.g.

/0 or 10 networks becomes the model for future decisions. +his strategic issue can adds to the risk and uncertainty due to the lack of firm and predictable policy. Such issues and uncertainties are reflected in the increased costs and schedules for the project. +he reliability of a mobile network must be e!tremely high, therefore networks must be designed and built under strict uality assurance controls. As a strategic issue the reliability of the network will directly impact on the revenues of the company in the long run. Another strategic issue mobile telephony must also address the issue of waste management, especially e2watse. 3aste disposal programs must be conceived and managed in line with the '(MA regulations. 4losely related to reliability and waste disposal is 4apital Investment i.e. the financial e!posure and risks that investors of mobile telephone companies must endure. -ast but not least, the strategic issue of public perception or public relations in other uarters, when first introduced in %enya, mobile telephony was treated with sceptism. +he perception of brain damage from waves from mobile handsets contributed to the slow uptake in certain areas of the market. 5owever, through well crafted and designed public campaigns mobile telephony was accepted and now perceived as an integral part of the social fabric. +his most evidenced in the M2Pesa concept of money transfer using the mobile handsets.