Implementation Of Project Management Within A Functionally Structured Science Agency

Project management has been hailed as a significant contribution to management and organizational theory in its effective integration of people, resources and tasks and its ability to effectively monitor and control projects. It concentrates attention on accomplishing program objectives and provides program visibility and a focal point for all program matters. However, project management is not a panacea in resolving all management problems. It is not suitable for implementation on all tasks and when instituted, it initiates its own set of problems. Project management, then, can be a powerful management tool to improve the effectiveness of program direction but only when it is appropriately applied and properly implemented. The feasibility of successfully implementing project management into a functionally structured science agency depends initially on the proper selection of the tasks to be included under project management control. The introduction of project management into an existing functional structure necessitates careful implementation to minimize the potential conflicts. A literature search was conducted to bring together, summarize and highlight the theoretical and practical aspects of project management concepts and theories. This research developed a nonnative model for implementing project management into a functionally structured agency. The normative model provided guidelines for determining the most suitable tasks warranting the use of project management techniques, the benefits to be derived from its use, the steps necessary to effectively implement project management, and the potential conflicts with appropriate measures to manage them. This model was then compared to the actual implementation process of a typical functionally structured science agency. The comparative analysis did not reveal any major oversights in the normative model, thereby, substantiating the viability and potential usefulness of this theoretical implementation process. The nonnative model is a useful tool for ensuring a beneficial contribution from project management while minimizing the adverse disruption to the organization. Therefore, functionally structured agencies intending to incorporate project management should develop an implementation philosophy that encompasses all aspects of this normative model, tailored, as necessary, to fit the specific organizational entity.