Project Managment
RURAL
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
The
needs of human beings are increasing gradually due to the population growth and
other causes. Various activities have to be managed and implemented to supply
the needs of people. In course of supply different goods and services, various
programs have to be implemented regularly. At present, rural development has
been important issue for all types of the economy. Government has made and
implemented various project to cope with the different issues.
MEANING OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Human wants were limited at the
beginning state of civilization. Because of limited population, limited
economic activities were sufficient to manage food and other requirements. But
population increased in course of time. Government started to manage the
different projects as per requirement of the economy.
Various
scholars started to discuss the project and its management process. In this
course, scholars started to explain the project management.
According to Harold
Kerzner,
“Project
management is the planning, organization, directing and controlling of company
resources to complete specific goals and objectives.
In
same way, T.R Banga has defined it as:
According to T.R Banga,
“Project
management has two things: a management arrangement and a system of management
techniques.
In
conclusion, the features or elements of project management can he mentioned as
given below:
1. Project
management is objective oriented.
2. Project
management is oriented to the adjustment.
3. Project
manager is responsible for this.
4. Project
management is the group efforts.
5. Project
management gives important to functional coordination.
6. Project
management includes planning and control.
7. Project
management remains within the limitations of fixed budget, time, and quality.
8. Project
management is under the effect of the maximum utilization of resources.
9. Project
management includes sectoral management, time management, change management,
change management, cost management, cost management, quality management, human
resources management, conflict management, risk management etc.
DEFINATION OF PROJECT
Necessities
of human beings are beings are different in nature. These necessities are
changing with the time. Human beings are always effortful to meet their needs
through different way and methods. As a result of such efforts, they began to
operate diverse types of project to meet the needs. Due to such diversities,
meaning of project is also vague or board. On the basis of the nature of
projects operated in different countries and their context, different economist
have defined project as follows;
According to S.
Chaudhary,
“A
project starts from scratch with a definite mission, general activities
involving variety of human and nonhuman reason all directed towards fulfillment
of the mission and stops once the mission is fulfilled.”
According to
Encyclopedia of management,
“Project is an organization unit dedicated to the attainment of goal-the
successful completion of a development project on time, within budget, in
conformance with predetermined program specification.”
According to United
Nation Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
“A
project is a proposal for all investment to create, expand and develop certain
facilities in order to increase the production of goods or services in a
community during a certain period of time.”
IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT
The
concept and system of project was developed with the increase of human needs.
Higher the need of people, higher the number of projects. In this sense,
projects are directly or indirectly related with the fulfillment of wants and
needs of people. The important of such projects is also increasing with the
increase in wants and needs. Such projects directly or indirectly can have
positive effect on social and economic development. So, establishment and
operation of project are given more importance. The importance of project can
be mentioned as follows:-
1. Proper
identification of problems
2. Timely
completion of work
3. Team
speed / spirit
4. Maintaining
quality
5. Utilization
of resources
6. Co-ordination
1.
Proper
identification of problems
Different problems
exist in rural areas. The rural people are compelled to live their difficult
life. Efforts are made to identify such problems and solve them through
implementation of project. If the problems are correctly identified, they can
be solved. Formulation of project and implementation becomes problem centered.
Operation of certain project for solving certain problems helps to identify
more other problems and prepares foundation for implementation of additional
projects. This helps to continue the process and chain of rural development
2.
Timely
completion of work
Project is operated to
meet certain objective. Its working method and system are also of especial
nature. Generally, such work is performed with scientific system. As project is
operated with the proper management of means and resources work can be
completed in time. As a result, the concerned persons get fruits of such
project.
3.
Team
speed/ spirit
A project
is conducted by certain group of specialists and experts of different sectors
of the economy. Every work of the project is performed with certain skill and
expertise with team spirit. As a result, work can be completed in time
according to the objectives. As a project is conducted with certain objective
to meet certain needs, it becomes possible to increase people’s participation.
All the persons work in team speed and spirit and thus means and resources are
properly utilized. This makes possible to enhance social and economic
development in rural areas.
4.
Maintaining
quality
A project is
operated to achieve certain objective or produce certain goods or services. In
a project, provisions are set to complete any work meeting the standard.
