Question: The Organisational Context of Projects
A project is greatly influenced by the organisation that undertakes it. Different organisations have different philosophies and views on the importance of projects and how closely they want projects to be managed. For example, some organisations place great importance on their projects and view them as essential for the business to function. These organisations may create a smaller, temporary organisation within the larger organisation just to oversee projects. Other organisations place less importance on their projects and view them as a small piece of their organisational strategy. These organisations might use a smaller project team or even a single project manager to oversee the project. Neither philosophy is ‘right' or ‘wrong', but a good project manager can identify the philosophy of the organisation in which he or she is operating and adjust strategy accordingly.
The philosophy of an organisation towards projects is just one piece of the larger project environment. Organisational culture, politics, mission and values also contribute to the project environment. The project environment that an organisation creates can greatly impact a project's budget, timeline, personnel, monitoring, assessment and evaluation. Clearly, a toxic project environment is a large obstacle that can ruin a project's chances of success. One way a project manager can combat a toxic project environment is to assign team roles. In your resources, you will explore Belbin's nine team roles. Assigning a group or individual to one of these roles can help streamline the operations and logistics of a project. In other words, everyone will know what his or her job is, minimising confusion and maximising productivity.
While reviewing Belbin's team roles in this unit's Resources, think about whether team roles should vary from project to project. Should custom roles be made for individual projects? What if the project is highly technical? For example, would an expansion of a family-owned chip shop require the same team roles as a billion pound corporate takeover?
QUESTION: Explain whether different organisational structures, contexts and projects demand different team roles or whether all organisational structures, contexts and projects need essentially the same roles for their teams.
Using the scenario you were assigned for your Final Project, explain the impact of including different team roles on that project's chances of success.
Scenario Selected: Opening a New Hotel
You are part of an exclusive hotel group that has a strong reputation for boutique luxury hotels in the capital city. Having recently disposed of a successful hotel in the capital, the directors wish to reinvest the funds by branching out to another large city within reasonable travelling distance of the capital city. Your team is responsible for the acquisition, refurbishment and opening of the new hotel. You have to acquire a suitable building, plan the capacity, services, décor and branding to launch the new hotel. It need not be an existing hotel, but has to have the potential for between 25 and 40 up-market rooms and suites in an area that assures a high level of occupancy.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, CONTEXTS AND PROJECTS
According to Business Dictionary Online, organization is a social unit of people that is structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals. Every organization has a management structure that defines the relationship between different units, its members and their responsibilities. Organizations are open systems that affects and are affected by their environment. However, Investopedia (2017) defines organizational structure as a system that consists of explicit and implicit institutional rules and policies designed to outline how various work roles and responsibilities are delegated, controlled and coordinated. Put differently, it simply defines the internal framework and how it exists in the context of culture. Organizational culture describes a body of values, regulations, work ethics, practices and rules of the firm. This can take the form of power culture, role culture, task culture and personal culture as identified by Charles Handy (2007). To determine if organizational structure, context and project demands different team roles or same is consequent upon various factors. These factors include but not limited to:
Operational Tasks - Different organizational structures, context and projects have different operational tasks that require either different or same team roles. The project that require technical proficiency and specialty are best suited for different team roles whereas those that intend to spur creativity, innovation and creativity in workplace require same team roles. An example of this is a City Water Project which is technical, needs clear division of labour among the teams so as to guarantee efficient operation. It is therefore appropriate to say that the project requires minimal creativity but a great deal of technical expertise and specialty.
Organizational Style - The choice of different or same team roles in an organization depends on the organization's style. Formal organizations such as Coca-Cola Plc. have hierarchical structures, different functional roles, chain of commands and departments; hence they need different team roles. On the other hand, Informal organizations such as Small and Medium Scale Enterprises have simpler structures. Considering that the employees in this category perform non-specific roles, they require same team roles.
Resource availability - An organization's Resource availability influences the choice of different or same team roles. Organizations with extensive human and financial resources often need different team role for proper coordination and effective management. However, organizations with limited human and financial resources often employ same team roles for cost efficiency.
Set aims and Objectives - Another factor in determining the choice of different or same team roles in organisations is the aims and objectives the firm or project is set to achieve. Projects with broad and complex aims and objectives often require different team roles while modest objectives require same team roles.
Having described above, some of the factors that decides if organizational structure and project demands different team roles or same, below are the impacts of including different team roles on my selected scenario "Lagos Waste Metropolis Project" and its chances of success. Considering the nature and size of the referenced project, it is imperative that it will require different teams such as; Financial team, Logistics and Operations as well as Human Resource Management team. Their impacts contribute to the general success of the project and are described as follows:
Efficient Financial Management: Putting in place, a strong financial team with the right mix of skills ensures high level of accountability and transparency. This team amongst other things will ensure that the project's budget, disbursement and monitoring are strictly followed to the letter.
A Coordinated Operation Process: This team is involved in the coordination of the organization's operational process such as the drawing up of work schedule, inventory control, timely disposal and transportation of waste, creation of awareness and customer satisfaction to mention but a few. In discharging these duties, the team will achieve smooth operation and excellent service delivery.
Efficient Human Resources Management: The HR team will be involved with issues relating to employee's hiring, compensation and benefits, development strategies, wellness, safety, training amongst other functions.
In summary, the teams will work as different units towards achieving a holistic and overall objective of the project.
References: Business Dictionary (2017).Definition of an organization
Investopedia (2017). Organizational Structure.
Charles Handy (2007), models of organisational culture.