The Handbook of Integrated Business and Project Management, Volume 1. Fundamental Concepts, Structure and Methodologies (ePub)

Hundreds of billions of dollars are lost globally each year due to project and program failures in virtually all fields. Continued project failures, setbacks and losses have prompted me to question the adequacy of the current concepts, models and practices of project and program management, and to explore opportunities for change. In my view the contemporary approaches do not adequately address the real challenges of planning and delivery of projects and programs of significant size. Evidence from numerous field studies shows that projects and programs continue to underperform, or fail with massive losses and disillusioned clients and sponsors. Clearly, a fresh perspective and approach is needed to ensure that projects will deliver the outcomes that the stakeholders aspire to. For this to realise, it is imperative that client and sponsor organisations adopt a new mindset, and a vastly different approach to management of projects and programs. It is incumbent upon all client bodies to exercise a hands-on proactive approach, ensure that they understand complexities, and invest in creating the requisite capabilities for planning and management of their projects and programs.

I have written this book, together with Volume 2, in a style that can assist both scholars and practitioners to adopt and tailor the contents to suit their needs. My main motivation is to promote a more strategic and integrative approach to planning and delivery of projects and programs of significant size. I have attempted to bring together the key elements of knowledge related to project business and project management, and present these in a consistent and coherent framework, coupled with the relevant processes needed for their practical application. The integrated business and project management (IBPM) approach embodies a fresh perspective, frameworks, processes and tools for strategic planning, development and management of projects and programs of significant size.