Seminar - Karel Valenta - Project Management - X-Ray of Australian Project Management

Wednesday, September 24, 2003, 1.10 - 1.50 pm
Civil Engineering Lecture Room 3

Abstract

The business environment is changing so rapidly that large hierarchical organisations are finding it difficult to maintain pace. The essentials for success in such a fast changing world are a creative culture, adaptability, agility and the ability to learn ahead of one's competitors. Organisations that embrace these operating philosophies are dynamic since they tend to recreate themselves each time their environment changes.

Project management has been recognised as a core organisational competency in coping with change and as a company culture that responds well to customers and stakeholders needs and requirements. It is a key driver for being agile and responding fast to market and regulatory changes.

The research aims at characterising successful organisations and their critical success factors. The work will facilitate the diagnosis of organisations in terms of their ability to flourish in the current turbulent economy. The research will provide a framework and metrics to assess typical organisations. There will be an opportunity to learn more about organisational capabilities in responding to change and uncertainty. This will be achieved through careful examination of their characteristics and strategic positioning.

In the current stage, the author and his colleague Nicole Hensman are assessing the present state and trends of Project Management practices within Australia. The research team is aligned with international institutes conducting concurrent studies that will enable global comparisons and will allow for an international view on the status of project management.