Arrangement of monitoring and analysis is made for finding out real condition
of performance. Quality and standard of work or performance cannot decline due
to regular monitoring and analysis. As certain team works and finishes it in
time and specialists and experts are involved in using means and resources, it
becomes possible t produce quality goods or services. The availability of
quality goods and services makes rural development possible.
5.
Utilization
of resources
A project is
operated to fulfill the necessity of certain areas. While making a development
plan, detail description of the means and resources available in the area is
taken. The facts how many resources are available, how can they be utilized,
how to increase people’s participation to utilize them etc. are decided through
wide discussion. The limited resources can be utilized to get maximum benefit.
Proper utilization of resources is very important since they are limited
whereas needs and wants of the people are unlimited in the rural areas.
6.
Co-ordination
From identification and
selection of any project, wide discussions and interactions are held on
different aspects of it. The facts how and in what ways a certain project is
related with different sector of the economy, how it can contribute to social
and economic development of the rural area etc. are identified. Their
interrelationship is found out. Different projects are studied at a time and
efforts are made to find out their common aspect. Degree of their
interdependency and situation is found out and maintains that coordination
among them. All these efforts makes possible to develop rural areas in a
coordinated manner.
FEATURES OF PROJECTS
A
Project is mainly a temporary organizational effort. Adjustment of different means
and resources is made in order to achieve certain objectives and different
activities are conducted accordingly. On the whole, the features of a project
can be mentioned in points as follows-
- Specific
objectives
- Constraints
- Team
work
- Fixed
life span
- Unique
nature
- Complexity
- Coordination
- Flexibility
- Resources
integration
- Temporary
- Consumers’
oriented
- Operation
by contract
- Planning
and control
- Optimum
utilization of resources
1.
Specific
objectives
Project has
certain/specific objective. Different human and nonhuman means and resources
are used for the achievement of the objective. All the activities are directed
towards the achievement of the objective.
2.
Constraints
Project is bound
to time. Predetermined objectives should be achieved within certain time. The
amount of budget remains limited for the quantity and quality of the goods or
services to be achieved are predetermined.
3.
Team
work
The return of a
project depends on teamwork. Different persons of related fields perform
teamwork for the operation of the project. They apply their experiences to
achieve certain objective.
4.
Fixed
life span
Project is completed within
certain time. Long or certain time may need to complete project. But project
cannot be endless.
5.
Unique
nature
Project contains
special nature. As it has certain objective and arrangement, and means and
resources are made accordingly for the achievement of the objective, there may
be dissimilarity among various projects. Standard or yardstick of one project
may be totally useless for other project.
6.
Complexity
Complex tasks
remain intertwined in project. Complex jobs such as technological survey,
selection of proper technology, management of machine and equipment, management
of appropriate manpower, management of financial resources, preparation of
operating timetable and implementation, harmony of all for the achievement of
the objective etc. are included in a project.
7.
Coordination
Operation of a project depends on
coordination. Operation of a project becomes systematic only if coordination is
maintained among different elements and programs arranged for the achievement
of objective. Efforts are made towards achievement of the objective by
coordinating and activating expert manpower of different sectors.
8.
Flexibility
A project is
operated in a dynamic environment. As time is changing, adjustment with each
change is necessary. For this, programs of any project should be flexible.
Change may come in them according to time and necessity.
9.
Resources
integration
Different
resources are needed for the operation and achievement of objective of a
project. Human resources, financial resources, other physical resources etc.
are integrated for the achievement of a project objective.
10. Temporary
Project is a
temporary organization. It is operative for certain duration. It ends after the
objective is achieved.
11. Consumers’ oriented
A project is
consumer oriented. Its objectives are to produce goods, services according to
the need of consumers and satisfy their wants. Production of any goods or
services, traditional or modern, is directly or indirectly directed by
consumer, wants.
12. Operation by contract
Any type of project,
small or big, is operated according to certain contract. Contract is made and
implemented for full or partial completion of any work on basis of the nature
of project and the condition of expert and budget.
