critique of current issues in development management by carolyne dennis
TRANSCRIPT
Critique of Current Issues in Development
ManagementBy Carolyne Dennis
Group MembersClotilda Ndezi Daudi EkuamJohn GachigiHarun Mutuma Nicolas NzivoJoshua M’Ikiao Angelo Geri
Definition of terms A project is a planned undertaking constituting of a set of
interrelated and coordinated activities designed to achieve certain specific objectives within a given budget and period of time.
Project Planning is setting goals, developing strategies and outlining tasks and schedules to accomplish the goals of a project.
Project management is act of planning, organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.
Sustainability is the capacity of a project to continue to deliver the intended benefits over an extended period of time after the project ends. The goal is to ensure that benefits from the project continue to be realized after the project ends.
Major ArgumentsThe author presents 4 arguments Existence of paradigm Dynamics nature of paradigm Previous emphasis on economic
benefits of projects Need to focus on non economic
benefits
Existence of paradigm
Set of theories, concepts, methods and techniques which are generally accepted within a discipline or profession
Fashions have become up to date and contemporary
Managers operate in organizations which have priorities
When the dominant idea does not provide solutions
Dynamic nature of paradigm
The field of project planning and management is very volatile
It is flooded with numerous ideasThere is uncertainty on how to achieve the
objectivesShift in the general debate about economic
development
Previous emphasis on economic benefits of projects
Africa has suffered economic crisesPeople wanted a radical change for economicPoverty to be handled
Economic crisis and structural adjustmentHad negative impact on development projectsEconomic crisis influenced policy makingCritical problems over resourcesThe project manager and the staff suffered too.
Thus: Political, economic and social environment has greater influence on project planning and management.
Need to focus on Non Economic Benefits
The are 3 major non economic benefitsEnvironmental issues in project management
and the need to plan for the project beyond the completion of the project
Gender factors in projects and especially growing realization of the gender implication in project planning and management
Institutional capacity and their relationship in project management and especially local administrative structures
Emergence of SustainabilitySustaining of a given level of natural resourcesSustaining of the necessary institutional
capacity to ensure this while sustaining the level of benefits
Economic environment and government policy provide the enabling or limiting possibilities for projects
The long term viability of economic and non directly productive projects depend on non economic factors
The Role of Project Planner/ManagerNeed to understand the implication of the
paradigm that they are based up on; be able to examine them.
Take on board lessons learnt in the wider development environment and from experience of implementing projects.
Must understand various issues: economic, environmental, gender etc
Challenges to managersHow can the benefits be delivered to the
potential beneficiaries or clientsHow can the benefits of projects be sustained
beyond the life of projectsHow do we apply these new ideasHow comes we tend to quickly apply new
ideas and leave our own experiences
INTERELATIONSHIPSThe suggested interrelationship is as follows
Project Planning & Manageme
nt
Environmental Issues
Environmental Issues
SUSTAINABILITY
Gender
Issues
Gender
Issues
Institutional
Capacity
POST-PROJECT
BENEFITS
Critique of the Author The author has a limited perspective of gender as
she takes gender to mean women. She has ignored the role of youth and children in development
The author appears not well informed on the policy of environmental impact assessment despite the fact that there was a conference on environmental issues in 1978.
The author discusses project planning and management from a western perspective without giving it an African flavor as well as acknowledging the African indigenous knowledge
CONCLUSIONS
Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work
Peter F. Drucker