13. Planning and control
A project is
operated in planned manner. Functions of project are controlled by certain
framework and standard. Project operation is not let to go beyond the specified
limit nor stop before reaching the objective.
14. Optimum utilization of resources
Every project gives
emphasis on optimum utilization of resources. Means and resources are limited
with a nation or a person. More and more people should be benefited from
optimum utilization of such limited resources. So, every project gives emphasis
on optimum utilization of means and resources.
REQUIREMENTS FOR
SUCCESSFUL PROJECT
Different
projects and programs should be implemented and operated for rural development.
Needs and wants of rural communities are different. Different project are
needed to be implemented to meet them. It becomes necessary to create proper
environment for the implementation, operation and completion of project. If
project becomes unsuccessful and remains incomplete, means and resources get
wasted. Certain standard and measurement should be adopted for preventing waste
of time, means and resources.
Generally it becomes impossible to operate
project by a person, or organization or only government. In such situation,
participation of all concerned is necessary for the success of project. The
following conditions should be maintained for the successful operation of any
project.
- Identification
of objectives
- Proper
social environment
- Management
of financial resources
- Suitable
political environment
- Able
leadership
- Proper
organization structure
- Clear
policy
- People’s
participation
- Coordination
- Identification of
objective
At
first, proper as well as correct objectives should be identified to make a
project better, proper and contextual. Other conditions are determined on the
basis of the objectives. If the objective is wrong, the other possesses cannot
be carried out in a fruitful manner. So, objectives should be scientifically
identified so that the target group is benefited.
- Proper social
environment
Proper
social environment is necessary to lunch any development project. The projects
formed according to the social environment become easy to complete. If any new
projects are to be operated, people should be made familiar to the project
through public awareness or any other media. In the situation if those for whom
the project is to be operated are unknown about the project becomes
unsuccessful.
- Management of
financial resources
Sufficient
financial resources are necessary for operation of any project. Only then
operation of the project runs smoothly; otherwise it becomes difficult to
achieve the objectives of the project.
- Suitable political
environment
Political environment should be suitable for the success of any project.
In the situation if there is favorable as well as stable political environment,
the leadership of the project also remains stable. This increases
responsibility. This brings regularity continuity in the operation. Project
becomes complete and target group gets benefits fruit of the project.
- Able leadership
Certain
persons, group of persons or organization should be given responsibility to
operate any project. They should be sincere, efficient and dedicated to fulfill
their responsibility. They become interested to discharge their responsibility.
If they are careful in utilization means and resources, they become successful
to achieve the objective even by utilizing limited resources. For this, the
leadership should be well informed about various aspects of the project, able
to adopt flexibility according to situation and should be efficient.
- Proper
organization structure
Certain
organizational structure is necessary for successful completion of any project.
If organizational structure is trimmed and efficient, responsibility can be
discharged within shorter time. Resource mobilization becomes dynamic. The
people become active in each phase of the project becomes successful.
- Clear policy
A project is
operated on the basis of certain policy. The policy on the basis or standard of
operation should be clear and free of dispute. If the policy is dubious and
unclear, there comes crisis in mobilization of means and resources. So, clear
and dispute free policy should be formed in operating any project.
- Peoples’
participation
A project is
operated in order to meet the needs of the people of certain community. Its
success depends on their participation. Difficulties gradually diminish, if
they are actively involved in the project. This makes possible to achieve the
set objectives as the people themselves become effortful to solve any problem
if appeared in the process of operation of any project.
- Coordination
Rural people have
various necessities. All such necessities can be fulfilled at time through any
single project. Different projects need to be operated. If there is only one
target group, coordinated method should be applied. If coordination is
maintained between different projects, people participation increases.
Resources and means are properly utilized. Proper division of work becomes
possible. Problems that may arise in course of operation may be properly solved
in time. As a result, project becomes successful to reach its goal.
Operation
of any project is a complex task. It is necessary to be careful in operating
any projects so that both long and short-term objectives can be achieved.
Similarly, projects should be operated keeping in mind the rural complexities.
Demands of rural people are uncountable. Effort should be made to fulfill them.
All the elements effecting directly or indirectly should be made favorable for
the success of the project.
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